Kyle, letter by letter
Hangul is written in blocks. Each block is one syllable, built from a consonant, a vowel and sometimes a final consonant at the bottom.
| Block | Letters | How each letter sounds | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 카 | ㅋ + ㅏ | ㅋ k ㅏ a, as in “father” | ka |
| 일 | ㅇ + ㅣ + ㄹ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅣ i, as in “see” ㄹ l at the end | il |
Why Kyle is written this way
- The long “i” of “Mike” or “Ryan” is written as two vowels, 아 + 이: 카일.
- Kyle ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 일 has ㄹ at the bottom.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Kyle sounds like ka-il.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 카일 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 카일이에요 (je ireumeun kairieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 카일 씨 or 카일 님.
Official documents such as your residence card use your name in English letters, as in your passport. The Hangul spelling is what friends, coworkers and baristas will write.