Leon, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 레 | ㄹ + ㅔ | ㄹ r (a light, flapped r) ㅔ e, as in “bed” | re |
| 온 | ㅇ + ㅗ + ㄴ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅗ o, as in “go” (shorter) ㄴ n at the end | on |
Why Leon is written this way
- Leon ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 온 has ㄴ at the bottom.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Leon sounds like re-on.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 레온 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 레온이에요 (je ireumeun reonieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 레온 씨 or 레온 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.