Madeline, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 매 | ㅁ + ㅐ | ㅁ m ㅐ ae, like the a in “cat” | mae |
| 들 | ㄷ + ㅡ + ㄹ | ㄷ d ㅡ eu, like “oo” said with spread lips ㄹ l at the end | deul |
| 린 | ㄹ + ㅣ + ㄴ | ㄹ l (after another ㄹ) ㅣ i, as in “see” ㄴ n at the end | rin |
Why Madeline is written this way
- Between vowels, the “l” sound is written with two ㄹ — 들린 — so it stays a clear “l”. A single ㄹ there would sound more like a soft “r”.
- The short “a” of “cat” is written ㅐ (ae): 매.
- Madeline ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 린 has ㄴ at the bottom.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 매들린 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 매들린이에요 (je ireumeun maedeullinieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 매들린 씨 or 매들린 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.