Martin, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 마 | ㅁ + ㅏ | ㅁ m ㅏ a, as in “father” | ma |
| 틴 | ㅌ + ㅣ + ㄴ | ㅌ t ㅣ i, as in “see” ㄴ n at the end | tin |
Why Martin is written this way
- The “r” in Martin is not written. In Korean spelling, an “r” after a vowel is silent — much like in British English.
- Martin ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 틴 has ㄴ at the bottom.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Martin sounds like ma-tin.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 마틴 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 마틴이에요 (je ireumeun matinieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 마틴 씨 or 마틴 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.