Matthew, 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 |
| 튜 | ㅌ + ㅠ | ㅌ t ㅠ yu, like “you” | tyu |
Why Matthew is written this way
- Korean has no “th” sound. It is usually written ㅅ (s), or ㅌ (t) / ㄷ (d) when that is closer to how the name is said.
- The short “a” of “cat” is written ㅐ (ae): 매.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Matthew sounds like mae-tyu.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 매튜 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 매튜예요 (je ireumeun maetyuyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 매튜 씨 or 매튜 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.