Maya, 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 |
| 야 | ㅇ + ㅑ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅑ ya | ya |
Why Maya is written this way
- Every sound in Maya has a close match in Korean, so it is spelled just as it sounds: 마 (ma) + 야 (ya).
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Maya sounds like ma-ya.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 마야 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 마야예요 (je ireumeun mayayeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 마야 씨 or 마야 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.