Miguel, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 미 | ㅁ + ㅣ | ㅁ m ㅣ i, as in “see” | mi |
| 겔 | ㄱ + ㅔ + ㄹ | ㄱ g ㅔ e, as in “bed” ㄹ l at the end | gel |
Why Miguel is written this way
- Miguel ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 겔 has ㄹ at the bottom.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Miguel sounds like mi-gel.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 미겔 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 미겔이에요 (je ireumeun migerieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 미겔 씨 or 미겔 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.