Penelope, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 페 | ㅍ + ㅔ | ㅍ p ㅔ e, as in “bed” | pe |
| 넬 | ㄴ + ㅔ + ㄹ | ㄴ n ㅔ e, as in “bed” ㄹ l at the end | nel |
| 로 | ㄹ + ㅗ | ㄹ l (after another ㄹ) ㅗ o, as in “go” (shorter) | ro |
| 피 | ㅍ + ㅣ | ㅍ p ㅣ i, as in “see” | pi |
Why Penelope is written this way
- Between vowels, the “l” sound is written with two ㄹ — 넬로 — so it stays a clear “l”. A single ㄹ there would sound more like a soft “r”.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Penelope sounds like pe-nel-ro-pi.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 페넬로피 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 페넬로피예요 (je ireumeun penellopiyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 페넬로피 씨 or 페넬로피 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.