Raymond, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 레 | ㄹ + ㅔ | ㄹ r (a light, flapped r) ㅔ e, as in “bed” | re |
| 이 | ㅇ + ㅣ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅣ i, as in “see” | i |
| 먼 | ㅁ + ㅓ + ㄴ | ㅁ m ㅓ eo, like the u in “up” ㄴ n at the end | meon |
| 드 | ㄷ + ㅡ | ㄷ d ㅡ eu, like “oo” said with spread lips | deu |
Why Raymond is written this way
- Korean has one letter, ㄹ, for both “r” and “l”. At the start of a syllable it is a light, flapped sound between the two; at the end of a block it sounds like “l”.
- Korean syllables can’t end in most consonant sounds, and two consonants can’t start one, so a soft ㅡ (eu) is added: 드. Say it lightly — it is barely heard.
- The “ay” sound of “day” is written as two vowels, 에 + 이: 레이.
- The relaxed “uh” sound — like the u in “fun” or the -er in “Peter” — is written ㅓ (eo): 먼.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 레이먼드 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 레이먼드예요 (je ireumeun reimeondeuyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 레이먼드 씨 or 레이먼드 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.