Scott, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 스 | ㅅ + ㅡ | ㅅ s ㅡ eu, like “oo” said with spread lips | seu |
| 콧 | ㅋ + ㅗ + ㅅ | ㅋ k ㅗ o, as in “go” (shorter) ㅅ t (unreleased) at the end | kot |
Why Scott is written this way
- Korean syllables can’t end in most consonant sounds, and two consonants can’t start one, so a soft ㅡ (eu) is added: 스. Say it lightly — it is barely heard.
- Scott ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 콧 has ㅅ at the bottom.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Scott sounds like seu-kot.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 스콧 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 스콧이에요 (je ireumeun seukosieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 스콧 씨 or 스콧 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.