Sean, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 숀 | ㅅ + ㅛ + ㄴ | ㅅ s ㅛ yo, as in “yoga” ㄴ n at the end | syon |
Why Sean is written this way
- Sean ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 숀 has ㄴ at the bottom.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 숀 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 숀이에요 (je ireumeun syonieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 숀 씨 or 숀 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.