Sebastian, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 세 | ㅅ + ㅔ | ㅅ s ㅔ e, as in “bed” | se |
| 바 | ㅂ + ㅏ | ㅂ b ㅏ a, as in “father” | ba |
| 스 | ㅅ + ㅡ | ㅅ s ㅡ eu, like “oo” said with spread lips | seu |
| 찬 | ㅊ + ㅏ + ㄴ | ㅊ ch ㅏ a, as in “father” ㄴ n at the end | chan |
Why Sebastian 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.
- Sebastian ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 찬 has ㄴ at the bottom.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Sebastian sounds like se-ba-seu-chan.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 세바스찬 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 세바스찬이에요 (je ireumeun sebaseuchanieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 세바스찬 씨 or 세바스찬 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.