Thomas, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 토 | ㅌ + ㅗ | ㅌ t ㅗ o, as in “go” (shorter) | to |
| 마 | ㅁ + ㅏ | ㅁ m ㅏ a, as in “father” | ma |
| 스 | ㅅ + ㅡ | ㅅ s ㅡ eu, like “oo” said with spread lips | seu |
Why Thomas 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.
- Korean has no “th” sound. It is usually written ㅅ (s), or ㅌ (t) / ㄷ (d) when that is closer to how the name is said.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Thomas sounds like to-ma-seu.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 토마스 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 토마스예요 (je ireumeun tomaseuyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 토마스 씨 or 토마스 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.