To say my name is in Korean, use 제 이름은 ___입니다 (je ireumeun ___imnida), or more naturally 저는 ___입니다 (jeoneun ___imnida), "I am ___". In relaxed polite speech, say 저는 ___예요 after a name ending in a vowel and 저는 ___이에요 after a consonant. ___(이)라고 합니다 (rago hamnida) means "I am called ___".
- Formal
- 제 이름은 ___입니다 (je ireumeun ___imnida)
- Polite
- 저는 ___예요 / 이에요 (jeoneun ___yeyo / ieyo)
- I'm called
- ___(이)라고 합니다 (rago hamnida)
- What's your name?
- 이름이 뭐예요? (ireumi mwoyeyo?)
- Level
- A1
Which way of giving your name should you use?
제 (je) is the humble word for my, and 이름 (ireum) is name. In practice Koreans more often just say who they are with 저는 (jeoneun), "as for me". The ending changes with formality, and two of the endings change with the sound at the end of your name.
| Korean | Romanization | Speech level | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 제 이름은 엠마입니다 | je ireumeun Emma-imnida | Formal (합쇼체) | My name is Emma; textbook style |
| 저는 엠마입니다 | jeoneun Emma-imnida | Formal (합쇼체) | I am Emma; the usual formal version |
| 저는 엠마예요 | jeoneun Emma-yeyo | Polite (해요체) | 예요 after a vowel |
| 저는 재훈이에요 | jeoneun Jaehun-ieyo | Polite (해요체) | 이에요 after a consonant |
| 엠마라고 합니다 | Emma-rago hamnida | Formal | I am called Emma; 이라고 after a consonant |
| 나는 민수야 | naneun Minsu-ya | Casual (반말) | I'm Minsu; 이야 (iya) after a consonant |
The vowel or consonant rule is about how your name is spelled in Hangul. Emma becomes 엠마, which ends in the vowel ㅏ, so it takes 예요. 재훈 (Jaehun) ends in the consonant ㄴ, so it takes 이에요.
How do you ask someone's name in Korean?
With people your age or younger, the plain question is fine. With someone older, a customer, or anyone you want to show respect to, use the honorific noun 성함 (seongham) instead of 이름.
이름이 뭐예요?
Ireumi mwoyeyo?
What's your name?
Polite, for peers.
이름이 뭐야?
Ireumi mwoya?
What's your name?
Casual, for friends and children.
성함이 어떻게 되세요?
Seonghami eotteoke doeseyo?
May I ask your name?
Respectful; what staff ask customers.
Here a stranger introduces himself at the door of a tea house, using the consonant form 이라고 after 재훈:
저는 이준호의 손자 재훈이라고 합니다.Jeoneun Lee Junho-ui sonja Jaehun-irago hamnida.
What mistakes do learners make with Korean names?
Never attach 씨 (ssi) to your own name. It is a polite title for other people, so 저는 엠마 씨예요 sounds as if you are addressing yourself respectfully. Use 씨 after someone else's full name or given name, not after a surname on its own.
Korean names put the family name first, usually a single syllable such as 김 (Kim), 이 (Lee) or 박 (Park), followed by a given name that is normally two syllables. Use 저 (jeo), the humble I, when introducing yourself to anyone but close friends; 나 (na) is for casual speech only.
A full introduction usually ends with nice to meet you; see how to say nice to meet you in Korean.
Meet Jaehun and Eunji in Time in a Teacup, a Korean A2 story about letters hidden in a tea house.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do I write my name in Korean?
Write it in Hangul by sound, not by spelling: Emma is 엠마, Jake is 제이크. Korean has no f, v, th or z sounds, so some names change noticeably. Many foreigners ask a Korean friend which spelling sounds most natural.
Is it je ireumeun or jeoneun?
Both are correct. 제 이름은 (je ireumeun, my name is) is what textbooks teach first; 저는 (jeoneun, I am) is what most people actually say when introducing themselves.
What is the difference between yeyo and ieyo?
They are the same polite ending, "am" or "is". Use 예요 (yeyo) after a word ending in a vowel and 이에요 (ieyo) after a word ending in a consonant.
What does rago hamnida mean?
It means "I am called". 라고 (rago) follows a name ending in a vowel and 이라고 (irago) one ending in a consonant. It sounds a little more formal and modest than 입니다.