If you’re just starting to learn Korean or planning a trip to South Korea, knowing some basic Korean phrases can be incredibly helpful. Whether you’re ordering food, asking for directions, or you want to learn the most important phrases first, these essential Korean expressions will help you communicate more effectively.
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Greetings, Introductions and Goodbyes
Basic Korean Phrases
Survival Korean Phrases for Travelers
Common Everyday Phrases
Asking for Directions
Navigating the Transport System
Ordering in a Restaurant
Ordering in a Cafe
Shopping and Bargaining
Numbers and Counting
1. Greetings, Introductions and Goodbyes
Start with these essential phrases:
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 안녕하세요? | Annyeonghaseyo | Hello (formal) |
| 안녕? | Annyeong | Hi / Bye (casual) |
| 만나서 반갑습니다 | Mannaseo bangapseumnida | Nice to meet you |
| 저는 [이름]입니다 | Jeoneun [name]-imnida | I am [name] |
| [Country, e.g. 미국] 사람이에요 | Migook saramieyo | I am from America |
| 여보세요? | Yeoboseyo? | Hello? (Used when speaking on the phone) |
| 안녕히 가세요 | Annyeonghi gasaeyo | Bye (when the other person is leaving) |
| 안녕히 계세요 | Annyeonghi gyeseyo | Bye (when you’re leaving and the other person is staying) |
Example Conversation:
A: 안녕하세요? 저는 제임스입니다. (Annyeonghaseyo? Jeoneun James-imnida.)
B: 안녕하세요? 저는 민수입니다. 만나서 반갑습니다. (Annyeonghaseyo? Jeoneun Minsu-imnida. Mannaseo bangapseumnida.)
Language Tip:
Most Koreans will ask you where you’re from if they strike up a conversation with you, so learning how to say “I am from [country]” is a really useful phrase to know – it’ll impress the locals too!
2. Basic Korean Phrases
You can get by in Korea with just a few simple phrases: these are the most important to remember.
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 네 | Ne | Yes |
| 아니요 | Aniyo | No |
| 감사합니다 | Gamsahamnida | Thank you |
| 죄송합니다 | Choisonghamnida | Sorry |
| 잠시만요 | Jamshimanyo | One moment please |
| 괜찮아요 | Gwaenchanayo | It’s okay / No problem |
Cultural Tip:
Bow slightly when saying “감사합니다” or “죄송합니다” to show respect.
3. Survival Korean Phrases for Travelers
If you’re planning on traveling to Korea and you get into trouble, these phrases will help you immensely:
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 도와주세요! | Dowajuseyo! | Help! |
| 병원 어디에 있어요? | Byeongwon eodie isseoyo? | Where is the hospital? |
| 아파요 | Apayo | I’m in pain / It hurts |
| 경찰을 불러 주세요 | Gyeongchareul bulleo juseyo | Please call the police |
| 여권을 잃어버렸어요 | Yeogwoneul ilheobeoryeosseoyo | I lost my passport |
| 화장실 어디에 있어요? | Hwajangshil eodie isseoyo? | Where’s the bathroom? |
Example Scenario:
A: 여권을 잃어버렸어요! (Yeogwoneul ilheobeoryeosseoyo!)
B: 경찰서로 같이 갑시다. (Gyeongchalseoro gachi gapsida.)
Travel Tip: Bathrooms
Most subway stations will have public restrooms that are free to use and usually fairly clean. If you go to a cafe, some of the bathrooms attached to cafes are locked and require a passcode to enter. If this is the case, you’ll usually find the passcode on your receipt. The code is usually written after 화장실 (hwajangsil; bathroom) or 화장실 비밀번호 (hwajangsil bimilbeonho; bathroom code).
If it isn’t written there, the best thing to do is to ask a worker where the bathroom is using the phrase above!
4. Common Everyday Phrases
Here are some more phrases that will help you get around South Korea. If you don’t understand what someone has said in Korean, you can ask them to repeat what they’ve said, or ask them if they speak English.
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 알겠습니다 | Algesseumnida | I understand |
| 잘 모르겠어요 | Jal moreugesseoyo | I don’t know |
| 다시 말해 주세요 | Dasi malhae juseyo | Please say that again |
| 천천히 말해 주세요 | Cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo | Please speak slowly |
| 영어 할 수 있어요? | Yeongeo hal su isseoyo? | Can you speak English? |
5. Asking for Directions
Navigating a new country can be tricky. These phrases will help you get around:
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| [장소]에 어떻게 가요? | [Jangso]-e eotteoke gayo? | How do I get to [place]? |
| 여기에서 가까워요? | Yeogieseo gakkawoyo? | Is it close to here? |
| 왼쪽 / 오른쪽 | Wenjjok / Oreunjjok | Left / Right |
| 직진하세요 | Jikjin haseyo | Go straight |
| …은/는 어디에 있어요? | …eun/neun eodie isseoyo? | Where is …? |
Example Conversation:
A: 지하철역에 어떻게 가요? (Jihacheol-yeoge eotteoke gayo?)
B: 왼쪽으로 가세요. (Wenjjogeuro gaseyo.)
6. Navigating the Transport System
The subway, bus and train systems in South Korea can be fairly confusing for newcomers. Knowing some basic phrases can help you get around the country more easily.
Getting and topping up a T-Money card
If you’re traveling around Seoul or any other major city in South Korea for more than a few days, I’d highly recommend that you purchase a T-money card as these will save you the hassle of buying new subway tickets every time you take the bus or subway. You can buy one in Seoul International Airport close to the subway entrance.
You can also top your card up easily at most subway stations using machines that are located close to the barriers. The machines will usually say 교통카드 충전기 (gyotongkadeu chungjeongi; recharging a transportation card). There is usually English below the Korean saying “Ticking vending and card reloading device”.
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 티머니 카드로 결제할 수 있어요? | T-money kadeuro gyeoljehal su isseoyo? | Can I pay with a T-money card? |
| 티머니 카드 어디에서 살 수 있어요? | T-money kadeu eodieseo sal su isseoyo? | Where can I buy a T-money card? |
| 티머니 카드 이만 원 충전해 주세요. | T-money kadeu iman won chungjeonhae juseyo. | Please recharge my T-money card. |
| 잔액이 얼마나 남았어요? | Jan-aegi eolmana namasseoyo? | How much balance is left? |
| 티머니 카드 잃어버렸어요. | T-money kadeu ilheobeoryeosseoyo. | I lost my T-money card. |
| 티머니 카드 환불받을 수 있어요? | T-money kadeu hwanbulbadeul su isseoyo? | Can I get a refund for my T-money card? |
| 여기서 티머니 카드를 사용할 수 있어요? | Yeogiseo T-money kadeureul sayonghal su isseoyo? | Can I use my T-money card here? |
| 티머니 카드로 지하철 요금을 결제했어요. | T-money kadeuro jihacheol yogeumeul gyeoljehaesseoyo. | I paid the subway fare with my T-money card. |
Riding the Subway
The subway system in Seoul can be quite confusing for newcomers, but with a few phrases you can navigation the city more easily. It’s a good idea to download a subway app to your phone so you can figure out the best route to where you’re going. Whilst the Naver Maps app will help with this, using a subway-specific app like Subway Korea (App Store | Play Store) can come in handy when you want to look at the full subway map and is usually very accurate.
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 이 근처에 지하철역이 있나요? | I geuncheoe jihacheol-yeogi innayo? | Is there a subway station nearby? |
| 사호선 타세요 | Sahoseon taseyo | Take subway Line 4. |
| [station name, e.g. 동대문역사문화공원]역에서 지하철 5호선에서 4호선으로 환승을 할 수 있어요. | Dongdaemun-yeoksa-munhwa-gongwon-yeogeseo jihacheol o-hoseoneseo sa-hoseoneuro hwansungeul hal su isseoyo. | At Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station, you can transfer from Subway Line 5 to Line 4. |
Subway Announcements
Here are some announcements you’ll probably hear in Korean. Most will also play translations of these announcements in English, Japanese and Mandarin, so you don’t necessarily have to remember these phrases but if you’re learning Korean, being able to understand these announcements is a great feeling!
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 다음 역은 [station name, e.g. 서울]역입니다 | Daeum yeokeun [Seoul]yeokimnida | The next stop is Seoul station. |
| 이번 역은 [station name, e.g. 강남]역입니다 | Ibeon yeokeun [Gangnam]yeokimnida | This stop is Gangnam station. |
| 내리실 문은 오른쪽/왼쪽 입니다 | Naerishil muneun oreunjjok/wenjjokimnida | The doors will open on your right/left. |
Traveling by Train
If you’re traveling further afield than Seoul and you’ll be getting on a train to travel around the country, these phrases might come in handy.
There are, of course, ways to book your tickets without talking to anyone, but if you want to practice your Korean don’t be afraid to use these phrases!
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 부산행 표 두장 주세요 | Busanhaeng pyo dujang juseyo | Two tickets to Busan, please. |
| 부산 가는 왕복 승차권 주세요 | Busan ganeun wangbok seunchagwon juseyo | I’d like a return ticket to Busan please. |
Taking the Bus
When you travel by bus in South Korea, you can usually use your T-money card here too. Simply tap your transportation card on the T-money machine when entering the bus. If it went through correctly, you’ll hear 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida; thank you) from the machine and you can go onto the bus. If you hear 카드를 다시 대주세요 (kadeureul dasi daejuseyo), try scanning your card again. If you don’t have enough money on your card, you’ll need to pay by cash. The fare will clearly be signposted on the bus driver’s window; it’s usually just one or two thousand won.
When getting off the bus, make sure you scan your T-money card again. Whilst this isn’t necessary everywhere and is often only used when transferring to another bus, you won’t get charged for incorrectly scanning your card when you aren’t transferring, but you will get charged if you forget to tap the card reader when you should have. As a result, it’s best to err on the side of caution and tap it every time you get off the bus. You’ll hear the announcement 하차입나다 (hachaimnida; getting off/alighting), which means you paid successfully.
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 가장 가까운 버스정류장이 어디에 있어요? | Gajang gakkaun beoseu-jeongnyujangi eodie isseoyo? | Where is the closest bus stop? |
| 버스 정류장은 어디예요? | Beoseu jeongnyujangeun eodiyeyo? | Where is the bus stop? |
| 이 버스가 서울역에 가요? | I beoseuga Seoul-yeoge gayo? | Does this bus go to Seoul Station? |
| 이번 정류장 [bus stop name] | Ibun jeongnyujang [bus stop name] | This stop is [bus stop name]. |
| 다음 정류장 [bus stop name] | Daeum jeongnyujang [bus stop name] | The next stop is [bus stop name]. |
| 세워주세요 | Sewojuseyo | Please stop (you can say this if it doesn’t look like the bus is stopping even though you pressed the Stop button). |
| 내릴 거예요 | Naeril geoyeyo | I am going to exit (you can say this if the bus has stopped but the doors haven’t opened) |
Giving Up Your Seat
Just like in many other countries, the subway system in Seoul and other metropolitan cities in South Korea has seating areas specifically for the elderly, the disabled, and pregnant people. However, you can use these seats if there isn’t anyone in need of one.
If you sit down in these seats and see someone who needs the seat more than you, a useful phrase to know is “여기 앉으세요” (yeogi anjeuseyo). This means “please sit here”.
7. Ordering in a Restaurant
Korean cuisine is a big part of the country’s culture and you’ll want to sample some of the local food while you’re there!
Key Phrases When Ordering Food
Here are some phrases to help you in restaurants. There are some examples here which can be changed depending on your needs. For example, you might want a table for two people, in which case you would change the first example to 두 명이요 (du myeongiyo).
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 세 명이요 | Se myeongiyo | (A table for) three people. |
| 메뉴판 있나요? | Menupan issnayo? | Do you have a menu? |
| 예약할 수 있나요? | Yeyakhal su innayo? | Can I make a reservation? |
| 오늘 저녁 8시에 두 명으로 예약해 주세요. | Oneul jeonyeok yeodeolpsie du myeong-euro yeyakhae juseyo | Please make a reservation for two people at 8 PM tonight. |
| 얼마예요? | Eolmayeyo? | How much is it? |
| 계산서 주세요 | Gyesanseo juseyo | Please give me the bill (said at your table if you’re ready for the bill and you’re getting table service). |
| 계산할게요 | Gyesanhalgeyo | I’m ready to pay/I’ll pay (said at the counter if you’ve gone up to pay). |
| 결제할게요 | Gyeoljehalgeyo | I’m ready to pay/I’ll pay (said at the counter if you’ve gone up to pay). |
| 카드로 계산할게요 | Kadeuro gyesanhalgeyo | I’ll pay by card. |
| 현금으로 계산할게요 | Hyeongeumeuro gyesanhalgeyo | I’ll pay in cash. |
Getting a Staff Member’s Attention
At most regular restaurants in South Korea, you’ll have to get the staff member’s attention. After this, you usually call out your request to the wait staff rather than them coming up to your table, although some will come over sometimes. This can be fairly intimidating as a language learner, but don’t worry; most other diners probably won’t pay you any attention. You can use one of the following words to get the waiter or waitresses attention.
Note that if you’re dining at a fancier restaurant, you might have a buzzer on your table to get the wait staff’s attention which you can use instead.
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 저기요!~ | Jeogiyo!~ | Excuse me! |
| 사장님~ | Sajangnim~ | Boss! (used to politely call the owner/manager, especially in restaurants or stores) |
| 이모~ | Imo~ | Auntie! (used to address older women working in restaurants, in a friendly and casual way) |
Ordering Food
Ordering food in Korean is fairly easy. If you don’t know the dish name, the easiest thing to do is to point at the picture on a menu and say 이거 주세요 (igeo juseyo), which means “please give me this”.
When ordering, you’ll want to specify how many dishes of each item you want. For instance, you can say 비빔밥 하나 주세요 (bibimbap hana juseyo), which means “one bibimbap please”.
Some dishes are ordered by the number of portions, especially in Korean BBQ restaurants when ordering meat. When this is the case, use 인분 (inbun) to specify how many portions you want. For example, you might want four portions of something, in which case you would say [name of dish] 사인분 주세요 (sa-inbun juseyo).
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| [음식 이름] 주세요 | [Eumsik ireum] juseyo | Please give me [dish name]. |
| 불고기 일인분 주세요 | Bulgogi il-inbun juseyo | One serving of bulgogi, please. |
| 이거 주세요 | Igeo juseyo | Please give me this (used when pointing at a dish on the menu). |
| 물 좀 주세요 | Mul jom juseyo | Please give me some water. |
Asking for Recommendations
Whether you’re looking for a restaurant recommendation nearby or you’re in a restaurant and want dish recommendations, these phrases will come in handy.
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 경복궁 주변에 맛집 있으세요? | Gyeongbokgung jubyeone matjip isseuseyo? | Are there any good restaurants near Gyeongbokgung? |
| 추천 메뉴가 있나요? | Chucheon menyuga innayo? | Is there a recommended dish? |
| 여기 뭐가 맛있어요? | Yeogi mweoga masisseoyo? | What’s delicious here? |
Making Specific Requests
If you have an allergy to a specific ingredient, you want to make a request about the dish itself or you want to ask about the ingredients in the dish, these phrases will come in handy.
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 맵지 않게 해 주세요 | Maepji anke hae juseyo | Please make it not spicy |
| 덜 맵게 해주세요 | Deol maepge haejuseyo | Please make it less spicy. |
| 양파 빼 주세요 | Yangpa bbae juseyo | Please leave out the onions. |
| 돼지고기가 들어가 있나요? | Dwaejigogiga deureoga innayo? | Does this contain pork? |
| 김치 좀 더 주세요 | Kimchi jom deo juseyo | Please give me more kimchi. |
Be Ready for These Questions
You might hear these phrases from the wait staff if you’re dining in.
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 예약했어요? | Yeyakhaesseoyo? | Did you make a reservation? |
| 더 필요한 것 있으세요? | Deo piryo-han geot isseuseyo? | Do you need anything else? |
Example Conversation:
A: 비빔밥 하나 주세요. (Bibimbap hana juseyo.)
B: 네, 금방 가져다 드릴게요. (Ne, geumbang gajyeoda deulilgeyo.)
8. Ordering in a Cafe
Korea’s cafe culture is incredibly strong; find a street anywhere in South Korea and chances are it’ll have a coffee shop in which you can while away the hours. Here are some useful phrases and words to help you order with ease.
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| [name of drink] 한 잔 주세요 | Han jan juseyo | One [name of drink] please. |
| 따뜻한 [name of drink, e.g. 카푸치노] | Ddaddeuthan [kapuchino] | Hot [name of drink, e.g. cappuccino] |
| 아이스 [name of drink, e.g. 아메리카노] | Aiseu [amerikano] | Iced [name of drink, e.g. americano] |
| 차가운 [name of drink, e.g. 라떼] | Chagaun [ladde] | Iced [name of drink, e.g. latte] |
| 작은 걸로 주세요 | Jageun geollo juseyo | Please give me a small one. |
| 중간 사이즈 주세요 | Junggan saijeu juseyo | Please give me a medium sized one. |
| 큰 걸로 주세요 | Keun geollo juseyo | Please give me a large one. |
| 디카페인 커피 있으세요? | Dikapein keopi isseuseyo? | Do you have decaffeinated coffee? |
Common Questions and Statements
Here are some common questions you might hear in a cafe, as well as different ways you can answer.
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 안녕하세요? / 어서오세요. 주문하시겠어요? | Annyeonghaseyo? / Eoseo oseyo. Jumunhasigesseoyo? | Hello? / Welcome. Would you like to order? |
| 드시고 가세요? | Deusigo gaseyo? | Are you having it here? |
| 네, 여기서 마실게요 | Ne, yeogiseo masilgeyo | Yes, I’ll drink it here. |
| 네,먹고 갈게요. | Ne, meokgo galgeyo | Yes, I’ll eat here. |
| 아니요, 포장해 주세요 | Aniyo, pojanghae juseyo | No, please pack it to go. |
| 가지고 가세요? | Gajigo gaseyo? | Are you taking it to go? |
| 가지고 갈게요 | Gajigo galgeyo | I’ll take it to go. |
| 사이즈는 어떻게 하시겠어요? | Saijeuneun eotteoke hasigesseoyo? | What size would you like? |
| 작은 걸로 주세요 | Jageun geollo juseyo | Please give me a small one. |
| 중간 사이즈 주세요 | Junggan saijeu juseyo | Please give me a medium sized one. |
| 큰 걸로 주세요 | Keun geollo juseyo | Please give me a large one. |
| 포인트 카드 있으세요? | Pointeu kadeu isseuseyo? | Do you have a point card? |
| 결제 도와 드릴까요? / 결제는 어떻게 하시겠어요? | Gyeolje dowa deurilkkayo? / Gyeoljeneun eotteoke hasigesseoyo? | Shall I help you with payment? / How would you like to pay? |
| 카드로 결제할게요 | Kadeuro gyeoljehalgeyo | I’ll pay by card. |
| 현금으로 결제할게요 | Hyeongeumeuro gyeoljehalgeyo | I’ll pay in cash. |
| 카드 여기에 넣어 주세요 | Kadeu yeogie neoeo juseyo | Please insert your card here. |
| 준비되면 진동벨로 알려 드릴게요 | Junbidoemyeon jindongbello allyeo deurilgeyo | We’ll notify you with the pager when it’s ready. |
| 주문하신 아메리카노 나왔습니다 | Jumunhasin amerika-no nawasseumnida | Your Americano is ready. |
| 맛있게 드세요 | Masitge deuseyo | Enjoy! |
The most important two counters for cafes are 병 (byeong; bottle) and 잔 (jan; cup or mug).
9. Shopping and Bargaining
Shopping is a favorite activity for many travelers. Learn these handy phrases:
| Korean | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 이거 얼마예요? | Igeo eolmayeyo? | How much is this? |
| 카드 돼요? | Kadeu dwaeyo? | Do you take credit cards? |
| 현금만 돼요 | Hyeongeumman dwaeyo | Only cash is accepted |
| 더 큰 사이즈 있어요? | Deo keun saijeu isseoyo? | Do you have a larger size? |
| 너무 비싸요 | Neomu bissayo | It’s too expensive. |
| 조금 깎아 주세요 | Jogeum kkakka juseyo | Please give me a discount |
| 조금 더 돌아보고 올게요 | Jogeum deo dolabogo olgeyo | I’ll look around a bit more and come back (used when you don’t make a purchase and want to politely tell a staff member that you won’t make a purchase at this time) |
Example Conversation:
A: 이거 얼마예요? (Igeo eolmayeyo?)
B: 만 원입니다. (Man wonimnida.)
A: 조금 깎아 주세요. (Jogeum kkakka juseyo.)
10. Numbers and Counting
Being familiar with Korean numbers is essential for travel. Here’s a summary, but check out our lessons on numbers and Korean counters for more information.
Sino-Korean Numbers (used for prices, dates, and phone numbers):
1: 일 (il), 2: 이 (i), 3: 삼 (sam), 4: 사 (sa), 5: 오 (o), 6: 육 (yuk), 7: 칠 (chil), 8: 팔 (pal), 9: 구 (gu), 10: 십 (sip)
Native Korean Numbers (used for age, counting objects):
1: 하나 (hana), 2: 둘 (dul), 3: 셋 (set), 4: 넷 (net), 5: 다섯 (daseot), 6: 여섯 (yeoseot), 7: 일곱 (ilgop), 8: 여덟 (yeodeol), 9: 아홉 (ahop), 10: 열 (yeol)
Example Usage:
- 물 두 개 주세요. (Mul du gae juseyo.) – Please give me two bottles of water.
- 세 명이에요. (Se myeong-ieyo.) – There are three people.
Want to Say Something Else?
These Korean phrases and sentences will not only help you communicate but also make your experience in Korea smoother and more enjoyable. Practice these daily, and you’ll find yourself gaining confidence in no time.
And if there are any other phrases you want to know how to say, feel free to ask!