Welcome to your crash course in “Survival Korean.” While Seoul is increasingly English-friendly, venturing into local markets, hopping into a taxi, or ordering at an authentic BBQ joint can still be daunting if you don’t know the language. You don’t need to be fluent, but showing a little effort goes a long way here.
As a local, I have curated the 20 most essential phrases. These aren’t just textbook examples; these are the words that will get you fed, help you find a bathroom, and maybe even get you a discount. Think of this as your linguistic Swiss Army knife for your Korea trip.
- The Golden Four: Manners Matter
- Dining Survival: Ordering & Spice Levels
- Shopping: Prices & Bags
- Navigation & Taxi Instructions
- Emergency & Critical Queries
The Golden Four: Manners Matter
In Korea, politeness is everything. If you remember nothing else from this article, memorize these four phrases. They work in 99% of social interactions.
| Situation | Pronunciation | Korean (Hangul) |
|---|---|---|
| Hello / Goodbye | An-nyeong-ha-se-yo | 안녕하세요 |
| Thank you | Gam-sa-ham-ni-da | 감사합니다 |
| I am sorry / Apology | Jwi-song-ham-ni-da | 죄송합니다 |
| Excuse me / Just a moment (Use when passing through crowds) | Jam-si-man-yo | 잠시만요 |
Dining Survival: Ordering & Spice Levels
Korean food is amazing, but ordering can be tricky. Use these phrases to point at a menu, get water, and—most importantly—save your tongue from fire.
| English Meaning | Pronunciation | Korean (Hangul) |
|---|---|---|
| Please give me this. (Point at the menu item) | I-geo Ju-se-yo | 이것 주세요 |
| Water, please. | Mul Ju-se-yo | 물 주세요 |
| Please do not make it spicy. (Critical for sensitive eaters!) | An-maep-ge Hae-ju-se-yo | 안 맵게 해주세요 |
| It is delicious. | Ma-si-sseo-yo | 맛있어요 |
| The bill, please. | Gye-san-hae Ju-se-yo | 계산해 주세요 |
💡 Pro Tip: The “Yo” Rule
Notice how most sentences end in “Yo”? This is the polite marker. When in doubt, add “Yo” to the end of a word to make it sound polite!
Shopping: Prices & Bags
Whether you are at a glamorous department store in Gangnam or a street stall in Myeongdong, these will come in handy.
| English Meaning | Pronunciation | Korean (Hangul) |
|---|---|---|
| How much is it? | Ol-ma-ye-yo? | 얼마예요? |
| Please give me a receipt. | Yeong-su-jeung Ju-se-yo | 영수증 주세요 |
| Do you have a bag? (Korea charges for plastic bags) | Bong-tu I-sseo-yo? | 봉투 있어요? |
| It’s okay / No thanks. (Use when declining a bag or service) | Gwaen-chan-a-yo | 괜찮아요 |
Navigation & Taxi Instructions
Even with KakaoMap, you might need to ask a local or a taxi driver.
| English Meaning | Pronunciation | Korean (Hangul) |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the bathroom? (The most important travel phrase!) | Hwa-jang-sil Eo-di-ye-yo? | 화장실 어디예요? |
| Where is [Place Name]? | [Place] Eo-di-ye-yo? | [Place] 어디예요? |
| Please go here. (Show map to Taxi driver) | Yeo-gi-ro Ga-ju-se-yo | 여기로 가주세요 |
| Please stop here. | Yeo-gi-seo Nae-ryeo-ju-se-yo | 여기서 내려주세요 |
Emergency & Critical Queries
Hopefully, you won’t need these, but keep them saved just in case. Also, in modern Korea, Wi-Fi is life.
| English Meaning | Pronunciation | Korean (Hangul) |
|---|---|---|
| Please help me. | Do-wa-ju-se-yo | 도와주세요 |
| Can you speak English? | Yeong-eo Hal-su I-sseo-yo? | 영어 할 수 있어요? |
| What is the Wi-Fi password? | Wa-i-pa-i Bi-mil-beon-ho Mwo-ye-yo? | 와이파이 비밀번호 뭐예요? |
A Final Tool: Papago
If these 20 phrases fail, do not use Google Translate. Download Naver Papago. It is significantly more accurate for Korean-English translation and has a voice conversation mode that can save you in complex situations.
Korean Culture portal KCulture.com
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Founder of Kculture.com and MA in Political Science. He shares deep academic and local insights to provide an authentic perspective on Korean history and society.
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