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20 Useful Korean Phrases for Tourists

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20 Useful Korean Phrases for Tourists

Learn these 20 phrases to survive your next trip in Korea!

  1. 안녕하세요.
    Annyeonghaseyo.
    Hello.
     
  2. 저는 ______ 입니다.
    Juhneun ______ ipnida.
    My name is ______.
    Simply fill in the blank with your name.
     
  3. 영어 하세요?
    Yonguh haseyo?
    Do you speak English?
     
  4. 맛있어요!
    Masshissuhyo!
    It’s delicious!
     
  5. 천천히 말씀해 주세요.
    Chunchunhee malsseumhae juseyo.
    Please talk slower.
     
  6. 지하철역 어디있어요?
    Jihachulyuk uhdi issuhyo?
    Where is the subway station?

    Anytime you want to know where something is, fill in the blank with your desired noun:
    ______ 어디있어요?
    ______ uhdi issuhyo?
    Where is the _____?

    EXAMPLES:
    화장실 어디있어요?
    Hwajangshil uhdi issuhyo?
    Where is the restroom?

    버스 정류장 어디있어요?
    Bbuhsseu jungryujang uhdi issuhyo?
    Where is the bus station?

    병원 어디있어요?
    Byungwon uhdi issuhyo?
    Where is the hospital?
     
  7. 도와주세요.
    Dowajuseyo.
    Please help me.
     
  8. 경찰에 신고해 주세요.
    Gyungchalae shingohae juseyo.
    Please call the police.
     
  9. 의사 필요해요.
    Uisa pilyohaeyo. 
    I need a doctor.
     
  10. 여기 어디에요?
    Yuhgi uhdiyaeyo?
    Where am I?
    (For details on asking for and understanding directions, check out Korean Phrases #16.)
     
  11. 지도 그려 주실 수 있어요?
    Jido geuryuh jushil soo issuhyo?
    Can you draw me a map?
     
  12. 택시 불러 주세요.
    Tekshi bulluh juseyo.
    Please call a taxi for me.
     
  13. 공항으로 가주세요.
    Gonghangeuro gajuseyo.
    Please take me to the airport.

    But what if you want to go somewhere else? You can fill in the blank with other nouns:
    _______으로 가주세요.
    _______euro gajuseyo.
    Please take me to _______.
     
  14. 얼마에요?
    Ulma aeyo?
    How much is it?
    (To learn how to count Korean money, watch KWOW episode 78.)
     
  15. 계산해 주세요.
    Gyesanhae juseyo.
    Check, please.
     
  16. 카드 받으세요?
    Kadeu badeuseyo?
    Do you accept credit cards?
     
  17. 영수증 주세요.
    Yongsujoong juseyo.
    Please give me a receipt.

    You can fill in the blank with other nouns:
    ______ 주세요.
    ______ juseyo.
    Please give me ______.

    EXAMPLES:
    물 주세요.
    Mool juseyo.
    Please give me water.

    반찬 더 주세요.
    Banchan duh juseyo.
    Please give me more side dishes.

    소주 주세요.
    Banchan juseyo.
    Please give me soju.
     
  18. 네.
    Ne.
    Yes.
    (“Ne” is the formal way of saying “yes.”)
     
  19. 아니요.
    Aniyo.
    No.
     
  20. 감사합니다.
    Gamsahapnida.
    Thank you.

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Korean Phrases 18: Telling Time in Korean

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Korean Phrases 18: Telling Time in Korean

몇 시예요?
Myusshiyeyo?
What time is it?

Let’s say it’s 3 o’clock. How would you say that in Korean?

세 시예요.
Seshiyeyo.
It is 3 o’clock.

Or maybe it’s 3:30?

세 시 삼십분이에요.
Sae shi samshipbooneaeyo.
It is 3:30.

But what if it’s 9am or 9pm? We begin with learning the hours.

한 시 = 1 o’clock (hanshi)
두 시 = 2 o’clock (dooshi)
세 시 = 3 o’clock (seshi)
네 시 = 4 o’clock (neshi)
다섯 시 = 5 o’clock (daseosshi)
여섯 시 = 6 o’clock (yeoseosshi)
일곱 시 = 7 o’clock (ilgopshi)
여덟 시 = 8 o’clock (yeodulshi)
아홉 시 = 9 o’clock (ahopshi)
열 시 = 10 o’clock (yeolshi)
열한 시 = 11 o’clock (yeolhanshi)
열두 시 = 12 o’clock (yeoldooshi)

And here are the most common minutes used…

십오분 = 15 minutes (shipoboon)
삼십분 = 30 minutes (samshipboon) (You can also say BAN, which means “half”)
사십오분 = 45 minutes (sashipoboon)

While SHI is used for hours, BOON is used to minutes. For telling hours, use Native Korean Numbers. For telling minutes, use Sino-Korean numbers.

To indicate am or pm, say one of the following before stating the hour and minutes.

오전 = AM (ojeon) (aka: forenoon)

오전 한 시 = 1 am (ojeon hanshi)
오전 두 시 = 2 am (ojeon dooshi)
오전 세 시 = 3 am (ojeon seshi)
오전 네 시 = 4 am (ojeon neshi)
오전 다섯 시 = 5 am (ojeon daseosshi)
오전 여섯 시 = 6 am (ojeon yeoseosshi)
오전 일곱 시 = 7 am (ojeon ilgopshi)
오전 여덟 시 = 8 am (ojeon yeodulshi)
오전 아홉 시 = 9 am (ojeon ahopshi)
오전 열 시 = 10 am (ojeon yeolshi)
오전 열한 시 = 11 am (ojeon yeolhanshi)
오전 열두 시 = 12 am (ojeon yeoldooshi)

오후 = PM (ohu) (aka: afternoon)

오후 한 시 = 1 pm (ohu hanshi)
오후 두 시 = 2 pm (ohu dooshi)
오후 세 시 = 3 pm (ohu seshi)
오후 네 시 = 4 pm (ohu neshi)
오후 다섯 시 = 5 pm (ohu daseosshi)
오후 여섯 시 = 6 pm (ohu yeoseosshi)
오후 일곱 시 = 7 pm (ohu ilgopshi)
오후 여덟 시 = 8 pm (ohu yeodulshi)
오후 아홉 시 = 9 pm (ohu ahopshi)
오후 열 시 = 10 pm (ohu yeolshi)
오후 열한 시 = 11 pm (ohu yeolhanshi)
오후 열두 시 = 12 pm (ohu yeoldooshi)

Wanna get more detailed than AM or PM? For hours between 1am to 6am, you can also use 새벽 (sebyeok) instead, which means “dawn.”

새벽 한 시 = 1 at dawn (sebyeok hanshi)
새벽 두 시 = 2 at dawn (sebyeok dooshi)
새벽 세 시 = 3 at dawn (sebyeok seshi)
새벽 네 시 = 4 at dawn (sebyeok neshi)
새벽 다섯 시 = 5 at dawn (sebyeok daseosshi)
새벽 여섯 시 = 6 at dawn (sebyeok yeoseosshi)

For hours between 7am to 11am, you can use 아침 (achim), which means “morning.”

아침 일곱 시 = 7 in the morning (achim ilgopshi)
아침 여덟 시 = 8 in the morning (achim yeodulshi)
아침 아홉 시 = 9 in the morning (achim ahopshi)
아침 열 시 = 10 in the morning (achim yeolshi)
아침 열한 시 = 11 in the morning (achim yeolhanshi)

For hours between 6pm to 11pm-ish, you can use 저녁 (juhnyeok), which means “evening.”

저녁 여섯 시 = 6 in the evening (juhnyeok yeoseosshi)
저녁 일곱 시 = 7 in the evening (juhnyeok ilgopshi)
저녁 여덟 시 = 8 in the evening (juhnyeok yeodulshi)
저녁 아홉 시 = 9 in the evening (juhnyeok ahopshi)
저녁 열 시 = 10 in the evening (juhnyeok yeolshi)
저녁 열한 시 = 11 in the evening (juhnyeok yeolhanshi)

And instead of JUHNYEOK, you can also use 밤 (bam), which means “night.”

밤 여섯 시 = 6 at night (bam yeoseosshi)
밤 일곱 시 = 7 at night (bam ilgopshi)
밤 여덟 시 = 8 at night (bam yeodulshi)
밤 아홉 시 = 9 at night (bam ahopshi)
밤 열 시 = 10 at night (bam yeolshi)
밤 열한 시 = 11 at night (bam yeolhanshi)
밤 열두 시 = 12 at night (bam yeoldooshi)

Here’s the order in which you tell time: first indicate the am or pm, the hour and then the minutes. For example…

5am is 오전 다섯 시 (Ojeon daseosshi).
You can also say 새벽 다섯 시 (Sebyeok daseosshi).

12:30pm is 오후 열두 시 삼십분 (Ohu yeoldushi samshipboon) or 오후 열두시 반 (Ohu yeoldushi ban).

7pm is 오후 일곱 시 (Ohu ilgopshi). You can also say 저녁 일곱 시 (Juhnyeok ilgopshi).

7:20pm is 오후 일곱 시 이십분 (Ohu ilgopshi eshipboon).
Or 저녁 일곱 시 이십분 (Juhnyeok ilgopshi eshipboon).

Time for some exercises for you to try!

What is 8am in Korean?
오전 여덟 시 (Ojeon yeoldulshi).
You can also say 아침 여덟 시 (Achim yeodulshi).

How about 2:30pm?
오후 두 시 삼십분 (Ohu dushi samshipboon) or 오후 두 시 반 (Ohu dushi ban).

How would you say 1am in Korean?
오전 한 시 (Ojeon hanshi). You can also say 새벽 한 시 (Sebyeok hanshi).

And now for some more time-related phrases :)

몇시에 만날까요?
Myeotshiae mannalggayo?
What time shall we meet?

To answer, fill in the blank with a time.

______에 만나요.
______ae mannayo.
Let’s meet at ______.

Here are some examples.

오전 여덟 시에 만나요. (also: 아침 여덟 시에 만나요.)
Ojeon yeodul shiae mannayo.
Let’s meet at 8am.

오후 여덟 시에 만나요. (also: 저녁 여덟 시에 만나요.)
Ohu yeodul shiae mannayo.
Let’s meet at 8pm.

Here are some more time-related questions:

몇시에 일어 나세요?
Myeotshiae iluh naseyo?
What time do you wake up?

몇시에 주무세요?
Myeotshiae jumuseyo?
What time do you go to bed?

몇시에 일하러 가세요?
Myeotshiae ilharuh gaseyo?
What time do you go to work?

You can answer the previous questions simply with this statement:

______에요.
______aeyo.
At _______.

Fill in the blank with a time. For example:

오전 열시 에요.
Ojeon yeulshi aeyo.
At 10am.

Also: 아침 열시 에요.
Achim yeolshi aeyo.
At 10 in the morning.

오후 두시 에요.
Ohu dushi aeyo.
At 2pm.

오후 열한 시 반 에요.
Ohu yeolhanshi ban aeyo.
At 11:30pm.

Also: 밤 열한시 반 에요.
Bam yeoldushi ban aeyo.
At 11:30pm.

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Korean Phrases 16: Asking for Directions

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Korean Phrases 16: Asking for Directions

FEATURED PHRASES:
*the following phrases are formal

홍대 어디 있어요?
Hongdae uhdi issuhyo?
Where is Hongdae University?

경복궁 어디 있어요?
Gyeongbokgung uhdi issuhyo?
Where is Gyeongbokgung Palace?

강남역 어디 있어요?
Gangnamyuk uhdi issuhyo?
Where is Gangnam Station?

Fill in the blank with a proper noun.

_______ 어디 있어요?
_______ uhdi issuhyo?
Where is _______?

You can use the previous phrase for other nouns. For example:

화장실 어디 있어요?
Hwajangshil uhdi issuhyo?
Where is the restroom?

차 어디 있어요?
Cha uhdi issuhyo?
Where is the car?

제 친구 어디 있어요?
Je chingoo uhdi issuhyo?
Where is my friend?

What if you’re looking for the NEAREST whatever?

제일 가까운 시장 어디 있어요?
Jeil gaggaoon shijang uhdi issuhyo?
Where is the nearest market?

제일 가까운 지하철역 어디 있어요?
Jeil gaggaoon jihachulyuk uhdi issuhyo?
Where is the nearest subway station?

제일 가까운 병원 어디 있어요?
Jeil gaggaoon byungwon uhdi issuhyo?
Where is the nearest hospital?

Fill in the blank with a common noun. To learn how to pronounce places in the city, such as bank and school, watch KWOW episode 33.

제일 가까운 _______ 어디 있어요?
Jeil gaggaoon _______ uhdi issuhyo?
Where is the nearest _______?

In the worst case, the kind stranger may also not be familiar with the area. They may say something like:

죄송하지만, 저도 몰라요.
Jwesonghajiman, juhdo mollayo.
I’m sorry, but I don’t know either.

In the best case, the kind stranger will give you directions. It can be as simple as:

쭉 가시면 홍대역이 나올거에요.
Jjook gashimyun hongdaeyukee naolguhaeyo.
If you go straight, Hongdae Station will appear.

Or it can be more complex.

저 은행 보이지요?
Juh eunheng boeejiyo?
Do you see that bank?

거기에서 우회전 하세요.
Guhgiaesuh oohwaejeon haseyo.
Turn right there.

직진하시면 우체국이 고등학교 건너편에 있어요.
Jikjinhashimyun oochaegookee godeunghakgyo gunnuhpyunae issuhyo.
Walk straight and you’ll see the post office across from the high school.

남산타워 방향으로 가셔서 두번째 신호등에서 좌회전 하세요.
Namsantawo banghyangeuro gashyuhsuh doobunjje shinhodeungaesuh jwahwejeon haseyo. Go in the direction of the Namsan Tower, then turn left at the second traffic light.

첫 사거리에서 좌회전 한번 더 하세요.
Cheot saguhriaesuh jwahwejeon hanbeon duh haseyo.
Then turn left once again at the first intersection.

서울시장 지날거예요.
Suhoolshijang jinalguhyeyo.
You’ll pass by Seoul Market.

은행옆 이층에 있어요.
Eunhengyup echeungae issuhyo.
It’ll be on the second floor next to the bank.

Don’t understand every single word the kind stranger says? Listen for the following keywords to get a clearer idea:

좌회전 / turn left / jwahwaejeon
우회전 / turn right / oohhwaejeon
직진 / go straight / jikjin
쭉 / straight / jjook
근처에 / nearby / geunchuhae
에서 / at / aesuh
옆에 / next to / yupae
다음 / next / daeum
지나서 / pass by / jinasuh 건너편 / across / geonnuhpyun
길 / road and street / gil
사거리 / intersection / saguhri
신호등 / traffic light / shinhodeung
방향 / direction / banghyang
반대쪽 / opposite / bandaejjok
층 / floor / cheung

1층 / 1st floor / il cheung
2층 / 2nd floor / ee cheung
3층 / 3rd floor / sam cheung

Is what you’re looking for near or far?

가까워요?
Gaggawoyo?
Is it close?

This question may be turned into a statement.

가까워요.
Gaggawoyo.
It is close.

For questions, raise the YO up. For statements, pronounce the YO down.  

멀어요?
Muhruhyo?
Is it far?

멀어요.
Muhruhyo.
It is far.

They might say yes or no to your question. 네 (ne) means yes or 아니요 (aniyo) means no. Let’s get a little more specific.

몇 분 걸릴까요?
Myeot boon gullilggayo?
How many minutes will it take?

걸어서 오분 걸려요.
Guluhsuh oboon gullyuyo.
It’ll take five minutes to walk.  

걸어서 십오분 걸려요.
Guluhsuh shipoboon gullyuyo.
It’ll take fifteen minutes to walk.

걸어서 이십분 걸려요.
Guluhsuh eshipboon gullyuyo.
It’ll take twenty minutes to walk.

Fill in the blank with a Sino-Korean number.

걸어서 _______분 걸려요.
Guluhsuh ______ boon gullyuyo.
It’ll take _______ minutes to walk.

But maybe taking a taxi is faster?

택시 타는게  나아요.
Tekshi taneungye naahyo.
I recommend taking a taxi.

Or maybe you bring up the subject of cabs first.

택시 타는게  나아요?
Tekshi taneungye naahyo?
Is it better to take a taxi?

Here are diverse modes of transportation that kind strangers may mention:

택시 / taxi / tekshi
버스 / bus / bbuhseu
지하철 / subway / jihachul
걷다 / to walk / guhddah (걷다 will be conjugated into, for example: 걸으세요 and 걸어서)

Wanna ask the kind stranger to sketch you a map?

지도 그려 주실 수 있어요?
Jido geuryuh jushil soo issuhyo?
Can you draw me a map?

You’re on your way to your destination. Did you get lost? Pull out a map and ask someone:

여기 어디예요?
Yeogi uhdiyeyo?
Where am I?

Don’t forget to be polite and say thank you.

감사합니다.
Gamsahapnida.
Thank you.

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