The Around the World phrasebook
Let's learn traveller's Korean
Not the school kind — the airport, taxi and dinner-table kind. Every phrase with a say-it-out-loud pronunciation.
Nobody expects you to speak fluent Korean. But ten words in the right places — and the market seller smiles, the driver drops the price, the waiter brings the good stuff. We've gathered 66 phrases that actually work, sorted by the moment you'll need them: the landing, the taxi, check-in, the table. Each with a pronunciation you can read aloud without cringing.
Phrasebook · 1/8
First words
| What you want to say | Korean | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Hello (formal) | 안녕하세요 | an-nyeong-ha-SE-yo |
| Hello (informal) | 안녕 | an-NYEONG |
| Goodbye | 안녕히 가세요 | an-nyeong-hi ga-SE-yo |
| Thank you | 감사합니다 | gam-sa-HAM-ni-da |
| Please | 제발 | je-BAL |
| Yes | 네 | NE |
| No | 아니요 | a-NI-yo |
| Sorry | 죄송합니다 | joe-song-HAM-ni-da |
| I don't understand | 이해하지 못해요 | i-hae-ha-ji mo-TAE-yo |
| Do you speak English? | 영어 할 줄 아세요? | yeong-eo hal jul a-SE-yo? |
Phrasebook · 2/8
Courtesy & introductions
| What you want to say | Korean | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning | 좋은 아침 | JOH-eun A-chim |
| Good evening | 좋은 저녁 | JOH-eun JEON-nyok |
| How are you? | 어떻게 지내세요? | EO-tteo-keh JI-nae-se-yo? |
| My name is… | 제 이름은 …입니다 | JE I-reum-eun ...im-ni-da |
| Nice to meet you | 만나서 반갑습니다 | MAN-na-seo BAN-gap-seum-ni-da |
| I'm from Israel | 저는 이스라엘에서 왔습니다 | JEON-eun I-seu-ra-el-e-seo WA-sseum-ni-da |
| See you | 또 만나요 | TTO MAN-na-yo |
Phrasebook · 3/8
At the airport & on the flight
| What you want to say | Korean | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Where is the gate? | 게이트가 어디에 있나요? | GE-it-gah O-di-ye IT-na-yo? |
| Is the flight delayed? | 비행기가 연착되었나요? | BI-haeng-gi-ga YON-chak-DWE-ot-na-yo? |
| Boarding pass | 탑승권 | TAB-seung-gwon |
| My suitcase didn't arrive | 제 짐이 도착하지 않았어요 | JE ji-mi DO-chak-ha-ji A-na-sso-yo |
| I have a connecting flight | 환승 비행기가 있어요 | HWAN-seung BI-haeng-gi-ga I-sso-yo |
| Window seat | 창가 자리 | CHANG-ga JA-ri |
| Aisle seat | 통로 자리 | TONG-lo JA-ri |
| Where is passport control? | 출입국 심사대는 어디에 있나요? | CHUL-ib-guk SHIM-sa-deh nun O-di-ye IT-na-yo? |
Phrasebook · 4/8
Transport & directions
| What you want to say | Korean | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| To this address, please | 이 주소로 가 주세요 | I JU-so-ro GA JU-se-yo |
| How much to the center? | 센터까지 얼마예요? | SEN-to-ka-ji OL-ma-ye-yo |
| One ticket to… | …까지 티켓 한 장 주세요 | KA-ji TI-ket HAN jang JU-se-yo |
| Which platform? | 몇 번 플랫폼이에요? | MYOT bon PLAT-po-mi-e-yo |
| Where is the bus stop? | 버스 정류장은 어디예요? | BO-su JONG-yu-jang-eun O-di-e-yo |
| Stop here, please | 여기서 세워 주세요 | YO-gi-so SE-wo JU-se-yo |
| Is it far? | 멀어요? | MO-ro-yo? |
| Turn left/right | 왼쪽/오른쪽으로 가세요 | WEN-jok/O-ren-jok-u-ro GA-se-yo |
| Straight | 직진 | JI-jin |
Phrasebook · 5/8
Hotel & stay
| What you want to say | Korean | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| I have a reservation | 예약이 있습니다 | YE-yak-i i-SUM-ni-da |
| Check-in | 체크인 | CHEK-in |
| Check-out | 체크아웃 | CHEK-a-UT |
| Is breakfast included? | 조식 포함인가요? | JO-shik po-ham-in-GA-yo |
| Room key | 방 열쇠 | BANG yol-SWE |
| Wi-Fi password | 와이파이 비밀번호 | WA-i-pa-i bi-mil-BON-ho |
| Can I leave my luggage? | 짐을 맡길 수 있나요? | JIM-ul mat-GIL su i-NA-yo |
| The air conditioner doesn't work | 에어컨이 작동하지 않아요 | E-o-kon-i jak-DONG-ha-ji a-NA-yo |
Phrasebook · 6/8
Restaurant & food
| What you want to say | Korean | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| A table for two, please. | 이인용 테이블 부탁합니다. | I-IN-yong TE-i-bul BU-tak-ham-ni-da |
| The menu, please. | 메뉴 부탁합니다. | ME-nyu BU-tak-ham-ni-da |
| What do you recommend? | 추천 요리 뭐예요? | CHU-chon YO-ri MWO-ye-yo |
| The bill, please. | 계산서 부탁합니다. | KYE-san-so BU-tak-ham-ni-da |
| Tap water, please. | 수돗물 주세요. | SU-don-mul JU-se-yo |
| I have a nut allergy. | 저는 견과류 알레르기가 있어요. | CHO-neun KYON-gwa-ryu AL-le-ri-gi-ga I-sso-yo |
| No meat, please. | 고기 빼 주세요. | KO-gi PE JU-se-yo |
| It was excellent. | 아주 맛있었어요. | A-ju MA-shi-sso-sso-yo |
| Can I pay by card? | 카드로 계산할 수 있어요? | KA-di-ro KYE-san-hal SU I-sso-yo |
Phrasebook · 7/8
Shopping & money
| What you want to say | Korean | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| How much does it cost? | 이거 얼마예요? | I-go OL-ma-ye-yo? |
| It's too expensive. | 너무 비싸요. | NO-mu BI-ssa-yo. |
| Do you accept credit cards? | 신용카드 돼요? | SHI-nong-KA-du DWE-yo? |
| I'm just looking. | 그냥 보고 있어요. | GU-nyang BO-go I-sso-yo. |
| Can I have a receipt? | 영수증 주세요. | YONG-su-jung JU-se-yo. |
| Where is an ATM? | 현금인출기 어디예요? | HYON-gum-IN-chul-gi O-di-ye-yo? |
| A smaller size, please. | 더 작은 사이즈 있어요? | DO JA-gun SA-i-zu I-sso-yo? |
Phrasebook · 8/8
Emergencies & health
| What you want to say | Korean | How to say it |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | 도와주세요! | DO-wa-ju-SE-yo! |
| Call a doctor | 의사를 불러주세요 | UI-sa-reul BUL-la-ju-SE-yo |
| Call the police | 경찰을 불러주세요 | GYEONG-cha-reul BUL-la-ju-SE-yo |
| Where is the pharmacy? | 약국이 어디에요? | YAK-ku-gi eo-di-EH-yo? |
| I don't feel well | 몸이 안 좋아요 | MO-mi an JO-a-yo |
| I'm lost | 길을 잃었어요 | GI-reul I-reo-seo-yo |
| I need a hospital | 병원이 필요해요 | BYEONG-won-i PI-ryo-hae-yo |
| It hurts here | 여기가 아파요 | YEO-gi-ga A-pa-yo |
Q&A
Answers to your questions
How do you say "thank you" in Korean?
"감사합니다" (gam-sa-HAM-ni-da). It's one of the five words worth knowing by heart before you land.
How much Korean do I need for a trip?
Not much. Five or six courtesy words (hello, thank you, please, sorry, yes/no) open doors, and another ten to fifteen phrases for fixed situations — a taxi, check-in, the restaurant bill — cover almost any trip. The rest: a camera-translation app.
Can you get by in English where Korean is spoken?
In city centres, hotels and tourist sites — usually yes, especially with younger people. Outside them — markets, transport, small towns — a few words of the local language make a real difference and are warmly received.
Which countries have Korean as an official language?
Korean is a main language in 1 countries: South Korea.
What's the difference between the formal and casual greeting?
Most languages have a formal "hello" for strangers, service staff and elders, and an everyday version for friends and peers. As a traveller it's always safer to open with the formal one — nobody is offended by too much politeness.
How do you politely ask someone to speak English?
"영어 할 줄 아세요?" (yeong-eo hal jul a-SE-yo?) — "do you speak English?". Lead with "excuse me" in the local language and it comes across as respectful.
About this page
Written and checked by the Around the World team. We compare prices across the major providers, cross-check official sources, and update when something changes. We have no stake in any one provider — links are affiliate links, and the price is the same for you.
Sources: Phrasebook: the Around the World team · Language-to-country: Around the World data