Learn vocabulary about exchanging currency
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| In today’s lesson, we’ll go over how to exchange our foreign currency to some Korean money. Of course, we can exchange our money at the airport but in Korea, banks will also exchange your money as well. Almost every bank will take the American dollar, the Japanese yen, the Chinese RMB and the Euro and some banks will also take the Canadian dollar, the Australian dollar and the pound. Those maybe a little harder to find but they do exist. Finding a bank that exchanges the major currencies that I mentioned, the American dollar, Japanese yen, Chinese RMB and the Euro are everywhere. Almost every single bank does it. So you won’t have to worry much about changing your money. |
| Now, the Korean currency is the Won. This is spelled Won and a lot of people tend to read it as 완 (wan). But actually the pronunciation is a lot closer to the number one. One time slowly, it’s 원 (won). Now, to ask for an exchange, we can go to a bank or a foreign exchange center and give them some foreign currency. After you give them the currency, you can say 한국 돈으로 바꿔주세요 (hanguk doneuro bakkwojuseyo). One time slowly, it’s 한국 돈으로 바꿔주세요 (hanguk doneuro bakkwojuseyo). And by syllable, 한-국 돈-으-로 바-꿔-주-세-요 (han-guk don-eu-ro ba-kkwo-ju-se-yo). The first part of the phrase is 한국 돈 (hanguk don). This literally means Korean money or as the currency is known, 원 (won). 한국 돈 (hanguk don). We didn’t actually say Won. We actually said Korean money but it means Won. In Korean, it’s acceptable to say Korean money instead of Won. What follows that is 으로 (euro). This is a particle which has many meanings. But in this particular context, it means into 으로 (euro). |
| After that we have 바꿔 (bakkwo). This means to change. 바꿔 (bakkwo). And lastly, we have 주세요 (juseyo) which means to do or to do for or simply please. 주세요 (juseyo). Altogether, the phrase we have here is Korean money into change please. This can be translated as I’d like to change this into Won. Now, if you’re ever in 이태원 (itaewon), 인사동 (insadong) or any other foreigner hotspot, you have to be careful of solicitors asking if you want to exchange your money. Most of the time, these people are offering incredible rates that are hard to turn down but be warned. These people are almost always offering counterfeit money. Do not accept their exchange. Well, I mean if you wanted to, you could. You could get a great rate. I mean you’d be getting some fake money but you could try to pass it as real money and possibly get caught and almost definitely be deported, maybe even jailed but don’t say you weren’t warned. |
| Okay. To close our today’s lesson, we’d like for you to practice what you’ve learned. I will provide you with the English equivalent of the phrase and you are responsible for shouting it out loud. You will have a few seconds before I give you the answer. So 화이팅 (hwaiting)! |
| I’d like to change this into Won - 한국 돈으로 바꿔주세요 (hanguk doneuro bakkwojuseyo). |
| All right, that’s going to do it for today. |
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