Telling time is part of everyday life. It’s one of the essential conversation skills you need to learn when studying a new language. 

So how do you tell time in Korean?

Today, you’re going to learn many ways to address the time, including essential vocabulary for talking about the specific time with someone. By the end of this article, you should be more knowledgeable on Korean standard time and how to say the time in Korean! Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

1. How to Ask for the Time
2. How to Say “Hour” in Korean
3. How to Say the Minutes in Korean
4. Hours Divided into Minutes
5. General Time Reference of the Day
6. Time Adverbs in Korean
7. Bonus: Time Proverbs and Sayings
8. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Korean

1. How to Ask for the Time

1- 몇 시예요? (Myeot si-yeyo?)

몇 시예요? (Myeot si-yeyo?) literally means “What time is it?” 

몇 (myeot) means “how many” or “which number,” and 시 (si) means “o’clock” or “time.” 

So 몇 시 (myeot si) plus 예요 (yeyo), which means “it is,” becomes 몇 시예요? (Myeot si-yeyo?) or “What time is it?”

Example

• 지금 몇 시예요? 

Jigeum myeot siyeyo?

“What time is it now?”

*The first word, 지금 (jigeum), means “now.”

2- ~는 몇 시에 있어요? (~neun myeot sie isseoyo?)

You can use this phrase when you want to ask a question about when a specific thing will happen, such as the departure time of a bus or airplane. In order to ask, you say ~는 몇 시에 있어요? (~neun myeot sie isseoyo?), which means “What time is ~?” Simply add a noun to the front to ask the question. 

Examples

• 버스는 몇 시에 있어요?

Beoseu-neun myeot si-e isseoyo?

“What time is there a bus?”

• 기차는 몇 시에 있어요?

Gicha-neun myeot si-e isseoyo?

“What time is there a train?”

3- 몇 시에 ~? (myeot sie ~?)

If you want to know what time to meet someone or what time you’ll be doing something, you can put the verb indicating the action after saying 몇시에 (myeot si-e), meaning “at what time.” 

Examples

• 몇 시에 만나요?

Myeot sie mannayo?

“What time will (we) meet?”

• 몇 시에 먹어요?

Myeot sie meogeoyo?

“What time will (we) eat?”

• 몇 시에 가요?

Myeot sie gayo?

“What time will (we) go?”

2. How to Say “Hour” in Korean

In Korea, Korean people tend to give the time using the twelve-hour clock, especially when speaking. However, it really depends on the person. Some may prefer to use the twenty-four-hour clock instead.

1- ~시예요. (~siyeyo.)

To say that “It’s ten o’clock” in Korean, the rule is very simple. Add the number, in this case 열 (yeol) which means “ten,” followed by 시 (si) which means “o’clock” and 입니다 (imnida) which means “it is.” So the whole sentence becomes 열시 입니다 (yeolsi imnida).

Have a look at the table below to practice the hours in Korean. 

2- Hours in Korean

*Click on each Korean word to practice the pronunciation!

Korean	Romanization	English
한 시	hansi	1 o’clock
두 시	dusi	2 o’clock
세 시	sesi	3 o’clock
네 시	nesi	4 o’clock
다섯 시	daseotsi	5 o’clock
여섯 시	yeoseotsi	6 o’clock
일곱 시	ilgopsi	7 o’clock
여덟 시	yeodeolsi	8 o’clock
아홉 시	ahopsi	9 o’clock
열 시	yeolsi	10 o’clock
열한 시	yeolhansi	11 o’clock
열두 시	yeoldusi	12 o’clock

Check out 한국 숫자 (hanguk sutja) on KoreanClass101 to practice numbers in Korean. 

Examples

• 지금 몇시에요?

Jigeum myeotsieyo?

“What time is it now?”

• 지금은 12시예요. (formal – speaking)

Jigeumeun yeoldusiyeyo.

“It’s 12 o’clock.”

• 지금은 12시입니다. (formal – writing)

Jigeumeun yeoldusiimnida.

“It’s 12 o’clock.”

• 지금은 12시야. (casual – speaking)

Jigeumeun yeoldusiya.

“It’s 12 o’clock.”

3. How to Say the Minutes in Korean

1- ~ 시 ~ 분 (~ si ~ bun)

“Minute(s)” is 분 (bun) in Korean. When you want to write “how many minutes” in Korean, it’s 몇분 (myeotbun). 

Let’s have a look at a number of examples: 

Korean	Romanization	Translation
5분 (오분)	5bun (obun)	“Five minutes”
10분 (십분)	10bun (sipbun)	“Ten minutes”
20분 (이십분)	20bun (isipbun)	“Twenty minutes”
35분 (삼십오분)	35bun (samsibobun)	“Thirty-five minutes”
42분 (사십이분)	42bun (sasibibun)	“Forty-two minutes”
51분 (오십일분)	51bun (osibilbun)	“Fifty-one minutes”
59분 (오십구분)	59bun (osipgubun)	“Fifty-nine minutes”

Example

• 지금 몇시에요? 

Jigeum myeotsieyo?

“What time is it now?”

• 열시 사십오분이예요. 

Yeolsi sasibobuniyeyo.

“It’s 10:45.”

4. Hours Divided into Minutes

When learning how to read time in Korean, it’s important that you know how to talk about the minutes past the hour. Here are a couple of the most common time phrases in Korean for this.

1- ~분 전 (~bun jeon)

전 (jeon) means “ago.” To say “thirty minutes ago,” as you may have already guessed, you would write this as 30분 전 (samsipbun jeon). Let’s have a look at more examples below. 

Examples

• 삼십분 전에 일어났어요. 

Samsipbun jeone ireonasseoyo.

“I woke up thirty minutes ago.”

• 어? 지민이 한 이십 분 전에 나갔는데요? 

Eo? Jimini han isip bun jeone naganneundeyo?

“Ah? Jimin left (the house) about twenty minutes ago.”

• 십오분 전

sibobun jeon

“Twenty-five minutes ago”

2- ~분 후 (~bun hu)

후 (hu) means “after.” To say “after thirty minutes,” you would write it as 30분 후 (samsipbun hu). Let’s have a look at more examples below. Keep in mind that ~분 뒤 (~bun dwi) is frequently used in speaking as well. 

Examples

• 삼십분 후에 전화할께.

samsipbun hue jeonhwahalkke.

“I will give you a call after thirty minutes.”

• 10분뒤에 좀 쉬자. 

sipbundwie jom swija.

“Let’s take a rest after ten minutes.” 

5. General Time Reference of the Day

1- 오전 / 오후 (ojeon / ohu)

Meaning

• 오전 (ojeon) means “morning.”
• 오후 (ohu) means “afternoon.” 

Examples

• 나 오전 내내 집에만 있었어.

Na ojeon naenae jibeman isseosseo.

“I stayed home all morning.”

• 다음 주 월요일 오후에 시간 돼? 저녁이라도 같이 먹자.

Daeum ju wollyoil ohue sigan dwae? Jeonyeogirado gachi meokja.

“Are you free next Monday afternoon? Let’s grab something to eat.”

2- 아침 / 저녁 (achim / jeonyeok)

Meaning

• 아침 (achim) means “morning.”
• 저녁 (jeonyeok)  means “evening.”

Examples

• 아침부터 계속 비가 오고 있네.

Achimbuteo gyesok biga ogo inne.

“It has been raining since morning.”

• 미안, 오늘 저녁 늦게까지 일해야해.

Mian, oneul jeonyeok neutgekkaji ilhaeyahae.

“Sorry, I have to work late this evening.”

3- 오전 (ojeon) Vs. 아침 (achim) & 오후 (ohu) Vs. 저녁 (jeonyeok)

I’m sure you’re confused by these word pairs. They both have the same meaning, “morning,” but 아침 (achim) refers to early morning, such as when you’re going to work or having breakfast. 오전 (ojeon) includes early morning until noon. 

Examples

• 매일 아침 일찍 일어나서 운동하고 있어요. 

Maeil achim iljjik ireonaseo undonghago isseoyo.

“I wake early in the morning and try exercising everyday.”

• 이 리포트를 오전까지 학교로 내야해요. 

I ripoteureul ojeonkkaji hakgyoro naeyahaeyo.

“I have to submit this report in the morning (before 12pm).”

The difference between the second pair of words is similar to the explanation above. They both have the same translation in English, but the meanings are slightly different. 오후 (ohu) usually refers to the time between noon (we say this as jeongo in Korean) until five or six o’clock in the afternoon. 저녁 (jeonyeok) usually refers to late evening, such as the time when you have dinner, and it usually starts at about seven o’clock in the evening. 

Examples

• 미안, 우리 몇 시에 만나기로 했지? 오후 3시였나?

Mian, uri myeot sie mannagiro haetji? ohu 3siyeonna?

“Sorry, what time were we supposed to meet today? Was it 15:00?”

• 내일 저녁에 같이 밥먹을래?

Naeil jeonyeoge gachi bammeogeullae?

“Are you free for dinner tomorrow evening?”

4- 밤 / 새벽 (bam / saebyeok)

Meaning

• 밤 (bam) means “evening.”
• 새벽 (saebyeok) means “dawn.”

Examples

• 어제 밤에 2시간밖에 못 자서 너무 피곤해.

Eoje bame 2siganbakke mot jaseo neomu pigonhae.

“I slept for only two hours last night so I feel tired.”

• 잠이 안와서 새벽 4시까지 깨어 있었어.

Jami anwaseo saebyeok nesikkaji kkaeeo isseosseo.

“I couldn’t sleep so I stayed up until 4:00 a.m.”

5- 정오 / 자정 (jeongo / jajeong)

Meaning

• 정오 (jeongo) means “at noon.”
• 자정 (jajeong) means “at midnight.”

Examples

• 정오까지 일을 끝내보도록 하겠습니다. (formal – writing) 

Jeongokkaji ireul kkeunnaebodorok hagetseumnida.

“I will try to finish the work by noon.”

• 자정이 지나면 기본요금이 1,000원입니다.

Jajeongi jinamyeon gibonyogeumi cheonwonimnida.

“After midnight, the basic fare is 1,000won.”

6- 밤 (bam) Vs. 저녁 (jeonyeok)

Let’s have a look at the difference between these two. 밤 (bam) is after sunset and before sunrise, so it refers to night time. 저녁 (jeonyeok) refers to the evening and dinnertime. 

Examples

• 밤에도  철수는 일을 해. 

Bamedo  cheolsuneun ireul hae.

“Cheolsu works in the evening.”

• 오늘 저녁까지 꼭 숙제를 끝내야해.

Oneul jeonyeokkkaji kkok sukjereul kkeunnaeyahae.

“I have to finish the homework before this evening.” 

6. Time Adverbs in Korean

1- 지금 (jigeum)

Meaning

• 지금 (jigeum) means “currently” in English.
• It also means “right now” in English.

Examples

• 모든 옵션들이 지금 이용 가능해요.

modeun opsyeondeuri jigeum iyong ganeunghaeyo.

“All the options are currently available.”

• 현재 공사 중

hyeonjae gongsa jung

“currently under construction”

2- 전에 (jeone)

Meaning

• 전에 (jeone) means “before” in English.

Examples

• 점심 시간 전에 올께요. 

jeomsim sigan jeone olkkeyo.

“I will come back before lunch.”

• 지현이는 1년 전부터 거기에 살고 있어. 

jihyeonineun illyeon jeonbuteo geogie salgo isseo.

“Jihyeon’s lived there since one year ago.”

3- 후에 (hue) 

Meaning

• 후에 (hue) means “after” in English.

Example

• 점심 식사 후에 미팅이 있어서 바로 회사로 들어가야해.

jeomsim siksa hue mitingi isseoseo baro hoesaro deureogayahae.

“I have to return to work because I have a meeting after lunch.”

4- ~에 (~e)

The particle -에 (-e) can be translated into English as “at,” “to,” “on,” or “in,” depending on the context. It can be used to indicate time, direction, or a specific location where an action takes place. In this specific lesson, it’s used to indicate time and can be translated as “at,” “on,” or “in,” depending on the context.

This particle can be used to indicate the time at which an action takes place, and is attached to time-specific words (e.g. time, day of the week, date, month, and year). 

Examples

• 두 시 반에 끝나요.

Du si ban-e kkeunnayo. 

“It ends at two thirty.”

• 월요일에 학교에 안 갑니다. 

Woryoil-e hakgyo-e an gamnida.

“I don’t go to school on Monday.”

5- ~하다 (~hada) 

하다 (hada) is a very flexible and important verb in Korean. It’s generally translated as “to do,” but sometimes there’s a need to interpret it according to specific circumstances. 하다 (hada) verbs can be used as follows:

Examples

• 숙제를 하다.

Sukje-reul hada.

“do homework”

• 공부하다.

Gongbuhada.

“to study” 

• 무서워 하다.

Museowo hada.

“to be afraid”

7. Bonus: Time Proverbs and Sayings

Here are some common time expressions in Korean to help you sound like a native! 

• 시간이 약이다.

Sigani yagida.

“Time heals all wounds.”

• 시간은 돈이다.

Siganeun donida.

“Time is money.”

• 일찍 일어나는 새가 벌레를 잡는다.

Iljjik ireonaneun saega beollereul jamneunda.

“The early bird catches the worm.”

8. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Korean

By now, you should be able to read and say time in Korean! Practice makes perfect, so check out our free vocabulary list “Talking about Time” on KoreanClass101 to expand your vocabulary skills. 

Also, can you say what time it is in Korea? Drop us a comment below with your answer. Check out Korean standard time and give it a try! Lastly, can you answer the following questions? 

• 몇 시에 아침을 먹어요? 

Myeot sie achimeul meogeoyo?

• 몇 시에 퇴근해요?

Myeot sie toegeunhaeyo?

Find the translations here and try answering these questions in Korean. Good luck! 

Many expats discuss the culture shock they experienced while living or traveling in South Korea online, through Youtube videos or their personal blogs. They also give advice, which can be very useful to potential travelers planning to visit Korea, as it comes from their own personal experiences. Today, KoreanClass101 will introduce 10 common Korean culture shocks that travelers and expats experience in Korea.

Table of Contents

1. Culture Shock 1: Cafes are Everywhere in Korea
2. Culture Shock 2: Bumping into Someone While Walking
3. Culture Shock 3: People Don’t Hold Doors for You
4. Culture Shock 4: Metal Spoons and Chopsticks
5. Culture Shock 5: Holding Hands Amongst Girlfriends
6. Culture Shock 6: We Use Toilet Paper for Everything
7. Culture Shock 7: Sharing Food from the Same Dish
8. Culture Shock 8: The “Pali Pali” Culture in Korea
9. Culture Shock 9: You Can Use Free Wifi Everywhere in Korea
10. Culture Shock 10: Food Delivery at 1am? No Problem!
11. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Korean

1. Culture Shock 1: Cafes are Everywhere in Korea

You will be surprised how many cafes you find on one street. Some of the most famous cafe chains in Korea are: 

• 스타벅스 (seutabeokseu) – Starbucks
• 카페베네 (kapebene) – Caffe Bene 
• 커피빈  (keopibin) – Coffee Bean
• 엔제리너스  (enjerineoseu) – Angle-in-us
• 투썸플레이스 (tusseompeulleiseu) – A Twosome Place

And the list goes on. If you are curious to know the list of Korean cafes, click here. 

You may mistakenly conclude that Koreans love to drink coffee, but the real reason is related to Korean culture. Since renting an apartment is extremely expensive for young Koreans, it is quite common for them to live with their parents in order to save their money. Generally they stay with their parents until marriage, unless they decide to continue living with their parents even after they get married. 

Also, inviting friends over to one’s house is not common in South Korea, and it is even considered rude to organise a party at home without parental permission. Therefore, the younger generation prefer to hang out with their friends outside their homes in places like cafes.

KoreanClass101 has a free lesson on how to order food in Korean so feel free to check it out.

2. Culture Shock 2: Bumping into Someone While Walking

Do not be surprised or upset when you bump into someone while walking in the busy streets in South Korea. In Korea, this is very common, but this is one of the biggest pet peeves for travelers or expats in Korea. No matter how hard you try, you will bump into someone at one point, so be ready for this. And as this unfortunately happens to everyone, everyday so try not to take it personally.

3. Culture Shock 3: People Don’t Hold Doors for You

Every country has different manners. If you were told  to be polite and hold the door for the next person, don’t be offended if native Koreans do not return the favor. Instead of holding the door for the person behind you, some Koreans will push the door very hard, so that it doesn’t close quickly, allowing the person behind them to rush inside or out while the door is open.

4. Culture Shock 4: Metal Spoons and Chopsticks

Compared to other Asian chopsticks, Korean chopsticks are flatter and more square in shape and is made of metal. Many tourists wonder why Koreans use metal 젓가락 (jeotgarak), which means  “chopsticks” and 숟가락 (sutgarak) which means “spoon”, but there is actually a very interesting story behind this. In historical times, only the upper class used metal chopsticks made of gold or silver. Initially, silver chopsticks and spoons were used by the royal family in order to detect poison in their food. Since then, metal chopsticks became more common and is now used everywhere.  

5. Culture Shock 5:  Holding Hands Amongst Girlfriends

Don’t bewildered when you see two Korean ladies holding hands or walking arm in arm in Korea. This kind of gesture, which is called 팔짱끼다 (paljjangkkida) is to show their close relationship and their bond is strong, like sisters. You will often see two Korean students (mostly girls) doing this. Also you will see this between a daughter and a mother as well. This is a friendly gesture so do not be confused when you see this on the street. 

6. Culture Shock 6: We Use Toilet Paper for Everything

Korean use 두루마리 휴지 (durumari hyuji) which means “toilet paper roll” for …pretty much everything! Toilet paper is not only used for its original purpose, but Koreans use it in many occasions, such as using it as a kitchen towel, to wipe tables with, to blow your nose, wipe sweat, and more. Therefore, it is quite common to see a roll of toilet paper sitting on a desk or table in many Korean households. When you visit a hole in the wall Korean restaurant, you may need to use toilet paper as a napkin. 

7. Culture Shock 7: Sharing Food from the Same Dish

If you are from a country where everyone has their own plate and do not share food together, this may be a shock for you. In Korea, sharing food is a big part of Korean culture. Sharing the food, or, in other words, eating from the same bowl, is very common so don’t be surprised when you see your local friends dipping their spoons and chopsticks into a big pot of soup or side dishes. Usually the main dish, such as 불고기 (bulgogi), which means “Korean Barbecue”, 김치찌개 (gimchijjigae) which means “Kimchi Soup”, 삼겹살 (samgyeopsal) which means “Grilled Pork Belly”, is placed in the middle of the table and many 반찬 (banchan) which means “small side dishes” are placed around the main dish. Each person does not receive the same banchan, meaning everything on the table is for sharing. 

8. Culture Shock 8: The “Pali Pali” Culture in Korea

빨리빨리 (ppallippalli), the direct translation being “hurry hurry” or “quick quick”, is a big part of the culture in South Korea. When you order food at a restaurant, your dish will be ready right away. This also goes for preparing food, making payments and even traveling around on the subway. This means that you will almost never have to wait for anything, and that everything will be ready within a desired time. On the other hand, this ‘pali pali’ culture has side effects as well. Since everything has to be done quickly, Koreans may appear extremely impatient to those who are not aware of this Korean culture. 

9. Culture Shock 9: You Can Use Free Wifi Everywhere in Korea

Finding free 와이파이 (waipai), which means “wifi” in Korea is a lot easier than you think, because wifi is virtually everywhere in Korea. Every cafe in Korea–especially Seoul–will provide free wi-fi services. You can even use free wifi on subway and at open public spaces (look for a sign that says wifi zone). You want to use free wifi? Simply turn on the wifi button and look through the list. You will easily find some such as Free U+Zone, T Wifi Zone , and KT Free WiFi . These free provides usually require you to add some personal information or make you watch an advertisement which lasts about a minute until you can use the free wifi for a minimum 60 minutes to a maximum 24 hours.

10. Culture Shock 10: Food Delivery at 1am? No Problem!

You can order food anytime–whether it is 1 am or 3 am in the morning. Koreans enjoy nightlife and 야식 (yasik) which means “Midnight Snack” is something we enjoy. Some of the famous Yasik include 라면 (ramyeon) which means “noodle”, 치맥 (chimaek) which means  “Fried Chicken and Beer”, 보쌈 (Bossam) which means “pork dish”, 떡볶이 (tteokbokki) which means “stir-fried rice cakes”, 순대 (sundae) which means “blood sausage”, 군고구마 (gungoguma) which means “Roasted Sweet Potato,”  비빔면 (bibimmyeon) which means “cold noodles.”

These days, Koreans use food-delivery apps to order the food. All you need to do is to use a food delivery app such as 요기요 (Yogiyo) 배달통 (Baedaltong), or 푸드플라이 (FoodFly). 

First, choose the cuisine, then make the payment and wait until your dishes arrive by the door. 

Do you want to study Korean while learning more about Korean culture shocks? Visit our online lesson “Culture Shock” and “Korean Instant Noodles!” and learn more about why Korean instant noodles may be a culture shock for some people. In addition, you can learn Korean cultures in depth on our “Korean Culture Class” lessons where you can learn many interesting Korean culture such as dialects, age, level of politeness, marriage and so on. So do check out our free lessons on our website! 

11. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Korean 

I hope you enjoyed reading our top 10 Korean cultures that you may encounter when you travel to Korea. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below or simply visit our forum, where you can receive any practical advice from native Korean speakers. Also, KoreanClass101 provides fun and culturally relevant lessons–there are over 1,000,000+ lessons provided on our website. Our effective teaching method lets you study Korean at your own pace. We have free lessons such as the Korean Key Phrase List, interactive lessons like How to Write My Name in Korean, and more, so feel free to drop by KoreanClass101 anytime, because our goal is to help you improve your Korean! Thank you and have a great day!

Knowing how to say left and right in Korean isn’t good enough if you want to really get around Korea. Let’s learn how to give directions in Korean with KoreanClass101!

Have you ever gotten lost in an unfamiliar city? In your own country, you can simply get in a taxi or ask someone for directions. But what would you do if this happens to you in a foreign country?

Many Koreans can speak English, but this doesn’t mean that everyone speaks English fluently like you do. Therefore, it’s important to learn some basic phrases and words for directions so that when you’re not sure where you are in Korea, you can easily converse with locals in their native language.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes when practicing, because this is just a part of learning the language. Koreans will appreciate that you speak their language and they’ll definitely help you find the way.


Table of Contents

1. On the Map
2. On the Road (10 Basic Opposites)
3. Directions in Korea Using Landmarks
4. Must-Know Phrases for Asking for Directions
5. Must-Know Phrases for Giving Directions
6. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Korean

1. On the Map

1. Cardinal Directions in Korean

Korean	Romanization	English
동(쪽)	dong(jjok)	East
서(쪽)	seo(jjok)	West
남(쪽)	nam(jjok)	South
북(쪽)	buk(jjok)	North

2. Cardinal Direction Combinations

When you want to describe the location precisely, you can combine the four words above. For example, if you want to say “southwest,” combie 서 (seo) and 남 (nam) together, followed by 쪽 (jjok) which means “side/way.”

Examples

• 북서쪽 bukseojjok
  “Northwest side”


• 남동쪽 namdongjjok
  “Southeast side”

3. Talking about Directions

• [시티]은/는 [나라]의 [방향]에 위치해있다.
  [Siti]eun/neun [nara]ui [banghyang]e wichihaeitda.
  “[City] is in the [direction] part of Korea.”

Examples

• 부산은 한국의 남쪽에 위치해있다.
  Busaneun hangugui namjjoge wichihaeitda.
  “Busan is in the south(ern) part of Korea.”


• 서울은 한국의 중서부에 위치해있다.
  Seoureun hangugui jungseobue wichihaeitda.
  “Seoul is in the midwest(ern) part of Korea.”

2. On the Road (10 Basic Opposites)

If you need to give or receive driving directions in Korean, here are some basic opposites you should know!

1.앞 (ap ) ↔ 뒤 (dwi)

A- Meaning

• 앞 (ap) “front”
• 뒤 (dwi) “back”

B- Examples

• 아파트는 슈퍼 앞에 있어요.
  Apateuneun syupeo ape isseoyo.
  “The apartment is in front of the supermarket.”


• 아파트는 병원 뒤에 있어요.
  Apateuneun byeongwon dwie isseoyo.
  “The apartment is at the back of (behind) the hospital.”

2. 오른쪽 (oreunjjok) ↔ 왼쪽 (oenjjok)

A- Meaning

• 오른쪽 (oreunjjok) “right”
• 왼쪽 (oenjjok) “left”

There are two ways to say “right” and “left” in Korean. 오른쪽 (oreunjjok) / 왼쪽 (oenjjok) and 우회전 (uhoejeon) / 좌회전 (jwahoejeon). The meanings are exactly the same.

B- Examples

• 오른쪽에 보이는 저 건물이 우리 학교야.
  Oreunjjoge boineun jeo geonmuri uri hakgyoya.
  “That building that you see to the right is my school.”


• 저기 횡단보도에서 오른쪽으로 돌아주세요.
  Jeogi hoengdanbodoeseo oreunjjogeuro dorajuseyo.
  “Please turn to the right at that pedestrian road.”

3. 우회전 (uhoejeon) ↔ 좌회전 (jwahoejeon)

A- Meaning

• 우회전 (uhoejeon) “right”
• 좌회전 (jwahoejeon) “left”

우회전 (uhoejeon) and 좌회전 (jwahoejeon) are the same as 오른쪽 (oreunjjok) and 왼쪽 (oenjjok), respectively. Taxi drivers use these two words a lot, so it’s important to memorize them. Knowing taxi directions in Korean is essential if you want to get anywhere!

B- Examples

• 두 번째 신호등에서 우회전해주세요. (formal)
  Du beonjjae sinhodeungeseo uhoejeonhaejuseyo.
  “Please turn right at the second traffic light.”


• = 두 번째 신호등에서 오른쪽으로 가주세요. (formal)
  Du beonjjae sinhodeungeseo oreunjjogeuro gajuseyo.
  “Please turn right at the second traffic light.”


• 다음 교차로에서 좌회전해주세요. (formal)
  Daeum gyocharoeseo jwahoejeonhaejuseyo.
  “Please make a left at the next intersection.”


• = 다음 교차로에서 왼쪽으로 가주세요. (formal)
  Daeum gyocharoeseo oenjjogeuro gajuseyo.
  “Please make a left at the next intersection.”

4. 가깝다 (gakkapda) ↔ 멀다 (meolda)

A- Meanings

• 가깝다 (gakkapda) “close by”
• 멀다 (meolda) “far”

B- Examples

• 여기서 가장 가까운 지하철역은 어디입니까? (formal)
  Yeogiseo gajang gakkaun jihacheollyeogeun eodiimnikka?
  “Where is the nearest subway station from here?”


• 강남역에서 역삼역까지는 멀지 않아요. (formal)
  Gangnamyeogeseo yeoksamyeokkkajineun meolji anayo.
  “It’s not far from Gangnam Station to Yeoksam Station.”

5. 바로 앞에 (baro ape) ↔ 바로 뒤에 (baro dwie)

A- Meanings

• 바로 앞에 (baro ape) “right in front”
• 바로 뒤에 (baro dwie) “right behind”

B- Examples

• 기사님, 저기 바로 앞에 세워주세요. (formal)
  Gisanim, jeogi baro ape sewojuseyo.
  “Driver, please pull up in front of there.”


• 기사님, 저기 슈퍼 바로 뒤에서 세워주세요. (formal)
  Gisanim, jeogi syupeo baro dwieseo sewojuseyo.
  “Driver, please pull up right behind the supermarket.”

3. Directions in Korea Using Landmarks

1. 공항 (gonghang) “airport”

Not sure which Korean airport to go to? Check out a handy list of airports in South Korea.

Examples

• A: 아저씨, 인천공항으로 가주세요.
  A: Ajeossi, incheongonghangeuro gajuseyo.
  A: “Please go to Incheon Airport.”


• B: 국내선이이요, 국제선이요?
  B: Gungnaeseoniiyo, gukjeseoniyo?
  B: “To the domestic or international terminal?”


• A: 국제선으로 가주세요.
  A: Gukjeseoneuro gajuseyo.
  A: “To the international terminal.”

2. 전철역 (jeoncheollyeok) “subway station”

• Getting around by subway is fairly easy in Korea. You can check out this map of the Seoul subway.

Examples

• A: 여기서 이수역까지 가려면 어떻게 가면 되나요?
  A: Yeogiseo isuyeokkkaji garyeomyeon eotteoke gamyeon doenayo?
  A: “How do I go to Isu Yeok from here?”


• B: 2호선 타고 4정거장 가면돼요.
  B: Ihoseon tago 4jeonggeojang gamyeondwaeyo.
  B: “Just take the number 2 line and go 4 stops.”

3. 공원 (gongwon) “the park”

Examples

• A: 한강공원에서 할수 있는게 뭐있을까?
  A: Hanganggongwoneseo halsu inneunge mwoisseulkka?
  A: “What kind of activities can we do at Hangang Park?”


• B: 자전거 빌려서 한바퀴 돌 수 있는데, 해볼래?
  B: Jajeongeo billyeoseo hanbakwi dol su inneunde, haebollae?
  B: “You can rent a bicycle and cycle around the park. Do you want to try?”

4. 호텔 (hotel) “hotel”

• Here are some more words related to accommodation:
  • 여관 (yeogwan) — “inn”
  • 게스트하우스 (geseuteuhauseu) — “guest house”
  • 에어비엔비 (eeobienbi) — “Airbnb”

Examples

• A: 어디로 갈까요?
  A: Eodiro galkkayo?
  A: “Where do you want to go?”


• B: 신라호텔로 가주세요.
  B: Sillahotello gajuseyo.
  B: “Please take me to Silla Hotel.”


• A: 네.
  A: Ne.
  A: “Okay.”

5. 병원 (byeongwon) “hospital”

Examples

• A: 영어가능한 병원으로 가고 싶은데, 어디가 좋을까요?
  A: Yeongeoganeunghan byeongwoneuro gago sipeunde, eodiga joeulkkayo?
  A: “I’d like to go to an English-speaking hospital. Do you know any places?”


• B: 순천향대학병원이 좋아요. 통역사가 많이 일하고 있거든요.
  B: Suncheonhyangdaehakbyeongwoni joayo. Tongyeoksaga mani ilhago itgeodeunyo.
  B: “I recommend Soonchunhyang University Hospital. There are many interpreters working there.”

6. 은행 (eunhaeng) “bank”

• “To withdraw money” is 돈(을) 뽑다 (don(eul) ppopda). This phrase is often used, so it’s good to memorize it.

Examples

• A: 돈 좀 뽑고 싶은데 은행이 어디에 있지?
  A: Don jom ppopgo sipeunde eunhaengi eodie itji?
  A: “I want to withdraw some money. Where is the bank?”


• B: 아, 저 횡단보도 앞에 바로 있네, 가자!
  B: A, jeo hoengdanbodo ape baro inne, gaja!
  B: “Ah, there is one right in front of the pedestrian road. Let’s go!”

7. 쇼핑몰 (syopingmol) “shopping mall”

• In Korea, if you pay with cash, you’ll receive a greater discount than you will by paying with a credit card. This is true for places such as 지하상가 (jihasangga), or the “underground shopping mall.”


• If you go to a department store, or many other shops, they offer tax-free shopping.

Examples

• A: 쇼핑몰 어디로 가면 좋을까?
  A: Syopingmol eodiro gamyeon joeulkka?
  A: “Which shopping mall should we go to?”


• B: 동대문? 홍대? 아니면 명동이지 않을까?
  B: Dongdaemun? Hongdae? animyeon Myeongdongiji aneulkka?
  B: “We should go to either Dongdaemoon, Hongdae, or Myeongdong?”

8. 지하상가 (jihasangga) “underground shopping mall”

• You can buy a lot of stuff here, such as clothing, accessories, colored lenses, and so on, for a cheap price. However, these shops don’t offer tax-free shopping, and oftentimes they’ll charge ten percent more if you use a credit card. So do carry some cash with you if you want to go.

Examples

• A: 현금가 1만원이라는 뜻이 뭐야?
  A: Hyeongeumga ilmanwoniraneun tteusi mwoya?
  A: “What does it mean by “Cash price 10,000 won?”


• B: 아, 현금으로 내면 1만원이고, 카드로 내면 돈 몇천원 더 내야한다는 뜻이야.
  B: A, hyeongeumeuro naemyeon ilmanwonigo, kadeuro naemyeon don myeotcheonwon deo naeyahandaneun tteusiya.
  B: “That means if you pay by cash, it cost 10,000 won, but there will be a sub-charge if you pay by credit card.”

9. 육교 (yukgyo) “a pedestrian bridge”

Examples

• A: 육교로 건너가서 택시 타자.
  A: Yukgyoro geonneogaseo taeksi taja.
  A: “Let’s cross the road by the pedestrian bridge and catch a taxi.”

10. On a Road

1. 교차로 (gyocharo) “intersection”

• There are many kinds of intersections in Korea. Check out this page to see the list.

Examples

• 차들은 다른 방향으로 들어 가기 위해 교차로로 갑니다.
  Chadeureun dareun banghyangeuro deureo gagi wihae gyocharoro gamnida.
  “Cars enter the intersection to change directions.”

2. 횡단보도 (hoengdanbodo) “pedestrian crossing”

Examples

• 횡단보도에서 내려 주실래요?
  Hoengdanbodoeseo naeryeo jusillaeyo?
  “Can you pull over at the crosswalk?”

3. 신호등 (sinhodeung) “traffic light”

• Be careful when you cross the road in Korea. Many drivers ignore the traffic light, and they don’t slow down when the light turns yellow on its way to red.

Examples

• 한국에는 신호등을 무시하고 운전하는 택시운전사가 많아요.
  Hangugeneun sinhodeungeul musihago unjeonhaneun taeksiunjeonsaga manayo.
  “There are many taxi drivers who ignore the traffic light and continue driving in Korea.”

4. 주유소 (juyuso) “gas station”

• “Top it up” is 만땅이요 (manttangiyo) in Korean. This phrase is only used when you’re at a gas station.

Examples

• 주유소를 찾고 있는데요, 어디에 있나요?
  Juyusoreul chatgo inneundeyo, eodie innayo?
  “I’m looking for a gas station. Where is it?”

5. 휴게소 (hyugaeso) “rest area”

Examples

• 운전 좀 했더니 피곤하네. 휴게소에 들러서 뭐 좀 먹고 가자.
  Unjeon jom haetdeoni pigonhane. hyugesoe deulleoseo mwo jom meokgo gaja.
  “I feel tired after driving for awhile. Let’s have a bite to eat at the rest area.”

6. 차선 (chaseon) “lane”

Examples

• 차선이 이렇게 아무리 많아도 교통체증이 심하네.
  Chaseoni ireoke amuri manado gyotongchejeungi simhane.
  “There are so many lanes, but still so much traffic.”

11. In a Structure/Building

Here’s a list of additional vocabulary for you to memorize.

Korean	Romanization	English
화장실	hwajangsil	restroom
엘리베이터	ellibeiteo	elevator
게이트	geiteu	gate
주차장	juchajang	parking area
비상구	bisanggu	emergency exit
[이름] 빌딩	[ireum] bilding	[name] building
미팅룸	mitingnum	meeting room
수영장	suyeongjang	swimming pool

4. Must-Know Phrases for Asking for Directions

Now that we’ve looked at essential vocabulary, let’s practice asking for directions in Korean!

1. Polite Phrases to Start the Question

• 저기 죄송한데요. (Jeogi joesonghandeyo.)
• 실례합니다. (Sillyehamnida.)
• 죄송한데요. (Joesonghandeyo.)

These three phrases have the same meaning: “excuse me.” There’s not much difference in their meanings, so you can choose the one that feels comfortable to you.

2. Where is…?

• [장소]은/는 어디에 있습니까? (formal – business level)
  [Jangso]eun/neun eodie itseumnikka?
  “Where is [location]?”


• [장소]은/는 어디에 있나요? (formal – friendly)
  [jangso]eun/neun eodie innayo?
  “Where is [location]?”


• 이 근처에 [장소]있나요?
  I geuncheoe [jangso]innayo?
  “Is there [location] near here?”

Example

• A: 화장실은 어디에 있나요?
  A: Hwajangsireun eodie innayo?
  A: “Where is the restroom?”


• B: 왼쪽에 바로 있어요.
  B: Oenjjoge baro isseoyo.
  B: “It’s right there on the left.”


• A: 이 근처에 슈퍼마켓있나요?
  A: I geuncheoe syupeomakesinnayo?
  A: “Is there a supermarket around here?”


• B: 바로 직진해서 횡단보도 건너면 바로 세븐일레븐이 있어요.
  B: Baro jikjinhaeseo hoengdanbodo geonneomyeon baro sebeunillebeuni isseoyo.
  B: “Just go straight, then cross the pedestrian road. There will be a Seven-Eleven.”

3. How do I get to…?

• [장소]는 어떻게 가나요?
  [Jangso]neun eotteoke ganayo?
  “How do I go to [location]?”


• [장소]는 여기서 어떻게 가나요?
  [Jangso]neun yeogiseo eotteoke ganayo?
  “How do I go to [location] from here?”

If your Korean is good enough to hold a conversation, it’s good to ask for more-detailed directions. When you say one of these sentences, people will explain the directions in detail. Or if you’re lucky, they’ll take you to the right bus stop/subway station.

Examples

• A: 실례합니다, 서울역은 어떻게 가나요?
  A: Sillyehamnida, seoullyeogeun eotteoke ganayo?
  A: “Excuse me, how do I go to Seoul Station?”


• B: 서울역이요? 여기서 1호선 지하철 타고 가면 금방이예요.
  B: Seoullyeogiyo? Yeogiseo 1hoseon jihacheol tago gamyeon geumbangiyeyo.
  B: “Seoul Station? The fastest way is to take the Line 1 subway from here.”


• A: 죄송한데요, 가로수길은 여기서 어떻게 가나요?
  A: Joesonghandeyo, Garosugireun yeogiseo eotteoke ganayo?
  A: “Excuse me, how do I go to Garosu Street from here?”


• B: 가로수길은 버스타고 가는게 제일 나아요. 잠시만요, 확인해드릴께요.
  B: Garosugireun beoseutago ganeunge jeil naayo. Jamsimanyo, hwaginhaedeurilkkeyo.
  B: “It’s better to take a bus to go to Garosu Street. Hold on, let me check the way for you.”

4. How far is …?

• [장소]는 얼마나 먼가요?
  [Jangso]neun eolmana meongayo?
  “How far is [location]?”


• 여기서 [장소]까지는 얼마나 먼가요?
  Yeogiseo [jangso]kkajineun eolmana meongayo?
  “How far is [location] from here?”


• [장소1]에서 [장소2]까지 얼마나 걸리나요?
  [Jangsoil]eseo [jangsoi]kkaji eolmana geollinayo?
  “How long does it take to get to [location2] from [location1]?”

Examples

• A: 강남역에서 교보문고까지 얼마나 걸리나요?
  A: Gangnamyeogeseo Gyobomungokkaji eolmana geollinayo?
  A: “How long does it take to get to Kyobo Book Centre from Gangnam Station?”


• B: 글쎄요, 강남역에서 걸어간다면 한 15분에서 20분정도 걸리겠네요.
  B: Geulsseyo, gangnamyeogeseo georeogandamyeon han 15buneseo 20bunjeongdo geolligenneyo.
  B: I’m not sure, but if you walk from Gangnam Station it will take about fifteen to twenty minutes.”

5. Courtesy Phrases to Thank People

감사합니다.
Gamsahamnida.
“Thank you.”

This phrase is the most-used method to thank someone after the conversation is over. If you want to expand a little, you can also say 네, 알겠습니다. 감사합니다 (Ne, algetseumnida. Gamsahamnida.). The translation is “I understand, thank you!”

Roads

5. Must-Know Phrases for Giving Directions

1. Street Phrases

Korean	Romanization	English
직진하면	jikjinhamyeon	If you go straight
유턴하면	yuteonhamyeon	If you do a U-turn
왼쪽/오른쪽으로 가면	oenjjok/oreunjjogeuro gamyeon	If you go left/right
우회전/좌회전하면	uhoejeon/jwahoejeonhamyeon	If you go left/right

2. For Buildings

Korean	Romanization	English
# 층	# cheung	#th floor
밑으로 가다	miteuro gada	To go down (by elevator/escalator)
위로 올라가다	wiro ollagada	To go up (by elevator/escalator)
지하로 가다	jiharo gada	To go to the basement

3. To a Driver

You’ll find the phrases below very useful when you’re traveling in South Korea. Many taxis are equipped with a free interpreter service, and some taxi drivers can speak another language, the most popular languages being Japanese and English. Nevertheless, it’s good to memorize these taxi directions in Korean!

Examples

• 계속 직진해주세요.
  Gyesok jikjinhaejuseyo.
  “Please continue straight.”


• 서둘러주세요.
  Seodulleojuseyo.
  “Please speed up a bit.”


• 조금 천천히 가주세요.
  Jogeum cheoncheonhi gajuseyo.
  “Please slow down the speed.”


• ~에서 오른쪽/왼쪽으로 가주세요.
  ~eseo oreunjjok/oenjjogeuro gajuseyo.
  “Please turn right/left from ~.”


• ~에서 우회전/좌회전이요.
  ~eseo uhoejeon/jwahoejeoniyo.
  “Please turn right/left from ~.”


• 횡단보도에서 세워주세요.
  Hoengdanbodoeseo sewojuseyo.
  “Please pull over at the pedestrian road.”

6. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Korean

In this article, we looked at many different ways to ask for directions in Korean. If you’re interested in learning more vocabulary about the directions in Korean, you can challenge yourself by visiting our free vocabulary page, Position / Direction, to check out more words. KoreanClass101 also provides many direction-related study materials for free, so why not create a new account today and explore the website? Good luck with your Korean studies!

But before you go, let us know in the comments how you feel about asking and giving directions in Korean! Do you feel more confident now? Are there any Korean direction words you still want to know? We look forward to hearing from you!

Learning a new language requires you to memorize new words everyday. The more you know, the faster you’ll be able to converse with the locals and even write letters to people. Today, we’ll introduce 100 Korean nouns for you to expand your vocabulary and improve your language skills. We’ve also provided audio files for you to practice the pronunciation of each word, so feel free to click on the words in our Korean nouns list!

Ready to learn Korean nouns with KoreanClass101.com? Let’s go!

Table of Contents

1. 가전제품 (gajeonjepum) — Nouns for “Appliances”
2. 과학 기술 (gwahak gisul) — Nouns for “Technology”
3. 교통 (gyotong) — Nouns for “Transportation”
4. 레스토랑 (reseutorang) — Nouns for “Restaurant”
5. 학교 필수품 (hakgyo pilsupum) — Nouns for “School essentials”
6. 직업 (jigeop) — Nouns for “Occupation”
7. 가족 (gajok) — Nouns for “Family members”
8. 신체 부분 (sinche bubun) — Nouns for “Body parts”
9. 시간 (sigan) — Nouns for “Time”
10. 한국 요리 재료 (hanguk yori jaeryo) — Nouns for “Korean Cooking Ingredients”
11. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You

1. 가전제품 (gajeonjepum) — Nouns for “Appliances”

1- 헤어드라이기 (heeodeuraigi) — “Hair Dryer”

Things to Know

• 헤어 (he-eo) is the Korean way to pronounce “hair,” and 드라이 (deurai) is “dry.” 기 (gi) is from the Chinese character 機, which means “machine.”
• 드라이기 (deuraigi) is more commonly used in speaking.
• Some people say 헤어드라이어 (heeodeuraieo) too.

Example:

A: 헤어드라이기 좀 빌려줄래?
A: Heeodeuraigi jom billyeojullae?
A: “Can I borrow your hair dryer?”

B: 어, 거기 첫번째 서랍 열면 있어.
B: Eo, geogi cheotbeonjjae seorap yeolmyeon isseo.
B: “Sure, it’s in the first drawer.”

Vocabulary:

• 빌리다 (billida) — “to borrow”
• 서랍 (seorap) — “drawer”

2- 텔레비전 (tellebijeon) — “Television”

Things to Know

• 텔레비전 (tellebijeon) is commonly used in writing.
• 티비 (tibi) is commonly used in speaking.

Example:

A: 엄마, 티비 봐도돼?
A: Eomma, tibi bwadodwae?
A: “Mum, can I watch TV?”

B: 숙제 다하고 봐라.
B: Sukje dahago bwara.
B: “Finish your homework first!”

Vocabulary:

• 숙제 (sukje) — “homework”

3- 세탁기 (setakgi) — “Washing Machine”

Things to Know

• 세탁 (setak) is “wash clothes,” and 기 (gi) is the Chinese word for “machine.”

Example:

A: 빨래할 옷이 많네. 세탁기 돌리자.
A: Ppallaehal osi manne. Setakgi dollija
A: “There are so many things to wash! Let’s do laundry.”

B: 잠깐만! 나 빨래할 것 좀 가져올게!”
B: Jamkkanman! Na ppallaehal geot jom gajyeoolge!
B: “Wait up! Let me bring some of my dirty clothes!”

Vocabulary:

• 빨래 (ppallae) — “laundry”
• 잠깐만 (jamkkanman) — “just a moment” [Informal]

4- 냉장고 (naengjanggo) — “Refrigerator”

Things to Know

• Koreans have one or two refrigerators at home.
• The first is 냉장고 (naengjanggo). The other one is called 김치냉장고 (gimchinaengjango) or “Kimchi refrigerator.” [Read more about it]

Example:

A: 냉장고가 텅 비어있네. 장보러 가야겠다.
A: Naengjanggoga teong bieoinne. Jangboreo gayagetda.
A: “There is nothing inside the refrigerator. I should go grocery shopping.”

B: 엄마, 나도 따라가면 안돼?
B: Eomma, nado ttaragamyeon andwae?
B: “Mum, can I come along?”

Vocabulary:

• 장(을) 보다 (jang(eul) boda) — “to go grocery shopping”

5- 청소기 (cheongsogi) — “Vacuum Cleaner”

Things to Know

• 로봇 청소기 (robot cheongsogi) is a vacuum cleaner that’s very popular in South Korea.
• Many Korean households have a 스팀 청소기 (seutim cheongsogi), “steam cleaner,” at home, too.

Example:

A: 아, 너무 피곤하다. 오늘 청소 미루면 안돼?
A: A, neomu pigonhada. Oneul cheongso mirumyeon andwae?
A: “I’m so exhausted. Can we just postpone the cleaning?”

B: 뭐라고? 일요일마다 청소기 돌리기로 약속했잖아.
B: Mworago? Illyoilmada cheongsogi dolligiro yaksokaetjana.
B: “What? But we promised to vacuum the house on Sundays.”

Vocabulary:

• 미루다 (miruda) — “to postpone”
• 청소기(를) 돌리다 (cheongsogi(reul) dollida) — “to vacuum”

6- 핸드폰 (haendeupon) — “Mobile Phone”

Things to Know

• In 1983, the first mobile phone was released in South Korea.
• The first mobile phone was called 다이나택 8000X (dainataek), or “DynaTAC 8000X,” and it weighed approximately 794g (about twenty-eight ounces).

Example:

A: 다이나택 8000X은 8시간 충전하고 나서 30분 정도만 통화할 수 있었대.
A: Dainataek palcheonekseuneun 8sigan chungjeonhago naseo 30bun jeongdoman tonghwahal su isseotdae.
A: “To use DynaTAC 8000X you needed to charge it for eight hours and could make a phone call for only 30 minutes.”

B: 대박, 진짜 별로다.
B: Daebak, jinjja byeolloda.
B: “Wow, that sounds really terrible.”

Vocabulary:

• 핸드폰 (haendeupon) — “mobile phone”
• 충전하다 (chungjeonhada) — “to charge”
• 통화하다 (tonghwahada) — “to talk on the phone”

7- 라디오 (radio) — “Radio”

Things to Know

• In South Korea, the first radio broadcasting occurred in 1927.
• The price of the radio was extremely expensive back in the 1920s (fifty bags of rice).
• Only the rich people could have radios back then. [reference]

Example:

A: 빨리 두시가 왔으면 좋겠다!
A: Ppalli dusiga wasseumyeon joketda!
A: “I can’t wait until two o’clock!”

B: 아, 빨리 두시탈출 컬투쇼 듣고 싶구나?
B: A, ppalli dusitalchul keoltusyo deutgo sipguna?
B: “Ah, you are waiting for Culture Show, aren’t you?”

Vocabulary:

• 라디오 (radio) — “radio”
• 듣다 (deutda) — “to listen”

8- 에어컨 (eeokeon) — “Air Conditioner”

Example:

A: 날씨 너무 덥네. 숨을 못쉬겠어.
A: Nalssi neomu deomne. Sumeul motswigesseo.
A: “I can’t breathe well because it’s too hot.”

B: 그럼 에어컨 빵빵 틀어주는 카페가자!
B: Geureom eeokeon ppangppang teureojuneun kapegaja!
B: “Then let’s go to a cafe that has a strong air conditioner!”

Vocabulary:

• 에어컨 빵빵 틀어줘.
  Eeokeon ppangppang teureojwo.
  “Please turn on the air conditioner.”
  
  *This is a very casual phrase to say “turn on the air conditioner.”

9- 안마의자 (anmauija) — “Electric Massage Chair”

Example:

A: 한국에 안마의자가 없는 집은 찾기 힘들 걸?
A: Hanguge anmauijaga eomneun jibeun chatgi himdeul geol?
A: “I think it’s quite rare to find a Korean house without an electric massage chair.”

B: 하긴, 찜질방, 목욕탕에도 안마의자도 있는걸.
B: Hagin, jjimjilbang, mogyoktangedo anmauijado inneungeol.
B: “That’s true, you can even see these chairs in public bath areas.”

Vocabulary:

• 찜질방 (jjimjilbang) — Korean gender-segregated public bathhouse
• 목욕탕 (mogyoktang) — “public bath”

10- 믹서기 (mikseogi) — “Blender”

Things to Know

• 믹서 (mikseo) means “mixer.”
• 기 (gi) is the Chinese character that means “machine.”

Example:

A: 딸기 스무디 어떻게 만들면돼?
A: Ttalgi seumudi eotteoke mandeulmyeondwae?
A: “How do you make a strawberry smoothie?”

B: 그거 쉬워, 딸기랑 우유를 믹서기에 넣어서 갈면 돼.
B: Geugeo swiwo, ttalgirang uyureul mikseogie neoeoseo galmyeon dwae.
B: “It’s really easy. Just put some strawberries and milk into a blender and mix them.”

Vocabulary:

• 믹서기에 갈다 (mikseogie galda) — “to mix (in a blender)”
• ~에 넣다 (~e neota) — “to put something inside ~”

Want to study more Korean nouns for appliances with example sentences? Check out Home Appliances and practice Korean with audio.

2. 과학 기술 (gwahak gisul) — Nouns for “Technology”

1- 노트북 (noteubuk) — “Laptop”

Example:

A: 노트북을 가지고 카페에서 일하는 사람이 많네
A: Noteubugeul gajigo kapeeseo ilhaneun sarami manne.
A: “I can see many people with their laptops working at this cafe.”

B: 회사에만 있으면 답답하니깐 그럴것 같아.
B: Hoesaeman isseumyeon dapdapanikkan geureolgeot gata.
B: “Well, if I stayed inside the office all day, I would want to be in a cafe too.”

Vocabulary:

• 답답하다 (dapdapada) — “to feel suffocated”

2- 디지털 카메라 (dijiteol kamera) — “Digital Camera”

• When speaking, Koreans say 디카 (dika) which is a shortened word for “digital camera.”

Example:

A: 여기 사람들 다 셀카봉으로 사진 찍네.
A: Yeogi saramdeul da selkabongeuro sajin jjingne.
A: “All the people here are holding a selfie-stick to take pictures.”

B: 요즘 디카 갖고 다니는 사람 찾기 힘들다 그치?
B: Yojeum dika gatgo danineun saram chatgi himdeulda geuchi?
B: “It’s difficult to find people who carry a digital camera these days, right?”

Vocabulary:

• 셀카봉 (selkabong) — “selfie-stick”
• 그치? (geuchi) — “right?”

3- 충전기 (chungjeongi) — “Charger”

Example:

A: 배터리 1%밖에 없네, 충전기 있어?
A: Baeteori ilpeosenteubakke eomne, chungjeongi isseo?
A: “Only one percent left in my battery. Do you have a charger?”

B: 어, 있어. 케이블 갖고 있어? 난 아이폰 케이블 밖에 없어.
B: Eo, isseo. Keibeul gatgo isseo? Nan aipon keibeul bakke eopseo.
B: “Yeah I do. Do you have a cable with you? I only have an iPhone cable.”

Vocabulary:

• 배터리 (baeteori) — “battery”
• 케이블 (keibeul) — “cable”

4- 와이파이 (waipai) — “Wifi”

Example:

A: 와이파이 비밀번호는 뭐예요?
A: Waipai bimilbeonhoneun mwoyeyo?
A: “What is the password for the wifi?”

B: 가게 전화번호가 비밀번호에요.
B: Gage jeonhwabeonhoga bimilbeonhoeyo.
B: “The password is the number of the store.”

Vocabulary:

• 와이파이 (waiapai) — “wifi”
• 비밀번호 (bimilbeonho) — “password”

5- 웹사이트 (wepsaiteu) — “Website”

Example:

A: 이 웹사이트는 어떻게 읽으면 돼나요?
A: I wepsaiteuneun eotteoke ilgeumyeon dwaenayo?
A: “How do I read this website address?”

B: 코리안클래스101이라고 읽으면 돼요.
B: Koriankeullaeseuwonowonirago ilgeumyeon dwaeyo.
B: “It’s called KoreanClass101.”

Vocabulary:

• 웹사이트 (wepsaiteu) — “website”

6- 파일 (pail) — “File”

Example:

A: 다운로드 어떻게 하면돼?
A: Daunnodeu eotteoke hamyeondwae?
A: “How do I download this?”

B: 이 파일을 열어서 다운로드 받으면 돼.
B: I paireul yeoreoseo daunnodeu badeumyeon dwae.
B: “Just open this file and download.”

Vocabulary:

• 파일 (pail) — “file”
• 다운로드 받다 (daunnodeu batda) — “to download”

7- 인터넷 (inteonet) — “Internet”

Example:

A: 한국은 인터넷 속도가 정말 빠른것 같아.
A: Hangugeun inteonet sokdoga jeongmal ppareungeot gata.
A: “I think that the internet speed in Korea is really fast.”

B: 맞아, 무료 와이파이도 많고!
B: Maja, muryo waipaido manko!
B: “True, you can connect to free wifi everywhere!”

Vocabulary:

• 인터넷 (inteonet) — “Internet”
• 속도 (sokdo) — “speed”

8- 비밀번호 (bimilbeonho) — “Password”

Example:

A: 와이파이 비밀번호 알려주세요.
A: Waipai bimilbeonho allyeojuseyo.
A: “I’d like to know the wifi password.”

B: 비밀번호 없어요. 그냥 연결하시면 되요.
B: Bimilbeonho eopseoyo. Geunyang yeongyeolhasimyeon doeyo.
B: “There is no wifi password. Just connect to the wifi.”

Vocabulary:

• 비밀번호 (bimilbeonho) — “password”

9- 스팸 (seupaem) — “Spam”

Example:

A: 요즘 스팸메일이 너무 오는 것 같아.
A: Yojeum seupaemmeiri neomu oneun geot gata.
A: “There have been a lot of spam emails lately.”

B: 그러게. 스팸메일이 20개나 와있네.
B: Geureoge. Seupaemmeiri seumu gaena wainne.
B: “You’re right. There are twenty spam emails.”

Vocabulary:

• 스팸 (seupaem) — “spam”
• 메일 (meil) — “email”

10- 스마트폰 (seumateupon) — “Smartphone”

Example:

A: 새로운 스마트폰 샀어?
A: Saeroun seumateupon sasseo?
A: “Did you buy a new smartphone?”

B: 응, 이쁘지?
B: Eung, ippeuji?
B: “Yeah, isn’t it pretty?”

Vocabulary:

스마트폰 (seumateupon) — “smartphone”

KoreanClass101 has a free vocabulary list called “Top 20 Words You’ll Need for the Internet.” Check out this page to learn more useful Korean nouns.

3. 교통 (gyotong) — Nouns for “Transportation”

1- 비행기 (bihaenggi) — “Airplane”

Things to know

• 비행 (bihaeng) means “flight” and 기 (gi) means “machine.”

Example:

A: 뉴스 들었어? 비행기 추락 사고로 30명이 죽었데.
A: Nyuseu deureosseo? Bihaenggi churak sagoro samsip myeongi jugeotde.
A: “Did you hear about the news? Thirty people died in a plane crash.”

B: 헐.
B: Heul.
B: “Whoa.”

Vocabulary:

• 비행기 (bihaengi) — “plane”
• 헐 (heul) — “whoa”

2- 기차 (gicha) — “Train”

• A synonym of 기차 (gicha) is 기관차 (gigwancha) meaning “engine locomotive.”

Example:

A: 주말에 대구 가고 싶은데, 뭐 좋은 방법 없나?
A: Jumare daegu gago sipeunde, mwo joeun bangbeop eomna?
A: “I want to go to Daegu this weekend, is there a good way to go?”

B: 기차타고 가면 되지! 엄청 싸!
B: Ggichatago gamyeon dwaeji! Eomcheong ssa!
B: “If you go there by train, it’s cheap!”

Vocabulary:

• 기차 (gicha) — “train”
• 싸다 (ssada) — “to be cheap”

3- 전철 (jeoncheol) — “Subway”

Example:

A: 여기서 강남역까지 가려면 어떻게 가면돼?
A: Yeogiseo gangnamyeokkkaji garyeomyeon eotteoke gamyeondwae?
A: “How do I go to Gangnam Station from here?”

B: 여기서 2호선 전철타고 가면돼.
B: Yeogiseo ihoseon jeoncheoltago gamyeondwae.
B: “Just get on the line 2.”

Vocabulary:

• 전철 (jeoncheol) — “subway”

4- 버스 (beoseu) — “Bus”

Example:

A: 버스 정류장이 어디에 있지?
A: Beoseu jeongnyujangi eodie itji?
A: “Where is the bus stop?”

B: 시내버스? 아니면 마을버스? 버스에 따라 정류장이 달라.
B: Sinaebeoseu? Animyeon maeulbeoseu? Beoseue ttara jeongnyujangi dalla.
B: “City bus or village bus? The bus stops vary.”

Vocabulary:

• 버스 (beoseu) — “bus”
• 시내버스 (sinaebeoseu) — “city bus”
• 마을버스 (maeulbeoseu) — “village bus”

5- 택시 (taeksi) — “Taxi”

Things to Know

• There are many different kinds of taxis in Korea. The two main taxis are called 일반택시 (ilbantaeksi) and 모범택시 (mobeomtaeksi), meaning “regular taxi” and “deluxe taxis” respectively.

Example:

A: 어디로 가십니까?
A: Eodiro gasimnikka?
A: “Where are you heading off to?”

B: 잠실역까지 가주세요.
B: Jamsillyeokkkaji gajuseyo.
B: “To Jamsil station, please.”

Vocabulary:

• 택시 (taeksi) — “taxi”

6- 자전거 (jajeongeo) — “Bicycle”

Example:

A: 녹색 자전거를 타고 회사로 가는 사람들이 많네?
A: Noksaek jajeongeoreul tago hoesaro ganeun saramdeuri manne?
A: “I noticed that there are many people who use green bicycles to go to work.”

B: 응, 저거 따릉이라고 해. 자전거 대여해서 타고 다니는거래.
B: Eung, jeogeo Ttareungirago hae. Jajeongeo daeyeohaeseo tago danineungeorae.
B: “Yeah, it’s called Ttareung. You can rent it.”

Vocabulary:

• 자전거 (jajeongeo) — “bicycle”
• 대여 (daeyeo) — “rental”

7- 신호등 (sinhodeung) — “Traffic Light”

Example:

A: 여기는 신호등을 무시하고 운전하는 택시가 많은 것 같아.
A: Yeogineun sinhodeungeul musihago unjeonhaneun taeksiga maneun geot gata.
A: “It seems that there are so many taxis that ignore the traffic lights here.”

B: 응, 그래서 길을 건널때는 항상 조심해야해.
B: Eung, geuraeseo gireul geonneolttaeneun hangsang josimhaeyahae.
B: “Yeah, so you need to be extra careful when you cross the roads.”

Vocabulary:

• 신호등 (sinhodeung) — “traffic light”
• 무시하다 (musihada) — “to ignore”

8- 교차로 (gyocharo) — “Intersection”

Example:

A: 저기 경찰이 교차로에 서 있어. 위험하지 않을까?
A: Jeogi gyeongchari gyocharoe seo isseo. Wiheomhaji aneulkka?
A: “A policeman is at the intersection. Isn’t it too dangerous for him?”

B: 괜찮아. 교통정리하는거니깐.
B: Gwaenchana. Gyotongjeongnihaneungeonikkan.
B: “It’s fine. He is doing a traffic control.”

Vocabulary:

• 교차로 (gyocharo) — “intersection”
• 교통정리 (gyotongjeongli) — “traffic control”

9- 도로 (doro) — “Road”

Example:

A: 지금 우리 집 옆에 도로 확장 공사를 하고 있어서 엄청 시끄러워.
A: Jigeum uri jip yeope doro hwakjang gongsareul hago isseoseo eomcheong sikkeureowo.
A: “There is work on a road-widening project, so it’s really noisy.”

B: 진짜 스트레스 받겠다.
B: Jinjja seuteureseu batgetda.
B: “That must be really stressful.”

Vocabulary:

• 도로 (doro) — “road”
• 도로 확장 공사 (doro hwakjang gongsa) — “a road-widening project”
• 스트레스 (seuteureseu) — “stress”

10- 길 (gil) — “Street”

Example:

헨젤과 그레텔은 숲에서 길을 잃고야 말았어요.
Henjelgwa geuretereun supeseo gireul ilkoya marasseoyo.
“Hansel and Gretel lost their way in the deep forest.”

Vocabulary:

• 길 (gil) — “street”
• 길을 잃다 (gireul ilta) — “to get lost”

11- 횡단보도 (hoengdanbodo) — “Pedestrian Road”

Example:

A: 할머니가 횡단보도를 천천히 건너고 계시네. 신호바뀌면 어떻하지.
A: Halmeoniga hoengdanbodoreul cheoncheonhi geonneogo gyesine. Sinhobakkwimyeon eotteohaji.
A: “There is an elder crossing the pedestrian road slowly. What do we do if the traffic light changes?”

B: 그럼 할머니랑 같이 걸어가자.
B: Geureom halmeonirang gachi georeogaja.
B: “Then let’s cross the road with my grandmother.”

Vocabulary:

• 횡단보도 (hoengdanbodo) — “pedestrian road”
• 할머니 (halmeoni) — “grandmother”

4. 레스토랑 (reseutorang) — Nouns for “Restaurant”

1- 숟가락 (sutgarak) — “Spoon”

Example:

A: 한국 식탁에는 숟가락과 젓가락을 많이 쓰고 있어.
A: Hanguk siktageneun sutgarakgwa jeotgarageul mani sseugo isseo.
A: “Spoons and chopsticks are used a lot in Korea.”

B: 그렇구나. 우린 포크와 나이프를 쓰고 있어.
B: Geureokuna. Urin pokeuwa naipeureul sseugo isseo.
B: “I see. We use forks and knives.”

Vocabulary:

• 숟가락 (sutgarak) — “spoon”
• 젓가락 (jeotgarak) — “chopsticks”

2- 접시 (jeopsi) — “Plate”

Example:

A: 우와 이 접시 너무 이쁘다.
A: Uwa i jeopsi neomu ippeuda.
A: “Wow this plate is so pretty.”

B: 얼마인데? 헉, 접시 하나에 10만원? 너무 비싼거 아냐?
B: Eolmainde? Heok, jeopsi hanae simmanwon? Neomu bissangeo anya?
B: “How much is it? What, 100,000 won for a plate? Isn’t it too expensive?”

Vocabulary:

• 접시 (jeopsi) — “plate”
• 비싸다 (bissada) — “expensive”

3- 유리잔 (yurijan) — “Glass”

Example:

A: 저 남자 멋있지 않아?
A: Jeo namja meositji ana?
A: “Isn’t he handsome?”

B: 어디? 유리잔에 든 와인 마시고 있는 남자?
B: Eodi? Yurijane deun wain masigo inneun namja?
B: “Where? The man who is drinking wine from a glass?”

Vocabulary:

• 유리잔 (yurijan) — “glass”
• 와인 (wain) — “wine”

4- 물 (mul) — “Water”

Example:

A: 운동할때는 물을 많이 마셔줘야해.
A: Undonghalttaeneun mureul mani masyeojwoyahae.
A: “You need to drink lots of water when exercising.”

B: 물도 그렇지만 스포츠드링크 많이 마셔주면 좋데.
B: Muldo geureochiman seupocheudeuringkeu mani masyeojumyeon jote.
B: “Water is important, but it is good to drink sports drinks too.”

Vocabulary:

• 물 (mul) — “water”
• 마시다 (masida) — “to drink”

5- 맥주 (maekju) — “Beer”

Example:

A: 소맥이 뭐야?
A: Somaegi mwoya?
A: “What is Somaek?”

B: 소주랑 맥주 섞어서 만든 음료를 소맥이라고해.
B: Sojurang maekju seokkeoseo mandeun eumnyoreul somaegiragohae.
B: “It is a drink that’s mixed with Soju and beer.”

Vocabulary:

• 맥주 (maekju) — “beer”
• 소주 (soju) — “Soju”

6- 양식 (yangsik) — “Western Food”

Example:

A: 오늘 저녁 뭐 먹으러갈까?
A: Oneul jeonyeok mwo meogeureogalkka?
A: “What do you want to eat for dinner?”

B: 양식 먹고 싶은데, 집앞에 있는 레스토랑 갈래?
B: Yangsik meokgo sipeunde, jibape inneun reseutorang gallae?
B: “I feel like eating some Western food; do you want to go to a restaurant near the house?”

Vocabulary:

• 양식 (yangsik) — “Western food”
• 집앞 (jibap) — “in front of the house”

7- 채식 (chaesik) — “Vegetarian Food”

Example:

A: 유리는 채식주의자인데, 어디서 밥먹는게 좋을까?
A: Yurineun chaesikjuuijainde, eodiseo bammeongneunge joeulkka?
A: “Yuri is vegetarian, where do you think we should eat?”

B: 이태원에 채식 레스토랑 많아. 거기로 가볼까?
B: Itaewone chaesik reseutorang mana. geogiro gabolkka?
B: “There are many vegetarian restaurants in Itaewon. Should we go and check it out?”

Vocabulary:

• 채식 (chaesik) — “Vegetarian food”
• 채식주의자 (chaesikjuuija) — “Vegetarian”

8- 금연 (geumyeon) — “Non-smoking”

Example:

금연석으로 주세요.
Geumyeonseogeuro juseyo.
“I’d like to have a non-smoking seat, please.”

Vocabulary:

• 금연 (geumyeon) — “non-smoking”
• 금연석 (geumyeonseok) — “non-smoking seat”

9- 계산서 (gyesanseo) — “Check”

Example:

계산서 주세요.
Gyesanseo juseyo.
“Could I have the check?”

Vocabulary:

• 계산서 (gyesanseo) — “check”

10- 식사 (siksa) — “Meal”

Example:

A: 식사 하셨어요?
A: Siksa hasyeosseoyo?
A: “Did you eat anything yet?”

B: 아니요, 아직 안했어요.
B: Aniyo, ajik anhaesseoyo.
B: “No, not yet.”

Vocabulary:

• 식사 (siksa) — “meal”
• ~ 하셨어요? (~hasyeosseoyo?) — “Did you do ~ yet?”

5. 학교 필수품 (hakgyo pilsupum) — Nouns for “School essentials”

1- 공책 (gongchaek) — “Notebook”

Example:

A: 오늘의 숙제는 공책에 일기를 써 오는거예요.
A: Oneurui sukjeneun gongchaege ilgireul sseo oneungeoyeyo.
A: “Today’s homework is to write a diary entry in your notebook.”

B: 네, 선생님.
B: Ne, seonsaengnim.
B: “Okay, teacher.”

Vocabulary:

• 공책 (gongchaek) — “notebook”
• 일기 (ilgi) — “diary”

2- 숙제 (sukje) — “Homework”

Example:

A: 오늘 숙제 안해온 사람 앞으로 다나와!
A: Oneul sukje anhaeon saram apeuro danawa!
A: “Come to the front if you didn’t do your homework!”

B: 어떻하지, 오늘 깜빡하고 숙제를 안 가지고 왔어.
B: Eotteohaji, oneul kkamppakago sukjereul an gajigo wasseo.
B: “What should I do; I forgot to bring my homework today.”

Vocabulary:

• 숙제 (sukje) — “homework”
• 깜빡하다 (kkamppakada) — “to forget”

3- 친구 (chingu) — “Friend”

Example:

A: 수미는 초등학교때부터 계속 알고 지내던 친구야.
A: Sumineun chodeunghakgyottaebuteo gyesok algo jinaedeon chinguya.
A: “Sumi is a friend that I’ve known since primary school.”

B: 아 정말?
B: A jeongmal?
B: “Oh really?”

Vocabulary:

• 친구 (chingu) — “friend”
• 초등학교 (chodeunghakgyo) — “primary school”

4- 학교 (hakgyo) — “School”

Example:

버스를 놓쳤어. 학교 늦으면 안되는데 어떡하지.
Beoseureul nochyeosseo. hakgyo neujeumyeon andoeneunde eotteokaji.
“I missed the bus. I must not be late to school, what should I do?”

Vocabulary:

• 학교 (hakgyo) — “school”
• 늦다 (neutda) — “to be late”

5- 학생 (haksaeng) — “Student”

Example:

A: 칠판의 문제를 19번 학생이 풀어보세요.
A: Chilpanui munjereul 19beon haksaengi pureoboseyo.
A: “Try to solve problem 19 on the board.”

B: 네, 선생님
B: Ne, seonsaengnim.
B: “Yes, teacher.”

Vocabulary:

• 학생 (haksaeng) — “student”
• 칠판 (chilpan) — “blackboard”

6- 전공 (jeongong) — “Major”

Example:

A: 대학교 전공 정했어?
A: Daehakgyo jeongong jeonghaesseo?
A: “Did you decide on what major you want to study at university?”

B: 아니… 난 뭐하고 싶은지도 모르겠어.
B: Ani… nan mwohago sipeunjido moreugesseo.
B: “No… I’m not even sure what I want to do.”

Vocabulary:

• 전공 (jeongong) — “major”
• 대학교 (daehakgyo) — “university”

7- 수업 (sueop) — “Class”

Example:

A: 수업시간에 떠들면 선생님한테 혼나.
A: Sueopsigane tteodeulmyeon seonsaengnimhante honna.
A: “You will get in trouble if you talk during class.”

B: 응 조용히 할게 미안.
B: eung joyonghi halge mian.
B: “Yeah, I will be quite sorry.”

Vocabulary:

• 수업 (sueop) — “class”
• 혼나다 (honnada) — “to be scolded”

8- 선생님 (seonsaengnim) — “Teacher”

Example:

A: 선생님 질문이 있어요.
A: Seonsaengnim jilmuni isseoyo.
A: “Teacher, I have a question.”

B: 응 뭔데?
B: Eung mwonde?
B: “Yes, what is it?”

Vocabulary:

• 선생님 (seonsaengnim) — “Teacher”
• 질문 (jilmun) — “question”

9- 질문 (jilmun) — “Question”

Example:

A: 질문있으면 언제든지 말해보렴.
A: Jilmunisseumyeon eonjedeunji malhaeboryeom.
A: “If you have any questions, just speak out.”

B: 네.
B: Ne.
B: “Okay.”

10- 선후배 (seonhubae) — “The Senior-Junior Relationship”

Things to Know:

• This word is the combination of 선배 (seonbae), meaning “a senior,” and 후배 (hubae), meaning “a junior.”
• Learn more about this special relationship that exists in Korea by reading Korean Honorific Titles: Oppa, Unni, Hyung, Nuna & more on our blog.

Example:

한국 사회에서는 선후배 관계가 정말 중요한것 같아.
Hanguk sahoeeseoneun seonhubae gwangyega jeongmal jungyohangeot gata.
“I think that the senior-junior relationship is very important in Korean society.”

Vocabulary:

• 선후배 (seonhubae) — “the senior-junior relationship”
• 사회 (sahoee) — “society”

Learn more important Korean nouns on our “Back to School Essentials” page!

6. 직업 (jigeop) — Nouns for “Occupation”

1- 간호사 (ganhosa) — “Nurse”

Example:

수미는 간호사로 일하고 있어.
Sumineun ganhosaro ilhago isseo.
“Sumi is working as a nurse.”

Vocabulary:

• 간호사 (ganhosa) — “nurse”
• 일하다 (ilhada) — “to work”

2- 회사원 (hoesawon) — “Office Worker”

Example:

저 사람은 회사원인 것 같아.
Jeo sarameun hoesawonin geot gata.
“I think he is an office worker.”

Vocabulary:

• 회사원 (hoesawon) — “office worker”
• ~인 것 같아 (~in geot gata) — “I think that~”

3- 의사 (uisa) — “Doctor”

Example:

최근에 의사면허를 취득했어.
Choegeune uisamyeonheoreul chwideukaesseo.
“I recently obtained a medical doctor’s license.”

Vocabulary:

• 의사 (uisa) — “doctor”
• 면허 (myeonheo) — “license”

4- 음악가 (eumakga) — “Musician”

Example:

어른이 되면 음악가가 되고 싶어요.
Eoreuni doemyeon eumakgaga doego sipeoyo.
“When I grow up, I want to be a musician.”

Vocabulary:

• 음악가 (eumakga) — “musician”
• 어른 (eoreun) — “adult”

5- 교수 (gyosu) — “Professor”

Example:

교수님은 지금 안계세요.
Gyosunimeun jigeum angyeseyo.
“The professor is not here right now.”

Vocabulary:

• 교수 (gyosu) — “professor”

6- 변호사 (byeonhosa) — “Lawyer”

Example:

유리는 변호사로 일하고 있어.
Yurineun byeonhosaro ilhago isseo.
“Yuri is working as a lawyer.”

Vocabulary:

• 변호사 (byeonhosa) — “lawyer”
• 일하다 (ilhada) — “to work”

7- 군인 (gunin) — “Soldier”

Example:

저기 봐. 구석에 철모를 쓴 군인이 서있어.
Jeogi bwa. Guseoge cheolmoreul sseun gunini seoisseo.
“Look, there is a helmeted soldier standing at the corner.”

Vocabulary:

• 군인 (gunin) — “soldier”
• 구석 (guseok) — “corners”

8- 경찰관 (gyeongchalgwan) — “Police Officer”

Example:

오늘 아침에 경찰관이 용의자를 뒤 쫓아가는 모습을 봤어.
Oneul achime gyeongchalgwani yonguijareul dwi jjochaganeun moseubeul bwasseo.
“I saw a policeman run after the suspect this morning.”

Vocabulary:

• 경찰관 (gyeongchalgwan) — “police officer”
• 용의자 (yonguija) — “suspect”

9- 예술가 (yesulga) — “Artist”

Example:

A: 발레리나 강수진알아?
A: Ballerina Kang Sue-jinara?
A: “Do you know a ballerina called Kang Sue-jin?”

B:예술가들에 대해서는 잘 몰라요.
B: Yesulgadeure daehaeseoneun jal mollayo.
B: “I don’t know much about artists.”

Vocabulary:

• 예술가 (yesulga) — “artist”
• 모르다 (moreuda) — “do not know”

10- 요리사 (yorisa) — “Chef”

Example:

A: 어떤 요리가사 되고 싶어?
A: Eotteon yorigasa doego sipeo?
A: “What kind of chef do you want to be?”

B: 한식 요리사가 되고 싶어!
B: Hansik yorisaga doego sipeo!
B: “I want to be a chef that specializes in Korean food.”

Vocabulary:

• 요리사 (yorisa) — “chef”

Are you looking for a job and want to know how to say your occupation in Korean? Check out “Jobs,” a free vocabulary list from out website, and learn how to say your job in Korean. We’ve also written a blog about “How to Find a Job in South Korea.” Do check out the pages when you have time.

7. 가족 (gajok) — Nouns for “Family members”

1- 할머니 (halmeoni) — “Grandmother”

Example:

할머니 생일 선물 사 드릴게요.
Halmeoni saengil seonmul sa deurilgeyo.
“I’ll buy you a birthday present, Grandma.”

Vocabulary:

• 할머니 (halmeoni) — “Grandmother”
• 선물 (seonmul) — “present”

2- 할아버지 (harabeoji) — “Grandfather”

Example:

엄마랑, 아빠랑, 할아버지랑, 누나랑 다 같이 여행했어요.
Eommarang, apparang, harabeojirang, nunarang, dagachi yeohaenghaesseoyo.
“We all went on a trip with my mom, dad, grandfather, and my sister.”

Vocabulary:

• 할아버지 (harabeoji) — “Grandfather”
• 누나 (nuna) — “Older sister”

3- 어머니 (eomeoni) — “Mother”

Example:

어머니께서는 먼데서 뭘 이런 것까지 신경 썼냐며 첫마디를 여셨지만, 내심 많이 기쁘신 모양입니다.
Eomeonikkeseoneun meondeseo mwol ireon geotkkaji singyeong sseonnyamyeo cheonmadireul yeosyeotjiman, naesim mani gippeusin moyangimnida.
“My mother’s first words were ‘You didn’t have to go out of your way to send these things from so far away,’ but it was apparent that she was very happy inside.”

Vocabulary:

• 어머니 (eomeoni) — “mother”
• 기쁘다 (gippeuda) — “to feel happy”

4- 아버지 (abeoji) — “Father”

Example:

아버지 뭐하세요?
Abeoji mwohaseyo?
“What are you up to, Dad?”

Vocabulary:

• 아버지 (abeoji) — “father”
• 뭐하세요? (mwohaseyo?) — “What are you up to?”

5- 아내 (anae) — “Wife”

Example:

저는 한 남자의 아내이자 두 아이의 엄마입니다.
Jeoneun han namjaui anaeija du aiui eommaimnida.
“I’m a wife and a mother of two children.”

Vocabulary:

• 아내 (anae) — “wife”
• 아이 (ai) — “kid”

6- 남편 (nampyeon) — “Husband”

Example:

혜미는 사고로 1년전 남편을 잃었다.
Hyemineun sagoro ilnyeonjeon nampyeoneul ileotda.
“Hyemi lost her husband in an accident, a year ago.”

Vocabulary:

• 남편 (nampyeon) — “husband”
• 잃다 (ilda) — “to lose”

7- 딸 (ttal) — “Daughter”

Example:

효선은 딸들을 모두 시집보내고 혼자 살고 있어.
Hyoseoneun ttaldeureul modu sijipbonaego honja salgo isseo.
“Hyosun married off all her daughters and lives alone now.”

Vocabulary:

• 딸 (ttal) — “daughter”
• 시집가다 (sijipgada) — “to get married” [Used only for females]

8- 아들 (adeul) — “Son”

Example:

현아가 오늘 아침에 아들을 낳았데!
Hyeonaga oneul achime adeureul naatde!
“Hyeona had a baby boy this morning!”

Vocabulary:

• 아들 (adeul) — “son”
• 낳다 (naata) — “to give birth”

9- 삼촌 (samchon) — “Uncle”

Example:

우리 삼촌이 내 생일에 이거 사줬다! 부럽지?
Uri samchoni nae saengire igeo sajwotda! Bureopji?
“My uncle bought this for my birthday! Jealous?”

Vocabulary:

• 삼촌 (samchon) — “uncle”
• 사주다 (sajuda) — “to buy something for someone”

10- 숙모 (sungmo) — “Aunt”

Example:

A: 진경아 어서 숙모한테 인사해야지.
A: JinKyunga eoseo sungmohante insahaeyaji.
A: “JinKyung, say hi to your aunt.”

B: 안녕하세요.
B: annyeonghaseyo.
B: “Hello.”

Vocabulary:

• 인사하다 (insahada) — “to greet”

Check out “Must-Know Terms for Family Members” to expand your vocabulary skills and learn even more nouns in Korean.

8. 신체 부분 (sinche bubun) — Nouns for “Body parts”

1- 눈 (nun) — “Eye”

Example:

눈이 부셔서 태양을 눈을 뜰 수가 없어.
Nuni busyeoseo taeyangeul nuneul tteul suga eopseo.
“The light is so bright that I can’t keep my eyes open to look at the sun.”

Vocabulary:

• 눈 (nun) — “eye”
• 눈을 뜨다 (nuneul tteuda) — “to open one’s eyes”

2- 코 (ko) — “Nose”

Example:

콧물이 나오고 코로 숨을 쉴 수가 없어요.
Konmuri naogo koro sumeul swil suga eopseoyo.
“I have a runny nose and I can’t breathe through my nose.”

Vocabulary:

• 코 (ko) — “nose”
• 콧물 (konmul) — “runny nose”

3- 입 (ip) — “Mouth”

Example:

너무 놀래서 한동안 벌어진 입을 다물지 못했어.
Neomu nollaeseo handongan beoreojin ibeul damulji mothaesseo.
“I was so surprised that I couldn’t keep my mouth closed for a while.”

Vocabulary:

• 입 (ip) — “mouth”
• 한동안 (handonan) — “for a while”

4- 귀 (gwi) — “Ear”

Example:

A: 아까 저 사람이 한 말 너무 심한 것 같아.
A: Akka jeo sarami han mal neomu simhan geot gata.
A: “I think that he was being too harsh on me before.”

B: 그냥 한 귀로 듣고 한 귀로 흘려버려.
B: Geunyang han gwiro deutgo han gwiro heullyeobeoryeo.
B: “Just let it go in one ear and out the other.”

Vocabulary:

• 귀 (gwi) — “ear”
• 심하다 (simhada) — “to be harsh”

5- 팔 (pal) — “Arm”

Example:

어제 스키 타다가 넘어져서 팔이 부러졌어요.
Eoje seuki tadaga neomeojyeoseo pari bureojyeosseoyo.
“I fell down and broke my arm while skiing yesterday.”

Vocabulary:

• 팔 (pal) — “arm”
• 부러지다 (bureojida) — “break”

6- 손목 (sonmok) — “Wrist”

Example:

의사: 오늘 무슨일로 오셨나요?
Uisa: Oneul museunillo osyeonnayo?
Doctor: “What brings you here today?”

환자: 손목을 삐었어요. Hwanja: sonmogeul ppieosseoyo. Patient: “I sprained my wrist.”

Vocabulary:

• 손목 (sonmok) — “wrist”
• 삐다 (bbida) — “sprain”

7- 다리 (dari) — “Leg”

Example:

어제 하루종일 산행했더니 오늘 다리가 너무 아파 죽겠어!
Eoje harujongil sanhaenghaetdeoni oneul dariga neomu apa jukgesseo!
“I went hiking for the whole day and now my legs are killing me!”

Vocabulary:

• 다리 (dari) — “leg”
• 산행 (sanhaeng) — “hiking”

8- 발목 (balmok) — “Ankle”

Example:

오늘 발목이 너무 부어서 집에서 쉬는 편이 좋을 것 같아.
Oneul balmogi neomu bueoseo jibeseo swineun pyeoni joeul geot gata.
“My ankle is too swollen so I’d rather rest at home today.”

Vocabulary:

• 발목 (balmok) — “ankle”
• 쉬다 (swida) — “to rest”

9- 팔꿈치 (palkkumchi) — “Elbow”

Example:

남자가 와이셔츠의 소매를 팔꿈치 위까지 걷을 때 참 멋있는 것 같아.
namjaga waisyeocheuui somaereul palkkumchi wikkaji geodeul ttae cham meosinneun geot gata.
“I find it very attractive when a man rolls his shirt sleeves up above his elbows.”

Vocabulary:

• 팔꿈치 (palkkumchi) — “elbow”
• 소매 (somae) — “sleeves”

10- 가슴 (gaseum) — “Chest”

Example:

가끔 가슴에 통증이 느껴지는데 병원에 가야겠지?
Gakkeum gaseume tongjeungi neukkyeojineunde byeongwone gayagetji?
“I have pain in my chest often, I should go to the hospital right?”

Vocabulary:

• 가슴 (gaseum) — “chest”
• 통증 (tongjeung) — “pain”

Do you know how to say “spine” and “muscle” in Korean? Check out “Body Parts” on our website to learn these new Korean language nouns.

9. 시간 (sigan) — Nouns for “Time”

1- 오늘 (oneul) — “Today”

Example:

오늘 아침에 아빠가 삼겹살을 먹고 싶어했어요.
Oneul achime appaga samgyeopsareul meokgo sipeohaesseoyo.
“This morning, my father wanted to eat Korean bacon.”

Vocabulary:

• 오늘 (oneul) — “today”
• 삼겹살 (samgyeopsal) — “grilled pork belly”

2- 내일 (naeil) — “Tomorrow”

Example:

내일 교수님을 만나려고 합니다.
Naeil gyosunimeul mannaryeogo hamnida.
“Tomorrow, I’m going to meet my professor.”

Vocabulary:

• 내일 (naeil) — “tomorrow”
• 만나다 (mannada) — “to meet”

3- 어제 (eoje) — “Yesterday”

Example:

술이 좋아서, 어제도 술 마셨어요.
Suri joaseo, eojedo sul masyeosseoyo.
“Because alcohol is good, I drank again yesterday.”

Vocabulary:

• 어제 (eoje) — “yesterday”
• 술 (sul) — “alcohol”

4- 주 (ju) — “Week”

Example:

다음 주 아무 때나 네가 편할때 만나자.
Daeum ju amu ttaena nega pyeonhalttae mannaja.
“We can meet at your convenience any time next week.”

Vocabulary:

• 주 (ju) — “week”
• 편하다 (pyeonhada) — “to be convenient”

5- 년 (nyeon) — “Year”

Example:

개의 평균수명은 약 15년입니다.
Gaeui pyeonggyunsumyeongeun yak 15nyeonimnida.
“The average lifespan of a dog is about fifteen years.”

Vocabulary:

• 년 (nyeon) — “year”
• 평균 (pyeonggyun) — “average”
• 수명 (sumyeong) — “lifespan”

6- 초 (cho) — “Second”

Example:

너 엄청 빠르다. 100터를 13초에 달리다니!
Neo eomcheong ppareuda. Baekteoreul sipsamchoe dallidani!
“You are so fast. You run 100 meters in thirteen seconds!”

Vocabulary:

• 초 (cho) — “second”
• 엄청 (eomcheong) — “much”

7- 시 (si) —”Time” / “Hour”

Example:

서울가는 열차는 매시 정각에 출발 하니까 일찍 도착해!
Seoulganeun yeolchaneun maesi jeonggage chulbal hanikka iljjik dochakae!
“Trains for Seoul leave every hour on the hour, so arrive early!”

Vocabulary:

• 시 (si) — “time” / “hour”
• 매시 (maesi) — “every hour”

8- 분 (bun) — “Minute”

Example:

A: 여보세요? 지금 통화 가능해?
A: Yeoboseyo? Jigeum tonghwa ganeunghae?
A: “Hello? Are you free to talk right now?”

B: 미안, 한 30분 후에 내가 다시 전화할게.
B: Mian, han samsipbun hue naega dasi jeonhwahalge.
B: “Sorry, I will call you back in thirty minutes.”

Vocabulary:

• 분 (bun) — “minute”
• 가능하다 (ganeunghada) — “to be possible”

9- 시계 (sigye) — “Clock”

Example:

A: 이 시계 맞는거야? 좀 빠른것 같은데?
A: i sigye manneungeoya? jom ppareungeot gateunde?
A: “Does this watch have the right time? It seems a bit faster.”

B: 응, 10분 빨라.
B: Eung, sipbun ppalla.
B: “Yeah, it’s ten minutes faster.”

Vocabulary:

• 시계 (sigye) — “clock”
• 빠르다 (ppareuda) — “to be fast”

10- 정각 (jeonggak) — “O’clock”

Things to Know:

• 정각 (jeonggak) means “exactly # o’clock,” and when you want to tell someone to arrive on time, you can use this noun.

Example:

정각 1시에 꼭 와.
Jeonggak hansie kkok wa.
“Come at one o’clock sharp.”

Vocabulary:

• 정각 (jeonggak) — “o’clock”

10. 한국 요리 재료 (hanguk yori jaeryo) — Nouns for “Korean Cooking Ingredients”

1- 소금 (sogeum) — “Salt”

Example:

A: 짜잔.. 김치찌개야. 어때?
A: Jjajan.. gimchijjigaeya. Eottae?
A: “Tada…it’s kimchi stew. How is it?”

B: 우웩…너무 짜! 소금 많이 들어간것 같은데?
B: Uwek…neomu jja! Sogeum mani deureogangeot gateunde?
B: “Yuck. It’s too salty! I think you put in too much salt.”

Vocabulary:

• 소금 (sogeum) — “salt”
• 짜다 (jjada) — “salty”

2- 식용유 (singnyongyu) — “Cooking Oil”

Example:

A: 식용유를 이렇게 넣는 것을 어떻게 말해?
A: Singnyongyureul ireoke neonneun geoseul eotteoke malhae?
A: “How do you say t his in Korea, to pour the cooking oil like this?”

B: 그건 “프라이팬에 식용유를 두르다”라고 해.
B: Geugeon “peuraipaene singnyongyureul dureuda”rago hae.
B: “You can say ‘to put cooking oil in the frying pan’.”

Vocabulary:

• 식용유 (singnyongyu) — “cooking oil”
• 기름을 두르다 (gireumeul dureuda) — “to oil”

3- 김치 (Gimchi) — “Kimchi”

Example:

맛있는 김치찌개를 먹으려면 김치가 익을 때까지 기다려야 해.
Masinneun gimchijjigaereul meogeuryeomyeon gimchiga igeul ttaekkaji gidaryeoya hae.
“If you want to make a delicious Kimchi soup, you need to wait until the kimchi is fermented.”

Vocabulary:

• 김치 (Gimchi) — “Kimchi”
• 김치찌개 — “Kimchi stew”

4- 고추장 (gochujang) — “Red Pepper Paste”

Example:

간장에 회를 찍어 먹는 사람들도 있지만, 고추장에 찍어 먹는 사람도 은근히 많아.
Ganjange hoereul jjigeo meongneun saramdeuldo itjiman, gochujange jjigeo meongneun saramdo eungeunhi mana.
“There are some people who eat raw fish by dipping it in soy sauce, but there are also some others who eat raw fish with red chili-pepper paste.”

Vocabulary:

• 고추장 (gochujang) — “red pepper paste”
• 회 (hoe) — “raw fish”

5- 참깨 (chamkkae) — “Sesame Seeds”

Example:

한국 요리에는 참깨가 듬뿍 들어간 요리가 많아.
Hanguk yorieneun chamkkaega deumppuk deureogan yoriga mana.
“There are many Korean dishes that contain a lot of sesame seeds.”

Vocabulary:

• 참깨 (chamkkae) — “sesame seeds”
• 요리 (yori) — “dish”

6- 고춧가루 (gochutgaru) — “Red Pepper Powder”

Example:

A: 우와 짜장면이다!
A: Uwa jjajangmyeonida!
A: “Wow that’s Jajangmyeon!”

B: 난 짜장면에 고춧가루 넣어서 먹을꺼야.
B: Nan jjajangmyeone gochutgaru neoeoseo meogeulkkeoya.
B: “I’m gonna put some red pepper powder on it and eat it.”

Vocabulary:

• 고춧가루 (gochutgaru) — “pepper powder”
• 짜장면/자장면 (jjajangmyeon/jajangmyeon) — “Jajang noodle”

7- 간장 (ganjang) — “Soy Sauce”

Example:

A: 한국에는 간장게장이 정말 인기가 많아.
A: Hangugeneun ganjanggejangi jeongmal ingiga mana.
A: “Soy sauce-marinated fermented crabs are very popular in Korean cuisine.”

B: 그래?
B: Geurae?
B: “Yeah?”

Vocabulary:

• 간장 (ganjang) — “soy sauce”
• 게장 (gejang) — “Gejang“

8- 물엿 (mullyeot) — “Starch Syrup”

Example:

A: 물엿 좀 넣자.
A: Mullyeot jom neocha.
A: “Let’s pour some corn syrup.”

B: 얼만큼?
B: Eolmankeum?
B: “How much?”

Vocabulary:

• 물엿 (mullyeot) — “starch syrup”

9- 마늘 (maneul) — “Garlic”

Example:

A: 마늘이 없어도 괜찮을까요?
A: Maneuri eopseodo gwaenchaneulkkayo?
A: “Is it okay without garlic?”

B: 한국 음식에는 마늘이 들어가야지 맛이 나요.
B: Hanguk eumsigeneun maneuri deureogayaji masi nayo.
B: “Korean dishes taste better with garlic.”

Vocabulary:

• 마늘 (maneul) — “garlic”
• 괜찮을까요? (gwaenchaneulkkayo?) — “Is it okay?” [formal]

10- 식초 (sikcho) — “Vinegar”

Example:

A: 이건 뭐예요?
A: Igeon mwoyeyo?
A: “What is this?”

B: 이거요? 식초에 절인 양파예요.
B: Igeoyo? Sikchoe jeorin yangpayeyo.
B: “It’s the pickled onions.”

Vocabulary:

• 식초 (sikcho) — “vinegar”

11. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You

Today we covered 100 of the most commonly used Korean nouns. Remember, practice makes perfect so try to practice each word from this list of common Korean nouns everyday! Once you’ve learned all 100 Korean nouns, you can test your vocabulary skills with our Korean Core 100-Word List.

Before you go, let us know if you learned any new Korean nouns vocabulary or grammar rules today! We love hearing from you!

Compliments make people feel important and good about themselves. It’s an indispensable part of conversation, too. In this article, you’ll learn various phrases you can use to praise someone for their looks, skills, and work. In addition, we’ll teach you what’s culturally acceptable when someone compliments you in Korea.

Table of Contents

1. Compliments on Someone’s Look
2. Compliments on Someone’s Work
3. Compliments on Someone’s Skills
4. What to Expect After Giving Compliments
5. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Your Korean Skills

1. Compliments on Someone’s Look

“You have a beautiful smile!”

1. “Your smile is beautiful.”

Formal 웃는 얼굴이 아름다워요. Unneun eolguri areumdawoyo.   Informal 웃는 얼굴이 예쁘네. Unneun eolguri yeppeune.

*Add 참 (cham) to give someone a stronger Korean compliment; it means “very” or “really.”

Example:

A: 하하하. 그렇구나.
A: Hahaha. Geureokuna.
A: “Hahaha. I see.”

B: 너 그거알아? 웃는 얼굴이 참 예쁜것 같아. (informal)
B: Neo geugeoara? Unneun eolguri cham yeppeungeot gata.
B: “Do you know that your smile is really beautiful?”

2. “You are beautiful.”

Formal 미인이세요. Miiniseyo.   Informal 미인이네. Miinine.

This phrase is only used to compliment women’s appearance, mainly regarding their face; 멋있어요 (meosisseoyo) is used to compliment men’s appearance. Synonyms of this phrase are:

• 예쁘세요. (yeppeuseyo.) [formal]
• 예쁘다. (yeppeuda.) [informal]

Examples:

Informal:
철수의 딸들은 하나같이 다 미인이야.
Cheolsuui ttaldeureun hanagachi da miiniya.
“Cheolsu’s daughters are all beautiful.”

Formal:
수미씨는 정말 미인이세요.
Sumissineun jeongmal miiniseyo.
“Sumi, you are really beautiful.”

3. “You are handsome.” / “You are cool.”

Formal 멋있어요. Meosisseoyo.   Informal 멋져. Meotjyeo.

This compliment in Korean can be used to praise both women’s and men’s appearance, as well as their behavior or personality.

Examples:

Formal:
아빠는 신사답고 멋있어요.
Appaneun sinsadapgo meosisseoyo.
“My dad is so gentle and cool.”

Informal:
그 남자는 정말 멋있어.
Geu namjaneun jeongmal meosisseo.
“He is good-looking.”

4. “You look like a celebrity.”

Formal 연예인 같으세요. Yeonyein gateuseyo.   Informal 연예인 같아. Yeonyein gata.

Koreans tend to compliment someone’s appearance by comparing their looks to that of a famous celebrity. Another commonly used phrase is: ~ 닮았어요 (~ dalasseoyo), which means “You look like someone.” Replace 연예인 (yeonyein) with the name of any famous celebrity’s name to complete the sentence.

Example:

Informal:
저 사람 너무 잘생겼다. 꼭 연예인 같아.
Jeo saram neomu jalsaenggyeotda. Kkok yeonyein gata.
“The person over there is so handsome. He looks like a celebrity.“

= 저 사람 너무 잘생겼다. 지드래곤 닮았어.
= Jeo saram neomu jalsaenggyeotda. Jideuraegon dalm`asseo.
= “The person over there is so handsome. He looks like G-dragon.“

5. “You look great in ___.”

Formal ~이/가 잘 어울려요. ~i/ga jal eoullyeoyo.   Informal ~이/가 잘 어울려. ~i/ga jal eoullyeo.

Use this phrase to compliment someone’s outfit or the color of their clothing. You must add a noun to complete the sentence.

Examples:

Formal:
분홍색이 잘 어울려요.
Bunhongsaegi jal eoullyeoyo.
“You look great in pink.”

Formal:
안경이 잘 어울려요.
Angyeongi jal eoullyeoyo.
“You look great in glasses.”

Want to practice this phrase by saying it with different articles of clothing? Open up our free vocabulary lists on “Winter Clothes” and “Summer Clothes and Accessories” to practice more!

2. Compliments on Someone’s Work

“Im the best!”

6. “Great job!”

Formal 잘 하셨어요. Jal hasyeosseoyo.   Informal 잘했어. Jalhaesseo.

Examples:

Formal:
아주 침착하게 잘 하셨어요.
Aju chimchakage jal hasyeosseoyo.
“You handled yourself very well.”

Informal:
빨리 왔네? 잘했어!
Ppalli wanne? Jalhaesseo!
“You came so early. Great job!”

7. “You are the best!”

Formal 최고예요! Choegoyeyo!   Informal 최고야! Choegoya!

You can also say 짱이야 (jjangiya), which is one of the most-used Korean slang compliments. You can only say this to your friends.

Examples:

Formal:
저희는 패션 업계에서 최고입니다.
Jeohuineun paesyeon eopgyeeseo choegoimnida.
“We’re number-one in the fashion business.”

Informal:
철수 너가 최고야!
Cheulsu neoga choegoya!
“You are the best, Cheulsu!”

Informal Slang:
철수 너 짱이야!
Cheulsu neo jjangiya!
“You are the best, Cheulsu!”

8. “The materials you showed at the meeting today were great.”

Formal 오늘 미팅에서 보여준 자료는 너무 훌륭했어요. Oneul mitingeseo boyeojun jaryoneun neomu hullyunghaesseoyo.   Informal 오늘 미팅에서 보여준 자료는 너무 훌륭했어. Oneul mitingeseo boyeojun jaryoneun neomu hullyunghaesseo.

These phrases can be used just as they are after someone has given a presentation.

9. “It was a tough project and the results exceeded expectations.”

Formal 힘든 프로젝트였는데 성과가 기대 이상이에요. Himdeun peurojekteuyeonneunde seonggwaga gidae isangieyo.

Example:

Formal:
수고했어요. 힘든 프로젝트였는데 성과가 기대 이상이에요.
Sugohaesseoyo. himdeun peurojekteuyeonneunde seonggwaga gidae isangieyo.
“Great work. It was a tough project and the results exceeded expectations.”

Do you need more words for talking about your job or the workplace in general? KoreanClass101 has you covered!

“Your knife skills are awesome!”

3. Compliments on Someone’s Skills

10. “You are good at cooking.”

Formal 요리 정말 잘하시네요. Yori jeongmal jalhasineyo.   Informal 요리 장잘 잘하네. Yori jangjal jalhane.

정말 잘하시네요 (jeongmal jalhasineyo) means “You are good at something.” If you want to compliment someone on a particular skill, such as cooking, add 요리 (yori) to the front to complete the sentence.

Examples:

Formal:
운동 정말 잘하시네요.
Undong jeongmal jalhasineyo.
“You are good at exercising.”

Informal:
수영 정말 잘하네.
Suyeong jeongmal jalhane.
“You are good at swimming.”

11. “You are good at drawing.”

Formal 그림 잘 그리시네요. Geurim jal geurisineyo.   Informal 그림 잘 그리네. Geurim jal geurine.

This is another one of the best Korean compliments to praise someone’s skills. While the grammar construction of the last compliment phrase is to add a noun to the beginning of the sentence, this phrase is to compliment someone’s action.

For example, if someone is good at drawing, the noun for “drawing” is 그림 (geurim) and the verb “to draw” is 그리다 (geurida).Therefore, in order to complete the whole sentence, you need to combine these two words.

Examples:

Formal:
그림 정말 잘 그리시네요.
Geurim jeongmal jal geurisineyo.
“You are good at drawing.”

Informal:
빨리 달리네.
Ppalli dalline.
“You are good at running.”

12. “You speak Korean like a native.”

Formal 원어민 처럼 한국어를 잘하시네요. Woneomin cheoreom hangugeoreul jalhasineyo.   Informal 원어민 처럼 한국어를 잘하네. Woneomin cheoreom hangugeoreul jalhane.

Want to say a different language? It’s easy; simply replace the language with a different language. Check out the Top 38 Languages Spoken in the World page on our website!

Examples:

Formal:
원어민 처럼 러시아어를 잘하시네요.
Woneomin cheoreom reosiaeoreul jalhasineyo.
“You speak Russian like a native speaker.”

Informal:
원어민 처럼 영어를 잘하네.
Woneomin cheoreom yeongeoreul jalhane.
“You speak English like a native speaker.”

13. “Nice picture composition.”

Formal 사진 구도가 멋지네요. Sajin gudoga meotjineyo.   Informal 사진 구도가 멋져. Sajin gudoga meotjyeo.

Example:

Formal:
풍경 사진 구도가 멋지네요.
Punggyeong sajin gudoga meotjineyo.
“Your landscape photograph composition is wonderful.”

Do you need some additional vocabulary to complete the phrase? Check out KoreanClass101’s vocabulary list about hobbies!

“I feel awkward when someone compliments me.”

4. What to Expect After Giving Compliments

When you compliment someone in Korea, you’ll notice that the other person will often reply with 아, 아니에요. (a, anieyo), or respond to your compliment with awkward silence or a smile. This is because, to a Korean, accepting compliments confidently is considered rude. Therefore, they do their best to avoid appearing too arrogant to the person giving the compliment.

There are three common phrases to use when someone compliments you in Korea. Let’s have a look.

1. Denying the Compliment

Formal 아, 아니에요. A, anieyo.   Informal 아, 아니야. A, aniya.

Pay close attention to their body language when they deny the compliments. They will do the double hand wave to strongly say “No” to someone. You can read more about this Korean hand gesture in our article, “10 Korean Hand Gestures You Need to Know“.

Examples:

Formal:
A: 한국어 정말 잘하시네요!
A: Hangugeo jeongmal jalhasineyo!
A: “You speak Korean really well!”

Formal:
B: 아, 아니에요. 아직 잘 못해요.
B: A, anieyo. Ajik jal mothaeyo.
B: “Ah, no. I’m still not good at it.”

—

Informal:
C: 대박 너 진짜 빠르다.
C: Daebak neo jinjja ppareuda.
C: “Wow, you are so fast.”

D: 아, 아니야.
D: A, aniya.
D: “Ah, no.”

2. Requesting Assurance

Formal 정말이에요? Jeongmarieyo?   Informal 정말? Jeongmal?

The second way is to request assurance from the person you’re speaking to. Simply respond by saying “Really?” as if you’d never heard the compliment before. In this way, you’ll appear innocent, not arrogant.

Examples:

A: 수진씨 보조개가 참 예쁘네요.
A: Sujinssi bojogaega cham yeppeuneyo.
A: “You have very nice dimples, Sujin.”

B: 정말이에요?
B: Jeongmarieyo?
B: “Really?”

—

Informal:
C: 네가 입고 있는 옷 진짜 이쁜데?
C: Nega ipgo inneun ot jinjja ippeunde?
C: “You look really nice in that dress.”

D: 정말?
D: Jeongmal?
D: “Really?”

3. Accepting the Compliment

Formal 정말요? 고마워요. Jeongmallyo? Gomawoyo.   Informal 정말? 고마워. Jeongmal? Gomawo.

The third way is to accept someone’s compliment by responding with “Really? Thank you.” In this way, you’ll not appear to be arrogant.

Examples:

Formal:
A: 한국어 정말 잘하네요.
A: Hangugeo jeongmal jalhaneyo.
A: “You speak Korean fluently.”

B: 정말요? 고마워요!
B: Jeongmallyo? Gomawoyo!
B: “Really? Thank you!”

—

Informal:
C: 요리 정말 잘한다!
C: Yori jeongmal jalhanda!
C: “You are so good at cooking!”

D: 정말? 고마워.
D: Jeongmal? Gomawo.
D: “Really? Thank you.”

“Your Korean is so good!”

5. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Your Korean Skills

In summary, we learned how to compliment someone in Korean and in various situations. We also went over ways to compliment someone sincerely and how to accept compliments in Korean. Want to learn more compliment phrases? Have a look at these two pages below:

• Top 15 Compliments You Always Want to Hear
• Top 10 Compliments You Always Want to Hear

Also check out these pages (in Korean):

• 칭찬
• Korean Phrases: Learn the TOP 15 Korean Compliments

We hope that you enjoyed reading this article! Let us know in the comments which Korean compliment is your favorite!