Want to learn some basic Korean words before your trip? These 98 useful Korean words, with English meanings and easy romanisation, are the ones you’ll actually see and use in Korea: on signs, in the subway, on menus, in shops and when you need help.
This list is written for travellers, so it skips the grammar and focuses on the Korean words that make getting around Korea easier. If you want full sentences for ordering food, taking a taxi or shopping, my guide to basic Korean phrases for travel has 60 of them.
When I first arrived in Korea, a handful of basic Korean words helped me the most when buying and paying for things in shops, asking for items I needed, and asking for directions.
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How To Read These Korean Words
Each word is written in Hangul, the Korean alphabet, with its English meaning and a romanised version to help you say it. The romanisation follows the official Romanization of Korean from the National Institute of Korean Language, which is based on standard Korean pronunciation.
The meanings are checked against the National Institute of Korean Language’s Korean-English Learners’ Dictionary. Some words are shown in the polite form you’d actually say, such as 괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo) instead of the dictionary form 괜찮다.
My best tip for pronunciation? Practise, practise, practise. Say the words out loud as often as you can, and they’ll soon feel natural.
Basic Korean Words For Greetings And Being Polite
| English | Korean (Hangul) | Romanisation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | 안녕하세요 | annyeonghaseyo |
| Thank you | 감사합니다 | gamsahamnida |
| Thank you | 고맙습니다 | gomapseumnida |
| I’m sorry | 죄송합니다 | joesonghamnida |
| Sorry | 미안해요 | mianhaeyo |
| It’s okay / I’m fine | 괜찮아요 | gwaenchanayo |
| Yes | 네 | ne |
| No | 아니요 | aniyo |
| Excuse me! (to call staff) | 여기요 | yeogiyo |
| Please give me… | …주세요 | …juseyo |
여기요 (yeogiyo), from 여기 (here), is the safe way to call a waiter or waitress in a restaurant. Add 주세요 (juseyo) to ask for something: 물 주세요 (mul juseyo) is “water, please”.
Korean Question Words
| English | Korean (Hangul) | Romanisation |
|---|---|---|
| Where | 어디 | eodi |
| When | 언제 | eonje |
| What | 뭐 | mwo |
| Who | 누구 | nugu |
| Why | 왜 | wae |
| How much (what price) | 얼마 | eolma |
| How many | 몇 | myeot |
To ask where something is, put the place first: 화장실이 어디 있어요? (hwajangsiri eodi isseoyo?) means “Where is the toilet?”
Korean Words You’ll See On Signs
Here are the Korean words you’ll see on signs.
| English | Korean (Hangul) | Romanisation |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance | 입구 | ipgu |
| Exit | 출구 | chulgu |
| Emergency exit | 비상구 | bisanggu |
| Toilet | 화장실 | hwajangsil |
| Men | 남자 | namja |
| Women | 여자 | yeoja |
| Push | 미세요 | miseyo |
| Pull | 당기세요 | danggiseyo |
| No smoking | 금연 | geumyeon |
| Information / guidance | 안내 | annae |
Korean Words For Transport
| English | Korean (Hangul) | Romanisation |
|---|---|---|
| Subway | 지하철 | jihacheol |
| Station | 역 | yeok |
| Line (e.g. 2호선 = Line 2) | 호선 | hoseon |
| Transfer | 환승 | hwanseung |
| Bus | 버스 | beoseu |
| Bus stop | 정류장 | jeongnyujang |
| Taxi | 택시 | taeksi |
| Train | 기차 | gicha |
| Airport | 공항 | gonghang |
| Ticket | 표 | pyo |
| Transport card | 교통카드 | gyotongkadeu |
| Left | 왼쪽 | oenjjok |
| Right | 오른쪽 | oreunjjok |
| Here | 여기 | yeogi |
| Over there | 저기 | jeogi |
For getting around, see my guide to the T-Money Card.
Planning to visit Korea? These travel essentials will help you plan your trip, get the best deals, and save you time and money before and during your Korean adventure.
Visas & K-ETA: Some travellers to Korea need a Tourist Visa, but most can travel with a Korean Electronic Travel Authorisation (K-ETA). Until the end of 2026, citizens of many countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan and many European countries, don’t need either one.
How To Stay Connected: Pre-order a Korean Sim Card or a WiFi Router to collect on-arrival at Incheon Airport (desks open 24-hours). Alternatively, download a Korean eSIM for you travels.
Where To Stay: For Seoul, I recommend Myeongdong (convenient), Hongdae (cool culture) or Gangnam (shopping). For Busan, Haeundae (Beach) or Seomyeon (Downtown).
Incheon Airport To Seoul: Take the Airport Express (AREX) to Seoul Station or a Limo Bus across Seoul. Book an Incheon Airport Private Transfer and relax to or from the airport.
Korean Tour Operators: Tour companies that have a big presence in Korea include Klook, Trazy, Viator, and Get Your Guide. These sites offer discounted entry tickets for top attractions.
Seoul City Passes: Visit Seoul’s top attractions for free with a Discover Seoul Pass or Go City Seoul Pass. These passes are great for families and couples visiting Seoul – you can save lots.
How To Get Around: For public transport, grab a T-Money Card. Save money on Korea’s high speed trains with a Korea Rail Pass. To see more of Korea, there are many rental car options from Klook, EconomyBookings, and RentalCars.
Travel Money: Use money exchanges near Myeongdong and Hongdae subway stations for the best exchange rates. Order a Wise Card or WOWPASS to pay by card across Korea.
Flights To Korea: I use flight comparison sites such as Expedia and Skyscanner to find the best flights to Korea from any country. Air Asia is a good option for budget flights from Asia.
Travel Insurance: It is important to insure your trips to protect yourself against the unexpected. World Nomad is a specialized travel insurance provider with options for different coverage for travellers from around the world. You can also purchase cover when you are already travelling.
How To Learn Korean: The language course from 90 Day Korean or Korean Class 101 both have well-structured lessons and lots of useful resources to help you learn Korean.
Korean Food And Drink Words
| English | Korean (Hangul) | Romanisation |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 물 | mul |
| Rice / a meal | 밥 | bap |
| Meat | 고기 | gogi |
| Beef | 소고기 | sogogi |
| Pork | 돼지고기 | dwaejigogi |
| Chicken | 닭고기 | dakgogi |
| Vegetables | 채소 | chaeso |
| Kimchi | 김치 | gimchi |
| Soup | 국 | guk |
| Stew | 찌개 | jjigae |
| Beer | 맥주 | maekju |
| Soju | 소주 | soju |
| Coffee | 커피 | keopi |
| Menu | 메뉴 | menyu |
| It’s spicy | 매워요 | maewoyo |
| It’s delicious | 맛있어요 | masisseoyo |
| Restaurant | 식당 | sikdang |
| The bill | 계산서 | gyesanseo |
These words help you read a menu. 김치찌개 (gimchi-jjigae), for example, is kimchi stew. For whole phrases to use at the table, see my guide on how to order food in Korean.
Korean Words For Shopping And Money
| English | Korean (Hangul) | Romanisation |
|---|---|---|
| Won (₩) | 원 | won |
| Money | 돈 | don |
| Card | 카드 | kadeu |
| Cash | 현금 | hyeongeum |
| Receipt | 영수증 | yeongsujeung |
| Price | 가격 | gagyeok |
| It’s cheap | 싸요 | ssayo |
| It’s expensive | 비싸요 | bissayo |
| Discount | 할인 | harin |
| Market | 시장 | sijang |
| Convenience store | 편의점 | pyeonuijeom |
원 (won) is the Korean currency. 만 (man) means ten thousand, so 만 원 (man won) is ₩10,000.
Korean Numbers
There are two sets of Korean numbers below. My basic Korean phrases guide covers Korean numbers too.
| English | Korean (Hangul) | Romanisation |
|---|---|---|
| One | 일 | il |
| Two | 이 | i |
| Three | 삼 | sam |
| Four | 사 | sa |
| Five | 오 | o |
| Six | 육 | yuk |
| Seven | 칠 | chil |
| Eight | 팔 | pal |
| Nine | 구 | gu |
| Ten | 십 | sip |
| Hundred | 백 | baek |
| Thousand | 천 | cheon |
| Ten thousand | 만 | man |
| English | Korean (Hangul) | Romanisation |
|---|---|---|
| One | 하나 | hana |
| Two | 둘 | dul |
| Three | 셋 | set |
| Four | 넷 | net |
| Five | 다섯 | daseot |
Korean Words For Emergencies
| English | Korean (Hangul) | Romanisation |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital | 병원 | byeongwon |
| Pharmacy | 약국 | yakguk |
| Police | 경찰 | gyeongchal |
| Please help me | 도와주세요 | dowajuseyo |
| It hurts | 아파요 | apayo |
If you need the police, say 경찰 불러주세요 (gyeongchal bulleojuseyo): “Please call the police.” In an emergency, call 112 for the police, or 119 for fire, emergencies and rescue.
Korean Words You Already Know
You’ll recognise some Korean words straight away, because they sound like English: 버스 (beoseu), 택시 (taeksi), 커피 (keopi), 메뉴 (menyu) and 카드 (kadeu) are all in the lists above. Others have a twist, like 서비스 (seobiseu) below. For more, see my collection of funny Konglish signs.
| English | Korean (Hangul) | Romanisation |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile phone | 핸드폰 | haendeupon |
| Air conditioner | 에어컨 | eeokeon |
| Laptop | 노트북 | noteubuk |
| Something free, on the house | 서비스 | seobiseu |
Learn More Korean Words
A translation app helps fill the gaps: see my guide to using Papago. If you want to keep learning at home, my Lingopie review looks at learning Korean with K-dramas.
The Korean words I use most when I’m out and about are hello (안녕하세요), excuse me (여기요), how much does this cost (얼마예요?), good morning, and where is… (…어디 있어요?).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Korean word for hello?
Hello is 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo). It comes from 안녕하다, which means peaceful or healthy. Between friends, the casual 안녕 (annyeong) means hello, hi, goodbye or bye.
What is the Korean word for thank you?
Two polite ways to say thank you are 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) and 고맙습니다 (gomapseumnida).
How do you say how much in Korean?
얼마 (eolma) means what price or what amount. My basic Korean phrases guide shows how to use it when shopping.
What does 서비스 mean in Korea?
서비스 (seobiseu) comes from the English word service, and in Korea it can also mean a free offer: something the shop or restaurant gives you on the house.
How do you pronounce Korean words?
The romanisation in this guide follows the official system from the National Institute of Korean Language, which is based on standard Korean pronunciation.
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