Basic Korean Phrases
These are complete sentences in the polite everyday form. One pattern near the bottom will order you anything in Korea, and it is worth learning before all the others.
Introducing yourself
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저는 …이에요 jeoneun … ieyo
JUH-neun … EE-eh-yoh
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I am …
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이름이 뭐예요? ireumi mwoyeyo?
ee-REU-mee MWOH-yeh-yoh
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What is your name?
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…에서 왔어요 …eseo wasseoyo
eh-suh WAH-suh-yoh
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I am from …
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만나서 반가워요 mannaseo bangawoyo
mahn-nah-suh bahn-GAH-wuh-yoh
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Nice to meet you
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한국어를 배우고 있어요 hangugeoreul baeugo isseoyo
hahn-goo-guh-reul BAE-oo-goh EE-suh-yoh
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I am learning Korean
When you are stuck
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모르겠어요 moreugesseoyo
moh-reu-GEH-suh-yoh
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I don't understand, I don't know
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영어 할 수 있어요? yeongeo hal su isseoyo?
YUHNG-uh hahl soo EE-suh-yoh
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Can you speak English?
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다시 말해 주세요 dasi malhae juseyo
DAH-shee mahl-HAE joo-seh-yoh
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Please say that again
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천천히 말해 주세요 cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo
chuhn-chuhn-HEE mahl-HAE joo-seh-yoh
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Please speak slowly
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한국어로 뭐예요? hangugeoro mwoyeyo?
hahn-goo-guh-roh MWOH-yeh-yoh
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What is it in Korean?
Out and about
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…이 어디예요? …i eodiyeyo?
ee UH-dee-yeh-yoh
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Where is …?
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화장실이 어디예요? hwajangsiri eodiyeyo?
hwah-jahng-shee-ree UH-dee-yeh-yoh
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Where is the toilet?
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얼마예요? eolmayeyo?
UHL-mah-yeh-yoh
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How much is it?
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이거 주세요 igeo juseyo
EE-guh joo-SEH-yoh
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This one, please
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계산해 주세요 gyesanhae juseyo
gyeh-sahn-HAE joo-seh-yoh
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The bill, please
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도와주세요 dowajuseyo
doh-wah-JOO-seh-yoh
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Please help me
주세요 orders anything
주세요, juseyo, means please give me. Put anything in front of it and you have ordered: 물 주세요, water please. 이거 주세요 while pointing, this one please.
It also attaches to other verbs to turn them into polite requests, which is why 말해 주세요 is please say and 도와주세요 is please help.
That one word covers restaurants, market stalls, taxis and shops. If you learn a single Korean sentence pattern, learn this one.
모르겠어요 is more useful than it looks. It covers I do not know and I do not understand, and it is softer than 몰라요 because the 겠 adds a note of hesitancy.
- 물 주세요.Water, please.
- 커피 두 잔 주세요.Two coffees, please.
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