Korean is the official language of South Korea and North Korea, spoken by approximately 81 million people worldwide. It is a unique language, often classified as a language isolate, meaning it has no close relatives among other languages. The Korean language, known as Hanguk-eo (한국어) in South Korea, has a rich history that reflects the cultural and historical transformations of the Korean Peninsula. Its development has been influenced by various factors, including Chinese character systems and the socio-political landscape of the region.

The Korean writing system, Hangul, was created in the 15th century during the reign of King Sejong the Great. This phonetic script consists of 24 letters—14 consonants and 10 vowels—that can be combined into syllabic blocks. Hangul was designed to be easy to learn and use, contributing significantly to Korea’s high literacy rates. Unlike many other languages, Korean grammar follows a subject-object-verb (SOV) structure, with modifiers typically placed before the words they modify. This grammatical framework emphasizes the importance of hierarchy and respect in communication, reflected in the use of honorifics and varying speech levels.

In addition to its grammatical complexity, Korean vocabulary is notably diverse, incorporating many loanwords from Chinese and English. The influence of these languages can be seen in everyday speech and formal contexts alike. Despite regional dialects that exist across South Korea—such as those from Busan or Jeolla—the standard dialect is based on the Seoul dialect, which serves as the foundation for education and media in the country. This standardization has helped maintain mutual intelligibility among speakers from different regions.

As global interest in Korean culture continues to rise through K-Pop, cinema, and cuisine, more people are motivated to learn Korean. The language’s unique characteristics and its role in a rapidly modernizing society make it an exciting subject for study. With its distinct alphabet and rich linguistic heritage, Korean offers learners an opportunity to engage deeply with both the language and the culture of South Korea.

This guide provides essential vocabulary and phrases for travelers visiting South Korea. It covers various categories, including numbers, greetings, polite expressions, and more, with pronunciation guides to facilitate communication.

Numbers

Number	Korean	Pronunciation
1	하나 (하나)	ha-na
2	둘 (둘)	dul
3	셋 (셋)	set
4	넷 (넷)	net
5	다섯 (다섯)	da-seot
6	여섯 (여섯)	yeo-seot
7	일곱 (일곱)	il-gop
8	여덟 (여덟)	yeo-deol
9	아홉 (아홉)	a-hop
10	열 (열)	yeol

Days of the Week

Day	Korean	Pronunciation
Monday	월요일 (월요일)	wol-yo-il
Tuesday	화요일 (화요일)	hwa-yo-il
Wednesday	수요일 (수요일)	su-yo-il
Thursday	목요일 (목요일)	mok-yo-il
Friday	금요일 (금요일)	geum-yo-il
Saturday	토요일 (토요일)	to-yo-il
Sunday	일요일 (일요일)	il-yo-il

Months

Month	Korean	Pronunciation
January	1월 (일월)	il-wol
February	2월 (이월)	i-wol
March	3월 (삼월)	sam-wol
April	4월 (사월)	sa-wol
May	5월 (오월)	o-wol
June	6월 (유월)	yu-wol
July	7월 (칠월)	chil-wol
August	8월 (팔월)	pal-wol
September	9월 (구월)	gu-wol
October	10월 (시월)	si-wol
November	11월 (십일월)	sip-il-wol
December	12월 (십이월)	sip-i-wol

Greetings

• Hello: 안녕하세요 (Annyeonghaseyo) – an-nyeong-ha-se-yo
• Good morning: 좋은 아침입니다 (Joeun achimimnida) – jo-eun a-chim-im-ni-da
• Good evening: 좋은 저녁입니다 (Joeun jeonyeogimnida) – jo-eun jeo-nyeok-im-ni-da
• Goodbye: 안녕히 가세요 (Annyeonghi gaseyo) – an-nyeong-hee ga-se-yo

Polite Expressions

• Please: 주세요 (Juseyo) – ju-se-yo
• Thank you: 감사합니다 (Gamsahamnida) – gam-sa-ham-ni-da
• You’re welcome: 천만에요 (Cheonmaneyo) – cheon-man-e-yo
• Excuse me / Sorry: 죄송합니다 (Joesonghamnida) – joe-song-ham-ni-da

Basic Shopping Phrases

• How much is this?: 이거 얼마예요? (Igeo eolma-yeyo?) – i-geo eol-ma-ye-yo?
• I would like…: … 주세요 (… juseyo) – … ju-se-yo
• Do you have…?: … 있어요? (… isseoyo?) – … i-sseo-yo?

Ordering Food

• I would like to order…: … 주문할게요 (… jumunhalgeyo) – … ju-mun-hal-ge-yo
• The menu, please.: 메뉴 주세요 (Menyu juseyo) – men-yu ju-se-yo

Transportation Terms

• Bus: 버스 (Beoseu) – beo-seu
• Train: 기차 (Gicha) – gi-cha
• Taxi: 택시 (Taeksi) – taek-si

Directions

• Where is…?: … 어디예요? (… eodi-yeyo?) – … eo-di-ye-yo?
• Left: 왼쪽 (Oenjjok) – oen-jjok
• Right: 오른쪽 (Oreunjjok) – o-reun-jjok

Hotel and Accommodation Vocabulary

• Reservation: 예약 (Yeyak) – ye-yak
• Room: 방 (Bang) – bang

Emergency Phrases

• Help!: 도와주세요! (Dowajuseyo!) – do-wa ju-se-yo!
• Call the police!: 경찰 불러주세요! (Gyeongchal bulleojuseyo!) – gyeong-chal bul-leo ju-se-yo!

Common Questions

• Do you speak English?: 영어 할 수 있어요? (Yeongeo hal su isseoyo?) – yeong-eo hal su i-sseo-yo?

Weather Terms

• Hot: 덥다 (Deopda) – deob-da
• Cold: 춥다 (Chupda) – chup-da

Cultural Etiquette Phrases

• Nice to meet you.: 만나서 반갑습니다. (Mannaseo bangapseumnida.) – man-na-seo ban-gap-seum-ni-da

Health and Medical Terms

• Doctor: 의사 (Uisa) – ui-sa

Dining Etiquette

• Bon appétit!: 잘 먹겠습니다! (Jal meokgetseumnida!) – jal meok-get-seum-ni-da!

Local Attractions Vocabulary

• Museum: 박물관 (Bakmulgwan) – bak-mul-gwan

Currency and Payment Terms

• Money: 돈 (Don) – don

Social Interactions

• How are you?: 잘 지내세요? (Jal jinaeseyo?) – jal ji-nae-se-yo?

Compliments and Small Talk

• You are beautiful.: 아름다워요. (Areumdawoyo.) – a-reum-da-weo.

By familiarizing yourself with these phrases and their pronunciations, you’ll enhance your travel experience in South Korea and connect more meaningfully with the locals. Practicing these expressions will not only help you navigate daily interactions but also show respect for Korean culture.

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Explore Korea Further

• Basic Language Learning Guide for Travelers to Korean Speaking Countries
• Common Misconceptions – South Korea
• Currency Guide – South Korea
• Essential Travel Tips for South Korea
• Geographical Regions of South Korea
• Popular Cities To Visit In South Korea
• Popular Foods In South Korea, Asia
• Popular Museums To Visit In South Korea
• Safety Guide For Travelers To South Korea
• South Korea [Country Info]
• Top 50 Things To Do In South Korea
• Top Historical Places To Visit In South Korea