Essential Korean Phrases for Tourists — 50 Words That Actually Help (2026)
Let me save you from yourself. You do not need to learn Korean before visiting Korea. You do not need Duolingo streaks, YouTube crash courses, or a phrasebook the size of a novel. Korea is one of the most tourist-friendly countries in Asia, and you can get through an entire trip speaking nothing but English and pointing at things.
But here's what I've learned after years of visiting: knowing about 40-50 phrases changes your trip from "tourist who gets by" to "tourist who gets treated like a human." A simple 감사합니다 (thank you) at a restaurant makes the ajumma smile. Saying 깎아 주세요 (discount please) at Namdaemun Market gets you a real price instead of the foreigner markup. And knowing how to say "not spicy please" has saved me from meals that would have otherwise ended in tears.
This is not a language course. This is a survival kit — the phrases I actually use, organized by the situations where you'll need them.
How to Use This Guide
You don't need to memorize anything. Here's the cheat code that 90% of tourists never figure out: just show your phone. Screenshot the tables below, or bookmark this page. When you need to communicate, hold up your phone and point at the Korean text. Koreans read Korean — shocking, I know — and this works in restaurants, taxis, shops, and even hospitals.
For the phrases you want to actually say out loud, I've included romanization (how it sounds in English letters). Korean pronunciation is more consistent than English, so the romanization gets you close enough. Don't stress about getting the tones perfect. Koreans appreciate the effort, and they'll figure out what you mean.
Survival Basics — The 10 Phrases You'll Use Every Day
These are non-negotiable. If you learn nothing else, learn these. You'll use at least five of them every single day.
| Korean | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 감사합니다 | gamsahamnida | Thank you |
| 네 | ne | Yes |
| 아니요 | aniyo | No |
| 안녕하세요 | annyeonghaseyo | Hello |
| 죄송합니다 | joesonghamnida | Sorry / Excuse me |
| 영어 할 수 있어요? | yeongeo hal su isseoyo? | Do you speak English? |
| 화장실 어디예요? | hwajangsil eodiyeyo? | Where is the bathroom? |
| 얼마예요? | eolmayeyo? | How much? |
| 이거 주세요 | igeo juseyo | This one please |
| 괜찮아요 | gwaenchanayo | It's okay / No thank you |
The magic word is 주세요 (juseyo) — it means "please give me." Point at literally anything and add "juseyo" and you've just made a complete, polite sentence. This single word will get you through restaurants, convenience stores, and market stalls. Point at a dish on someone else's table? "Igeo juseyo." Point at something in a display case? "Igeo juseyo." It never fails.
괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo) is the Swiss Army knife of Korean phrases. It means "it's okay," "I'm fine," "no thank you," and "don't worry about it" all at once. When a shopkeeper offers you a bag you don't need, when someone bumps into you on the subway, when a waiter asks if you want something else — gwaenchanayo handles all of it.
Ordering Food — Because That's Why You're Here
Let's be honest: food is at least 60% of the reason you're visiting Korea. These phrases will get you through every restaurant, street food stall, and convenience store encounter.
| Korean | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 메뉴 주세요 | menyu juseyo | Menu please |
| 물 주세요 | mul juseyo | Water please |
| 맵지 않게 해주세요 | maepji anke haejuseyo | Not spicy please |
| 계산이요 | gyesaniyo | Bill / check please |
| 맛있어요 | masisseoyo | It's delicious |
| 하나 더 주세요 | hana deo juseyo | One more please |
| 데워주세요 | dewojuseyo | Please heat this up |
| 카드로 할게요 | kadeuro halgeyo | I'll pay by card |
| 포장해 주세요 | pojanghae juseyo | Takeout please |
| 추천해 주세요 | chucheonhae juseyo | What do you recommend? |
데워주세요 (dewojuseyo) is the convenience store phrase you didn't know you needed. Korea's convenience stores — CU, GS25, 7-Eleven, Emart24 — sell an insane variety of ready-to-eat meals, kimbap, and ramyeon. Many of them need to be heated up, and the cashier will do it for you if you say this. Just point at your triangle kimbap or dosirak (lunch box) and say "dewojuseyo." They'll microwave it, hand it back, and you've got a hot meal for under ₩4,000.
맛있어요 (masisseoyo) — say this to your server, to the cook, to the ajumma running the stall. "It's delicious." This single compliment will light up their face and occasionally get you free side dish refills or an extra serving. Korean food culture is deeply personal, and telling someone their food is delicious is one of the highest compliments you can give.
A note on "not spicy please": this works, but manage your expectations. Korean "not spicy" is still spicier than what most Westerners consider mild. If you truly cannot handle any heat at all, you might want to stick to dishes that aren't spice-based, like Korean BBQ, kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), or jajangmyeon (black bean noodles).
Getting Around — Taxis, Subway, and Not Getting Lost
Korea's public transit is excellent, and Naver Map will handle 90% of your navigation. But when you're in a taxi or asking for directions on the street, these phrases fill the gaps.
| Korean | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 여기 가주세요 | yeogi gajuseyo | Please go here (show address) |
| 이 주소로 가주세요 | i jusoro gajuseyo | Please go to this address |
| 지하철역 어디예요? | jihacheollyeok eodiyeyo? | Where is the subway station? |
| 내려주세요 | naeryeojuseyo | Let me off here |
| 오른쪽 | oreunjjok | Right |
| 왼쪽 | oenjjok | Left |
| 직진 | jikjin | Straight ahead |
| 얼마나 걸려요? | eolmana geollyeoyo? | How long does it take? |
The taxi trick: Don't try to pronounce your destination. Just open Naver Map, find where you want to go, and show the driver your phone screen with the Korean address visible. Then say "yeogi gajuseyo" (please go here) or "i jusoro gajuseyo" (please go to this address). This works every time. Korean taxi drivers navigate by address and Naver Map, not by landmark names that you'll inevitably mispronounce.
내려주세요 (naeryeojuseyo) works in taxis and on buses. On a bus, press the stop button and say this if you're worried the driver might not stop. In a taxi, say it when you see your destination and want to be dropped off right there. Particularly useful when your driver has been happily cruising past your stop.
For the Seoul subway, you honestly don't need much Korean at all. The entire system has English signage, announcements in English, and numbered stations. But knowing "jihacheollyeok eodiyeyo?" (where's the subway?) helps when you're above ground and can't spot an entrance.
Shopping — Markets, Malls, and Myeongdong
Whether you're haggling at Namdaemun Market or browsing skincare in Myeongdong, these phrases cover the essentials.
| Korean | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 깎아 주세요 | kkakka juseyo | Discount please |
| 다른 색 있어요? | dareun saek isseoyo? | Do you have other colors? |
| 큰 사이즈 있어요? | keun saijeu isseoyo? | Do you have a bigger size? |
| 작은 사이즈 있어요? | jageun saijeu isseoyo? | Do you have a smaller size? |
| 면세 돼요? | myeonse dwaeyo? | Tax refund available? |
깎아 주세요 (kkakka juseyo) — this is your haggling phrase, and it only works in the right places. Traditional markets (Namdaemun, Dongdaemun, Gwangjang) and street market stalls are fair game. Department stores, brand shops, and convenience stores are fixed price — don't embarrass yourself. In markets, buying multiple items gives you more leverage. "Three of these — kkakka juseyo" with a friendly smile gets results.
면세 돼요? (myeonse dwaeyo?) — ask this at any store displaying the "Tax Free" sign. If you spend over ₩15,000 at a single store, you can get the 10% VAT refunded at the airport. Major skincare shops, department stores, and many Myeongdong retailers participate. They'll give you a receipt to scan at the airport tax refund kiosks before you check in.
Emergency Phrases — Hopefully You'll Never Need These
Korea is one of the safest countries in the world for tourists, but things happen. Memorize these or keep them screenshotted on your phone.
| Korean | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 도와주세요 | dowajuseyo | Help me! |
| 경찰 불러주세요 | gyeongchal bulleojuseyo | Call the police |
| 병원 | byeongwon | Hospital |
| 약국 | yakguk | Pharmacy |
Emergency numbers to save in your phone:
- 112 — Police
- 119 — Fire and ambulance
- 1330 — Korea Tourism Hotline (English, Japanese, Chinese — available 24/7)
The 1330 tourism hotline is genuinely useful and not just a throwaway government service. They can help you communicate with taxi drivers, translate in real-time, help you find medical services, and assist with lost items. If you're stuck and can't communicate, call 1330 before panicking.
Pharmacies (약국 / yakguk) are everywhere in Korea and marked with green cross signs. Pharmacists can often recommend and sell you basic medication without a prescription — painkillers, cold medicine, stomach medication, and allergy pills. Just point at where it hurts and say "약 주세요" (yak juseyo — medicine please).
Pro Tips — What the Phrasebooks Don't Tell You
Show your phone. I've said it already but it bears repeating. Holding up your phone screen with the Korean text visible works in 90% of situations. Screenshot the tables above. You don't need to pronounce anything perfectly — you just need the other person to read the Korean characters on your screen.
Use Papago, not Google Translate. Papago is Naver's translation app, and it is significantly better than Google Translate for Korean. It understands Korean sentence structure, handles casual vs. formal speech correctly, and has a conversation mode where you can speak in English and it speaks back in Korean. Download it before your trip. It also does real-time camera translation — point your phone at a Korean menu and it translates on-screen.
Pointing + juseyo solves everything. In restaurants where there's no English menu and the server doesn't speak English, look at what other tables are eating, point at a dish that looks good, and say "igeo juseyo" (this one please). Or point at photos on the wall menu. There is no shame in pointing. Koreans do it too.
Younger Koreans often speak English. Anyone under 35 has likely studied English for years in school. They might be shy about speaking it, but if you ask politely with "yeongeo hal su isseoyo?" they'll often surprise you with solid English skills. University areas like Hongdae, Sinchon, and near Ewha are especially English-friendly.
Learn to read Hangul in 30 minutes. This is optional but genuinely game-changing. The Korean alphabet (Hangul) was designed to be easy to learn — King Sejong created it in the 15th century specifically so that common people could read. There are only 24 basic letters, and once you learn them, you can sound out any Korean word. This means you can read menus, street signs, and subway stations even if you don't understand the meaning. Many Korean words are borrowed from English (커피 = keo-pi = coffee, 버스 = beo-seu = bus), so sounding them out often tells you exactly what they mean.
Stay Connected for Translation
A Korean SIM card means you always have Papago translator and Naver Map — your two most important tools.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to learn Korean before visiting Korea?
No. Korea's tourist infrastructure is excellent, with English signage on all public transit, English menus at many restaurants, and widespread smartphone translation apps. The phrases in this guide are helpful extras that make your trip smoother and more enjoyable, but you can get by without them. Showing Korean text on your phone screen is always a reliable backup.
What's the best translation app for Korean?
Papago by Naver. It handles Korean grammar and nuance far better than Google Translate and includes a camera mode for translating menus and signs in real-time. It also has a conversation mode for spoken translation. Download it before your trip — it works offline for basic translations if you download the Korean language pack in advance.
Will Koreans be offended if I mispronounce things?
Not at all. Koreans genuinely appreciate tourists who try to speak even a little Korean. Your pronunciation doesn't need to be perfect — the effort itself is what matters. If someone can't understand your pronunciation, just show them the Korean text on your phone. Nobody will judge you for trying, and most people will go out of their way to help you.
