---
title: Korean phrases
---

<status>Status: 🌿 </status>

### Thank you

from most to least formal

- 감사합니다
- 고맙습니다
- 감사해요
- 고마워요
-  _casual territory_
- 고마워
- 감사 (texting)
- ㄱㅅ (= thx)

### Please give me

주세요

### Here you go

여기요

### Goodbye

안녕히 계세요 - literally "stay in peace". Used when person you're saying "bye" to is staying and you're leaving

안녕히 가세요 - literally "go in peace". Used when other person is leaving (regardless if you're staying or going as well).

### Sorry (apology)

those are used as an apology, not "I'm sorry to hear that"

Phrases below mean "I am sorry I did X".

from most to least formal
- 죄송합니다
- 미안합니다
- 죄송해요
- 미안해요
- _casual territory_
- 미안해
- 미안
- ㅁㅇ (for textchat, but can be used as "sorry not sorry")

### Sorry (I'm sorry to hear that)

괜찮아질 거에요 = it's gonna be okay

너무 걱정 말아요 = don't worry too much

건강 관리 잘 해요 = take care of your health

### It's okay/I'm okay

괜찮아요

### Excuse me
죄송합니다 - "excuse me"/"I'm sorry" - often used when passing through the crows of people or when bumping into someone

실례합니다 - excuse me

### Here you go

여기요

### To like

좋아하다 = to like

### See you next time

- 다음에 봐요
- 봐요 - see you
- 다음 - next time
- 에 - time marker

### Time

- 몆시 = what time
- 지금 = now
- 내일 = tomorrow
- 오늘 = today
- 어제 = yesterday
- 정오 = midday
- 자정 = midnight
- 아까 = earlier
- 이따가 / 나중에 = later
	- 이따가 집에 가고 싶어요 = I want to go home soon
	- 나중에 집에 가고 싶어요 = I don't want to go home/go as late as possible
- 오래 전에 = long time ago
- -번 = -times (몇 번 = how many times)
- 자주 = often
- 얼마나 자주 = how often
- 얼마나 오래 = how long
- 항상 = always

### Days of the week

1. 월요일
2. 화요일
3. 수요일
4. 목요일
5. 금요일
6. 토요일
7. 일요일

### 계절 Season

- 봄 - spring
- 여름 - summer
- 가을 - fall, autumn
- 겨울 - winter

### This/that

#### 이 (this)
- 이 - this
- 이 물 - this water
- 이거 - this/this thing

#### 저 (that)
- 저 - that
- 저 커피 - that coffee
- 커거 - that/that thing

#### 그 (the)
- 그 - the
- 그 가방 - the bag
- 그거 - it/the one

### 날씨 Weather

- 날씨 어때요? - how is the weather?
- 하늘 - sky
- 기상예보 - weather forecast
- 첫눈 - first snow
- 화창하다 - sunny
- 흐리다 - cloudy
- 이슬비(가) 내리다/오다 - drizzle
- 바람(이) 불다 - wind/windy
- 덥다 - hot
- 따뜻하다 - warm
- 춥다 - cold
- 시원하다 - cool
- 비(가) 오다/내리다 - to rain
- 번개(가) 치다 - lightning
- 일출 - sunrise
- 일몰 - sunset
- 도 - degrees
- 13.9도 = 십삼 쩜 구 도 = 13.9C
- 저온 - low temperature
- 고온 - high temperature
- 영하 - below zero (for C)
- 습도 - humidity
- 건조하다 - dry
- 습하다 - humid
- 쌀쌀하다 - chilly
- 비가 그치다 - to stop raining

### Questions
- X + -은/는 요? - How about X?
- 누구 - who
- 누가 - which person
- 누구 예요? - who is it?
- 누가 했어요? - who did it?
- 언제 - when
- 알다 -to know
- 모르다 - to not know
- 어디 - where
- 어디 예요? - where is it?
- 네? - what?
- 뭐 - what
- 왜? - why?
- 어떻게 + verb = how + verb
- 얼마 = how much
- 얼마나 + adj = how + adj

### Really

- 조금 - a little, a bit
- 정말 - really, truly
- 진짜 - real(ly)
- 아주 - very, truly
- 별로 - (not) really (only with neg sentences)
- 전혀 - (not) at all (only with neg sentences)

### In front of/Behind/etc

앞 = front
뒤 = back
옆 = side
위 = top
밑, 아래 = bottom

### to be alike/the same

같다 = to be like
noun + (이)랑 = to be the same

_(with verbs)_
-(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 것 같다

### 색, 색깔 - Colour

| colour       | option1     | option2            |
| ------------ | ----------- | ------------------ |
| black        | **검정**색     | 블랙                 |
| blue         | 파란색, 파랑     | 블루                 |
| navy blue    | 남색          | 네이비                |
| sky blue     | 하늘색         | 연(light) 블루        |
| brown        | 갈색          | 브라운                |
| dark brown   | 진 갈색, 밤색    | 진 (deep, dark) 브라운 |
| gold         | 금색          | 골드                 |
| silver       | 은색          | 실버                 |
| gray         | 회색          | 그레이                |
| purple       | 보라색         | 퍼플                 |
| green        | 초록색         | 그린                 |
| light green  | 연두색         |                    |
| blue-green   | 청록색, 민트색    |                    |
| orange       | 주황색         | 오렌지                |
| pink         | 분홍색         | 핑크                 |
| red          | 빨간색, 빨강     | 레드                 |
| white        | 하얀색, 흰색, 백색 | 화이트                |
| yellow       | 노란색, 노랑     | 옐로우                |
| light yellow | 연노란색        |                    |

### Korean words similar to English

 (word - 단어)

| Korean      | English                        |
| ----------- | ------------------------------ |
| 크로와상        | croissant                      |
| 카페          | cafe                           |
| 카페 라떼       | cafe latte                     |
| 바닐라 라떼      | vanilla latte                  |
| 카라멜 라떼      | caramel latte                  |
| 스트로베리 프라프치노 | strawberry frappuccino         |
| 카푸치노        | cappuccino                     |
| 아메리카노       | americano                      |
| 에스프레소       | espresso                       |
| 시나몬 롤       | cinammon roll                  |
| 콩글리쉬        | Konglish (Korean + English)    |
| 아이쇼핑        | window shopping (eye shopping) |
| 아르바이트       | part-time job (Arbeit)         |
| 모닝콜         | wake-up call (morning call)    |
| 서비스         | one the house (service)        |
| 린스          | har conditioner (rinse)        |

### Exchanging Numbers

번호교환

- to be glad (to meet) = 반갑다
- to let (someone) know = 알려 주다 (알리다 + -아/어/여 주다)
- to let (someone) know (honorific) = 알려 드리다
- business card = 명함
- number = 번호 (specific number ex. phone, house, bus number), 숫자 (any number, ex. number 4)
- mobile phone = 핸드폰, 휴대폰, 스마트폰
- contact information = 연락처
- to save = 저장하다
- to see, to meet (honorific) = 뷥다


### 당신 (you)

Use with caution in real life conversations - "you" is rarely used, especially when speaking 존댓말 or more format language.

Uses of `당신`

1. you are **angry at someone** and do not mind fighting or arguing with that person
	1. 당신 뭐야? / 너 뭐야? = who do you think you are? what are you?
	2. 당신 뭐가 문제야? / 너 뭐가 문제야? = what is your problem?
2. you are **translating a foreign language** and you absolutely must have *a word for "you"*
3. you are **writing or singing a song**, or using indirect language in general
	1. (both 2 and 3)
	2. 당신의 눈은 참 아름다워요 = your eyes are so beautiful
	3. 당신에게 이 노래를 바칩니다 = I dedicate this song to you
4. you are addressing your spouse (commonly used among middle-aged or older people)[^1]
	1. 당신 지금 어디예요? = honey, where are you?
	2. 당신 지금 어디야? = honey, where are you?
5. (rare case) you are talking about someone (**who is not present**) in an honorific way and *want to say "he" or "she"*

### 괜찮아요

1. Present tense = 괜찮아요
2. Past tense = 괜찮았어요
3. Future tense = 괜찮을 거예요

uses:

1. I am okay / I am alright / Everything is fine [^4]
2. Do not worry [^5]
3. It is good [^6]
4. I'm good / I'm cool/  No, thanks [^7]

### Slang

- 맞을래? - do you want to be hit? [^8]
- 죽을래? - do you want to die? [^8]

### Word builder

#### 학

**학** is related to "learning", "studying", "school"

- 학 + 생 (person, member, participant) = 학생 = student
- 학 + 교 (school) = 학교 = school
- 학 + 원 (house, garden) = 학원 = private academy
- 수 (number) + 학 = 수학 = mathematics
- 과 (subject, class, species) + 학 = 과학 = science
- 어 (word) + 학 = 어학 = language learning
- 언어 (word + word) + 학 = 언어학 = linguistics
- 경제 (economy) + 학 = 경제학 = economics
- 학 + 년 (year) = 학년 = school year (grade)
- 학 + 기 (period) = 학기 = semester
- 방 (to release, let go) + 학 = 방학 = school vacation
- 장학금 = scholarship
- 장학생 = student on a scholarship
- 복학생 = student who has returned to school (usually) after a long break, returning student
- 독학 = self-study, studying by oneself

#### 실

**실** is related to "room"

- 교 (school, teach) + 실 = 교실 = classroom
- 연습 (practice) + 실 = 연습실 = practice room
- 사무 (office work, desk job) + 실 = 사무실 = office
- 병 (disease) + 실 = 병실 = hospital room, patient's room
- 대기 (wait) + 실 = 대기실 = waiting room
- 화장 (makeup) + 실 = 화장실 = toilet, bathroom
- 분장 ((stage/theatre)makeup) + 실 = 분장실 = dressing room, backstage room (specific to stage/theatre makeup)
- 회의 (meet) + 실 = 회의실 = meeting room, conference room
- 실 + 장 (head, leader) = 실장 = head of the office
- 실 + 내 (inside) = 실내 = indoors
- 실 + 외 (outside) = 실외 = outdoors, outside

[^1]: other words that can replace 당신 in this usage are 여보 (most common) and 자기 (more common among young couples)

#### 동

동 is related to movement, move, to move

- 운 (to tranport) + 동 = 운동 = exercise, workout
- 작 (to make) + 동 = 작동 = operation (of a device)
- 활 (to flow, to be alive) + 동 = 활동 = activity[^2]
- 연 (to connect) + 동 = 연동 = linkage, interlocking[^3]
- 동 + 영(to project) + 상(image) = 동영상 = video

#### 중

중 means "center" or "middle"

- 중 + 학교 (school) = 중학교 (middle school)
- 중 + 식 (eat) = 중식 (format name for "lunch")
- 회의 (meeting, conference) + 중 = 회의중 (meeting in progress)
- 공사 (construction) + 중 = 공사중 (under construction)

[^2]: 온라인 활동 = online activities

[^3]: ex: 페이스복 연동

[^4]: ex You slip and fall and someone asks you if you are alright

[^5]: ex: your friend is worrying about something and you want to tell them to not worry

[^6]: you refer to something as "cool", "good" or "recommendable"

[^7]: your friend offers you a drink and you want to politely refuse it

[^8]: not literally, used to express annoyance or "don't" in informal way


#### 불

`부/불` means "not"

- 불 (not) + 안 (comfortable) = 불안 = anxiety, anxious[^12]
	- 불안하다 >> action >> 불안하 + 아/어/여하다 = 불안해하다
	- 불안해하지 마세요 = Don't be anxious
- 불 (not) + 편 (comfortable, convenient) = 불편 = invonvenient, uncomfortable
- 불 (not) + 완전 (complete) = 불완전 = incomplete
- 불 (not) + 균형 (balance) = 불균형 = imbalance
- 불 (not) + 만 (full) = 불만 = complaint[^9][^10]
- 부 (not) + 정확 (correct) = 부정확[^11] = incorrect/inaccurate
- 부 (not) + 주의 (attention) = 부주의[^11] = carelessness
	- 제 부주의로 사고가 났어요 = I was careless, so it caused an accident
- 부 (not) + 당 (correct, right) = 부당[^11] = wrong, unfair, unjust
- 부 (not) + 적절 (proper) = 부적걸 = inappropriate, improper

[^9]: 저한테 불만 있어요? = Do you have any complaints against me?/Do you have a problem with me?

[^10]: 만죽 = satisfaction/be pleased

[^11]: 불 is pronounced and written as 부 when the consonant that follis is ㄷ or ㅈ

[^12]: can also mean `unstable` for example 불안해요 = It doesn't look stable