digital_jungle/_notes/Korean phrases.md
2025-08-25 14:25:33 +02:00

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Korean phrases

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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 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 2
  2. Do not worry 3
  3. It is good 4
  4. I'm good / I'm cool/ No, thanks 5

Slang

  • 맞을래? - do you want to be hit? 6
  • 죽을래? - do you want to die? 6

Word builder

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

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

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 = activity7
  • 연 (to connect) + 동 = 연동 = linkage, interlocking8
  • 동 + 영(to project) + 상(image) = 동영상 = video

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)

부/불 means "not"

  • 불 (not) + 안 (comfortable) = 불안 = anxiety, anxious9
    • 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 = complaint1011
  • 부 (not) + 정확 (correct) = 부정확12 = incorrect/inaccurate
  • 부 (not) + 주의 (attention) = 부주의12 = carelessness
    • 제 부주의로 사고가 났어요 = I was careless, so it caused an accident
  • 부 (not) + 당 (correct, right) = 부당12 = wrong, unfair, unjust
  • 부 (not) + 적절 (proper) = 부적걸 = inappropriate, improper

  1. other words that can replace 당신 in this usage are 여보 (most common) and 자기 (more common among young couples) ↩︎

  2. ex You slip and fall and someone asks you if you are alright ↩︎

  3. ex: your friend is worrying about something and you want to tell them to not worry ↩︎

  4. you refer to something as "cool", "good" or "recommendable" ↩︎

  5. your friend offers you a drink and you want to politely refuse it ↩︎

  6. not literally, used to express annoyance or "don't" in informal way ↩︎

  7. 온라인 활동 = online activities ↩︎

  8. ex: 페이스복 연동 ↩︎

  9. can also mean unstable for example 불안해요 = It doesn't look stable ↩︎

  10. 저한테 불만 있어요? = Do you have any complaints against me?/Do you have a problem with me? ↩︎

  11. 만죽 = satisfaction/be pleased ↩︎

  12. 불 is pronounced and written as 부 when the consonant that follis is ㄷ or ㅈ ↩︎