Korean Trip Kit50 Korean phrases for your trip, with pronunciation

Greet, thank, apologise, get attention, admit you don't understand.

1. 안녕하세요 annyeonghaseyo (an-nyeong-ha-se-yo, even stress)
   Hello (any time of day)
   One greeting covers morning, afternoon and evening. Staff shout 'eoseo oseyo!' (welcome) as you walk in; a nod or a soft 'annyeonghaseyo' is the whole reply, and a small bow of the head goes with it instead of a handshake. The bare 'annyeong' is for kids and close friends, never for staff.
   어서 오세요! – 안녕하세요. — Welcome! – Hello.
2. 안녕히 주무세요 annyeonghi jumuseyo (an-nyeong-hi ju-mu-se-yo) formal
   Good night (bedtime only; there is no 'good evening')
   Korean has no greeting that switches on in the evening: 'annyeonghaseyo' is right at 9 pm as at 9 am. This is the one time-based greeting, and you will mostly hear it rather than say it: hotel and guesthouse staff say it (or 'pyeonhi swiseyo', rest well) as you head up to bed, and the natural reply to staff is 'ne, sugohaseyo' or 'gamsahamnida'. Say it yourself only to a guesthouse or homestay host; never when leaving a restaurant. Friends and family get 'jal ja' (sleep well).
   안녕히 주무세요. – 네, 수고하세요. — Good night. – Thanks, good night (lit. keep up the good work).
3. …주세요 juseyo (ju-se-yo)
   Please (give me…) / …, please
   There is no standalone 'please': you name the thing, then end with 'juseyo' (please give me). Slip 'jom' in front of it ('mul jom juseyo') and the request sounds softer, which is the Korean equivalent of adding 'please'. For a favour rather than an object, 'butakdeurimnida' (I ask this of you) is the polite closer.
   물 좀 주세요. – 네, 잠시만요. — Some water, please. – Yes, just a moment.
4. 감사합니다 gamsahamnida (gam-sa-ham-ni-da) formal
   Thank you
   'Gamsahamnida' and 'gomapseumnida' are interchangeable; both are polite enough for anyone. The textbook 'cheonmaneyo' (you're welcome) is rarely said; you will hear 'ne' (sure), 'anieyo' (it's nothing) or just a bow. Korea has no tipping: not in restaurants, taxis or hotels, and a note left on the table will be handed back to you. The thank-you and a nod are the tip.
   감사합니다! – 네, 안녕히 가세요. — Thank you! – Sure, goodbye.
5. 저기요 / 죄송합니다 jeogiyo / joesonghamnida (jwe-song-ham-ni-da)
   Excuse me (to call staff) / Sorry
   Two different words. 'Jeogiyo' (literally 'over there') is how you call a waiter or stop a passer-by; say it clearly across the room, it is normal, and many restaurants have a call button on the table for the same job. For bumping into someone or a mild apology say 'joesonghamnida'; to interrupt a stranger with a question, 'sillyehamnida' (excuse me).
   저기요! 주문할게요. – 네, 갈게요. — Excuse me! We'd like to order. – Yes, coming.
6. 잠시만요 jamsimanyo (jam-si-man-yo)
   Excuse me (to get past) / Just a moment
   The word for squeezing through a packed subway car, a market or a queue; 'naerilgeyo' (I'm getting off) at the doors makes people step aside. It also means 'hold on a second', so staff say it back to you constantly. Trap: Seoul escalators are a stand-right, walk-left affair, and blocking the left side earns you a sharper 'jamsimanyo'.
   잠시만요, 내릴게요! – 아, 네. — Excuse me, I'm getting off! – Oh, sure.
7. 네 / 아니요 ne / aniyo (a-ni-yo)
   Yes / No
   'Ne' also means 'I'm listening', so a stream of 'ne, ne' from a clerk is not agreement. A bare 'aniyo' sounds abrupt; the polite no for bags, samples, loyalty cards and the rare street seller is 'aniyo, gwaenchanayo' (no, I'm fine) with a small hand wave. Plastic bags cost a little at every till, so 'bongtu piryohaseyo?' comes up daily.
   봉투 필요하세요? – 아니요, 괜찮아요. — Do you need a bag? – No, I'm fine.
8. 영어 할 줄 아세요? yeongeo hal jul aseyo (yeong-eo hal jul a-se-yo)
   Do you speak English?
   Asking in Korean first gets you a real effort; the usual answer is 'jogeumyo' (a little) or a younger colleague being fetched. Most Koreans read English better than they speak it, so typing the question or showing Papago works better than repeating it louder. If you are stuck anywhere, 1330 is the tourist hotline, 24 hours, in English, and it will interpret over the phone for you.
   실례합니다, 영어 할 줄 아세요? – 조금요. — Excuse me, do you speak English? – A little.
9. 잘 못 알아들었어요 jal mot aradeureosseoyo (jal mo-da-ra-deu-reo-sseo-yo: the t of 'mot' runs into the next vowel as a d)
   I didn't catch that / I don't understand
   Pair it with 'cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo' (please speak slowly) and people simplify. 'Hangugeo mot haeyo' (I can't speak Korean) shuts the conversation down harder, so keep this one for when you want them to try again. 'Ne, algesseoyo' (got it) is your reply once it is clear; 'arasseoyo' means the same but sounds curt to staff.
   잘 못 알아들었어요. 천천히 말해 주세요. — I didn't catch that. Please speak slowly.
10. 안녕히 계세요 / 안녕히 가세요 annyeonghi gyeseyo / annyeonghi gaseyo (gye-se-yo, ga-se-yo) formal
    Goodbye (you're leaving) / Goodbye (they're leaving)
    Two forms, chosen by who is moving: say 'gyeseyo' (stay well) to the shopkeeper you leave behind, and 'gaseyo' (go well) to someone walking away from you. Get it wrong and nobody minds. Getting out of a taxi or leaving a shop, 'sugohaseyo' (keep up the good work) is what locals actually say, and staff answer with 'annyeonghi gaseyo'.
    감사합니다, 안녕히 계세요. – 네, 안녕히 가세요. — Thanks, goodbye. – Sure, goodbye.

Get a table, order, pay, be polite about food.

1. 두 명이요 du myeong-iyo (du myeong-i-yo)
   Two of us (a table for two)
   Wait by the door; staff ask 'myeot bun-iseyo?' (how many?) and you answer with the native number plus 'myeong': han myeong, du myeong, se myeong, ne myeong. Holding up fingers works everywhere. Trap: many casual places have a kiosk or a tablet on the table for ordering and paying, so no one comes to take your order; look for a button marked 호출 (call) if you need a human.
   몇 분이세요? – 두 명이요. – 이쪽으로 앉으세요. — How many? – Two. – Sit over here.
2. …(으)로 할게요 …(eu)ro halgeyo (hal-ge-yo) frame
   I'll have… / I'd like…
   Frame: the dish, then '-euro halgeyo' after a consonant or '-ro halgeyo' after a vowel or ㄹ; it is how Koreans answer 'jumun hasigesseoyo?' (ready to order?), with 'jeoneun' (as for me) in front when each person orders their own. For a quantity switch to '-juseyo': 'bibimbap hana juseyo', 'du gae juseyo'. 'Igeo juseyo' (this one, please) while pointing at the picture or the wall menu is the shortcut and no one blinks. Expect free side dishes (banchan) to arrive whatever you ordered.
   저는 비빔밥으로 할게요. 음료는 생맥주로 할게요. — I'll have the bibimbap. For a drink, I'll have a draught beer.
3. 메뉴판 주세요 menyupan juseyo (me-nyu-pan ju-se-yo)
   The menu, please
   'Menyupan' is the physical menu; in many local restaurants it is the board on the wall, and there may be nothing else. 'Yeongeo menyu isseoyo?' asks for an English one, common in Seoul's tourist areas; elsewhere a camera-translation app fills the gap. 'Mwoga masisseoyo?' (what's good?) gets a recommendation.
   메뉴판 주세요. 영어 메뉴 있어요? – 네, 여기요. — The menu, please. Do you have an English menu? – Yes, here.
4. 아메리카노 하나 주세요 amerikano hana juseyo (a-me-ri-ka-no ha-na)
   A coffee (= an americano), please
   'A coffee' in Korea means an americano, and asking for 'keopi' just gets you the question 'which one?'. You will be asked 'ttatteutan geo, aiseu?' (hot or iced?) all year, and many locals take it iced even in January. A milky coffee is 'kape rate' (카페라테); a Starbucks americano is 4,700 won, the budget chains (Mega, Compose, Paik's) charge 1,500–2,500, and cafés are everywhere and open late.
   아메리카노 하나 주세요. – 따뜻한 거요, 아이스요? – 아이스요. — One americano, please. – Hot or iced? – Iced.
5. 물 좀 주세요 mul jom juseyo (mul jom ju-se-yo)
   Some water, please (free tap water)
   Nobody asks still or sparkling: water is free, either brought in a metal jug or taken yourself from a dispenser under a 물은 셀프 (water is self-service) sign; sometimes it is barley tea (boricha). Sparkling water is 'tansansu', bottled and paid for, mostly in cafés and convenience stores. Free water and free side-dish refills are the Korean norm, so ask 'banchan deo juseyo' without guilt.
   물 좀 주세요. – 물은 셀프예요. — Some water, please. – Water is self-service.
6. 계산해 주세요 gyesanhae juseyo (gye-san-hae ju-se-yo)
   The bill, please
   The bill will not come to the table: in most restaurants you pick up the slip clipped to the table (or just stand up) and pay at the counter by the door on your way out. Say this if you are unsure where to pay. 'Ttaro gyesanhae juseyo' asks to pay separately; no tip, ever, and do not round up.
   계산해 주세요. – 네, 카운터로 오세요. — The bill, please. – Sure, come to the counter.
7. 카드 돼요? kadeu dwaeyo (ka-deu dwae-yo)
   Can I pay by card?
   Cards are taken almost everywhere, including taxis, convenience stores and many market stalls, and a foreign Visa or Mastercard works in nearly all of them; carry a little cash for street food and traditional markets. Trap: transport runs on a T-money card, bought empty at any convenience store for about 3,000 won and topped up in cash at the counter or at the station machines. A foreign card cannot load a physical T-money card: the subway kiosks that took overseas cards from March 2026 sell single-ride tickets and short Climate Card passes only (about 3.7% fee), and the Mobile T-money app takes Mastercard, Amex and UnionPay but not Visa. Phone wallets like Kakao Pay and Naver Pay need a Korean account, so ignore those kiosk buttons.
   카드 돼요? – 네, 됩니다. — Can I pay by card? – Yes, that works.
8. 건배! geonbae (geon-bae; 'bae' like 'bay')
   Cheers!
   Wait for everyone to be poured before the toast; friends shout 'jjan!'. Drinking etiquette matters more than the word: pour for others with two hands, never fill your own glass, hold yours lower than an older person's when clinking, and turn your head slightly away when you drink with someone senior. The first round of soju is drunk in one go.
   건배! – 건배! — Cheers! – Cheers!
9. 잘 먹겠습니다 / 잘 먹었습니다 jal meokgetseumnida / jal meogeotseumnida formal
   (Before eating) / It was delicious, thank you (after eating)
   Staff say 'masitge deuseyo' (enjoy your meal) as the food lands; your reply, and what you say to anyone who is paying, is 'jal meokgetseumnida' (I will eat well). 'Jal meogeotseumnida' (I ate well) at the counter on the way out is the compliment owners remember. Everyone eats from the shared side dishes with their own chopsticks; that is normal, not rude.
   맛있게 드세요! – 잘 먹겠습니다. …잘 먹었습니다! — Enjoy your meal! – Thank you, I will. …That was great, thank you!
10. 부가세 별도 / 봉사료 bugase byeoldo / bongsaryo (bu-ga-se byeol-do, bong-sa-ryo) sign
    VAT not included / Service charge (there is no tipping)
    Ordinary restaurant prices are what you pay: no cover charge, no tipping, and side dishes and water are free (a 'seobiseu' item on the table is a freebie from the owner). The line that surprises tourists is at hotels and upscale restaurants: 부가세 별도 (VAT excluded) means add 10%, and 봉사료 (service charge) adds another 10% on top; 부가세 포함 (VAT included) means the number is final. Korea's real cover charge is at bars: 기본 안주 (basic snack) is a compulsory plate of nuts or fruit, 5,000–10,000 won or more, put on the bill whether you touch it or not.
    표시된 가격은 부가세 별도입니다. 봉사료 10%가 부가됩니다. — Prices shown exclude VAT. A 10% service charge is added.

Ask prices, pay, browse without buying, read the two signs that matter.

1. …얼마예요? …eolmayeyo (eol-ma-ye-yo) frame
   How much is…?
   Frame: the item, then 'eolmayeyo', or just 'eolmayeyo?' while pointing. 'Da haeseo eolmayeyo?' asks for the total. Prices come in Sino-Korean numbers and big units: 'cheon' is a thousand, 'man' is ten thousand, so 'man won' is 10,000 won; sellers will tap the figure into a calculator or phone if you look lost.
   이거 얼마예요? 이 가방 얼마예요? — How much is this? How much is this bag?
2. 너무 비싸요 neomu bissayo (neo-mu bi-ssa-yo)
   That's too expensive
   Only for markets and street stalls (Namdaemun, Dongdaemun, Gwangjang), where 'jom kkakka juseyo' (knock a bit off, please) is a friendly game and often gets a small discount or a free extra. In shops, department stores, chains and cafés prices are fixed and haggling is rude. Walk away politely with 'gwaenchanayo'.
   너무 비싸요. 좀 깎아 주세요. – 그럼 만 원에 드릴게요. — That's too expensive. Can you give me a discount? – Then I'll do it for 10,000 won.
3. 현금 / 카드 hyeongeum / kadeu (hyeon-geum, ka-deu)
   Cash / card (how would you like to pay?)
   The till question is 'gyeolje eotteoke hasigesseoyo?' (how will you pay?); answer 'kadeu-yo' or 'hyeongeum-iyo'. Three more questions follow at chain tills: 'yeongsujeung deurilkkayo?' (receipt?), 'bongtu piryohaseyo?' (bag?) and 'jeongnip haseyo?' (loyalty points?); 'aniyo, gwaenchanayo' answers all of them. Hand your card over or tap; there is no PIN for most foreign cards.
   결제 어떻게 하시겠어요? – 카드요. — How would you like to pay? – Card.
4. 영수증 주세요 yeongsujeung juseyo (yeong-su-jeung ju-se-yo)
   The receipt, please
   No legal duty to take one, and cashiers ask 'yeongsujeung deurilkkayo?' expecting 'aniyo, gwaenchanayo'. Say yes when it matters: purchases of 15,000 won or more on one receipt at shops marked Tax Free (the floor was cut from 30,000 in 2024) can refund most of the 10% VAT to foreign visitors (7 to 8% after the operator's fee), either on the spot at the till (show your passport) or at the airport kiosks with the receipts. In a taxi the card reader prints one if you ask.
   영수증 드릴까요? – 네, 주세요. — Would you like a receipt? – Yes, please.
5. 그냥 구경할게요 geunyang gugyeonghalgeyo (geu-nyang gu-gyeong-hal-ge-yo)
   I'm just looking, thanks
   The answer to 'chajeusineun geo isseuseyo?' (looking for something?). In Myeongdong cosmetics shops and market stalls staff shadow you with samples and English; this line plus a smile sends them off without offence. 'Gwaenchanayo' alone also works, and there is no need to buy after handling goods.
   찾으시는 거 있으세요? – 아니요, 그냥 구경할게요. — Are you looking for anything? – No, I'm just looking.
6. 이게 다예요 ige dayeyo (i-ge da-ye-yo)
   That's all, thanks
   Ends the order at a bakery counter, street stall or market: 'deo piryohan geo eopseuseyo?' (nothing more?) gets 'ne, ige dayeyo'. Note that the 'ne' here agrees with the negative question, so it means 'right, nothing more'. Avoid a blunt 'dwaesseoyo' (that's enough), which can sound irritated.
   더 필요한 거 없으세요? – 네, 이게 다예요. — Anything else? – No, that's all.
7. 이거 하나 주세요 igeo hana juseyo (i-geo ha-na ju-se-yo)
   One of these, please
   Point and say it: works for hotteok, tteokbokki, a pastry, a subway single ticket at the counter. 'Hana' is one, 'du gae' two, 'se gae' three, using native numbers. The follow-up is 'deusigo gaseyo, pojang-iseyo?' (eat here or take away?): 'meokgo galgeyo' to stay, 'pojang-iyo' to take away.
   이거 하나 주세요. – 드시고 가세요, 포장이세요? – 포장이요. — One of these, please. – Eat here or take away? – Take away.
8. …있어요? …isseoyo (i-sseo-yo) frame
   Do you have…?
   Frame: the thing, then 'isseoyo?'; the same word with a flat tone is the answer 'we have it', and 'eopseoyo' is 'we don't'. Clothing often comes in one 'free size' (프리 사이즈), which is small by Western standards, and shoe sizes are in millimetres (250 is roughly a UK 6 / US women's 8). 'Jari isseoyo?' asks if a restaurant has a free table.
   더 큰 사이즈 있어요? 영어 메뉴 있어요? — Do you have a bigger size? Do you have an English menu?
9. 영업중 / 영업 종료 yeongeopjung / yeongeop jongnyo (yeong-eop-jung, jong-nyo) sign
   Open / Closed
   The door signs, often with English underneath; 준비중 (preparing) also means closed and hangs during the 'break time' many restaurants take between lunch and dinner, roughly 3 to 5. No siesta otherwise: shops open around 10, close around 9 or 10 at night, cafés later, and convenience stores are 24 hours. 정기휴무 is the weekly closing day, 휴무 a day off.
   영업중. – 준비중: 브레이크 타임 15:00~17:00. — Open. – Getting ready: break time 3 to 5 pm.
10. 세일 / 계산대 seil / gyesandae (se-il, gye-san-dae) sign
    Sale / Checkout
    'Seil' is the sale, 'harin' a discount; department stores run big ones in January and July. '1+1' (won-peulleoseu-won) on convenience-store shelves is buy one get one free and is real. 'Gyesandae' is the till, 'gyesan' means paying; 셀프 계산대 is self-checkout, which usually accepts foreign cards.
    겨울 세일 최대 50% 할인. 계산은 계산대에서 해 주세요. — Winter sale, up to 50% off. Please pay at the checkout.

Find things, buy a ticket, read the signs you walk past.

1. …어디예요? …eodiyeyo (eo-di-ye-yo) frame
   Where is…?
   Frame: the place, then 'eodiyeyo?'; in speech the subject particle 'i/ga' after the place is optional. Open with 'sillyehamnida'. Locals often walk you there rather than explain; if they do explain, the answer uses oenjjok, oreunjjok, jjuk gaseyo (left, right, straight).
   출구가 어디예요? 편의점이 어디예요? — Where is the exit? Where is the convenience store?
2. 화장실이 어디예요? hwajangsiri eodiyeyo (hwa-jang-si-ri eo-di-ye-yo)
   Where is the bathroom?
   Free public toilets are everywhere: every subway station (usually outside the ticket gates), parks, department stores and cafés. Doors say 남 or 남자 for men and 여 or 여자 for women. Trap: in older buildings the toilet paper is on one big roll by the entrance, so take some before you go in, and a bin beside the toilet means paper goes there, not in the bowl.
   화장실이 어디예요? – 저쪽 계단 옆에 있어요. — Where is the bathroom? – Over there, next to the stairs.
3. 지하철역이 어디예요? jihacheollyeogi eodiyeyo (ji-ha-cheol-lyeo-gi)
   Where is the subway station?
   'Yeok' is any station: 'jihacheollyeok' subway, 'gichayeok' train, and 'Seoul-yeok' (Seoul Station) is where the KTX and airport train meet. Trap: Google Maps gives poor or no walking directions in Korea; use Naver Map or Kakao Map, both in English, and note that Koreans navigate by subway exit number, not street names.
   지하철역이 어디예요? – 쭉 가시면 3번 출구가 보여요. — Where is the subway station? – Go straight and you'll see exit 3.
4. 부산 가는 표 한 장 주세요 busan ganeun pyo han jang juseyo (pyo han jang)
   One ticket to Busan, please
   'Pyeondo' is one way, 'wangbok' return, 'han jang' one ticket (jang counts flat things). KTX seats are all reserved, and popular trains sell out on Friday evenings and holidays, so book on the Korail Talk app (English, foreign cards accepted) or at the counter; 입석 is a cheaper standing ticket. Show the ticket on your phone; nothing gets stamped.
   부산 가는 표 한 장 주세요. – 편도요, 왕복이요? – 편도요. — One ticket to Busan, please. – One way or return? – One way.
5. 몇 번 승강장이에요? myeot beon seunggangjang-ieyo (seung-gang-jang-i-e-yo)
   Which platform?
   Station signs say 타는 곳 (boarding place) with the number, and the answer uses Sino-Korean numbers: il, i, sam, sa. KTX boards show the platform about ten minutes before departure, and each car number is painted on the platform floor. On the subway there are no platform numbers; you choose by direction, 방면 plus the name of the last station.
   부산행 몇 번 승강장이에요? – 삼 번 타는 곳이요. — Which platform for Busan? – Boarding area three.
6. 왼쪽 / 오른쪽 / 쭉 가세요 oenjjok / oreunjjok / jjuk gaseyo (wen-jjok, o-reun-jjok)
   Left / right / straight on
   What every answer contains: 'jjuk gaseyo' is keep going straight (직진 on signs and in navigation apps), 'sageori' a crossroads, 'geonneopyeon' across the road, 'golmok' an alley. Distances come as minutes on foot. Directions are given with the hand and often finished with 'geunyang ttaraoseyo' (just follow me).
   쭉 가다가 사거리에서 왼쪽으로 가세요. — Go straight, then turn left at the intersection.
7. 입구 / 출구 ipgu / chulgu (ip-gu, chul-gu) sign
   Entrance / Exit
   Subway exits are numbered and are how Koreans give meeting points and directions: 'sam beon chulgu' is exit 3, always in Sino-Korean numbers. Subway signage also uses 나가는 곳 (way out) for exit and 타는 곳 for platforms. 비상구 is the emergency exit; 출입구 means both entrance and exit.
   3번 출구로 나가세요. — Go out through exit 3.
8. 미시오 / 당기시오 misio / danggisio (mi-si-o, dang-gi-si-o) sign
   Push / Pull
   The door words use an old-fashioned written command form (-시오) you will only see on signs; spoken, staff would say 'miseyo' and 'danggiseyo'. Most doors also carry PUSH / PULL in English. 자동문 is an automatic door, and a sign reading 손대지 마시오 means do not touch.
   미시오. – 당기시오. — Push. – Pull.
9. 내리실 때 카드를 대 주세요 naerisil ttae kadeureul dae juseyo (dae ju-se-yo) sign
   Tap your card when getting off (tap in AND tap out)
   Nothing gets stamped in Korea; the fined mistake is the T-money tap. Tap the reader when you board a bus and again at the rear door as you get off: skip the tap-out and you lose the free transfer to the next bus or subway within 30 minutes and are charged extra on your next ride. Subway gates tap in and out too, and riding without a valid tap costs the fare plus a penalty of 30 times the base fare.
   타실 때와 내리실 때 카드를 꼭 대 주세요. — Please be sure to tap your card when boarding and when getting off.
10. 버스정류장 / 정류장 beoseu jeongnyujang / jeongnyujang (jeong-nyu-jang) sign
    Bus stop / Stop
    Everyone says 'jeongnyujang', but the official word on Seoul stop signs and in the on-board announcement is 정류소 (jeongnyuso): 'ibeon jeongnyuso-neun…' (this stop is…), also played in English on Seoul routes; Busan and Seoul's small green village buses say 정류장. Board at the front door, tap, and press the red 하차벨 (stop bell) before your stop, then get off at the back. Seoul buses are colour-coded: blue for main routes, green for local feeders, red for express to the suburbs.
    이번 정류소는 명동입니다. 다음 정류소는 서울역입니다. — This stop is Myeongdong. The next stop is Seoul Station.

Check in, get online, and get help when something goes wrong.

1. 예약했어요 yeyakaesseoyo (ye-ya-kae-sseo-yo)
   I have a reservation
   The check-in opener; 'seonghami eotteoke doeseyo?' (what is your name?) comes next, so have the booking and your passport ready; hotels copy the passport by law. 'Yeyak' is the same word for a restaurant booking. Check-in is usually from 3 pm, and 'jim matgil su isseoyo?' asks to leave your bags before that.
   안녕하세요, 예약했어요. – 성함이 어떻게 되세요? – 스미스요. — Hello, I have a reservation. – What's your name? – Smith.
2. 키 주세요 ki juseyo (ki ju-se-yo)
   The key, please
   Hotels give a 'kadeu ki' (key card) that goes in the slot by the door to switch on the lights; take it out and everything goes off. Room numbers are read digit by digit in Sino-Korean plus 'ho': 'sam-gong-il ho' for 301, with 'gong' for zero. 'Yeolsoe' is the older word for a metal key.
   키 주세요. 삼공일 호요. – 네, 여기 있습니다. — The key, please. Room 301. – Yes, here you are.
3. 와이파이 비밀번호가 뭐예요? waipai bimilbeonhoga mwoyeyo (bi-mil-beon-ho, mwo-ye-yo)
   What's the Wi-Fi password?
   'Waipai' is Wi-Fi and 'bimilbeonho' the password, shortened to 'bibeon' by everyone under fifty. Cafés print it on the receipt or the wall, hotels on the key sleeve, and Seoul has free public Wi-Fi in subway stations and buses. Most visitors skip all this with an eSIM or a SIM from the airport counters.
   와이파이 비밀번호가 뭐예요? – 영수증에 있어요. — What's the Wi-Fi password? – It's on the receipt.
4. 조식은 몇 시예요? josigeun myeot siyeyo (jo-si-geun myeot si-ye-yo; both 'si' sound like 'shi')
   What time is breakfast?
   'Josik' is the hotel word for breakfast; 'myeot si' is what time, and the answer '…buteo …kkaji' gives from and to. Trap: hours use native Korean numbers ('ilgop si' is seven o'clock) while minutes use Sino-Korean ('sam-sip bun' is thirty minutes). Many budget hotels and motels have no breakfast at all; the convenience store next door is the Korean answer.
   조식은 몇 시예요? – 일곱 시부터 열 시까지예요. — What time is breakfast? – From seven to ten.
5. 도와주세요! dowajuseyo (do-wa-ju-se-yo)
   Help!
   For any situation from a stuck ticket gate to an accident; in real danger 'sallyeo juseyo!' (save me!) is the scream. Two emergency numbers: 112 for police and 119 for fire and ambulance, both with interpreters, and the 119 ambulance itself is free. Korea is very safe; the most likely emergency is a lost phone, and lost items are usually handed in.
   도와주세요! 구급차 불러 주세요! — Help! Call an ambulance!
6. 병원에 가야 해요 byeongwone gaya haeyo (byeong-won-e ga-ya hae-yo)
   I need a doctor (lit. I need to go to a hospital)
   Koreans say 'go to the hospital' even for a cold, because 'byeongwon' covers small walk-in clinics too; no appointment is needed and a visit is quick and cheap. 'Apayo' means it hurts, 'eunggeupsil' is the emergency room. Dial 119 for an ambulance, or 1330, the tourist hotline, which will interpret and find an English-speaking clinic. Bring travel insurance details.
   병원에 가야 해요. 배가 너무 아파요. — I need a doctor. My stomach hurts badly.
7. 약국이 어디예요? yakgugi eodiyeyo (yak-gu-gi eo-di-ye-yo)
   Where is the pharmacy?
   Look for the big character 약 (medicine), usually white on a red or green sign, and there is nearly always one next to a clinic. Pharmacists sell plenty over the counter and understand pointing at the sore spot. Trap: most pharmacies close on Sundays and early evening; convenience stores sell a legal short list of basics (painkillers, cold tablets, plasters) 24 hours.
   약국이 어디예요? – 병원 건물 일 층에 있어요. — Where is the pharmacy? – On the ground floor of the hospital building.
8. 경찰 좀 불러 주세요 gyeongchal jom bulleo juseyo (gyeong-chal jom bul-leo)
   Call the police, please
   112 is police, with an interpreter on request, and 1330 will interpret too. Small stations called 지구대 or 파출소 sit on many main streets, and Myeongdong, Hongdae and Busan's beaches have English-speaking tourist police. For insurance you need a written report; more often the lost wallet turns up, so check lost112.go.kr and the nearest station first.
   경찰 좀 불러 주세요. 지갑을 도둑맞았어요. — Call the police, please. My wallet has been stolen.
9. 길을 잃었어요 gireul ireosseoyo (gi-reul i-reo-sseo-yo)
   I'm lost
   No gendered forms in Korean. Follow it with 'yeogiga eodiyeyo?' (where am I?) or the place plus 'eotteoke gayo?' (how do I get to…?), or show the address on Naver Map; a subway exit number is the most useful thing to point at. Younger people and station staff are your best bet, and many will walk you there.
   길을 잃었어요. 여기가 어디예요? – 여기는 인사동이에요. — I'm lost. Where is this? – This is Insadong.
10. 택시 좀 불러 주세요 taeksi jom bulleo juseyo (taek-si jom bul-leo ju-se-yo)
    Can you call a taxi, please?
    Ask this at a hotel or restaurant, or hail one yourself: taxis are cheap, metered and everywhere, and 빈차 lit on the roof means free. Kakao T has an English mode, but registering a foreign card in it often fails; pick 'pay to driver' and pay the meter by card in the car, or use k.ride, Kakao's app for visitors that takes foreign cards. Drivers rarely speak English, so show the address or the place name in Korean. Black 모범 taxis are the deluxe ones and cost more; all take cards, no tip.
    택시 좀 불러 주세요. – 어디까지 가세요? – 서울역이요. — Can you call a taxi, please? – Where to? – Seoul Station.