Korean you can take with you
Travel Korean: useful phrases for your first day in Korea
Use simple polite Korean to order, ask where something is, and explain that you need help understanding. Learn the situation as well as the phrase.
Prepare one situation at a time
You do not need to learn a whole conversation before travelling. Start with a greeting, a clear request, and a way to ask someone to repeat. Keep important place names written in Korean so you can show them when speaking is difficult.
The expressions below are polite starting points for speaking to people you do not know. Romanization helps you begin reading, but listening to the Korean expression is a better guide to its sound.
At a café or a shop
Point to what you want
This one, please.
Point to a menu item or product. If you know the item’s Korean name, say it in place of 이거.
Ask the price
How much is it?
Use this when the item is clear. The answer may be spoken as a number you do not yet understand, so a displayed price or written amount can help.
You may be asked 드시고 가세요? (“Will you have it here?”). Two useful answers are 여기서 먹을게요 (“I’ll have it here”) and 포장해 주세요 (“Please make it to go”). The exact question can vary by shop.
End with 감사합니다 when you receive help or your order. You do not need to force a long conversation at a busy counter.
Ask where something is
Find a restroom
Where is the restroom?
화장실 means “restroom,” and 어디 means “where.” This is a useful short spoken question.
Use a greeting or 실례합니다 (“Excuse me”) before approaching someone. You can adapt the same short pattern to a place that is clear in context:
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 입구 어디예요? | Where is the entrance? |
| 출구 어디예요? | Where is the exit? |
A person may answer quickly or point. You can confirm the direction by pointing and asking 이쪽이에요? (“Is it this way?”). For a specific destination, show the full name or address rather than relying on a similar-sounding place name.
Show a destination clearly
Showing an address to a taxi driver
Please go here.
Show the destination on your phone or on a written note. 여기로 means “to here,” and 가 주세요 asks the person to go there.
Have the destination ready before the exchange. Check that the address and place name match where you intend to go, especially when a business has several branches. This phrase helps you communicate a destination; it does not replace checking the route.
When you need more time to understand
I don’t speak Korean well.
This politely explains that you are still learning. You can follow it with a request to repeat or slow down.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 다시 말해 주세요. | Please say that again. |
| 천천히 말해 주세요. | Please speak slowly. |
| 영어 가능하세요? | Is English possible? / Do you speak English? |
The other person may not speak English. A polite question, a written note, and a translation tool can work together. Keep your request short and give them time to respond.
Practise a first-day exchange
Imagine these three moments
1. You are at a café and can point to the drink you want.
2. You need to find a restroom.
3. Someone answers, but you did not catch the words.
Check suggested phrases
1. 안녕하세요. 이거 주세요.
Hello. This one, please.
2. 실례합니다. 화장실 어디예요?
Excuse me. Where is the restroom?
3. 다시 말해 주세요.
Please say that again.
Save the expressions you actually expect to use. Before your trip, practise recognising 입구 (entrance), 출구 (exit), and 화장실 (restroom) in Hangul as well as saying them.
Your next small step
Your first Korean phrases: hello, thank you, and polite requests