South Korea received a record 18 million foreign visitors in 2025, and the number keeps climbing in 2026. More tourists means busier streets, faster interactions, and less patience from vendors and transit staff who deal with confused foreigners all day. English signage has improved dramatically — especially after the 2026 GTX-A expansion brought better bilingual displays to major stations — but once you step off the main tourist trail, Korean is all you have. Knowing even a dozen well-chosen phrases changes your entire experience. You stop being someone who needs help and start being someone who can actually engage.
Greetings and Basic Courtesy
Korean culture runs on respect, and greetings are where that respect is performed, not just expressed. When you walk into a shop, a restaurant, or a guesthouse, the first sound you make tells locals everything about whether you made any effort at all.
- Hello / Hi — 안녕하세요 (Annyeonghaseyo) — use this with anyone older than you or in a service context. It literally means “are you at peace?” — a phrase with Buddhist roots that has survived centuries of daily use.
- Thank you — 감사합니다 (Gamsahamnida) — the formal version. Locals will respect you more for using this over the casual 고마워 (gomawo), which is only appropriate between friends.
- Yes / No — 네 (ne) / 아니요 (aniyo) — 네 sounds like “neh” not “nee.” Use it to confirm you understand, not just to agree.
- Sorry / Excuse me — 죄송합니다 (Joesonghamnida) — for stepping on someone’s foot or bumping into them. For getting someone’s attention, use 저기요 (Jeogiyo), which roughly means “over there” but functions like “excuse me.”
- Goodbye (when you’re leaving) — 안녕히 계세요 (Annyeonghi gyeseyo) — literally “stay in peace.” If the other person is also leaving, both say 안녕히 가세요 (Annyeonghi gaseyo), meaning “go in peace.”
A small bow — head and upper body, about 15 degrees — accompanies most of these phrases. You don’t need to perfect it. Just making the gesture shows awareness that you understand interaction here is physical as well as verbal.
Shopping and Markets
Korean numbers have two systems — native Korean and Sino-Korean — and they are used in different situations. Prices use Sino-Korean numbers. Ages use native Korean. You only need to know the price system to survive shopping.
- 1 — 일 (il), 2 — 이 (i), 3 — 삼 (sam), 4 — 사 (sa), 5 — 오 (o)
- 6 — 육 (yuk), 7 — 칠 (chil), 8 — 팔 (pal), 9 — 구 (gu), 10 — 십 (sip)
- 1,000 — 천 (cheon), 10,000 — 만 (man)
Prices are almost always quoted in thousands or ten-thousands. A street food item costing 3,000 KRW (~$2.20) will be said as “삼천 원” (samcheon won). A jacket at 50,000 KRW (~$37) is “오만 원” (oman won).
- How much is this? — 이거 얼마예요? (Igeo eolmayeyo?)
- Too expensive — 너무 비싸요 (Neomu bissayo) — saying this with a gentle laugh often opens a small negotiation at traditional markets, though it won’t work at fixed-price stores.
- Do you have a smaller/bigger size? — 더 작은/큰 사이즈 있어요? (Deo jageun/keun saijeu isseoyo?)
- I’ll take this one — 이거 주세요 (Igeo juseyo) — “juseyo” means “please give me,” and it’s one of the most useful constructions in Korean. Attach almost any noun to it.
Eating and Ordering
Korean restaurants are loud, fast, and wonderfully chaotic. Most tables have a button you press to call the server — a small buzz or bell sound that cuts through the noise of sizzling meat and conversation. You won’t always need to shout 저기요, but it helps to know it.
- This, please — 이거 주세요 (Igeo juseyo) — point at the menu while saying this. Works everywhere.
- One portion / Two portions — 일인분 / 이인분 (il-inbun / i-inbun) — essential at Korean BBQ restaurants where you order by portion size.
- I can’t eat spicy food — 매운 거 못 먹어요 (Maeun geo mot meogeoyo)
- I don’t eat meat / I’m vegetarian — 고기 안 먹어요 (Gogi an meogeoyo) — be aware that many Korean broths are made with anchovy or pork stock even in dishes that appear vegetarian.
- Water, please — 물 주세요 (Mul juseyo) — in most Korean restaurants, water is self-serve from a machine near the entrance. Look for it before asking.
- The bill, please — 계산해 주세요 (Gyesan-hae juseyo) — or simply 계산이요 (Gyesaniyo) said toward the counter.
- It’s delicious — 맛있어요 (Massisseoyo) — say this to any restaurant owner or street vendor and watch what happens to their face. This phrase costs nothing and means everything.
Getting Around
Seoul’s subway system added three new GTX-A stations in early 2026, connecting Suseo, Dongtan, and Suseo-Gangnam in under 20 minutes. The tap of your T-Money card on the entry gate is now the universal rhythm of commuter life — that satisfying beep-click confirming you’re on your way. But getting to the right platform still requires asking questions sometimes.
- Where is [place]? — [장소]가 어디예요? ([Jangso]-ga eodiyeyo?) — replace [장소] with any landmark name.
- How do I get to the subway? — 지하철역이 어디예요? (Jihacheol-yeogi eodiyeyo?)
- Please go to this address — 이 주소로 가주세요 (I jusoro gajuseyo) — show your phone screen to a taxi driver while saying this. Most 2026 taxis use Kakao T or Naver Maps integration, and drivers will often just scan your screen.
- Please turn left / right — 왼쪽으로 가주세요 / 오른쪽으로 가주세요 (Oenjjogeuro gajuseyo / Oreunjjogeuro gajuseyo)
- Stop here, please — 여기서 세워주세요 (Yeogiseo sewojuseyo)
- Is this the train to [station]? — 이 기차 [역]에 가요? (I gicha [yeok]-e gayo?)
Emergency and Problem-Solving
Most travelers never need these phrases. But the one time you do, having them memorized is the difference between panic and control.
- Help! — 도와주세요! (Dowajuseyo!)
- Call the police — 경찰을 불러주세요 (Gyeongchareul bulleojuseyo) — police emergency number in Korea is 112.
- Call an ambulance — 구급차를 불러주세요 (Gugeupchareul bulleojuseyo) — medical emergency number is 119.
- I lost my bag — 가방을 잃어버렸어요 (Gabangeul ireobeoryeosseoyo)
- I don’t feel well — 몸이 안 좋아요 (Momi an joayo)
- Is there a pharmacy nearby? — 근처에 약국 있어요? (Geuncheoe yakguk isseoyo?) — pharmacies display a green cross sign across Korea, identical to most European countries.
- I’m allergic to ___ — ___에 알레르기가 있어요 (___ -e allereugi ga isseoyo)
Korea’s 1330 Tourism Hotline is available 24 hours in English, Japanese, and Chinese. Save it: +82-2-1330. In 2026, they added a text-chat option through KakaoTalk, which is faster during busy travel periods.
Reading the Room: Honorifics, Tone, and When Not to Speak
Korean is a hierarchical language. Every sentence you construct carries information about the relationship between speaker and listener. As a foreigner, you won’t be expected to navigate this perfectly — but knowing the basics prevents awkward moments.
The phrases in this guide use formal polite speech (합쇼체 / hapsyo-che), which is appropriate for all public interactions with strangers. Never use casual speech (반말 / banmal) with someone you’ve just met, regardless of their apparent age. It registers as rude in the same way calling a stranger by their first name would feel abrupt in formal British culture.
Silence also carries meaning in Korea. If a vendor doesn’t respond immediately after you speak, they are not being rude — they may be processing, checking stock, or simply pausing before answering. Filling that pause with repeated louder English is one of the fastest ways to create friction. Say your phrase once, smile, and wait.
When receiving something — a business card, a dish, a purchase — using both hands is a sign of respect. You don’t need to say anything. The gesture speaks for you.
2026 Budget Reality
Understanding what things cost helps you use your phrases correctly. Asking 얼마예요 (how much?) and then looking shocked at the answer reads as rude at fixed-price stores. Knowing the general range means your reactions make sense.
Budget Tier (under 10,000 KRW / ~$7.40)
- Street food — 2,000–5,000 KRW ($1.50–$3.70): tteokbokki, hotteok, gimbap rolls
- Convenience store meal — 4,000–8,000 KRW ($3.00–$5.90)
- Local café drip coffee — 3,000–4,500 KRW ($2.20–$3.30)
Mid-Range Tier (10,000–30,000 KRW / ~$7.40–$22)
- Standard restaurant meal (bibimbap, sundubu jjigae, kimchi jjigae) — 10,000–15,000 KRW ($7.40–$11.10)
- Korean BBQ per person (including sides) — 15,000–25,000 KRW ($11.10–$18.50)
- Subway single journey, Seoul — 1,650–2,150 KRW ($1.22–$1.59) depending on distance, slightly higher after the 2026 fare adjustment
Comfortable Tier (30,000 KRW+ / ~$22+)
- Craft cocktail bar — 18,000–25,000 KRW ($13.30–$18.50) per drink
- Premium hanwoo beef per portion — 30,000–80,000 KRW ($22–$59)
- Intercity KTX train ticket (Seoul–Busan) — 59,800–78,800 KRW ($44–$58) depending on class and advance booking
One phrase that bridges language and payment in 2026: 카드 돼요? (Kadeu dwaeyo?) — “Does card work here?” Most urban vendors now accept contactless payment and Naver Pay, but some traditional market stalls and rural restaurants remain cash-only. Asking before you order saves everyone time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really need Korean phrases if I only visit Seoul?
In Gangnam, Myeongdong, and Hongdae, English is manageable. But even in Seoul, convenience stores, local restaurants, and older neighborhoods like Seongbuk-dong or Mangwon-dong operate almost entirely in Korean. A few phrases dramatically reduce friction and consistently get you better treatment.
How do Koreans react when foreigners try to speak Korean?
The reaction is almost always positive, occasionally enthusiastic. Koreans generally appreciate any effort, however imperfect. Some younger Koreans may switch to English immediately to practice — that’s a compliment, not a rejection of your Korean. Keep going with your phrases anyway.
Is romanization (the English spelling of Korean sounds) reliable enough to use?
Romanization gets you close but not exact — Korean has sounds that don’t map cleanly to English letters. Learning to read Hangul (the Korean alphabet) takes about two to three hours and produces far more accurate pronunciation. Even reading slowly is better than relying on romanized guesses at the word level.
What’s the single most useful phrase to learn before arriving in Korea?
이거 주세요 — Igeo juseyo — “Please give me this one.” Point at anything — a menu item, a product on a shelf, a transit card at a kiosk — and say this. It works in restaurants, markets, convenience stores, and pharmacies. One phrase, hundreds of situations.
Has the K-ETA system changed in 2026, and are there any language considerations at the border?
As of 2026, K-ETA requirements have been adjusted — citizens of several countries including the UK, Australia, and most EU nations qualify for K-ETA-free entry for stays under 90 days. Always verify your country’s current status on the official HiKorea portal before travel, as rules shifted again in early 2026.
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