What Korean phrases should I learn before visiting South Korea?

Greetings and goodbyes

Annyeonghaseyo works at any time of day, usually with a small bow or nod; a literal "good morning" exists, but most people just use annyeonghaseyo. Koreans ask "how are you" far less than English speakers do, mostly after a long gap.

Goodbye depends on who is leaving. Say annyeonghi gyeseyo (stay in peace) when you leave a shop or get out of a taxi, and annyeonghi gaseyo (go in peace) to someone who is leaving. Plain annyeong is for friends and children only.

Polite essentials

The polite -yo ending (gomawoyo, mianhaeyo) is the everyday safe choice. The formal -mnida ending (gamsahamnida, joesonghamnida) is what staff, announcements and younger people speaking to elders use, and it is never wrong for a visitor.

Jeogiyo is for getting attention, not for apologising: say joesonghamnida if you bump someone, and jamsimanyo to squeeze past on the subway. Textbooks teach cheonmaneyo for "you're welcome", but people usually say anieyo or gwaenchanayo.

Eating and drinking

Calling out yeogiyo or jeogiyo to staff is normal in Korean restaurants, not rude, and many tables have a call button. Staff ask how many of you there are; answer du myeong-iyo for two. You often pay at the counter by the door on the way out.

For vegetarians, "no meat" is often not enough. Most kimchi contains salted shrimp or fish sauce, and many soups and stews, doenjang-jjigae included, use anchovy broth (멸치 육수, myeolchi yuksu), so name fish and anchovy explicitly, or look for temple-food and dedicated vegan restaurants. When drinking, younger people pour for elders and receive a glass with both hands.

Shopping and markets

Prices in shops, chains, department stores and convenience stores are fixed, so don't haggle there. Light, friendly bargaining is accepted at traditional markets, street stalls and wholesale areas such as Dongdaemun, especially when you buy several items or pay cash.

Cards are accepted almost everywhere, though some small places and market stalls are cash only. Keep receipts from tax-free shops for the refund at the airport.

Getting around

The most useful taxi pattern is the place plus (eu)ro ga juseyo: gonghang-euro ga juseyo, "to the airport, please". Showing the destination written in Korean on your phone avoids most confusion. Taxis commonly take cards and T-money transit cards, and when you get out, the natural goodbye is annyeonghi gyeseyo, because you are leaving and the driver stays.

Numbers 1-10, 100 and 1,000

Korean has two number systems. Sino-Korean (il, i, sam) is used for money, dates, minutes, phone numbers and anything above 99; native Korean (hana, dul, set) is for counting things and people, hours and age. Both are shown below, Sino-Korean first.

For prices, learn baek (100), cheon (1,000) and especially man (10,000): 10,000 won is man won, and 50,000 won is oman won. Native numbers shorten before a counter word, so two people is du myeong, not dul myeong.

Help and emergencies

Call 112 for police and 119 for fire and ambulance; callers who don't speak Korean can be connected to an interpreter. The 1330 Korea Travel Hotline, run by the Korea Tourism Organization, gives free 24-hour help in English, Japanese and Chinese (dial +82-2-1330 from a foreign phone). It is not an emergency line, but operators can help relay to 112 or 119.

Etiquette that matters more than words

Bow, and let the junior person go first. A slight bow or nod is right with peers and a deeper one with older or senior people. Men often combine it with a handshake.

Two hands. Give and receive money, cards, gifts and drinks with both hands, or with the right hand supported by the left at the wrist.

Age and titles shape everything. Use a family name with a title, or -ssi, rather than someone's given name. Wait for the eldest to start eating, and turn your head slightly when drinking in front of elders.

Two things not to do: don't write a living person's name in red ink (red was used for the names of the dead), and don't stand chopsticks upright in rice, which resembles funeral incense. More in what is considered rude in South Korea.

Frequently asked questions