Essential Vocabulary to remember
There are so many words in Korean, however, it is very hard to remember all of them. This is a list of words that I think are essential and that I should always remember. To memorize them just read this everyday. I’ll be adding more whenever I find new words, so keep checking this post for updates. Feel free to use this as a reference as well!
안녕히 가세요: Good-bye! (to one who is leaving). Tip: 가 means go.
안녕히 계세요: Good-bye! (to one who is staying).
수고하십니다: Hello! (to someone working)
수고하세요: Good-bye! (to someone working)
수고하셨어요: Thank you for helping me or Well done!
여보세요: Hello! or Hey there! (Hello on the telephone, or when peering into a dark house. Also means Look here!)
만나서 반갑습니다: Nice to meet you; nice to see you.
처음뵙겠습니다: Pleased to make your acquaintance.
또 뵙겠습니다: See you later! (Formal).
또 봐요: See you later! (Polite).
앉으세요: Please take a seat/sit down.
어떻게 지내세요?: How are you doing?
모든 것이 괜찮습니다!: It’s all good!
이름이 뭐예요?: What is your name?
성함이 어떻게 되서요?: What is you name? (Formal)
어디에서 오셨어요?: Where are you from?
나는 (insert country here) 사람이에요: I am (insert country here) person.
나 는(insert country + 에) 살고 있습니다: I live in (interest country here).
실례햅니다: Excuse me (for what I’m doing).
실례했습니다: Excuse me (for what I did).
실례하겠습니다: Excuse me (for what I’m about to do).
미안합니다 or 죄송합니다: I’m Sorry or Excuse me.
아니오, 괜찮아요: Not at all, it’s alright; No, thanks.
천만에요 or 뭘요: You’re welcome! or Don’t mention it!
Good to remember if you’re ever speaking to a Korean person:
듣기만 하세요: Just listen , please.
따라 하세요: Please repeat (after me).
다시 말씀해 주세요: Please say it for me again. Please repeat.
크게 말씀해 주세요: Please say it loudly.
천천히 말씀해 주세요: Please say it slowly.
한국말로 하세요: Please say it in Korean.
영어로 하지 마세요: Please don’t say it in English.
알겠어요?: Do you understand?
네, 알겠어요: Yes, I understand.
아니오, 모르겠어요: No, I don’t understand.
네, 있어요: Yes, I have/Yes, there are.
십 분만 쉽시다: Let’s rest for ten minutes.
늦어서 죄송합니다: Sorry I’m late.
“Insert word here” 한국어로 뭐예요?: How do you say “insert word here” in Korean?
“Insert Korean word here” 이라고 해요: You say “insert Korean word here.”
Ways to connect sentences:
그래서: And so…, And then…, Therefore…
그래도: Even so…, Nevertheless
그리고: And also…, And then…
그런데: But…, And then…, By the way…
교수(님): Professor (honorific)
선생(님): Teacher (honorific)
박사(님): Dr., Ph.D (honorific)
부모(님): Parents (honorific)
아저씨: Mister (way of referring to or addressing a man old enough to be married).
아가씨: Young Lady (way to referring to or address an unmarried young woman).
전부: The whole thing, total
전부다: Everything, all of it
기숙사: Dormitory, residence hall
학생회관: Student union [building]
회장실: Toilet, restroom, bathroom, washroom
정문: Main gate (e.g., of a university)
바로: Just, right (below, above, etc.), straight (adverb)
있어요: It exists, there is/are
없어요: It does not exist, there is not/aren’t
Miscellaneous Vocabulary:
그러면: Then, in that case, if so
저 NOUN: Yon NOUN, That NOUN [way] over there
무슨 NOUN: Which/what kind of NOUN?
어느 NOUN: Which/what (one/NOUN)?
안에: Inside (안 tends to mean the inside of loosely filled spaces: a room, a building, a garden…)
속에: Inside (속 tends to mean the inside of things which are normally well filled or which are easily filled up: a suitcase, a drawer…)
위에: Above, over, on (top)
밑에: At the bottom, below under(neath)
아래 (에): Below, lower, down (에 is not pronounced)
근처에: Near, in the vicinity of
편 (or 쪽에): Side, direction
맞은편에: Across from, opposite
건너편에: Across from, opposite
그래요?: Is that so? Really?
뭘 찾아요?: What are you looking for?
