Survival-first approach: speak early, stay polite
This course uses a survival-first approach: you learn ready-to-use phrases you can say immediately, organized by situations (ordering, asking directions, paying, emergencies) with minimal grammar. Your main goal is to be understood quickly and to sound appropriately polite in public interactions.
In Korea, politeness is not “extra”; it is the default with strangers, staff, and anyone older. The easiest, most widely safe style for travelers is the -요 style (polite, everyday). You can build many useful sentences by attaching -요 endings to key words and patterns.
Polite speech foundations (-요 style) and when to go more formal
The -요 style: your default in daily life
Use -요 style with: shop/restaurant staff, taxi drivers, hotel staff, strangers on the street, coworkers you don’t know well, and most public service situations.
| Function | Common form | Meaning / use |
|---|---|---|
| Statement | …예요/이에요 | “It is …” (identifying) |
| Question | …예요?/이에요? | “Is it …?” / “What is it?” (intonation) |
| Request | … 주세요 | “Please give me …” / “Please do …” |
| Exist / have | 있어요 / 없어요 | “There is / I have” vs “There isn’t / I don’t have” |
| Want to | … 하고 싶어요 | “I want to …” |
When to use formal speech (more official)
Formal speech is used in announcements, news, presentations, and very official customer-service contexts. As a traveler, you mainly need to recognize it and use it in a few high-stakes moments.
- Use formal if you want to sound extra respectful in serious situations (police, hospital, immigration, formal complaints) or when speaking to someone clearly much older and you want maximum politeness.
- Otherwise, -요 style is appropriate and natural.
Examples you may hear (recognition): 감사합니다 (thank you), 죄송합니다 (I’m sorry), …입니다 (it is …). You can safely say 감사합니다 and 죄송합니다 anytime; they are polite and common.
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Compact pronunciation guide (travel-critical sounds)
Korean pronunciation becomes much easier when you focus on a few high-impact points that affect clarity. Practice these with short, slow repetitions, then speed up.
1) Batchim (받침): final consonants at the end of a syllable
Batchim are consonants written at the bottom of a syllable block. In many cases, the final sound is short and unreleased (you stop the airflow).
- Mouth cue: “Stop” the sound—don’t add an extra vowel after it.
- Common pitfall: Saying an extra “uh” after final consonants (e.g., turning
밥into “bap-uh”).
| Written | Typical final sound | Quick cue |
|---|---|---|
ㅂ batchim | like p stop | lips close, no release |
ㄱ batchim | like k stop | back of tongue stops |
ㄷ batchim | like t stop | tongue touches ridge, stop |
ㄴ batchim | n | air through nose |
ㅁ batchim | m | lips closed, nasal |
ㅇ batchim | ng | back nasal (as in “sing”) |
Mini practice: 밥 (bap), 물 (mul), 있어요 (i-sseo-yo). Keep the final consonant short; then move on.
2) ㄹ vs ㄴ/ㄷ: the “Korean R/L”
ㄹ can sound like a light r or l depending on position.
- Between vowels: it’s a quick tap (like a soft “r”):
사람(sa-ram). - At the end (batchim): it’s more like “l”:
물(mul). - Common pitfall: Making it a strong English “r” (too heavy) or turning it into
ㄴ/ㄷ. - Mouth cue: Touch the tongue tip lightly to the ridge behind your upper teeth—quick tap, not a long hold.
3) ㅓ vs ㅗ: a frequent meaning-changing vowel contrast
ㅗis like “oh” with rounded lips (lips forward):오.ㅓis more open and relaxed, like “uh/aw” depending on accent, with less lip rounding:어.- Common pitfall: Rounding lips for
ㅓ, which makes it sound likeㅗ.
Quick drill: 오 (rounded) → 어 (relaxed) → 오 → 어. Keep the jaw slightly more open for ㅓ.
4) ㅡ: the “neutral” vowel
ㅡ is a central vowel often unfamiliar to learners.
- Mouth cue: Smile slightly (lips spread), keep the tongue relaxed and central, and avoid rounding.
- Common pitfall: Turning it into
우(“oo”) by rounding lips.
Examples you’ll meet often: 주세요 (ju-se-yo), 그 (geu), 음식 (eum-sik).
5) Double consonants (ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅆ ㅉ): tense, not “extra air”
Double consonants are tense sounds. They are not simply “stronger” or “longer,” and they are not aspirated (not a big puff of air).
- Mouth cue: Tighten the throat/mouth slightly and start the sound cleanly.
- Common pitfall: Adding too much air (making them sound like ㅋ/ㅌ/ㅍ/ㅊ).
High-frequency example: 조금 (a little) vs 쪼금 (nonstandard spelling sometimes heard). In standard usage, focus on recognizing tense sounds in fast speech.
Phrase pattern toolkit (swap nouns, stay polite)
These patterns let you “plug in” a noun or action and speak immediately. Learn them as whole chunks first; grammar can come later.
Pattern 1: N 주세요 (requests)
Use for: ordering, asking for items, asking someone to do something simple.
Step-by-step:
- Say the noun (item) clearly.
- Add
주세요(“please give [it]”). - If you want “one,” add
하나before the noun.
Swap-in examples:
물 주세요.= Please give me water.커피 주세요.= Please give me coffee.이거 주세요.= Please give me this.영수증 주세요.= Please give me a receipt.
Pattern 2: N 있어요?/없어요? (availability / existence)
Use for: “Do you have…?”, “Is there…?”, “Is it available?”
Step-by-step:
- Say the noun.
- Add
있어요?to ask if it exists/is available. - Use
없어요to say it’s not available.
Swap-in examples:
화장실 있어요?= Is there a restroom?와이파이 있어요?= Is there Wi‑Fi?예약 있어요.= I have a reservation.현금 없어요.= I don’t have cash.
Pattern 3: N 어디예요? (location)
Use for: asking where a place/thing is.
Step-by-step:
- Say the place/thing.
- Add
어디예요?(“Where is it?”).
Swap-in examples:
지하철역 어디예요?= Where is the subway station?출구 어디예요?= Where is the exit?카페 어디예요?= Where is the café?
Pattern 4: ~하고 싶어요 (wants)
Use for: expressing what you want to do (polite, natural).
Step-by-step:
- Choose an action word (often a verb stem or a simple activity noun).
- Add
하고 싶어요(“I want to do…”).
Swap-in examples:
쉬고 싶어요.= I want to rest.먹고 싶어요.= I want to eat.주문하고 싶어요.= I want to order.사진 찍고 싶어요.= I want to take a photo.
Bonus mini-patterns that combine well
| Pattern | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
괜찮아요 | It’s okay / No thanks | 괜찮아요. |
잠깐만요 | Just a moment | 잠깐만요. |
… 좀 | Softens a request (“a bit”) | 천천히 좀 말해 주세요. |
… 다시 | Again | 다시 말해 주세요. |
Micro-dialogues (greeting, thanking, apologizing)
Practice these as short scripts. Aim for clear rhythm and polite tone rather than perfect speed.
1) Greeting (shop / café entry)
A: 안녕하세요. (Hello.) B: 안녕하세요. (Hello.) A: 이거 주세요. (This, please.) B: 네. (Yes.)Pronunciation focus: Keep 안녕하세요 smooth; don’t separate each syllable too strongly.
2) Thanking (receiving help)
A: 여기요? (Here?) B: 네, 맞아요. (Yes, that’s right.) A: 감사합니다. (Thank you.) B: 네. (You’re welcome / okay.)Note: 감사합니다 is formal but extremely common and safe in any public situation.
3) Apologizing (bumping into someone / getting attention)
A: 죄송해요. (Sorry.) B: 괜찮아요. (It’s okay.) A: 감사합니다. (Thank you.)Tip: 죄송해요 is polite and everyday; 죄송합니다 is more formal and can feel more serious.
Cultural notes for sounding natural and respectful
Bowing
- A small bow (a slight nod from the waist/neck) often accompanies greetings and thanks.
- In quick interactions (cashier, staff), a subtle nod is enough.
Eye contact
- Moderate eye contact is fine, but staring can feel intense. Brief eye contact plus a small nod is common.
- When speaking to older people or in very polite contexts, slightly softer eye contact can feel more respectful.
Appropriate volume and tone
- Public spaces often favor a calm, moderate volume. Speaking too loudly can feel aggressive.
- Politeness is conveyed through ending choice (-요 / 감사합니다) and a steady tone more than dramatic intonation.
