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100+ Useful Conversational Phrases & Words in Korean

100+ Useful Conversational Phrases & Words in Korean

100+ Conversational Korean Words & Phrases

Want to learn conversational Korean?

Learn key Korean words and phrases in important conversational topics with this post! Plus, there’s a free PDF you can download with even more useful words and phrases in Korean.

As a part of the Korean language challenge I did with Lindsay of Lindsay Does Languages, I thought it would be fun to share the phrase and word sheet I use as a guide to give me an extra boost when speaking Korean.


These phrases or expressions are those that I’ve found quite useful, especially as a part of those first few conversations and now, I’d like to share them with you.

As a part of the challenge, most of the focus for Lindsay and I had been to learn a bit of Korean grammar (honorifics, basic conjugation, and so on), but I also wanted to spend time learning helpful phrases for day-to-day conversations.

So rather than continuing to focus on rules involving particles, I got to learn fun expressions like “what kind of music do you like?” and get that much closer to actually conversing with Korean speakers.

In this post you’ll find a short selection of the 100+ conversational phrases and words in Korean (actually, it’s closer to 140 words and phrases) I have available as part of a downloadable PDF that you can get below.

Happy Korean language learning!

Get your free PDF with 100+ Conversational Korean Words and Phrases

Sign up for my free language learning library and get access to my Korean phrases PDF as well as tons of other language learning resources!

Korean Greetings

EnglishKoreanTransliteration
How are you/Hello안녕하세요annyeonghaseyo
What’s new?별일 없지요 ?byeol-il eobsjiyo
Long time no see오랜만이다orenmanida
Nice to meet you만나서 반갑습니다mannasuh bangapseumnida
I am very happy to meet you만나서 참 반가워요mannaseo cham bangawoyo

Basic & Polite Phrases in Korean

EnglishKoreanTransliteration
Yesne
No아니요aniyo
Excuse me (to request something)실례지만…shillejiman…
Thank you감사합니다kamsahamnida
You’re welcome / don’t mention it천만 에 요cheonman e yo

Get the Conversation Rolling in Korean

EnglishKoreanTransliteration
Please don’t speak English영어 로 말하지 마세요yeong-eo lo malhaji maseyo
What?뭐 ?mwo
What music do you like?어떤 음악 을 좋아해요 ?eotteon eum-ag eul joh-ahaeyo
I like …저는 … 좋아해요jeoneun … joh-ahaeyo
What do you do when you have free time시간 있을 때 뭐 하세요 ?sigan iss-eul ttae mwo haseyo

Getting a Bit of Clarification in Korean

EnglishKoreanTransliteration
What does this mean?무슨 뜻이에요?museun tteusieyo
Please say that one more time.다시 한 번 말해 주세요.dasi han beon malhae juseyo
Please speak slowly.천천히 말해 주세요.cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo
Please write it down.적어 주세요jeog-eo juseyo
I don’t understand모르겠 습니 다moreugesseumnida

Words About Time in Korean

EnglishKoreanTransliteration
Sometimes가끔gakkeum
Always항상hangsang
Today오늘oneul
Tomorrow내일naeil
Yesterday어제eoje

Exclamations & Transition Words to Take Your Korean Speaking to the Next Level

EnglishKoreanTransliteration
Well…글쎄요…geulsseyo
Umeum
Oh my goshheol
For real?진짜요?jinjjayo
I think so저도 그렇게 생각 합니다jeodo geuleohge saeng-gag habnida

Conversation Closers & Goodbye in Korean

EnglishKoreanTransliteration
See you later나중에 봬요najunge bwaeyo
Good bye안녕히 계세요annyonghi geseyo
Have a nice day좋은 하루 되세요joeun haru dweseyo
See you later.이따 봐요.itta bwayo
I have to go now나 지금 가야 돼na jigeum gaya dwae

Bonus

As a bonus, here is a fun video I found using some of the phrases above so you can hear how they sound!

See Also
A review of Olly Richards' Uncovered courses

*Please note that most of the above examples use formal language, assuming that you’re getting to know the person that you’re speaking with. 

And here’s my progress in Korean after studying the language for just 90 days with the Fluent in 3 Months Bootcamp (formerly the Challenge):

Get your free PDF with 100+ Conversational Korean Words and Phrases

Sign up for my free language learning library and get access to my Korean phrases PDF as well as tons of other language learning resources!

Are you learning Korean? What are some phrases that you’ve found useful in your target language? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

You can also check out my recommended resources for Korean. Or you can dive into taekwondo vocabulary in Korean or learn a bit about Korean culture.

© 2020 Shannon Kennedy & Eurolinguiste. All Rights Reserved.

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