50 Essential Korean Phrases for Study Abroad

Your flight to Seoul lands in six hours. Your Korean vocabulary consists of "kimchi" and maybe "annyeonghaseyo" if you've watched a K-drama or two. Don't panic — this list is your survival kit. These 50 phrases cover the situations you'll actually face during your first week abroad: greeting your professor, ordering food, asking for directions, making friends, and handling emergencies.

Each phrase includes the Korean text, pronunciation, and English meaning. Focus on the greetings and classroom phrases first — those are the ones you'll use every single day. By the end of your first week, you should have at least 20 of these on autopilot.

Why These 50 Phrases Matter

Survival Korean isn't about fluency — it's about functioning. You need to introduce yourself, find your classroom, buy food, ask for help, and make at least one Korean friend who doesn't speak English. These 50 phrases handle all of that.

How to use this list: Don't try to memorize all 50 at once. Start with Section 1 (greetings) and Section 3 (classroom). Those 20 phrases will carry you through your first three days. Add the transportation and food phrases as you venture beyond campus. Keep the emergency phrases bookmarked — you hopefully won't need them, but you'll be glad they're there if you do.

One important note: All phrases here use polite speech (존댓말, jondaenmal). This is the safe default for every situation in Korea — strangers, teachers, shopkeepers, new acquaintances. You'll learn casual speech later. For now, polite Korean is all you need.

A note on pronunciation: Korean pronunciation has some sounds that don't exist in English, and certain consonants change depending on their position in a word. Don't let this stop you — Koreans understand context and will appreciate your effort. If you haven't learned to read Hangul yet, start with our guide to reading Hangul in 90 minutes so you can read these phrases directly instead of relying on Romanization.

Greetings & Introductions (10 Phrases)

Koreans greet each other constantly — entering a shop, joining a class, passing a neighbor. Getting comfortable with greetings makes everything else easier.

1. 안녕하세요. (an-nyeong-ha-se-yo) — "Hello." The universal greeting. Use it everywhere, with everyone.
2. 반갑습니다. (ban-gap-seum-ni-da) — "Nice to meet you." Formal. Use when meeting someone for the first time.
3. 반갑습니다. 저는 [이름]이에요. (ban-gap-seum-ni-da. jeo-neun [i-reum]-i-e-yo) — "Nice to meet you. I'm [name]."
4. 잘 지내세요? (jal ji-nae-se-yo) — "How are you?" Literally "Are you living well?"
5. 네, 잘 지내요. (ne, jal ji-nae-yo) — "Yes, I'm doing well."
6. 어디에서 왔어요? (eo-di-e-seo wa-sseo-yo) — "Where are you from?"
7. 저는 [country]에서 왔어요. (jeo-neun [country]-e-seo wa-sseo-yo) — "I'm from [country]."
8. 한국어 조금 해요. (han-guk-eo jo-geum hae-yo) — "I speak a little Korean."
9. 천천히 말씀해 주세요. (cheon-cheon-hi mal-sseum-hae ju-se-yo) — "Please speak slowly." You'll say this a lot.
10. 이해 못 했어요. 다시 말씀해 주세요. (i-hae mot hae-sseo-yo. da-si mal-sseum-hae ju-se-yo) — "I didn't understand. Please say it again."

Formal vs. casual: Notice that these phrases end in -요 (yo) or -ㅂ니다 (m-ni-da). That marks them as polite. When Korean friends your age invite you to use casual speech (반말, banmal), they'll say "편하게 말해요" (pyeon-ha-ge mal-hae-yo) — "speak comfortably." Until then, stick with polite forms.

In the Classroom (10 Phrases)

If you're studying Korean in South Korea, you'll spend hours in a classroom every day. These phrases keep you from silently drowning when you don't understand something.

11. 질문 있어요. (jil-mun i-sseo-yo) — "I have a question."
12. 다시 말씀해 주세요. (da-si mal-sseum-hae ju-se-yo) — "Please say that again."
13. 이 페이지를 봐주세요. (i pe-i-ji-reul bwa-ju-se-yo) — "Please look at this page."
14. 이 단어의 뜻이 뭐예요? (i dan-eo-ui ttu-si mwo-ye-yo) — "What does this word mean?"
15. 한국어로 뭐라고 해요? (han-guk-eu-ro mwo-ra-go hae-yo) — "How do you say this in Korean?"
16. 영어 해도 돼요? (yeong-eo hae-do dwae-yo) — "Is it okay to use English?" (Use sparingly — your professor wants you to practice Korean.)
17. 잠깐만요. (jam-kkan-man-yo) — "One moment, please."
18. 숙제가 뭐예요? (suk-je-ga mwo-ye-yo) — "What's the homework?"
19. 쪽지 시험 있어요? (jjok-ji si-heom i-sseo-yo) — "Is there a quiz?" (쪽지 시험 = pop quiz)
20. 화이팅! (hwa-i-ting) — "Let's go! / You can do it!" The Korean version of "fighting!" — used to encourage everyone.

Getting Around (10 Phrases)

Navigating a new city is easier when you can ask for help. These phrases cover taxis, subways, restaurants, and shopping — the situations you'll encounter daily.

21. 여기가 어디예요? (yeo-gi-ga eo-di-ye-yo) — "Where is this place?"
22. [place]이/어디에 있어요? ([place]-i/eo-di-e i-sseo-yo) — "Where is [place]?" Example: "지하철역이 어디에 있어요?" (ji-ha-cheol-yeok-i eo-di-e i-sseo-yo) — "Where is the subway station?"
23. 여기서 내려주세요. (yeo-gi-seo nae-ryeo-ju-se-yo) — "Please stop here." Essential for taxi rides.
24. 얼마예요? (eol-ma-ye-yo) — "How much is it?"
25. 영수증 주세요. (yeong-su-jeung ju-se-yo) — "Please give me a receipt."
26. 이거 주세요. (i-geo ju-se-yo) — "Please give me this." Point at a menu item while saying this.
27. 매운 거 빼주세요. (mae-un kkae ppe-ju-se-yo) — "Please make it not spicy." Critical if you can't handle Korean heat.
28. 화장실이 어디에 있어요? (hwa-jang-sil-i eo-di-e i-sseo-yo) — "Where is the bathroom?"
29. 도와주세요. (do-wa-ju-se-yo) — "Please help me."
30. 고맙습니다. 감사합니다. (go-map-seum-ni-da. gam-sa-ham-ni-da) — "Thank you." Both mean "thank you" — 감사합니다 is slightly more formal.

Making Friends & Socializing (10 Phrases)

Korean university life revolves around relationships. Making Korean friends accelerates your language progress more than any textbook ever will. These phrases help you break the ice and keep conversations going.

31. 뭐 해요? (mwo hae-yo) — "What are you doing?" Casual check-in with friends.
32. 시간 있어요? (si-gan i-sseo-yo) — "Do you have time?"
33. 같이 갈래요? (gat-i gal-lae-yo) — "Do you want to go together?"
34. 밥 먹었어요? (bap meo-geo-sseo-yo) — "Have you eaten?" This is how Koreans ask "how are you" in casual settings.
35. 같이 밥 먹어요. (gat-i bap meo-geo-yo) — "Let's eat together." A common invitation among friends.
36. 주말에 뭐 했어요? (ju-mal-e mwo hae-sseo-yo) — "What did you do this weekend?"
37. 취미가 뭐예요? (chwi-mi-ga mwo-ye-yo) — "What's your hobby?"
38. 카카오톡 아이디 알려주세요. (ka-ka-o-tok a-i-di al-lyeo-ju-se-yo) — "Please tell me your KakaoTalk ID." KakaoTalk is Korea's essential messaging app — exchange IDs with every new friend.
39. 오늘 정말 즐거웠어요. (o-neul jeong-mal jeul-geo-wo-sseo-yo) — "Today was really fun."
40. 다음에 또 만나요. (da-eum-e tto man-na-yo) — "Let's meet again next time."

Pro tip: Korean friendships form quickly around shared meals. If someone invites you to eat, say yes — even if your Korean is shaky. Food conversations are some of the easiest to follow, and the bonding happens naturally. Korean culture places enormous value on eating together (같이 밥 먹기), and saying "같이 밥 먹어요" is one of the most common social invitations you'll hear.

Making plans: In Korean universities, plans are often made last-minute and casually. "시간 있어요?" (Do you have time?) followed by "같이 갈래요?" (Want to go together?) is how most friendships deepen. Don't overthink it — just say yes and show up.

Emergencies & Help (10 Phrases)

You probably won't need these. But if you do, you'll be very glad you memorized them. Save this section in your phone's notes for quick access.

41. 도와주세요! (do-wa-ju-se-yo) — "Help me!"
42. 병원 가고 싶어요. (byeong-won ga-go si-peo-yo) — "I want to go to the hospital."
43. 경찰 불러주세요. (gyeong-chal bul-leo-ju-se-yo) — "Please call the police."
44. 아파요. (a-pa-yo) — "I'm sick / It hurts."
45. 여기가 아파요. (yeo-gi-ga a-pa-yo) — "It hurts here." Point to the affected area.
46. 약 있어요? (yak i-sseo-yo) — "Do you have medicine?"
47. 알레르기 있어요. (al-le-reu-gi i-sseo-yo) — "I have allergies." Follow with the specific allergen.
48. 여권 잃어버렸어요. (yeo-kwon i-leo-beo-ryeo-sseo-yo) — "I lost my passport."
49. 대사관에 연락하고 싶어요. (dae-sa-gwan-e yeol-lak-ha-go si-peo-yo) — "I want to contact my embassy."
50. 비상이에요. (bi-sang-i-e-yo) — "It's an emergency."

Pro Tips for Using These Phrases

Practice with purpose. Don't just read this list once and forget it. Pick 5 phrases each day and use them in real situations. Order food using phrase #24. Ask a classmate about homework using phrase #18. The phrases you actually use stick; the ones you just read fade within a week.

Record yourself. Use your phone to record yourself saying each phrase, then compare with native speakers on YouTube or Naver Dictionary. Korean pronunciation has subtle differences from English — the more you hear yourself, the faster you improve.

Find a language exchange partner. Your university likely has a buddy program pairing international students with Korean students. Meet weekly, speak Korean for 30 minutes, then switch to English for 30 minutes. Both sides benefit enormously.

Don't fear mistakes. Koreans are impressed that you're trying. If you use the wrong honorific level or mispronounce a word, people will correct you kindly — and you'll remember the correction because it came from a real interaction. Mistakes made in conversation are the fastest path to fluency.

Use KakaoTalk. Korea runs on KakaoTalk, not WhatsApp or iMessage. Download it before you arrive and start exchanging KakaoTalk IDs with every new friend. It's how plans get made, group chats happen, and friendships are maintained. Most Koreans will ask for your KakaoTalk ID within the first conversation.

For a deeper dive into Korean politeness levels, read our guide to Korean honorifics — it explains when and why speech levels change so you never feel awkward in conversation. And if K-dramas are your motivation, our guide to learning Korean through K-dramas shows you how to turn screen time into study time.

Continue Your Korean Journey

These 50 phrases are your starting point, not your destination. As you settle into life in Korea, you'll naturally pick up new expressions — slang from friends, academic vocabulary from class, food terms from restaurants. The phrases here give you the confidence to start talking, and every conversation builds on the last.

For a complete roadmap from beginner to fluent, read The Complete Guide to Learning Korean. It covers every stage of the journey — from Hangul to TOPIK — with specific resources and realistic timelines. If you're preparing for the TOPIK exam, our TOPIK study guide gives you a week-by-week preparation plan.

And if you're exploring beyond Korea, check out our guides to learning Japanese and learning Mandarin — each with their own phrase guides and study plans. 화이팅!

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I learn formal or casual Korean first?

Learn polite formal (존댓말, jondaenmal) first. It's safe for every situation — strangers, teachers, shopkeepers, new acquaintances. Casual speech (반말, banmal) is reserved for close friends and people younger than you. Using polite speech with everyone is never wrong. Switch to casual only when someone explicitly invites you to by saying "편하게 말해요" (speak comfortably).

Do I need to memorize all 50 before going to Korea?

No. Focus on the greetings (phrases 1–10) and classroom phrases (11–20) first. Those 20 phrases will carry you through your first three days. Add the getting-around phrases as you start exploring the city. The social and emergency phrases can be learned as needed. The goal is functional communication, not perfection.

What if I mix up honorifics?

Koreans appreciate the effort, and they're generally forgiving with foreign learners. If you accidentally use casual speech with a stranger, a quick "죄송합니다" (sorry) and switching back to polite form is all it takes. Using overly polite speech is always better than being too casual. When in doubt, add more politeness — nobody takes offense at being treated with extra respect.

Related Articles

• The Complete Guide to Learning Korean
• How to Read Hangul in 90 Minutes
• Korean Honorifics Explained
• Learn Korean Through K-Dramas