Yes, no and the essentials in Korean
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it. Play the ten Korean words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Korean phrases in this lesson
- λ€ne
- Yes
- μλμa-NI-yo
- No
- μκ² μ΄μal-GE-so-yo
- Okay
- μ΄ν΄κ° μ λΌμi-HAE-ga an DWAE-yo
- I don't understand
- μμ΄ ν μ€ μμΈμ?yong-O hal JUL a-SE-yo
- Do you speak English?
- λ€μ νλ² λ§ν΄ μ£ΌμΈμda-SHI han-BON mal-hae ju-SEH-yo
- Can you repeat that?
- μ²μ²ν λ§ν΄ μ£ΌμΈμchon-CHON-hi mal-hae ju-SEH-yo
- Slowly, please
- μ΄κ² λμμ?i-GE mwo-YE-yo
- What is this?
- ...μ΄/κ° νμν΄μi/ga pi-RYO-hae-yo
- I need...
- μ’ λμμ£Όμκ² μ΄μ?jom do-wa-ju-SHI-ge-so-yo
- Can you help me?
The standard polite "yes." In casual speech you will hear μ (eung) or μ΄ (oh). λ€ also works as an acknowledgement meaning "I hear you" or "go ahead," similar to "right" in English.
Polite "no." The casual form is μλ or μλμΌ. A flat μλμ can land hard, so Koreans often soften a refusal into hesitation instead: a trailing μ’... (jom, "a bit...") with the sentence left unfinished is understood as no by everyone in the room.
Literally "I understand" but used like "okay, got it." This is a respectful, engaged response. The casual version is μκ² μ΄, and the very casual μμμ΄ means much the same thing.
Use this when you heard the words but could not grasp the meaning. If you simply did not catch what was said, λ€μ λ§ν΄ μ£ΌμΈμ (please say it again) is the phrase to reach for.
A respectful way to ask if someone speaks English. In Seoul and tourist areas many younger Koreans do, but making the effort to ask in Korean first is always warmly received.
The particle depends on the word: μμ¬κ° νμν΄μ (ui-SA-ga pi-RYO-hae-yo), I need a doctor.