Korean vocabulary: beginner (A1)
The 168 words and phrases taught in the beginner chapters, in the order the course teaches them. Press ▶ to hear each one.
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1. Hello and goodbye
From chapter 1: learn these words in context
- 안녕하세요annyeonghaseyohello · Works at any time of day, often written with a question mark. People bow slightly as they say it.
- 저jeoI, me (polite) · (jeoneun), as for me, I
- 이름ireumname · (ireumi mwoyeyo?), What's your name?; (mwo) means “what”
- 처음 뵙겠습니다cheoeum boepgetseumnidanice to meet you · Very polite; only when you meet someone for the first time.
- 반갑습니다bangapseumnidanice to meet you, glad to see you
- 사람saramperson · country + : (Hanguk saram), a Korean. Countries: (Hanguk), Korea; (Miguk), the USA; (Yeongguk), the UK; (Kaenada), Canada.
- 아니요aniyono
- 어디에서 왔어요?Eodieseo wasseoyo?Where are you from?
- 교사gyosateacher · for your job; when you talk to a teacher, use (seonsaengnim)
- 저도jeodome too; I … too
- 감사합니다gamsahamnidathank you · (gomapseumnida) is just as polite and common.
- 안녕히 계세요annyeonghi gyeseyogoodbye (to someone staying)
- 네neyes; OK, I see
- 안녕히 가세요annyeonghi gaseyogoodbye (to someone leaving)
2. Numbers and prices
From chapter 2: learn these words in context
- 이거igeothis, this one · (geugeo), that one near the person you're talking to; (jeogeo), that one over there
- 얼마예요?Eolmayeyo?How much is it?
- 원wonwon (Korean money)
- 천cheonthousand
- 싸요ssayoit's cheap
- 만manten thousand
- 좀joma bit; please (softener)
- 비싸요bissayoit's expensive
- 깎아 주세요kkakka juseyoplease give me a discount · Fine at market stalls, not in department stores or chain shops.
- 현금hyeongeumcash
- 여기 있어요yeogi isseoyohere you are; here it is
- 전화번호jeonhwabeonhophone number
- 공gongzero (in phone numbers)
- 카드kadeucard · Almost everywhere takes cards; small market stalls sometimes prefer cash.
3. At the café
From chapter 3: learn these words in context
- 어서 오세요eoseo oseyowelcome (said by staff)
- 주문jumunorder · (jumunhasigesseoyo?), Are you ready to order? (staff)
- 아메리카노amerikanoamericano (black coffee) · the most popular coffee in Korea
- 잔jancup, glass (counter)
- 주세요juseyoplease give me
- 따뜻한ttatteutanhot, warm · (ttatteutan geo), a hot one
- 아이스aiseuiced
- 하나hanaone · (han) before a counter
- 케이크keikeucake
- 개gaepiece, item (counter for things)
- 드시고 가세요?Deusigo gaseyo?For here? (staff) · Literally “will you eat and then go?”
- 포장pojangtake-away; packing · (pojangiyo), to take away, please
- 영수증yeongsujeungreceipt
- 잠깐만요jamkkanmanyojust a moment · Also “excuse me” when you squeeze past people.
4. Getting around
From chapter 4: learn these words in context
- 저기요jeogiyoexcuse me (to get attention)
- 실례합니다sillyehamnidaexcuse me (formal)
- 지하철역jihacheollyeoksubway station · (jihacheol), subway, + (yeok), station
- 어디eodiwhere · (eodie isseoyo?), Where is it?
- 쭉jjukstraight on · (ijjogeuro jjuk gaseyo), go straight on this way
- 가세요gaseyoplease go
- 오른쪽oreunjjokright, the right side
- 멀어요meoreoyoit's far
- 가까워요gakkawoyoit's close, it's near · Learn it as a word; its dictionary form is (gakkapda).
- 근처geuncheonearby area · (i geuncheoe), near here
- 약국yakgukpharmacy
- 왼쪽oenjjokleft, the left side
- 편의점pyeonuijeomconvenience store · open 24 hours and on almost every corner
- 잘 모르겠어요jal moreugesseoyoI'm not sure, I don't really know
5. Family and friends
From chapter 5: learn these words in context
- 가족gajokfamily
- 사진sajinphoto
- 우리uriwe, our; my (for family and home)
- 엄마eommamum · (eomeoni), mother, is more formal.
- 아빠appadad · (abeoji), father, is more formal.
- 누구nuguwho · (nuguyeyo?), Who is it?
- 오빠oppaolder brother (said by a woman)
- 명myeongperson (counter)
- 동생dongsaengyounger brother or sister
- 누나nunaolder sister (said by a man)
- 형hyeongolder brother (said by a man)
- 몇 살myeot salhow old · (myeot sarieyo?), How old are you?
- 살salyears old (counter)
- 언니eonniolder sister (said by a woman)
6. My home
From chapter 6: learn these words in context
- 원룸wollumstudio flat, one-room flat · from English “one room”
- 방bangroom
- 커요keoyoit's big
- 깨끗해요kkaekkeutaeyoit's clean
- 창문changmunwindow
- 하지만hajimanbut · at the start of a sentence; (geurigo) is “and”
- 부엌bueokkitchen
- 작아요jagayoit's small
- 화장실hwajangsilbathroom, toilet
- 옆yeopnext to, beside
- 침대chimdaebed
- 책상chaeksangdesk
- 위wion, above; top
- 살아요sarayoI live, you live · from (salda), to live
7. My day
From chapter 7: learn these words in context
- 보통botongusually
- 몇 시myeot siwhat time · (myeot sie?), at what time?
- 일어나요ireonayoget up · from (ireonada)
- 반banhalf; half past
- 운동해요undonghaeyoexercise, work out · from (undonghada)
- 아침achimmorning; breakfast
- 먹어요meogeoyoeat · from (meokda)
- 회사hoesacompany, office
- 가요gayogo · from (gada)
- 일해요ilhaeyowork · from (ilhada)
- 점심jeomsimlunch; midday
- 퇴근해요toegeunhaeyofinish work and leave · from (toegeunhada)
- 저녁jeonyeokevening; dinner
- 자요jayosleep, go to bed · from (jada)
8. Food and shopping
From chapter 8: learn these words in context
- 사과sagwaapple
- 싱싱해요singsinghaeyoit's fresh · for fruit, vegetables and fish
- 봉지bongjibag (counter); small plastic bag
- 딸기ttalgistrawberry
- 우유uyumilk
- 병byeongbottle (counter)
- 하고hagoand (between nouns)
- 계란gyeranegg · (dalgyal) means the same.
- 봉투bongtucarrier bag · Big supermarkets don't give free bags, so bring your own or buy one.
- 필요해요piryohaeyoneed; it's needed · (bongtu piryohaeyo?), Do you need a bag?
- 더deomore
- 다 해서da haeseoaltogether, in total
- 킬로killokilo · with Sino-Korean numbers: (il killo), one kilo
- 사요sayobuy · from (sada), to buy
9. Time and dates
From chapter 9: learn these words in context
- 커트keoteuhaircut · from English “cut”
- 예약yeyakbooking, reservation
- 돼요dwaeyoit's possible, it works · … (dwaeyo?), is … possible?
- 언제eonjewhen
- 이번 주ibeon juthis week
- 수요일suyoilWednesday
- 오후ohuafternoon; p.m.
- 모레morethe day after tomorrow
- 오전ojeonmorning; a.m.
- 부터buteofrom
- 까지kkajiuntil, to
- 다음 주daeum junext week
- 괜찮아요gwaenchanayoit's OK, it's fine · (gwaenchanayo?), is it OK?
- 이름이 어떻게 되세요?Ireumi eotteoke doeseyo?May I have your name? (very polite)
10. Likes and dislikes
From chapter 10: learn these words in context
- 김치찌개gimchijjigaekimchi stew
- 좋아하다joahadato like · (joahaeyo), I like
- 정말jeongmalreally
- 민호 씨는요?Minho ssineunyo?What about you, Minho? · name + (ssineunyo?) asks “and you?” without a word for “you”
- 별로byeollonot really (with a negative)
- 매워요maewoyoit's spicy · from (maepda)
- 고기gogimeat
- 생선saengseonfish (as food)
- 싫어하다sireohadato dislike · (sireohaeyo), I don't like
- 채소chaesovegetables
- 과일gwailfruit
- 음식eumsikfood
- 맛있어요masisseoyoit's delicious
- 맛없어요madeopseoyoit's not tasty
11. Hobbies and free time
From chapter 11: learn these words in context
- 취미chwimihobby · (chwimiga mwoyeyo?), What are your hobbies?
- 책chaekbook
- 자주jajuoften
- 읽다ikdato read · (ilgeoyo)
- 음악eumakmusic
- 듣다deutdato listen · irregular: (deureoyo)
- 주말jumalweekend · (jumare), at the weekend
- 등산deungsanhiking (in the mountains) · (deungsanhaeyo), I go hiking
- 테니스teniseutennis
- 가끔gakkeumsometimes
- 치다chidato play (tennis, the piano); to hit · (chyeoyo)
- 수영suyeongswimming · (suyeonghaeyo), I swim
- 배우다baeudato learn · (baewoyo)
- 같이gachitogether
12. Your first conversation
From chapter 12: learn these words in context
- 여기 앉아도 돼요?Yeogi anjado dwaeyo?May I sit here?
- 자리jariseat, place · (yeogi jari isseoyo?), Is this seat taken?
- 어디 가세요?Eodi gaseyo?Where are you going? (polite)
- 한국어hangugeoKorean (the language)
- 잘하시네요jalhasineyoyou're very good at it · a polite compliment; answer modestly with (anieyo), not at all
- 아직ajikstill; (not) yet · (ajik jal motaeyo), I'm not good at it yet
- 영어yeongeoEnglish (the language)
- 선생님seonsaengnimteacher; sir, madam (respectful title)
- 손녀sonnyeogranddaughter · grandson: (sonja)
- 할머니halmeonigrandmother; an elderly woman · grandfather, elderly man: (harabeoji)
- 귤gyultangerine · Jeju is famous for them.
- 드세요deuseyoplease have some, please eat
- 잘 먹겠습니다jal meokgetseumnidathank you for the food (before eating)
- 조심히 가세요josimhi gaseyotake care, have a safe trip
Other levels: Elementary (A2) · Intermediate (B1) · Upper intermediate (B2)