Speaking

Survival Phrases

The exact phrases you need for real life abroad — with practice dialogues and audio, for every level.

Practice pronunciation
Language
ALL LEVELSA1A2B1
ALL TOPICS Greetings & Socializing Eating & Drinking Out Travel & Transport Hotels & Accommodation Shopping & Money Health & Pharmacy Banking & Daily Admin Renting & Housing Everyday Services Emergencies & Safety Work & Study

Greetings & Socializing

Meeting people, small talk, and everyday politeness.

B1

Greetings & Introductions

These phrases are used for meeting someone for the first time, introducing yourself, and making polite small talk in Korean work or social settings.

B1

Making Small Talk

These phrases will help you start, maintain, and naturally conclude everyday conversations in Korean without sounding like a textbook.

B1

Saying Goodbye

These phrases cover everyday departures, whether you are leaving the office, parting ways with friends, or saying goodbye to service staff.

B1

Thanking & Apologizing

These essential phrases will help you navigate everyday social interactions in Korean, from expressing sincere gratitude to gracefully apologizing for mistakes.

B1

Invitations & Making Plans

Use these phrases to naturally invite someone out, agree on the details, or politely decline if you are busy.

B1

Making Friends

Learn natural, everyday phrases to break the ice, find common ground, and exchange contact information when making new friends in Korea.

B1

Congratulations & Celebrations

Use these phrases to naturally celebrate achievements, wish happy birthdays, and toast to good news in everyday Korean.

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Talking About Family

Use these phrases to naturally ask about and describe family size, marital status, and living situations when making small talk with acquaintances or colleagues.

B1

Saying No Politely

Use these phrases to politely decline invitations or offers, give a soft reason, and suggest alternatives without hurting feelings.

Eating & Drinking Out

Restaurants, cafés, bars, and ordering food.

B1

Making a Restaurant Reservation

Essential Korean phrases for making, changing, and confirming a restaurant reservation over the phone or in person.

B1

Ordering at a Restaurant

Master these essential phrases to confidently read the menu, order your food, and handle special requests in a Korean restaurant.

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Allergies & Dietary Needs

Use these phrases to safely and clearly communicate your dietary restrictions and allergies when eating out in Korea.

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Sending Food Back & Complaints

Use these phrases to politely point out a problem with your order and ask the staff for a solution.

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Paying & Splitting the Bill

Use these phrases when you are ready to settle the bill, split the cost with friends, or choose a payment method at a restaurant or cafe.

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Ordering Drinks at a Bar

These phrases will help you confidently order drinks, ask for recommendations, handle ID checks, and settle the tab at a Korean bar.

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Takeaway & Delivery

Essential phrases for ordering takeaway, arranging food delivery, handling payments, and fixing order mistakes in Korean.

Travel & Transport

Airports, trains, taxis, and getting around.

B1

Checking in at the Airport

These phrases will help you smoothly navigate the airport check-in counter, from providing your documents and dropping off bags to choosing a seat and receiving your boarding pass.

B1

Going Through Security

Use these phrases when navigating airport security checks, following officer instructions, and asking about prohibited items.

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Customs & Immigration

Essential phrases for navigating immigration control, stating your travel purpose, and clearing customs smoothly upon arrival in Korea.

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Reporting Lost Luggage

Use these phrases to report a missing suitcase, describe its appearance, and arrange for delivery at the airport baggage claim.

B1

Buying Train Tickets

Use these phrases when purchasing train tickets, inquiring about schedules, and navigating the station in Korea.

B1

Using Buses & the Metro

These phrases will help you navigate buses and the metro smoothly, ask for directions, handle transit cards, and politely deal with crowds.

B1

Taking a Taxi or Rideshare

These phrases will help you navigate taxi or rideshare trips in Korea smoothly, from giving clear directions to handling payment.

B1

Asking for Directions

Use these phrases to navigate, ask locals for directions, and confirm you are going the right way.

B1

Renting a Car

Learn the essential Korean phrases you need to pick up a rental car, handle insurance options, and return the vehicle smoothly.

B1

On the Plane

Use these phrases when boarding, settling in, and talking to flight crew during a Korean domestic or international flight.

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Missed or Delayed Connection

Use these phrases at an airport or train station when your flight or train is delayed, cancelled, or you have missed a connection.

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At the Tourist Office

These phrases will help you navigate a Korean tourist information office, from asking for recommendations and directions to purchasing tickets.

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Renting a Bike or Scooter

These phrases will help you navigate the process of renting, riding, and returning a shared bike or electric scooter in Korea.

Hotels & Accommodation

Checking in, problems, and amenities.

B1

Checking into a Hotel

Essential phrases for checking into a Korean hotel, handling your reservation, and requesting room features or amenities.

B1

Hotel Room Problems

These phrases will help you clearly report problems to hotel staff and request solutions when your room is not up to standard.

B1

Asking About Hotel Amenities

Use these phrases when you need practical information about hotel facilities, services, and checkout procedures during your stay, ensuring you communicate clearly with staff and travel companions.

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Checking Out

Use these phrases to smoothly handle checking out, confirming your bill, and asking for a favor like luggage storage before you head to the airport.

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Booking a Room

Here are the essential Korean phrases you need to confidently book a room, specify your needs, and interact with hotel staff naturally.

B1

Airbnb & Short-Term Rentals

Essential phrases for communicating with your Airbnb host and navigating your short-term rental.

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Staying at a Hostel

These phrases will help you navigate hostel life in Korea, from checking in and asking about the rules to making friends in the dorms.

B1

Extending Your Stay

These phrases will help you check room availability and adjust your booking when you decide to extend your stay at a hotel.

Shopping & Money

Stores, markets, prices, and paying.

Health & Pharmacy

Doctors, pharmacies, and describing symptoms.

B1

At the Pharmacy

These phrases will help you explain your symptoms, buy the right medicine, and understand dosage instructions at a Korean pharmacy.

B1

Making a Doctor Appointment

Use these phrases to confidently book, change, or confirm doctor appointments and handle basic clinic registration in Korean.

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Describing Symptoms

Use these phrases at a pharmacy or clinic to describe your symptoms, ask about medication, and understand a doctor's or pharmacist's instructions.

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At the Dentist

These phrases will help you explain your dental issues clearly and understand the dentist's instructions and treatment options.

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At the Hospital / ER

These phrases will help you navigate a hospital or emergency room visit in Korea, from registering at the front desk to explaining your symptoms and understanding wait times.

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At the Optician

Use these phrases to explain your vision problems, choose frames, and request specific lenses when visiting an optician in Korea.

B1

Getting a Test or Vaccine

These phrases will help you book a test or vaccine, describe your symptoms, and ask about results or certificates at a Korean clinic.

Banking & Daily Admin

Banks, post office, phone, and internet.

B1

Opening a Bank Account

These phrases will help you navigate the process of opening a Korean bank account, from providing your ID to asking about mobile banking features.

B1

Exchanging Money

These phrases will help you navigate currency exchange counters and banks in Korea, covering everything from asking about rates and commissions to requesting specific bills.

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At the Post Office

Use these phrases to navigate the post office smoothly, from choosing your shipping method to handling customs forms.

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Getting a Phone / SIM Card

These phrases will help you navigate a mobile store in Korea to purchase, activate, and top up a prepaid SIM card.

B1

Filing a Complaint

Use these phrases to confidently explain a problem, request a refund, or politely escalate an issue when dealing with bank staff or administrators.

B1

Getting a Library Card

Use these phrases when registering for a library card, borrowing materials, and navigating the rules at a Korean public library.

Renting & Housing

Finding a place, utilities, and repairs.

B1

Viewing an Apartment

These essential phrases will help you ask about rent, check utility conditions, and discuss moving dates when viewing an apartment in Korea.

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Setting Up Utilities

These essential phrases will help you navigate setting up utilities, scheduling technician visits, and handling bills when moving into a new home in Korea.

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Repairs & Maintenance

Use these phrases when something is broken in your home and you need to communicate with your landlord about getting it fixed.

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Talking to Neighbors

Use these phrases to build good relationships with your neighbors, from introducing yourself to handling common apartment living situations like deliveries and noise.

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Trash & Recycling Rules

Essential phrases for figuring out where, when, and how to dispose of trash and recycling in your Korean home.

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Furnishing Your Place

Use these phrases to confidently navigate furniture stores, ask about dimensions, and arrange delivery in Korea.

Everyday Services

Hairdresser, laundry, gym, and appointments.

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At the Hairdresser

Visiting a hair salon in Korea can be intimidating, but these essential B1-level survival phrases will help you get exactly the style you want. You will learn how to discuss hair length, ask for specific treatments like coloring or layering, confirm prices, and effectively use reference photos. Master these expressions to communicate confidently with your stylist and avoid any unwanted surprises during your appointment.

B1

Laundry & Dry Cleaning

Essential phrases for dropping off and picking up your dry cleaning and laundry in Korea.

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Joining a Gym

Here are the essential phrases you need to navigate joining a gym in Korea, from asking about membership plans and free trials to checking opening hours and cancellation policies.

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Booking an Appointment

These phrases will help you request, adjust, and confirm appointments naturally in everyday Korean.

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At the Mechanic

Essential phrases for explaining car trouble, requesting a repair estimate, and discussing timelines with a mechanic in Korean.

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Phone & Device Repair

Essential phrases for explaining phone issues, asking about repair times, and protecting your data at a repair shop.

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Spa, Nails & Massage

Learn how to confidently book an appointment, specify your treatment preferences, and handle payments at a Korean spa or nail salon.

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Tailor & Alterations

Essential phrases for getting your clothes shortened, taken in, or hemmed at a Korean tailor or alteration shop.

Emergencies & Safety

Getting help fast when something goes wrong.

B1

Calling Emergency Services

Learn the most critical phrases for calling the police, fire department, or an ambulance in Korea, including how to explain your situation and location clearly.

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A Medical Emergency

These phrases will help you clearly communicate the situation, ask for medical help, and follow instructions during an emergency in Korea.

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Lost or Stolen Items

Use these phrases to report lost or stolen belongings, ask for help in an emergency, and navigate the process at the police station or embassy.

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Car Accident or Breakdown

Essential phrases for staying safe, communicating with other drivers, and getting help during a car accident or breakdown.

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Reporting a Crime

Use these phrases to clearly report an incident, describe what happened, and request necessary documentation when speaking with the Korean police.

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Fire & Evacuation

Use these phrases to alert others, navigate to safety, and communicate with emergency personnel during a fire or building evacuation.

Work & Study

Interviews, the workplace, and enrolling in courses.