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This is your sign to visit South Korea soon! Whether you are planning a trip to Korea or have visited Korea before, you must know that learning some basic Korean phrases will be very useful for your travels. From arrival at Incheon International Airport to finding your way to the city, what are some common Korean expressions you will encounter? In this article, we will unravel 10 useful Korean phrases used at the airport.
What are the 10 Korean phrases used at the airport?
1. Hello
The most common expression you will hear is An-nyeong-ha-se-yo (안녕하세요). This is how Koreans greet each other. You might have heard this phrase countless times while watching K-dramas or K-entertainment shows but now you hear it first-hand! So how do you respond to one of the first few Korean phrases used at the airport?
The best way to answer is to say Annyeonghaseyo and make a slight bow. But fret not if you can’t get used to bowing because most Koreans will understand that you’re not local. It is okay to just respond with Annyeonghaseyo.
2. Can you help me?
This is probably one of the most useful Korean phrases used at the airport. There will be instances where you need help – it could be printing a boarding pass or finding your way to the boarding gate. The phrase you can use is ‘Do-wa-ju-sil su in-na-yo?’ (도와주실 수 있나요?). Then, slowly explain the situation you’re in.
3. Please give me your passport and ticket.
Before boarding the plane, the staff at the counter will ask you for your passport and ticket. In most cases, this is one of the most common Korean phrases used at the airport that you will hear: Yeo-gwon-gwa ti-ket ju-se-yo (여권과 티켓 주세요).
Do you know that the English word ‘ticket’ is used in the Korean language? It is referred to as oe-rae-eo (외래어) which translates to ‘loan word’. These loanwords or foreign words are borrowed from other languages and incorporated into Korean. Some common 외래어 include coffee (keo-pi, 커피) and pizza (pi-ja, 피자).
4. Where is the restroom?
Not just one of the Korean phrases used at the airport but very commonly used at the airport and everywhere else in the country too. As long as you need help looking for the restroom, this is the only expression you need.
You say, Hwa-jang-sil-eun eo-di-e-yo? (화장실은 어디에요?).
5. Where is the baggage claim?
Sometimes it might get a little confusing for tourists to find their way to the baggage claim area as you might get lost after coming out from immigration checks. If you find yourself in this situation, please use the following phrase. Su-ha-mul chat-neun go-seun eo-di-in-ga-yo? (수하물 찾는 곳은 어디인가요?).
If you need help finding the baggage belt number, you may ask it more specifically. For example, for belt number 7: chil-beon su-ha-mul bel-teu-neun eo-di-e in-na-yo? (7번 수하물 벨트는 어디에 있나요?).
For more clarity on the Korean number systems, check out our article here.
6. Do I need to fill out an immigration form?
For certain nationalities, there is a need to fill out the immigration form upon arrival in South Korea. If you are not sure, you can ask the ground staff before going through immigration checks as there is a high chance they could deny your entry if you fail to submit the immigration form. One of the most important Korean phrases used at the airport!
But how do you ask for help? Just say Ip-guk sin-go-seo-reul jak-seong-hae-ya ha-na-yo? (입국 신고서를 작성해야 하나요?). If you need to, they will provide you with the immigration form which should have the English version so you need not worry!
7. Where is the currency exchange?
If you need to exchange money for Korean won, the safest and quickest place will be at the airport. However, it is not so easy to spot with the Incheon International Airport being this huge. To ask where the currency exchange counter is, use this phrase: Hwan-jeon-so-neun eo-di-e-yo? (환전소는 어디에요?).
Although we put this under the 10 useful Korean phrases used at the airport, you can still use the same expression to find where the currency exchange is in the city.
8. How do I get a taxi?
Finding your way to the hotel might be the most nerve-racking moment as the airport is not exactly the nearest to the city. Fortunately, there are various means of transportation you can take. For example, taxis, subway, or airport buses.
The fastest and most direct way is to take a taxi to your accommodation. But the taxi stand is at a designated spot right outside the airport which can be difficult to spot. Hence, you might need to find your way by asking Taek-si-reul eo-tteo-ke jam-na-yo? (택시를 어떻게 잡나요?).
9. Where is the subway station?
The last subway runs before midnight so if you happen to arrive after midnight, taking the subway is not possible. However, if you arrive earlier, taking the subway to the city is an option. Again, the route to the nearest subway station can be difficult to find so ask this instead, Ji-ha-cheol-yeog-eun eo-di-in-ga-yo? (지하철역은 어디인가요?).
Here’s a detailed guide on how to travel from Incheon airport to Seoul.
10. Thank you
To round up our list of the 10 useful Korean phrases used at the airport, the last expression we would like to introduce is Gam-sa-ham-ni-da (감사합니다). Of course, this is not only used at the airport, like Annyeonghaseyo, it is a common and useful phrase you will be using throughout your trip to Korea.
You can always say Gamsahamnida after receiving help or getting your questions answered. You can also say this after a meal at a restaurant or simply when exiting the convenience stores.
We hope the 10 Korean phrases used at the airport will come in handy for you. Keep following the Go! Go! Hanguk blog and don’t hesitate to contact us about living and studying in Korea. Alternatively, check out our TikTok page for more interactive content!
