Korean Shopping Vocabulary: Essential Words & Phrases
Building your Korean vocabulary for shopping is essential for navigating markets, department stores, and online shops in Korea. Whether you're browsing the bustling streets of Myeongdong or ordering from a local convenience store, these Korean words for shopping will help you communicate with confidence.
Essential Shopping Vocabulary
Start with these core Korean vocabulary shopping terms that you'll encounter in almost every retail situation:
| Word | Pronunciation | English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 가게 | ga-ge | store, shop | 이 가게는 몇 시에 열어요? (What time does this store open?) |
| 쇼핑 | syo-ping | shopping | 주말에 쇼핑하러 갈 거예요. (I'm going shopping this weekend.) |
| 가격 | ga-gyeok | price | 가격이 얼마예요? (What's the price?) |
| 할인 | hal-in | discount | 할인해 주세요. (Please give me a discount.) |
| 계산 | gye-san | payment, calculation | 계산해 주세요. (Please ring this up.) |
| 현금 | hyeon-geum | cash | 현금으로 낼게요. (I'll pay with cash.) |
| 카드 | ka-deu | card | 카드 되나요? (Do you accept cards?) |
| 영수증 | yeong-su-jeung | receipt | 영수증 주세요. (Please give me a receipt.) |
| 봉투 | bong-tu | bag | 봉투 필요하세요? (Do you need a bag?) |
| 손님 | son-nim | customer | 손님, 뭘 찾으세요? (Customer, what are you looking for?) |
| 사다 | sa-da | to buy | 이거 사고 싶어요. (I want to buy this.) |
| 팔다 | pal-da | to sell | 여기서 뭘 팔아요? (What do you sell here?) |
| 바꾸다 | ba-kku-da | to exchange | 이거 바꿀 수 있어요? (Can I exchange this?) |
| 환불 | hwan-bul | refund | 환불 가능해요? (Is a refund possible?) |
| 사이즈 | sa-i-jeu | size | 더 큰 사이즈 있어요? (Do you have a bigger size?) |
| 색깔 | saek-kkal | color | 다른 색깔 있어요? (Do you have other colors?) |
Common Phrases
These expressions will help you navigate any shopping situation in Korea:
- 얼마예요? (eol-ma-ye-yo?) — How much is it?
- 이거 주세요. (i-geo ju-se-yo) — Please give me this.
- 그냥 구경하는 거예요. (geu-nyang gu-gyeong-ha-neun geo-ye-yo) — I'm just looking.
- 입어 봐도 돼요? (i-beo bwa-do dwae-yo?) — May I try this on?
- 탈의실이 어디예요? (tal-ui-sil-i eo-di-ye-yo?) — Where is the fitting room?
- 너무 비싸요. (neo-mu bi-ssa-yo) — It's too expensive.
- 좀 깎아 주세요. (jom kka-kka ju-se-yo) — Please lower the price a bit.
- 이거 세일해요? (i-geo se-il-hae-yo?) — Is this on sale?
- 포장해 주세요. (po-jang-hae ju-se-yo) — Please wrap it.
- 선물이에요. (seon-mul-i-e-yo) — It's a gift.
Usage Notes
Understanding Korean shopping culture will help you use these words more naturally:
- Bargaining: Haggling (흥정, heung-jeong) is acceptable at traditional markets like Namdaemun or Dongdaemun, but not at department stores or convenience stores. Use phrases like 깎아 주세요 politely.
- Plastic bag fees: Since 2019, many Korean stores charge for plastic bags. You might hear 봉투 필요하세요? at checkout. Bring your own bag (장바구니, jang-ba-gu-ni) to avoid fees.
- Card vs. cash: Korea is highly card-friendly. Even small purchases can be made with cards. However, some traditional market vendors prefer cash.
- Polite language: Always use polite forms (-요 endings) when speaking to shop staff. They will address you as 손님 (customer) or 고객님 (valued customer).
- Counter words: When specifying quantities, use the appropriate counter. For general items, use 개 (gae): 두 개 주세요 (Please give me two).
Practice Sentences
Use these example sentences to practice your Korean shopping vocabulary in context:
- 이 옷이 너무 예쁜데 가격이 얼마예요?
This clothing is so pretty—how much is it? - 카드로 계산할게요. 영수증은 필요 없어요.
I'll pay by card. I don't need a receipt. - 이 신발 260 사이즈 있어요?
Do you have these shoes in size 260? - 세일 기간이 언제까지예요?
Until when is the sale period? - 이거 환불하고 싶은데 영수증 여기 있어요.
I'd like to refund this—here's the receipt. - 검은색 말고 흰색으로 주세요.
Please give me the white one, not the black. - 시장에서 과일을 샀는데 진짜 싸요.
I bought fruit at the market and it was really cheap. - 온라인 쇼핑이 더 편해요.
Online shopping is more convenient.