To ask where the toilet is in Korean, say 화장실이 어디예요? (hwajangsiri eodiyeyo?). 화장실 (hwajangsil) covers toilet, bathroom and restroom alike. To a stranger, start with 저기요 (jeogiyo) or 실례지만 (sillyejiman). In casual speech, 화장실 어디야? (hwajangsil eodiya?) is enough, and in a shop you can ask 화장실 좀 써도 될까요?, "may I use the toilet?"
- Where is the toilet?
- 화장실이 어디예요? (hwajangsiri eodiyeyo?)
- Toilet
- 화장실 (hwajangsil)
- May I use it?
- 화장실 좀 써도 될까요? (hwajangsil jom sseodo doelkkayo?)
- Men / women
- 남자 (namja) / 여자 (yeoja)
- Level
- A1
How do you ask for the toilet politely?
어디 (eodi) means where. Drop the particle 이 in quick speech, or make the question fuller with 있어요 (is located); all of these are fine.
| Korean | Romanization | Speech level | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 화장실이 어디예요? | hwajangsiri eodiyeyo? | Polite | The everyday standard |
| 화장실 어디예요? | hwajangsil eodiyeyo? | Polite | The same, particle dropped as in normal speech |
| 화장실이 어디에 있어요? | hwajangsiri eodie isseoyo? | Polite | "Where is the toilet located?" |
| 화장실이 어디에 있습니까? | hwajangsiri eodie itseumnikka? | Formal | Hotels, offices, formal situations |
| 화장실 좀 써도 될까요? | hwajangsil jom sseodo doelkkayo? | Polite | Asking to use one in a shop or someone's home |
| 화장실 어디야? | hwajangsil eodiya? | Casual (반말) | Friends, family |
화장실 is built from 화장 (make-up) and 실 (room), so it is literally a powder room. It is the word for toilets everywhere, from airports to someone's flat.
What answers will you hear?
Directions in Korean lean on 쪽 (jjok), side or direction: 저쪽 (over there), 오른쪽 (the right), 왼쪽 (the left). Floors are counted from the ground, so 2층 (icheung) is what British English calls the first floor.
저쪽이에요.
Jeojjogieyo.
It's over there.
오른쪽으로 가세요.
Oreunjjogeuro gaseyo.
Go to the right.
2층에 있어요.
Icheunge isseoyo.
It's on the first floor.
Korean 1층 is the ground floor.
밖에 있어요.
Bakke isseoyo.
It's outside.
In older buildings, toilets are often off the shared corridor.
비밀번호는 영수증에 있어요.
Bimilbeonhoneun yeongsujeunge isseoyo.
The code is on your receipt.
Many cafés lock the toilet with a keypad.
화장실 쪽으로 (hwajangsil jjogeuro), "towards the toilets", is a chunk worth knowing when someone points you the right way.
What words help you find the toilet?
Signs often shorten men and women to a single syllable, 남 and 여, next to the usual pictograms.
- 남자namjamen
- 여자yeojawomen
- 공중화장실gongjunghwajangsilpublic toilet
- 개방화장실gaebanghwajangsiltoilet open to the public, in a private building
- 휴지hyujitissue, toilet paper
- 비밀번호bimilbeonhopasscode
If you need to excuse yourself, 화장실 좀 다녀올게요 (hwajangsil jom danyeoolgeyo) means "I'll just pop to the toilet".
What mistakes do learners make with the toilet?
Translating "bathroom" too literally. 욕실 (yoksil) is a room with a bath or shower, used mostly at home, and 목욕탕 (mogyoktang) is a public bathhouse, which is not where you want to be sent. Ask for 화장실 everywhere.
With a stranger, the opener matters more than the grammar: 저기요 or 실례지만 first, as explained in how to say excuse me in Korean. If the directions come too fast, ask again with how to say I don't understand in Korean.
Board The Vanished Treasure of the Dawn Train at B1 and follow the trail of orange peel.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce hwajangsil?
Roughly "hwa-jang-shil". Before the vowel i, Korean ㅅ sounds like English sh, which is why 실 sounds like "shil".
How do you say I need the toilet in Korean?
Say 화장실 가고 싶어요 (hwajangsil gago sipeoyo), "I want to go to the toilet". Among friends, drop the 요: 화장실 가고 싶어 (hwajangsil gago sipeo).
Are public toilets free in Korea?
Toilets in subway stations, parks and public buildings are generally free to use. Café and restaurant toilets are meant for customers, and some are locked with a code.
Is it hwajangsil or byeonso?
Say 화장실. 변소 (byeonso) is an old, blunt word for a privy that you may meet in older books but will rarely hear today.