Here are 60 Korean travel words in Hangul with Revised Romanization, from 공항 (gonghang, airport) to 교차로 (gyocharo, crossroads). Learn these five first: 여권 (yeogwon, passport), 지하철 (jihacheol, subway), 택시 (taeksi, taxi), 왼쪽 (oenjjok, left) and 오른쪽 (oreunjjok, right). Below: getting on transport, asking the way and reading airport signs.
- Words
- 60, with Revised Romanization
- Ride anything
- 타다 (tada): 버스를 타요
- Directions
- 왼쪽, 오른쪽 + 으로 (towards)
- Level
- A1–A2
60 Korean travel words
Readings use Revised Romanization and follow how the word is said: 박물관 (museum) is bangmulgwan, because the ㄱ before ㅁ is pronounced ng. Words with a space, such as 여행 가방, are two words in Korean too. This is the travel pack the Contos web app uses for flashcard review.
| Korean | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 공항 | gonghang | airport |
| 항공편 | hanggongpyeon | flight |
| 탑승권 | tapseunggwon | boarding pass |
| 여권 | yeogwon | passport |
| 짐 | jim | luggage |
| 여행 가방 | yeohaeng gabang | suitcase |
| 배낭 | baenang | backpack |
| 더블룸 | deobeullum | double room |
| 방 열쇠 | bang yeolsoe | room key |
| 프런트 | peureonteu | reception |
| 관광객 | gwangwanggaek | tourist |
| 가이드 | gaideu | tour guide |
| 관광 명소 | gwangwang myeongso | tourist attraction |
| 박물관 | bangmulgwan | museum |
| 국경 | gukgyeong | border |
| 세관 | segwan | customs |
| 출발 | chulbal | departure |
| 도착 | dochak | arrival |
| 지연 | jiyeon | delay |
| 탑승구 | tapseunggu | gate |
| 좌석 | jwaseok | seat |
| 통로 | tongno | aisle |
| 창가 좌석 | changga jwaseok | window seat |
| 택시 | taeksi | taxi |
| 지하철 | jihacheol | underground |
| 트램 | teuraem | tram |
| 페리 | peri | ferry |
| 오토바이 | otobai | motorbike |
| 주유소 | juyuso | petrol station |
| 도로 | doro | road |
| 고속도로 | gosokdoro | motorway |
| 교통 체증 | gyotong chejeung | traffic jam |
| 신호등 | sinhodeung | traffic lights |
| 주차장 | juchajang | car park |
| 예약하다 | yeyakada | to book |
| 체크인하다 | chekeuinhada | to check in |
| 짐을 싸다 | jimeul ssada | to pack |
| 짐을 풀다 | jimeul pulda | to unpack |
| 착륙하다 | changnyukada | to land |
| 이륙하다 | iryukada | to take off |
| 길을 잃다 | gireul ilta | to get lost |
| 차를 빌리다 | chareul billida | to rent a car |
| 해외에서 | haeoeeseo | abroad |
| 기념품 | ginyeompum | souvenir |
| 엽서 | yeopseo | postcard |
| 왼쪽 | oenjjok | left |
| 오른쪽 | oreunjjok | right |
| 직진 | jikjin | straight on |
| 북쪽 | bukjjok | north |
| 남쪽 | namjjok | south |
| 동쪽 | dongjjok | east |
| 서쪽 | seojjok | west |
| 근처 | geuncheo | nearby |
| 멀다 | meolda | far |
| 조종사 | jojongsa | pilot |
| 승객 | seunggaek | passenger |
| 섬 | seom | island |
| 캠핑장 | kaempingjang | campsite |
| 항구 | hanggu | harbour |
| 교차로 | gyocharo | crossroads |
Why do so many airport words share syllables?
Most airport, hotel and road words in this list are Sino-Korean: built from syllables that come from Chinese characters, each with its own meaning. Learn a syllable once and it opens a family of words.
| Syllable | Meaning | Words in the list |
|---|---|---|
| 탑승 (tapseung) | boarding | 탑승권 (boarding pass), 탑승구 (gate) |
| 관광 (gwangwang) | sightseeing | 관광객 (tourist), 관광 명소 (tourist attraction) |
| 항 (hang) | port | 공항 (airport, "air port"), 항구 (harbour) |
| 장 (jang) | place, ground | 주차장 (car park), 캠핑장 (campsite) |
| 로 (ro) | road | 도로 (road), 고속도로 (motorway), 교차로 (crossroads) |
출발 (chulbal, departure) and 도착 (dochak, arrival) are on every airport and station board. Add 하다 and they become verbs: 출발하다, to depart; 도착하다, to arrive. The same goes for 예약 (yeyak, a booking) and 예약하다, to book.
How do you take a bus or the subway in Korean?
Korean uses one verb, 타다 (tada), for getting on or riding any vehicle: bus, subway, taxi, plane, bike. The vehicle takes the object particle 을/를: 버스를 타다, to take the bus. To say how you are travelling, add 으로/로 (by): 택시로 가요, I'm going by taxi. Getting off is 내리다 (naerida).
서윤은 버스를 탄다.Seoyuneun beoseureul tanda.
지하철을 타요.
Jihacheoreul tayo.
I take the subway.
공항까지 택시로 가요.
Gonghangkkaji taeksiro gayo.
I'm going to the airport by taxi.
까지 means as far as, up to.
다음 역에서 내려요.
Daeum yeogeseo naeryeoyo.
I'm getting off at the next station.
여권 여기 있어요.
Yeogwon yeogi isseoyo.
Here's my passport.
밤 열한 시, 기차는 서울역을 천천히 떠났다.Bam yeolhan si, gichaneun Seoullyeogeul cheoncheonhi tteonatda.
From The Vanished Treasure of the Dawn Train, chapter 1 (B1)
Asking the way: left, right and straight on
Direction words end in 쪽 (jjok), side: 왼쪽 is the left side and 오른쪽 the right, and the compass points follow the same pattern (북쪽, 남쪽, 동쪽, 서쪽). Add 으로/로 for "towards": 왼쪽으로 가세요, go left. To say where something is, add 에: 오른쪽에 있어요, it's on the right.
왼쪽에는 문구점이 있고, 오른쪽에는 세탁소가 있습니다.Oenjjogeneun mungujeomi itgo, oreunjjogeneun setaksoga itseumnida.
이 근처에 지하철역이 있어요?
I geuncheoe jihacheollyeogi isseoyo?
Is there a subway station near here?
여기서 멀어요?
Yeogiseo meoreoyo?
Is it far from here?
쭉 가세요.
Jjuk gaseyo.
Go straight on.
The list gives 직진 (jikjin), going straight on, as in 직진하세요 (jikjinhaseyo). People also say 쭉 (jjuk); 똑바로 (ttokbaro) means straight too, but is less common in directions.
다음 교차로에서 오른쪽으로 가세요.
Daeum gyocharoeseo oreunjjogeuro gaseyo.
Turn right at the next crossroads.
멀다 (meolda), the list's word for far, is a descriptive verb, so it asks the question on its own, as above: 멀어요? For far away, use the adverb 멀리 (meolli). 근처 (geuncheo) is a noun, the nearby area, so it takes particles: 역 근처에, near the station. For the most-asked question of all, see where is the toilet in Korean.
Read a Korean story at A1: tap any word, from 버스 to 왼쪽, to see what it means.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you say "airport" in Korean?
공항 (gonghang). To a taxi driver, say 공항까지 가 주세요 (gonghangkkaji ga juseyo), "to the airport, please". The same pattern works for any destination: name the place, add 까지 and 가 주세요.
How do you say left and right in Korean?
Left is 왼쪽 (oenjjok) and right is 오른쪽 (oreunjjok). Add 으로 to go that way: 왼쪽으로 가세요, go left. Add 에 to say where something is: 오른쪽에 있어요, it's on the right.
Which verb do you use for buses and trains in Korean?
타다 (tada), to ride or get on, for every kind of transport: 기차를 타요, I take the train. To get off, use 내리다 (naerida). To say "by bus", add 로 to the vehicle: 버스로 가요.
Is 지하철 the subway or the underground?
Both. 지하철 (jihacheol) is the metro in any city, whatever it is called in English. A subway station is 지하철역 (jihacheollyeok), or just 역 when the context is clear.