Day 5 – Transportation and Directions

Hello Korean language learners!

Today we’ll learn essential vocabulary and phrases related to transportation and directions in Korea. This will help you navigate around Korean cities and ask for help when needed.

Table of Contents

1. Transportation Vocabulary

Types of Transportation:

지하철 (지-하-철) [jihachul] = Subway
버스 (버-스) [beoseu] = Bus
택시 (택-시) [taeksi] = Taxi
기차 (기-차) [gicha] = Train
자전거 (자-전-거) [jajeonggeo] = Bicycle
비행기 (비-행-기) [bihaenggi] = Airplane

Places:

역 (역) [yeok] = Station
정류장 (정-류-장) [jeongryujang] = Bus stop
공항 (공-항) [gonghang] = Airport
터미널 (터-미-널) [teomineol] = Terminal
주차장 (주-차-장) [juchajang] = Parking lot

2. Direction Vocabulary

Basic Directions:

왼쪽 (왼-쪽) [oenjjok] = Left
오른쪽 (오-른-쪽) [oreunjjok] = Right
앞 (앞) [ap] = Front/ahead
뒤 (뒤) [dwi] = Back/behind
위 (위) [wi] = Up/above
아래 (아-래) [arae] = Down/below

Distance:

가까워요 (가-까-워-요) [gakkawoyo] = It’s close/near
멀어요 (멀-어-요) [meoreoyo] = It’s far
여기 (여-기) [yeogi] = Here
저기 (저-기) [jeogi] = There
어디 (어-디) [eodi] = Where

3. Useful Transportation Phrases

Taking the Subway:

지하철역이 어디예요? (지-하-철-역-이 어-디-예-요?) [jihachul yeogi eodiyo?] = Where is the subway station?
몇 번 출구예요? (몇 번 출-구-예-요?) [myeot beon chulguyo?] = Which exit number?
환승해야 해요? (환-승-해-야 해-요?) [hwanseunghaeya haeyo?] = Do I need to transfer?

Taking a Bus:

이 버스가 ___에 가요? (이 버-스-가 ___에 가-요?) [i beoseuga ___e gayo?] = Does this bus go to ___?
다음 정류장이 어디예요? (다-음 정-류-장-이 어-디-예-요?) [daeum jeongryujangi eodiyo?] = Where is the next stop?
여기서 내려주세요 (여-기-서 내-려-주-세-요) [yeogiseo naeryeojuseyo] = Please let me off here

Taking a Taxi:

___에 가 주세요 (___에 가 주-세-요) [___e ga juseyo] = Please go to ___
얼마예요? (얼-마-예-요?) [eolmayo?] = How much is it?
여기서 내려 주세요 (여-기-서 내-려 주-세-요) [yeogiseo naeryo juseyo] = Please drop me off here

4. Asking for Directions

Basic Questions:

실례합니다 (실-례-합-니-다) [sillyehamnida] = Excuse me
___이/가 어디에 있어요? (___이/가 어-디-에 있-어-요?) [___i/ga eodie isseoyo?] = Where is ___?
어떻게 가요? (어-떻-게 가-요?) [eotteoke gayo?] = How do I get there?

Sample Direction Dialogue:

You: 실례합니다. 명동역이 어디에 있어요? (Excuse me. Where is Myeongdong Station?)

Person: 여기에서 오른쪽으로 가세요. 그리고 두 번째 길에서 왼쪽으로 가세요. (From here, go right. Then at the second street, go left.)

You: 얼마나 걸려요? (How long does it take?)

Person: 약 10분 걸려요. (It takes about 10 minutes.)

You: 감사합니다. (Thank you.)

5. Transportation Etiquette in Korea

In Korea, it’s customary to give up your seat to elderly people, pregnant women, or disabled individuals on public transportation.
When riding an escalator, stand on the right side to allow people in a hurry to walk up on the left side.
It’s considered impolite to talk loudly on your phone while using public transportation.
On the subway, there are designated seats for elderly, pregnant women, and disabled individuals (노약자석 [noyakjaseok]).

Practice Time!

Try creating sentences using the vocabulary you’ve learned:

Ask where the bus stop is
Tell a taxi driver where you want to go
Ask if you need to transfer on the subway
Ask how far the destination is
Thank someone for giving you directions

Tomorrow we’ll learn about shopping and basic money expressions in Korean! Keep practicing your transportation vocabulary and phrases!

Korean Language Blog: Day 5 – Transportation and Directions