Day 6 – Shopping and Money Expressions
Hello Korean language learners! Today we’ll learn essential vocabulary and phrases for shopping in Korea. Whether you’re buying souvenirs, clothes, or groceries, these expressions will help you communicate with shop staff and understand prices.
1. Basic Shopping Vocabulary
Places:
- 마트 (마-트) [mateu] = Supermarket/mart
- 시장 (시-장) [sijang] = Market
- 백화점 (백-화-점) [baekhwajeom] = Department store
- 편의점 (편-의-점) [pyeonuijeom] = Convenience store
- 쇼핑몰 (쇼-핑-몰) [syopingmol] = Shopping mall
Items:
- 옷 (옷) [ot] = Clothes
- 신발 (신-발) [sinbal] = Shoes
- 가방 (가-방) [gabang] = Bag
- 음식 (음-식) [eumsik] = Food
- 선물 (선-물) [seonmul] = Gift
Korean Shopping Vocabulary
2. Money and Price Vocabulary
Money Terms:
- 돈 (돈) [don] = Money
- 원 (원) [won] = Korean currency (won)
- 지갑 (지-갑) [jigap] = Wallet
- 신용카드 (신-용-카-드) [sinyongkadeu] = Credit card
- 현금 (현-금) [hyeongeum] = Cash
Price Expressions:
- 얼마예요? (얼-마-예-요?) [eolmayo?] = How much is it?
- 비싸요 (비-싸-요) [bissayo] = It’s expensive
- 싸요 (싸-요) [ssayo] = It’s cheap
- 할인 있어요? (할-인 있-어-요?) [harin isseoyo?] = Is there a discount?
- 세일 중이에요? (세-일 중-이-에-요?) [seil jungieoyo?] = Is it on sale?
3. Useful Shopping Phrases
Shopping Conversations:
- 이것 주세요 (이-것 주-세-요) [igeos juseyo] = Please give me this
- 다른 색깔 있어요? (다-른 색-깔 있-어-요?) [dareun saekkal isseoyo?] = Do you have other colors?
- 다른 사이즈 있어요? (다-른 사-이-즈 있-어-요?) [dareun saijeu isseoyo?] = Do you have other sizes?
- 입어봐도 돼요? (입-어-봐-도 돼-요?) [ibeobwado dwaeyo?] = Can I try it on?
- 환불 되나요? (환-불 되-나-요?) [hwanbul doenayo?] = Can I get a refund?
At the Checkout:
- 이것만 살게요 (이-것-만 살-게-요) [igeosman salgeyo] = I’ll just buy this
- 카드로 계산할게요 (카-드-로 계-산-할-게-요) [kadeuro gyesanhalgeyo] = I’ll pay by card
- 현금으로 계산할게요 (현-금-으-로 계-산-할-게-요) [hyeongeumeuro gyesanhalgeyo] = I’ll pay in cash
- 영수증 주세요 (영-수-증 주-세-요) [yeongsujeum juseyo] = Please give me a receipt
- 봉투 주세요 (봉-투 주-세-요) [bongtu juseyo] = Please give me a bag
4. Numbers and Currency
Remember the Sino-Korean numbers (from Day 3) for prices:
- 천 원 (천 원) [cheon won] = 1,000 won
- 만 원 (만 원) [man won] = 10,000 won
- 십만 원 (십-만 원) [shipman won] = 100,000 won
Sample Price Expressions:
- 이천 원이에요 (이-천 원-이-에-요) [icheon wonieyo] = It’s 2,000 won
- 삼만 원이에요 (삼-만 원-이-에-요) [samman wonieyo] = It’s 30,000 won
- 십이만 오천 원이에요 (십-이-만 오-천 원-이-에-요) [shipiman ocheon wonieyo] = It’s 125,000 won
5. Sample Shopping Dialogue
You: 실례합니다. 이 티셔츠 얼마예요? (Excuse me. How much is this T-shirt?)
Staff: 이만 오천 원이에요. (It's 25,000 won.)
You: 좀 비싸네요. 할인 있어요? (That's a bit expensive. Is there a discount?)
Staff: 네, 지금 20% 세일 중이에요. 이만 원이에요. (Yes, it's 20% off now. It's 20,000 won.)
You: 다른 색깔 있어요? (Do you have other colors?)
Staff: 네, 빨간색과 파란색도 있어요. (Yes, we have red and blue too.)
You: 파란색으로 주세요. 입어봐도 돼요? (Please give me the blue one. Can I try it on?)
Staff: 네, 시착실이 저기 있어요. (Yes, the fitting room is over there.)
(After trying it on)
You: 이거 살게요. 카드로 계산할게요. (I'll buy this. I'll pay by card.)
Staff: 네, 여기 서명해 주세요. (Yes, please sign here.)
You: 영수증 주세요. (Please give me a receipt.)
Staff: 네, 여기 있습니다. 감사합니다. (Yes, here it is. Thank you.)6. Cultural Note
In traditional Korean markets, bargaining is often acceptable, but in department stores and most modern shops, prices are fixed. If you want to try bargaining at a traditional market, you can say:
- 깎아 주세요 (깎-아 주-세-요) [kkakka juseyo] = Please give me a discount (literally “please cut the price”)
Also, in Korea, you often don’t need to round up the price. If something costs 4,500 won and you give 5,000 won, you’ll receive your 500 won change.
Practice Time!
Try creating shopping scenarios with the phrases you’ve learned:
- Ask the price of an item
- Ask if there’s a discount
- Ask to try on clothes
- Say you’ll pay by cash or card
- Thank the staff and say goodbye
Tomorrow we’ll learn about weather expressions and seasonal vocabulary in Korean! Keep practicing your shopping phrases!
