Did you know that South Korea has twelve days each year that celebrate (or mourn over, in the case of Black Day) love? And three of them are in December! 

While in Western cultures, people tend to associate Christmas with the birth of Jesus and time with family, most South Koreans perceive Christmas as a day for celebrating romance. In this article, you’ll learn about common South Korean traditions for Christmas, explore some of the most popular activities, and pick up some new vocabulary. 

Ready? Let’s go. 

1. A South Korean Christmas

Like many countries, South Korea has its own version of 크리스마스 (keuriseumaseu), or “Christmas,” celebrated each year on December 25. Christmas Day in South Korea has many similarities with that in other countries, though there are a few key differences. 

In South Korea, Christmas is less about the traditional story of Jesus’s birth and more about the holiday’s commercial aspects. The holiday is also heavily associated with romance and couples, as opposed to family.

Considering South Korea’s fairly large Christian population (anywhere from a quarter to a third of the population), some people view the holiday in its traditional religious light—though still not to the extent that people in the U.S. or many European nations do. 

2. Christmas Traditions in South Korea

South Koreans employ many of the same traditions and celebrations for Christmas as other countries do, though with a unique Korean twist. 

Valentine’s Day?

In most countries, Christmas means time with family. Well, the average Christmas celebration in South Korea is actually spent with one’s boyfriend or girlfriend, and not one’s family. For this reason, Christmas is often viewed as another ‘Valentine’s Day.’

As advertising increases and special deals are made available, people spend a lot of time looking for the perfect 선물 (seonmul), or “present,” for their significant other. Popular gifts include romantic items, such as chocolate, wine glasses, or lingerie. In addition to gift-giving, couples often go on a romantic date together. This often consists of a meal at a nice restaurant, time spent doing outdoor winter activities, and a night spent in a hotel. Of course, some couples opt to stay indoors during Christmas, snuggled in front of the 벽난로 (byeognanro), or “fireplace.”

The romantic nature of a South Korean Christmas is so prominent that people tend to feel lonely or sad if they have to spend the holiday as a single person.

→ What gift do you want the most this holiday season? Check out our vocabulary list and let us know in the comments! 
→ Planning a date for Christmas? Here are the Common Korean Phrases You’ll Need for a Date.

Christmas Food

The Christmas food in South Korea is far different from what people in the U.S. and other countries are used to. 

Instead of having special food items or meals for the holiday, many Koreans indulge in the popular wintertime foods. These are often found in stalls while walking the streets or in restaurants. These foods include plenty of porridges, soups, spicy foods, and bready foods. You can sometimes find Western-style Christmas meals in certain restaurants, especially those in larger cities.

→ Is your mouth watering already? Learn more about what to expect in our article on the Top 10 Must-Try Korean Street Foods in Seoul! 

Decorations 

As for Christmas decorations in South Korea, you’ll mainly find these in public areas and not in residential areas. Walking through the cities or towns, you’ll find many businesses, restaurants, and other public locations decorated with Christmas lights, Christmas trees, and the like.

Other Traditions

In South Korea, many children are told about 산타 클로스 (santa keulloseu), or “Santa Claus.” Like in Western cultures, it’s said that Santa will bring gifts to the good children and not to the bad children. Many children call him 산타할아버지 (santaharabeoji), which means “Grandfather Santa.”

Similarly, South Korean children grow up singing about 루돌프 사슴코 (rudolpeu saseumko), or “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” during Christmas. A few other Western Christmas songs are popular here, though most of the time, radios play Christmas-themed Korean pop music.

Some children enjoy playing in the 눈 (nun), or “snow,” if they were lucky enough to have a Christmas snow. 

3. Seoul At Christmastime

Not surprisingly, Seoul is a hotspot during the Christmas season. Tons of top-notch restaurants, bars, and shops can be found here, and Christmas is the perfect occasion to check them out with friends—as long as you don’t mind crowds!

A few popular areas include Kang Nam, Shin Chon, Jam Sil, and Ap Gu Jeong. Make sure to visit one or two of these places for a great time! 

→ In case you have your sights set elsewhere, we have a handy list of South Korea’s Top Tourist Attractions. Check it out! 

4. Essential Vocabulary for Christmas

Let’s review some of the key vocabulary words from this article!

• 눈 (nun) – “snow” [n]
• 눈송이 (nunsongi) – “snowflake” [n]
• 크리스마스 (keuriseumaseu) – “Christmas” [n]
• 선물 (seonmul) – “present” [n]
• 썰매 (sseolmae) – “sled” [n]
• 굴뚝 (gulttuk) – “chimney” [n]
• 벽난로 (byeognanro) – “fireplace” [n]
• 크리스마스 종 (keuriseumaseu jong) – “bell” [n]
• 눈사람 (nunsaram) – “snowman” [n]
• 산타 클로스 (santa keulloseu) – “Santa Claus”
• 루돌프 사슴코 (rudolpeu saseumko) – “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
• 순록 (sunnok) – “reindeer” [n]
• 장식 (jangsik) – “decoration” [n]
• 크리스마스 (Keuriseumaseu) – “Christmas Day”
• 북극 (Bukgeuk) – “North Pole”
• 크리스마스 양말 (keuriseumaseu yangmal) – “stocking” [n]
• 겨우살이 (gyeousari) – “mistletoe” [n]
• 과자집 (gwajajip) – “gingerbread house” [n]
• 사탕 지팡이 (satang jipangi) – “candy cane” [n]
• 화환 (hwahwan) – “wreath” [n]
• 호랑 가시 나무 (horang gasi namu) – “holly” [n]
• 꼬마 요정 (kkoma yojeong) – “elf” [n]

Remember that you can find each of these words, along with their pronunciation, on our list of Must-Know Christmas Day Vocabulary! 

Final Thoughts

Christmas in South Korea may not be exactly what one would expect, but it certainly possesses the warmth, excitement, and charm of Western Christmas celebrations. 

What are your thoughts on the South Korean version of Christmas? Would you ever like to visit for this special holiday? We look forward to hearing from you in the comments! 

If you enjoyed this article and would like to learn more about Korean culture and the language, KoreanClass101.com has several more blog posts we think you’ll like:

• Chuseok: How to Celebrate Korean Thanksgiving Day
• Hangul Proclamation Day: Writing Korean Made Easy
• 어린이날: Celebrating Children’s Day in South Korea
• 장마철: Making the Most of the Rainy Season in Korea
• Best Netflix Korean Dramas to Learn Korean

If you’re serious about learning Korean, then create your free lifetime account today. We’re constantly adding new audio and video lessons, blog posts, and themed vocabulary lists for learners at every level. Learn Korean in the fastest, easiest, and most fun way! 

One more thing before we go: How do you say “Merry Christmas” in Korean?

메리 크리스마스 (meri keuriseumaseu!)

Mastering pronouns is one of the most crucial steps in studying a language, because without them, your sentences will sound a bit off and you won’t be able to properly converse with people. In this article, we’re going to introduce many Korean pronouns, mainly focusing on Korean subject pronouns. 

But first things first, let’s take a look at the definition of “pronoun.” According to Vocabulary.com, a pronoun is a word that replaces a noun in a sentence. For example, instead of repeating someone’s name over and over again while talking about them, you can replace their name with “he” or “she.”  

Ready to learn Korean pronouns? There are many pronouns in Korean that you need to master in order to construct fluid sentences, so let’s have a look at them!

Table of Contents

1. Korean Personal Pronouns
2. First, Second, Third Person Plural
3. Korean Demonstrative Pronouns
4. Korean Interrogative Pronouns
5. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Korean

1. Korean Personal Pronouns

1- First, Second, Third Person Singular

1- 나는 / 저는 (naneun / jeoneun), “I” – Informal / Formal

나는 (naneun) is an informal way to address yourself. However, this word is rarely used in speech and it sounds unnatural if you say this word while speaking with someone. Therefore, it’s better to skip 나는 (naneun), or use 난 (nan) instead. 

저는 (jeoneun) is a formal way to address yourself and it’s often used in formal language when speaking. Many Koreans also use 전 (jeon), which is a shortened version of 저는 (jeoneun). 

Examples

• 난 이제 가야 할 것 같아. (Informal) 

Nan ije gaya hal geot gata.

“I think I’d better go now.”

• (나는) 이제 가야할 것 같아. (Informal) 

(Naneun) ije gayahal geot gata.

“(I think) I’d better go now.”

• 전 이탈리아에서 왔습니다. (Formal)

Jeon italliaeseo watseumnida.

“I’m from Italy.”

• (저는) 이탈리아에서 왔습니다. (Formal)

(Jeoneun) italliaeseo watseumnida.

 “I’m from Italy.”

2- 너는 / 당신은 (neoneun / dangsineun), “You” – Informal / Formal

너는 (neoneun) is an informal way to say “you,” and 넌 (neon), which is a shortened version of 너는 (neoneun), is also commonly used in speaking. 

당신은 (dangsineun) is a polite form of 너는 (neoneun). It’s important to know that using this Korean pronoun with a stranger is usually considered impolite. Also, this pronoun is commonly used between married couples, so you’ll hear this word used a lot between mature married couples. 

Examples

• 넌 아무것도 몰라, 존 스노우.

Neon amugeotdo molla, Jon Seunou.

“You know nothing, Jon Snow.”

•  당신과 함께 늙고 싶어요.  

Dangsingwa hamkke neukgo sipeoyo.

“I want to grow old with you.”  

3- 그는 / 그녀는 (geuneun / geunyeoneun), “He” and “She”

그는 (geuneun) and 그녀는 (geunyeoneun) are two words that distinguish the gender of the person you want to talk about. However, do keep in mind that while using the words “he” and “she” in English is very common, it’s rare to use these two Korean personal pronouns when speaking in Korea. 

Many Koreans don’t mention a person’s gender when speaking. Instead, they use the more common words 그 사람 (geu saram) or 그분 (geubun), which mean “that person” in informal and formal language respectively. 

Examples

• 그 사람 자주 와요?

Geu saram jaju wayo?

“Does he/she come often?”

• 그분이 내일 오실까요? 

Geubuni naeil osilkkayo?

“Do you think that he/she will come tomorrow?”

2. First, Second, Third Person Plural

1. 우리는 / 저희는 (urineun / jeohuineun), “We” – Informal / Formal 

As you may have already guessed, 우리는 (urineun) is a casual way to say “we,” and 저희는 (jeohuineun) is used in formal situations. When speaking, you can also slightly shorten these two words and say 우린 (urin) and 저흰 (jeohuin) respectively. 

Examples

• 우리는 전혀 신경 안 써. (Casual speaking)

Urineun jeonhyeo singyeong an sseo.

“We really don’t care.”

• 우린 전혀 신경 안 써. (Casual speaking)

Urin jeonhyeo singyeong an sseo.

“We really don’t care.”

• 저희는 1년 전에 만났어요. (Polite speaking) 

Jeohuineun illyeon jeone mannasseoyo.

“We just met a year ago.”

• 저흰 1년 전에 만났어요. (Polite speaking)

Jeohuin ilnyeon jeone mannasseoyo.

“We just met a year ago.”

• 저희는 아침, 점심, 저녁 식사를 일주일 내내 제공합니다. (Formal speaking – business level) 

Jeohuineun achim, jeomsim, jeonyeok siksareul iljuil naenae jegonghamnida.

“We serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, seven days a week.”

• 저희는 형제 사이입니다.

Jeohuineun hyeongje sai-imnida.

“We are brothers.”

• 저흰 형제 사이입니다.

Jeohuin hyeongje sai-imnida.

“We are brothers.”

2. 그들은  /그 사람들은 (geudeureun / geu saramdeureun), “They,” “You” (in a group)

그들은 (geudeureun) is usually used in written context and is rarely used in speech. If you say this word while describing a group (while speaking), it still makes sense to the native speakers, but they’ll instantly know that you’re not fluent yet. Why? Because it sounds unnatural to their ears.

Instead, you can say 그 사람들은 (geu saramdeureun) to sound more natural when speaking. You can also say 그 분들은 (geu bundeureun), which is a formal way to say “they” in speech. 

Examples

• 그들은 그 계획에 반대투표했다. (Writing) 

Geudeureun geu gyehoege bandaetupyohaetda.

“They voted against the plan.”

• 그들은 헤어졌다. (Writing) 

Geudeureun he-eojyeotda.

“They broke up.”

•  왜 (그 사람들은) 우리를 기다리지 않았지? (Casual speaking) 

Wae geu saramdeureun urireul gidariji anatji?

“Why didn’t they wait for us?”

• 그 사람들은 바쁘면 보통 전화를 안 받아요.

Geu saramdeureun bappeumyeon botong jeonhwareul an badayo.

“They usually don’t answer when they’re busy.”

3. Korean Demonstrative Pronouns

1. 이것 / 저것 (igeot / jeogeot), “This,” “That”

Difference between 이것 (igeot) and 이거 (igeo)

A lot of people are unsure about how to differentiate between words that have similar meanings. One of the most common questions we get is about how to differentiate 이것 (igeot) and 이거 (igeo). 

These two words have the same meaning, but how are they different? According to the National Institute of Korean Language, these two Korean pronouns have exactly the same meaning, but 이거 (igeo) is often used in speaking. For example, 이것 주세요 (igeot juseyo) and 이거 주세요 (igeo juseyo) are the same, except that 이거 주세요 (igeo juseyo) is used in speaking. 

Examples

• 이것 좀 어머니께 전해 드려. (Polite speaking) 

Igeot jom eomeonikke jeonhae deuryeo.

“Give this to your mother.”

• 이것 말고 다른 방법은 없을까? (Casual speaking) 

Igeot malgo dareun bangbeobeun eopseulkka?

“Isn’t there another way?”

• 이것저것 해봤어. (Casual speaking) 

Igeotjeogeot haebwasseo.

“I tried this and that.”

• 이것보다 저것이 더 좋아보이네. (Casual speaking) 

Igeotboda jeogeosi deo joaboine.

“That one is better than this one.”

2. 여기 / 저기 (yeogi / jeogi) “Here,” “There” 

Examples

• 여기 나와 계신 줄 몰랐어요.

Yeogi nawa gyesin jul mollasseoyo.

“I didn’t realize you were out here.”

• 너 방금 그 날 밤에 여기 없었다고 했잖아.

Neo banggeum geu nal bame yeogi eopseotdago haetjana.

“You just said that you weren’t here that night.”

• 저기 좀 봐.

Jeogi jom bwa.

“Look, over there.”

• 저기가 우리 집이다.

Jeogiga uri jibida.

“My place is over there.”

4. Korean Interrogative Pronouns

Below is a list of Korean pronouns used to ask questions:

• “What” — 무엇 (mueot)
• “Which” — 어느 (eoneu) 
• “Who/Whom” — 누가 (nuga)
• “Where” — 어디 (eodi)
• “When” — 언제 (eonje)
• “Why” — 왜 (wae) 
• “Whose” — 누구의 (nuguui)

Let’s have a look at each Korean interrogative pronoun with example sentences. 

1. 무엇 (mueot), “What” 

Examples

• 직업이 무엇입니까? (Formal speaking) 

Jigeobi mueosimnikka?

“What do you do for a living?”

• = 무슨일 하고 있어요? (Casual speaking) 

Museunil hago isseoyo?

“What do you do for a living?”

2. 어느 것 (eoneu geot), “Which” 

Examples

• 어느 것이 더 싸요? (Polite speaking)

Eoneu geosi deo ssayo?

“Which is cheaper?”

• 어느 것이 더 무겁습니까? (Formal speaking) 

Eoneu geosi deo mugeopseumnikka?

“Which one is heavier?”

3. 누가 (nuga), “Who” 

Examples

• 누가 쓴 책이죠?

Nuga sseun chaegijyo?

“Who’s the author?”

• 누가 방귀 뀌었죠?

Nuga banggwi kkwieotjyo?

“Who has just farted?”

4. 어디 (eodi), “Where”

Examples

• 내 신발이 어디 있지? (Casual speaking) 

Nae sinbari eodi itji?

“Where are my shoes?”

• 오늘 어디 가세요? (Formal speaking) 

Oneul eodi gaseyo?

“Where are you going today?”

5. 언제 (eonje), “When” 

Examples

• 언제 찾아 뵐까요? (Formal speaking) 

Eonje chaja boelkkayo?

“When shall I call on you?”

• 서울에는 언제 오셨어요?

seoureneun eonje osyeosseoyo?

“When did you come to Seoul?”

6. 왜 (wae), “Why” 

Examples

• 왜 화가 나있어? 

Wae hwaga naisseo?

“Why are you angry?” 

• 왜 망설이고 있어?

Wae mangseorigo isseo?

“Why are you hesitating?”

7. 누구의 (nuguui), “Whose” 

Examples

• 저건 누구의 집이죠?

jeogeon nuguui jibijyo?

“Whose house is that?”

• 이건 누구 것인지 모르겠네.

igeon nugu geosinji moreugenne.

“I wonder whose this is.”

5. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Korean

To summarize what we’ve learned today, our Korean pronouns list covered three main pronoun groups: 

• Korean personal pronouns, such as 나 (na), 너 (neo), and 우리 (uri)
• Korean demonstrative pronouns, such as 이것 (igeot) and 여기 (yeogi)
• Korean interrogative pronouns, such as 언제 (eonje) and 왜 (wae)

We have many exercises to help you practice these pronouns, so check out these pages: 

• Here? No! There? Where?!
• This? That? No, That! Over There!

In addition, KoreanClass101 has many free Korean lessons and vocabulary lists for you to study at your own pace too, so feel free to visit our website! 

I hope you found this Korean pronouns lesson useful. If you have any questions, feel free to leave us a comment below! 

How to compose proper sentence structures is one of the most important language skills you can learn, because you can’t speak or write properly without knowing how to put sentences together. In this article, we’ll teach you basic Korean sentence structure and word order so that you can write a Korean sentence or speak with local friends.

Table of Contents

1. Overview of Word Order in Korean
2. Basic Word Order with Subject, Verb, and Object
3. Word Order with Prepositional Phrases
4. Word Order with Modifiers
5. How to Change the Sentence into a Yes-or-No Question
6. Korean Word Order Practice
7. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Your Korean Skills

1. Overview of Word Order in Korean

The Korean language word order is SOV. Therefore, the default grammatical order is always subject – object – verb. 

Example:

• 호랑이가 먹이를 먹어요. 

Horangiga meogireul meogeoyo.

“A tiger is eating prey.“

The Korean sentence structure and word order are different from those in English, which has an SVO (subject – verb –object) word order. The easiest way to remember the difference is that only the verb and object positions are switched. 

Let’s take a look at another example from Wikipedia. 

• 내가 상자를 연다.

Naega sangjareul yeonda.

“I open the box.“

Congratulations! You’ve just mastered the first basic Korean sentence structure pattern, and you’re ready to learn how to construct Korean sentences. Let’s go!

2. Basic Word Order with Subject, Verb, and Object

Rule #1: Subject + Noun pattern

The first rule of Korean word order is the subject + noun pattern. Here are two tables of Korean subjects and grammar structures to help you construct Korean sentences. Once you familiarize yourself with them, you’ll be able to form Korean sentences easily.

A. Basic Vocabulary for Korean Subjects

Subject	Romanization	English	Politeness
나는	naneun	“I am”	informal
저는	jeoneun	“I am”	formal
너는	neoneun	“You are”	informal
당신은	dangsineun	“You are”	formal
그는	geuneun	“He is”	formal
그녀는	geunyeoneun	“She is”	formal
*”He is” and “she is” are rarely used in spoken language. Try replacing the subject with a person’s name, such as 하영이는 (hayeongineun), 민경씨는 (mingyeongssineun), 영우님은 (yeongunimeun), etc.
우리는	urineun	“We are”	informal
그들은	geudeureun	“They are”	formal
“We are” in the formal register is rarely used in spoken language. When speaking, try saying 우리들은 (urideureun) instead.

B. Basic Grammar Structure to Remember

Subject	Romanization	English	Politeness
~ 이다.	~ ida.	“~am”	informal
~ 입니다.	~ imnida.	“~am”	formal
(이)에요.	(i)eyo.	“~is”	formal

When constructing the phrases above, you will always need to add a noun before. Let’s have a look at an example. 

Example:

• 나는 학생이다. (informal/writing)

Naneun haksaengida.

“I am a student.“

• 저는 학생이에요. (formal/speaking)

Jeoneun haksaengieyo.

“I am a student.“

Rule #2: Subject + Object + Verb pattern

The second rule of word order in Korean is the subject – object – verb rule we discussed at the beginning of this article. This is the default rule for how to complete a sentence. 

Example:

• 저는 사과를 먹어요.

Jeoneun sagwareul meogeoyo.

“I eat an apple.” 

Rule #3: Subject + Verb pattern

The third rule of Korean word order is the subject + verb sentence pattern. This is the easiest Korean sentence structure, and the pattern is similar to English. This SV pattern is usually used when you want to give a simple and direct answer to a question, without giving much context. For example, when someone asks “What is she doing?” you can simply answer by saying “She’s sleeping.”

Example:

• A: 지금 앤은 뭐해?

A: Jigeum aeneun mwohae?

A: “What is Anne up to?”

• B: 앤은 지금 요리해.

B: Aeneun jigeum yorihae.

B: “Anne is cooking now.”

Rule #4: Subject + Adjective pattern

The fourth rule of Korean word order is the subject + adjective sentence pattern, which is very similar to English. As we know, adjectives describe nouns or pronouns. 

Example:

• 앤은 예뻐.

Aeneun yeppeo.

“Anne is pretty.“

• 수업은 지루해요. 

Sueobeun jiruhaeyo.

“The class is boring.” 

3. Word Order with Prepositional Phrases

Now, let’s see how prepositional phrases come into Korean word order. According to Grammarly, a prepositional phrase is a group of words that contain a preposition, its object, and modifiers for that object. Let’s have a look at the ten most commonly used Korean prepositional phrases. 

1. ~ 의 앞에 (ui ap-e), “in front of” 

Rules:

1) Add only the object in front of the prepositional phrase. 

2) You can remove 의 when speaking. (e.g. 슈퍼마켓 앞에)

A. Simple SOV Sentence: 

 subject – object – verb

• 강아지는 슈퍼마켓에 있어요. 

Gangajineun syupeomakese isseoyo.

“The dog is at the supermarket.“

B. Prepositional Phrase Example:

• 강아지는 슈퍼마켓의 앞에 있어요. 

Gangajineun syupeomakesui ape isseoyo.

“The dog is in front of the supermarket.” 

2. ~ 의 뒤에 (dwie), “behind”

Rules:

1) Add only the object in front of the prepositional phrase. 

2) You can remove 의 when speaking. (e.g. 소파 뒤에)

A. Simple SOV Sentence: 

 subject – object – verb

• 강아지는 소파에 앉아있어요.

Gangajineun sopae anjaisseoyo.

“The dog is sitting on the sofa.” 

B. Prepositional Phrase Example:

• 강아지는 소파의 뒤에 앉아있어요.

Gangajineun sopaui dwie anjaisseoyo.

“The dog is sitting behind the sofa.“

3. ~ 의 안에 (~ui ane), “inside”

Rules:

1) Add only the object in front of the prepositional phrase. 

2) You can remove 의 when speaking. (e.g. 슈퍼마켓 뒤에)

A. Simple SOV Sentence: 

 subject – object – verb

• 강아지는 슈퍼마켓에 앉아있어요.

Gangajineun syupeomakese anjaisseoyo.

“The dog is sitting by the sofa.“

B. Prepositional Phrase Example:

• 강아지는 슈퍼마켓의 안에 앉아있어요.

Gangajineun syupeomakesui ane anjaisseoyo.

“The dog is sitting inside the supermarket.“

4. ~의 위에 (wie), “on” 

Rules:

1) Add only the object in front of the prepositional phrase. 

2) You can remove 의 when speaking. (e.g. 책상 위에)

A. Simple SOV Sentence: 

 subject – object – verb

• 바나나는 책상에 있어요.

Banananeun chaeksange isseoyo.

“The banana is at the table.” 

B. Prepositional Phrase Example:

• 바나나는 책상의 위에 있어요.

Banananeun chaeksangui wie isseoyo.

“The banana is on the table.” 

5. ~ 밑에 (mite), “under” 

Rules:

1) Add only the object in front of the prepositional phrase. 

2) You can remove 의 when speaking. (e.g. 책상 밑에)

A. Simple SOV Sentence: 

 subject – object – verb

• 바나나는 책상에 있어요.

Banananeun chaeksange isseoyo.

“The banana is at the table.” 

B. Prepositional Phrase Example:

• 바나나는 책상의 밑에 있어요.

Banananeun chaeksangui wie isseoyo.

“The banana is under the table.” 

6. ~ 과/와 함께 (gwa hamkke), “together with”

Rules:

1) Add only the object in front of the prepositional phrase. 

2) In spoken language, you can say 주인이랑 (juinirang) instead of 주인과 (juingwa); there’s no change in the meaning. 

A. Simple SOV Sentence: 

 subject – object – verb

• 강아지는 주인과 산책해요.

Gangajineun juingwa sanchaekaeyo.

“The dog walks with the owner.” 

B. Prepositional Phrase Example:

• 강아지는 주인과 함께 산책해요.

Gangajineun juingwa hamkke sanchaekaeyo.

“The dog walks together with the owner.” 

7. ~에 관한 (~e gwanhan), “about” 

Rule:

1) Add only the noun in front of the prepositional phrase. 

A. Simple SV Sentence: 

 subject – verb

• 애나는 발표해요.

Aenaneun balpyohaeyo.

“Anna presents.”

B. Prepositional Phrase Example:

• 애나는  한국문화에 관한 주제로 발표해요. 

Aenaneun hangungmunhwae gwanhan jujero balpyohaeyo.

“Anna presents about Korean culture.“

8. ~때문에 (~ttae mune), “Because of~” 

A. Simple SV Sentence: 

 subject – verb

• 운동회가 취소되었다. 

Undonghoega chwisodoeeotda.

“Sport Day is canceled.“

B. Prepositional Phrase Example:

• 운동회가  비 때문에 취소되었다.  

Undonghoega  bi ttaemune chwisodoeeotda. 

“Sport Day is canceled because of the rain.“

9. ~한테 (hante), “To someone” / “From someone” / “By someone”

A. Simple SA Sentence: 

subject + adjective

• 이 훈련은 어려워요. 

I hullyeoneun eoryeowoyo.

“This training is difficult.“

B. Prepositional Phrase Example Using “TO someone”:

• 이 훈련은 강아지한테 어려워요. 

I hullyeoneun gangajihante eoryeowoyo.

“This training is difficult to (for) the dog.” 

C. Simple SOV Sentence: 

 subject – object – verb

• 저는 장난감을 받았어요.

Jeoneun jangnangameul badasseoyo.

“I received a toy.“

D. Prepositional Phrase Example Using “FROM someone”:

• 저는 장난감을 친구한테 받았어요.

Jeoneun i jangnangameun chinguhante badasseoyo.

“I got this toy from my friend.” 

E. Simple SV Sentence: 

 subject – verb

• 강아지가 물어요.

Gangajiga mureosseoyo.

“A dog bites.“

F. Prepositional Phrase Example Using “BY someone”:

• 저는 강아지한테 물렸어요. 

Jeoneun gangajihante mullyeosseoyo.

“I got bitten by a dog.“

10. 으로 / 로 (euro / ro), “to” [destination]

Simple SV Sentence: 

 subject – verb

• 저는 여행할 거예요. 

Jeoneun yeohaenghal geoyeyo.

“I’m going to travel.“

A. Prepositional Phrase Example:

• 저는 프랑스로 여행할 거예요. 

Jeoneun peurangseuro yeohaenggal geoyeyo.

“I’ll travel to France.“

4. Word Order with Modifiers

Descriptive verbs can become noun modifiers and describe the nouns directly. The verb acts as an adjective to modify a noun, which must follow immediately. In Korean grammar, word order with modifiers has two rules you need to remember. So, let’s take a look. 

1. General Rule #1  –  V + ~는 것 (geot)

The first rule for modifiers in Korean word order is the V + ~것 (geot) pattern, which is used to nominalize action verbs. It indicates the gerund form of a verb (e.g. X-ing).

Example:

1. 가다 (gada), “to go”

2. 가 (ga) is the verb stem

3. 가 (ga) + -는 것 (neun geot)

4. It becomes 가는 것 (ganeun geot), which means “going,” and the verb became the noun

2. General Rule #2  –  n~은 (eun) + noun 

Descriptive verbs can become noun modifiers and describe the nouns directly. The verb acts as an adjective to modify a noun, which must follow immediately. We usually translate the descriptive verb as “to be [Adjective].” Let’s have a look at an example. 

Example:

1. 작다 (jakda), “to be small”

2. 작 (verb stem ending in a consonant) + -은 (eun) becomes 작은 (jakeun), meaning “small.” 

3. 작은 + 모자 (noun) becomes 작은 모자 (jakeunmoja), meaning “a small hat.”

Note that ~은 (eun) is attached to the end of clauses that end in consonants. If there’s no consonant at the end of a clause, the rule is slightly different. 

Example:

1. 나쁘다 (nappeuda), “to be bad”

2. 나쁘 (verb stem ending without a consonant) + ~은 (eun) becomes 나쁜 (nappeun), meaning “bad.”

3. 나쁜 + 사람 (noun) becomes 나쁜 사람 (nappeunsaram), meaning “a bad person.”

Check out our lesson on Noun Modifying Particles to learn more about modifiers. 

5. How to Change the Sentence into a Yes-or-No Question

Asking questions in Korean doesn’t require a complicated sentence structure. All you need to do is raise the end of the sentence in order to form a question. 

“Dad sleeps” in Korean is 아빠는 자요 (Appaneun jayo). If you raise the end of the word 요 (yo), it becomes a yes-or-no question: 아빠는 자요↗ ? (Appaneun jayo?), meaning “Is dad asleep?” Perhaps this is the easiest Korean sentence structure we’ll learn today. 

Examples:

• 어제 학교 갔었어요. (Eoje hakgyo gasseosseoyo.) “I went to school yesterday.” 
• 어제 학교 갔었어요↗ ? (Eoje hakgyo gasseosseoyo?) “Did you go to school yesterday?”

• 어제 공부했어. (Eoje gongbuhaesseo.) “I studied yesterday.” 
• 어제 공부했어↗ ? (Eoje gongbuhaesseo?) “Did you study yesterday?” 

• 한국어 할 수 있어요. (Hangugeo hal su isseoyo.) “I can speak Korean.” 
• 한국어 할 수 있어요↗ ? (Hangugeo hal su isseoyo?) “Can you speak Korean?” 

You need to be able to answer “Yes” or “No” when someone asks you a question. You may already know these, but let’s review them again. 

How to Say “Yes” and “No” in Korean

Korean	Romanization	English	Politeness
예	ye	“Yes”	formal
응	eung	“Yes”	informal
아니요	aniyo	“No”	formal
아니	ani	“No”	informal

Example:

• 프랑스어 해↗?

Peurangseueohae?

“Can you speak French?”

• 아니, 못해. (Ani, mothae.) “No, I can’t.”  / 응, 해. (Eung, hae.) “Yes, I can.”

Let’s do some exercises

6. Korean Word Order Practice

Now that we’ve learned some basic Korean sentence structures, let’s do some practice exercises.

Question 1 

Translate a simple sentence in Korean. How do you say “I open the box” in Korean? (Hint: Check Part 1)

Question 2

How do you say “The dog is in front of the supermarket” in Korean? (Hint: Check Part 3)

1) 강아지는 슈퍼마켓의 뒤에 있어요.

2) 강아지는 슈퍼마켓의 앞에 있어요.

3) 강아지는 슈퍼마켓의 옆에 있어요.

4) 강아지는 슈퍼마켓과 함께 있어요.

5) 강아지는 슈퍼마켓의 안에 있어요.

Question 3

Write this yes-or-no question in Korean. “Did you go to school yesterday?” (Hint: Check Part 5)

7. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Your Korean Skills

In summary, we’ve learned basic Korean sentence structures by going over four basic word order patterns, ten of the most commonly used Korean prepositional phrases, two important modifier rules, and how to form yes-or-no questions. 

Once you familiarize yourself with these Korean sentence structures, you’ll be able to write a diary in Korean and continue learning about how to form advanced sentence structures! So keep studying. Here are more pages for you to learn about Korean sentence structure. 

From KoreanClass101: 

• Korean Grammar
• Korean Verbs
• Basic Korean Grammar
• How to Form Korean Phrases? Sentence Order | Basic Korean Phrases
• Basic Korean Sentence Structure

Other Websites: 

• Korean/Lesson I1
• Korean phrasebook
• Korean grammar
• Korean postpositions

We hope you enjoyed learning with KoreanClass101! Feel free to reach out to us in the comments section with any questions or concerns you have about Korean word order, and we’ll be glad to help!

Many expats discuss the culture shock they experienced while living or traveling in South Korea online, through Youtube videos or their personal blogs. They also give advice, which can be very useful to potential travelers planning to visit Korea, as it comes from their own personal experiences. Today, KoreanClass101 will introduce 10 common Korean culture shocks that travelers and expats experience in Korea.

Table of Contents

1. Culture Shock 1: Cafes are Everywhere in Korea
2. Culture Shock 2: Bumping into Someone While Walking
3. Culture Shock 3: People Don’t Hold Doors for You
4. Culture Shock 4: Metal Spoons and Chopsticks
5. Culture Shock 5: Holding Hands Amongst Girlfriends
6. Culture Shock 6: We Use Toilet Paper for Everything
7. Culture Shock 7: Sharing Food from the Same Dish
8. Culture Shock 8: The “Pali Pali” Culture in Korea
9. Culture Shock 9: You Can Use Free Wifi Everywhere in Korea
10. Culture Shock 10: Food Delivery at 1am? No Problem!
11. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Korean

1. Culture Shock 1: Cafes are Everywhere in Korea

You will be surprised how many cafes you find on one street. Some of the most famous cafe chains in Korea are: 

• 스타벅스 (seutabeokseu) – Starbucks
• 카페베네 (kapebene) – Caffe Bene 
• 커피빈  (keopibin) – Coffee Bean
• 엔제리너스  (enjerineoseu) – Angle-in-us
• 투썸플레이스 (tusseompeulleiseu) – A Twosome Place

And the list goes on. If you are curious to know the list of Korean cafes, click here. 

You may mistakenly conclude that Koreans love to drink coffee, but the real reason is related to Korean culture. Since renting an apartment is extremely expensive for young Koreans, it is quite common for them to live with their parents in order to save their money. Generally they stay with their parents until marriage, unless they decide to continue living with their parents even after they get married. 

Also, inviting friends over to one’s house is not common in South Korea, and it is even considered rude to organise a party at home without parental permission. Therefore, the younger generation prefer to hang out with their friends outside their homes in places like cafes.

KoreanClass101 has a free lesson on how to order food in Korean so feel free to check it out.

2. Culture Shock 2: Bumping into Someone While Walking

Do not be surprised or upset when you bump into someone while walking in the busy streets in South Korea. In Korea, this is very common, but this is one of the biggest pet peeves for travelers or expats in Korea. No matter how hard you try, you will bump into someone at one point, so be ready for this. And as this unfortunately happens to everyone, everyday so try not to take it personally.

3. Culture Shock 3: People Don’t Hold Doors for You

Every country has different manners. If you were told  to be polite and hold the door for the next person, don’t be offended if native Koreans do not return the favor. Instead of holding the door for the person behind you, some Koreans will push the door very hard, so that it doesn’t close quickly, allowing the person behind them to rush inside or out while the door is open.

4. Culture Shock 4: Metal Spoons and Chopsticks

Compared to other Asian chopsticks, Korean chopsticks are flatter and more square in shape and is made of metal. Many tourists wonder why Koreans use metal 젓가락 (jeotgarak), which means  “chopsticks” and 숟가락 (sutgarak) which means “spoon”, but there is actually a very interesting story behind this. In historical times, only the upper class used metal chopsticks made of gold or silver. Initially, silver chopsticks and spoons were used by the royal family in order to detect poison in their food. Since then, metal chopsticks became more common and is now used everywhere.  

5. Culture Shock 5:  Holding Hands Amongst Girlfriends

Don’t bewildered when you see two Korean ladies holding hands or walking arm in arm in Korea. This kind of gesture, which is called 팔짱끼다 (paljjangkkida) is to show their close relationship and their bond is strong, like sisters. You will often see two Korean students (mostly girls) doing this. Also you will see this between a daughter and a mother as well. This is a friendly gesture so do not be confused when you see this on the street. 

6. Culture Shock 6: We Use Toilet Paper for Everything

Korean use 두루마리 휴지 (durumari hyuji) which means “toilet paper roll” for …pretty much everything! Toilet paper is not only used for its original purpose, but Koreans use it in many occasions, such as using it as a kitchen towel, to wipe tables with, to blow your nose, wipe sweat, and more. Therefore, it is quite common to see a roll of toilet paper sitting on a desk or table in many Korean households. When you visit a hole in the wall Korean restaurant, you may need to use toilet paper as a napkin. 

7. Culture Shock 7: Sharing Food from the Same Dish

If you are from a country where everyone has their own plate and do not share food together, this may be a shock for you. In Korea, sharing food is a big part of Korean culture. Sharing the food, or, in other words, eating from the same bowl, is very common so don’t be surprised when you see your local friends dipping their spoons and chopsticks into a big pot of soup or side dishes. Usually the main dish, such as 불고기 (bulgogi), which means “Korean Barbecue”, 김치찌개 (gimchijjigae) which means “Kimchi Soup”, 삼겹살 (samgyeopsal) which means “Grilled Pork Belly”, is placed in the middle of the table and many 반찬 (banchan) which means “small side dishes” are placed around the main dish. Each person does not receive the same banchan, meaning everything on the table is for sharing. 

8. Culture Shock 8: The “Pali Pali” Culture in Korea

빨리빨리 (ppallippalli), the direct translation being “hurry hurry” or “quick quick”, is a big part of the culture in South Korea. When you order food at a restaurant, your dish will be ready right away. This also goes for preparing food, making payments and even traveling around on the subway. This means that you will almost never have to wait for anything, and that everything will be ready within a desired time. On the other hand, this ‘pali pali’ culture has side effects as well. Since everything has to be done quickly, Koreans may appear extremely impatient to those who are not aware of this Korean culture. 

9. Culture Shock 9: You Can Use Free Wifi Everywhere in Korea

Finding free 와이파이 (waipai), which means “wifi” in Korea is a lot easier than you think, because wifi is virtually everywhere in Korea. Every cafe in Korea–especially Seoul–will provide free wi-fi services. You can even use free wifi on subway and at open public spaces (look for a sign that says wifi zone). You want to use free wifi? Simply turn on the wifi button and look through the list. You will easily find some such as Free U+Zone, T Wifi Zone , and KT Free WiFi . These free provides usually require you to add some personal information or make you watch an advertisement which lasts about a minute until you can use the free wifi for a minimum 60 minutes to a maximum 24 hours.

10. Culture Shock 10: Food Delivery at 1am? No Problem!

You can order food anytime–whether it is 1 am or 3 am in the morning. Koreans enjoy nightlife and 야식 (yasik) which means “Midnight Snack” is something we enjoy. Some of the famous Yasik include 라면 (ramyeon) which means “noodle”, 치맥 (chimaek) which means  “Fried Chicken and Beer”, 보쌈 (Bossam) which means “pork dish”, 떡볶이 (tteokbokki) which means “stir-fried rice cakes”, 순대 (sundae) which means “blood sausage”, 군고구마 (gungoguma) which means “Roasted Sweet Potato,”  비빔면 (bibimmyeon) which means “cold noodles.”

These days, Koreans use food-delivery apps to order the food. All you need to do is to use a food delivery app such as 요기요 (Yogiyo) 배달통 (Baedaltong), or 푸드플라이 (FoodFly). 

First, choose the cuisine, then make the payment and wait until your dishes arrive by the door. 

Do you want to study Korean while learning more about Korean culture shocks? Visit our online lesson “Culture Shock” and “Korean Instant Noodles!” and learn more about why Korean instant noodles may be a culture shock for some people. In addition, you can learn Korean cultures in depth on our “Korean Culture Class” lessons where you can learn many interesting Korean culture such as dialects, age, level of politeness, marriage and so on. So do check out our free lessons on our website! 

11. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Korean 

I hope you enjoyed reading our top 10 Korean cultures that you may encounter when you travel to Korea. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below or simply visit our forum, where you can receive any practical advice from native Korean speakers. Also, KoreanClass101 provides fun and culturally relevant lessons–there are over 1,000,000+ lessons provided on our website. Our effective teaching method lets you study Korean at your own pace. We have free lessons such as the Korean Key Phrase List, interactive lessons like How to Write My Name in Korean, and more, so feel free to drop by KoreanClass101 anytime, because our goal is to help you improve your Korean! Thank you and have a great day!

Compliments make people feel important and good about themselves. It’s an indispensable part of conversation, too. In this article, you’ll learn various phrases you can use to praise someone for their looks, skills, and work. In addition, we’ll teach you what’s culturally acceptable when someone compliments you in Korea.

Table of Contents

1. Compliments on Someone’s Look
2. Compliments on Someone’s Work
3. Compliments on Someone’s Skills
4. What to Expect After Giving Compliments
5. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Your Korean Skills

1. Compliments on Someone’s Look

“You have a beautiful smile!”

1. “Your smile is beautiful.”

Formal 웃는 얼굴이 아름다워요. Unneun eolguri areumdawoyo. Informal 웃는 얼굴이 예쁘네. Unneun eolguri yeppeune.

*Add 참 (cham) to give someone a stronger Korean compliment; it means “very” or “really.”

Example:

A: 하하하. 그렇구나.
A: Hahaha. Geureokuna.
A: “Hahaha. I see.”

B: 너 그거알아? 웃는 얼굴이 참 예쁜것 같아. (informal)
B: Neo geugeoara? Unneun eolguri cham yeppeungeot gata.
B: “Do you know that your smile is really beautiful?”

2. “You are beautiful.”

Formal 미인이세요. Miiniseyo. Informal 미인이네. Miinine.

This phrase is only used to compliment women’s appearance, mainly regarding their face; 멋있어요 (meosisseoyo) is used to compliment men’s appearance. Synonyms of this phrase are:

• 예쁘세요. (yeppeuseyo.) [formal]
• 예쁘다. (yeppeuda.) [informal]

Examples:

Informal:
철수의 딸들은 하나같이 다 미인이야.
Cheolsuui ttaldeureun hanagachi da miiniya.
“Cheolsu’s daughters are all beautiful.”

Formal:
수미씨는 정말 미인이세요.
Sumissineun jeongmal miiniseyo.
“Sumi, you are really beautiful.”

3. “You are handsome.” / “You are cool.”

Formal 멋있어요. Meosisseoyo. Informal 멋져. Meotjyeo.

This compliment in Korean can be used to praise both women’s and men’s appearance, as well as their behavior or personality.

Examples:

Formal:
아빠는 신사답고 멋있어요.
Appaneun sinsadapgo meosisseoyo.
“My dad is so gentle and cool.”

Informal:
그 남자는 정말 멋있어.
Geu namjaneun jeongmal meosisseo.
“He is good-looking.”

4. “You look like a celebrity.”

Formal 연예인 같으세요. Yeonyein gateuseyo. Informal 연예인 같아. Yeonyein gata.

Koreans tend to compliment someone’s appearance by comparing their looks to that of a famous celebrity. Another commonly used phrase is: ~ 닮았어요 (~ dalasseoyo), which means “You look like someone.” Replace 연예인 (yeonyein) with the name of any famous celebrity’s name to complete the sentence.

Example:

Informal:
저 사람 너무 잘생겼다. 꼭 연예인 같아.
Jeo saram neomu jalsaenggyeotda. Kkok yeonyein gata.
“The person over there is so handsome. He looks like a celebrity.”

= 저 사람 너무 잘생겼다. 지드래곤 닮았어.
= Jeo saram neomu jalsaenggyeotda. Jideuraegon dalm`asseo.
= “The person over there is so handsome. He looks like G-dragon.”

5. “You look great in ___.”

Formal ~이/가 잘 어울려요. ~i/ga jal eoullyeoyo. Informal ~이/가 잘 어울려. ~i/ga jal eoullyeo.

Use this phrase to compliment someone’s outfit or the color of their clothing. You must add a noun to complete the sentence.

Examples:

Formal:
분홍색이 잘 어울려요.
Bunhongsaegi jal eoullyeoyo.
“You look great in pink.”

Formal:
안경이 잘 어울려요.
Angyeongi jal eoullyeoyo.
“You look great in glasses.”

Want to practice this phrase by saying it with different articles of clothing? Open up our free vocabulary lists on “Winter Clothes” and “Summer Clothes and Accessories” to practice more!

2. Compliments on Someone’s Work

“Im the best!”

6. “Great job!”

Formal 잘 하셨어요. Jal hasyeosseoyo. Informal 잘했어. Jalhaesseo.

Examples:

Formal:
아주 침착하게 잘 하셨어요.
Aju chimchakage jal hasyeosseoyo.
“You handled yourself very well.”

Informal:
빨리 왔네? 잘했어!
Ppalli wanne? Jalhaesseo!
“You came so early. Great job!”

7. “You are the best!”

Formal 최고예요! Choegoyeyo! Informal 최고야! Choegoya!

You can also say 짱이야 (jjangiya), which is one of the most-used Korean slang compliments. You can only say this to your friends.

Examples:

Formal:
저희는 패션 업계에서 최고입니다.
Jeohuineun paesyeon eopgyeeseo choegoimnida.
“We’re number-one in the fashion business.”

Informal:
철수 너가 최고야!
Cheulsu neoga choegoya!
“You are the best, Cheulsu!”

Informal Slang:
철수 너 짱이야!
Cheulsu neo jjangiya!
“You are the best, Cheulsu!”

8. “The materials you showed at the meeting today were great.”

Formal 오늘 미팅에서 보여준 자료는 너무 훌륭했어요. Oneul mitingeseo boyeojun jaryoneun neomu hullyunghaesseoyo. Informal 오늘 미팅에서 보여준 자료는 너무 훌륭했어. Oneul mitingeseo boyeojun jaryoneun neomu hullyunghaesseo.

These phrases can be used just as they are after someone has given a presentation.

9. “It was a tough project and the results exceeded expectations.”

Formal 힘든 프로젝트였는데 성과가 기대 이상이에요. Himdeun peurojekteuyeonneunde seonggwaga gidae isangieyo.

Example:

Formal:
수고했어요. 힘든 프로젝트였는데 성과가 기대 이상이에요.
Sugohaesseoyo. himdeun peurojekteuyeonneunde seonggwaga gidae isangieyo.
“Great work. It was a tough project and the results exceeded expectations.”

Do you need more words for talking about your job or the workplace in general? KoreanClass101 has you covered!

“Your knife skills are awesome!”

3. Compliments on Someone’s Skills

10. “You are good at cooking.”

Formal 요리 정말 잘하시네요. Yori jeongmal jalhasineyo. Informal 요리 장잘 잘하네. Yori jangjal jalhane.

정말 잘하시네요 (jeongmal jalhasineyo) means “You are good at something.” If you want to compliment someone on a particular skill, such as cooking, add 요리 (yori) to the front to complete the sentence.

Examples:

Formal:
운동 정말 잘하시네요.
Undong jeongmal jalhasineyo.
“You are good at exercising.”

Informal:
수영 정말 잘하네.
Suyeong jeongmal jalhane.
“You are good at swimming.”

11. “You are good at drawing.”

Formal 그림 잘 그리시네요. Geurim jal geurisineyo. Informal 그림 잘 그리네. Geurim jal geurine.

This is another one of the best Korean compliments to praise someone’s skills. While the grammar construction of the last compliment phrase is to add a noun to the beginning of the sentence, this phrase is to compliment someone’s action.

For example, if someone is good at drawing, the noun for “drawing” is 그림 (geurim) and the verb “to draw” is 그리다 (geurida).Therefore, in order to complete the whole sentence, you need to combine these two words.

Examples:

Formal:
그림 정말 잘 그리시네요.
Geurim jeongmal jal geurisineyo.
“You are good at drawing.”

Informal:
빨리 달리네.
Ppalli dalline.
“You are good at running.”

12. “You speak Korean like a native.”

Formal 원어민 처럼 한국어를 잘하시네요. Woneomin cheoreom hangugeoreul jalhasineyo. Informal 원어민 처럼 한국어를 잘하네. Woneomin cheoreom hangugeoreul jalhane.

Want to say a different language? It’s easy; simply replace the language with a different language. Check out the Top 38 Languages Spoken in the World page on our website!

Examples:

Formal:
원어민 처럼 러시아어를 잘하시네요.
Woneomin cheoreom reosiaeoreul jalhasineyo.
“You speak Russian like a native speaker.”

Informal:
원어민 처럼 영어를 잘하네.
Woneomin cheoreom yeongeoreul jalhane.
“You speak English like a native speaker.”

13. “Nice picture composition.”

Formal 사진 구도가 멋지네요. Sajin gudoga meotjineyo. Informal 사진 구도가 멋져. Sajin gudoga meotjyeo.

Example:

Formal:
풍경 사진 구도가 멋지네요.
Punggyeong sajin gudoga meotjineyo.
“Your landscape photograph composition is wonderful.”

Do you need some additional vocabulary to complete the phrase? Check out KoreanClass101’s vocabulary list about hobbies!

“I feel awkward when someone compliments me.”

4. What to Expect After Giving Compliments

When you compliment someone in Korea, you’ll notice that the other person will often reply with 아, 아니에요. (a, anieyo), or respond to your compliment with awkward silence or a smile. This is because, to a Korean, accepting compliments confidently is considered rude. Therefore, they do their best to avoid appearing too arrogant to the person giving the compliment.

There are three common phrases to use when someone compliments you in Korea. Let’s have a look.

1. Denying the Compliment

Formal 아, 아니에요. A, anieyo. Informal 아, 아니야. A, aniya.

Pay close attention to their body language when they deny the compliments. They will do the double hand wave to strongly say “No” to someone. You can read more about this Korean hand gesture in our article, “10 Korean Hand Gestures You Need to Know“.

Examples:

Formal:
A: 한국어 정말 잘하시네요!
A: Hangugeo jeongmal jalhasineyo!
A: “You speak Korean really well!”

Formal:
B: 아, 아니에요. 아직 잘 못해요.
B: A, anieyo. Ajik jal mothaeyo.
B: “Ah, no. I’m still not good at it.”

—

Informal:
C: 대박 너 진짜 빠르다.
C: Daebak neo jinjja ppareuda.
C: “Wow, you are so fast.”

D: 아, 아니야.
D: A, aniya.
D: “Ah, no.”

2. Requesting Assurance

Formal 정말이에요? Jeongmarieyo? Informal 정말? Jeongmal?

The second way is to request assurance from the person you’re speaking to. Simply respond by saying “Really?” as if you’d never heard the compliment before. In this way, you’ll appear innocent, not arrogant.

Examples:

A: 수진씨 보조개가 참 예쁘네요.
A: Sujinssi bojogaega cham yeppeuneyo.
A: “You have very nice dimples, Sujin.”

B: 정말이에요?
B: Jeongmarieyo?
B: “Really?”

—

Informal:
C: 네가 입고 있는 옷 진짜 이쁜데?
C: Nega ipgo inneun ot jinjja ippeunde?
C: “You look really nice in that dress.”

D: 정말?
D: Jeongmal?
D: “Really?”

3. Accepting the Compliment

Formal 정말요? 고마워요. Jeongmallyo? Gomawoyo. Informal 정말? 고마워. Jeongmal? Gomawo.

The third way is to accept someone’s compliment by responding with “Really? Thank you.” In this way, you’ll not appear to be arrogant.

Examples:

Formal:
A: 한국어 정말 잘하네요.
A: Hangugeo jeongmal jalhaneyo.
A: “You speak Korean fluently.”

B: 정말요? 고마워요!
B: Jeongmallyo? Gomawoyo!
B: “Really? Thank you!”

—

Informal:
C: 요리 정말 잘한다!
C: Yori jeongmal jalhanda!
C: “You are so good at cooking!”

D: 정말? 고마워.
D: Jeongmal? Gomawo.
D: “Really? Thank you.”

“Your Korean is so good!”

5. How KoreanClass101 Can Help You with Your Korean Skills

In summary, we learned how to compliment someone in Korean and in various situations. We also went over ways to compliment someone sincerely and how to accept compliments in Korean. Want to learn more compliment phrases? Have a look at these two pages below:

• Top 15 Compliments You Always Want to Hear
• Top 10 Compliments You Always Want to Hear

Also check out these pages (in Korean):

• 칭찬
• Korean Phrases: Learn the TOP 15 Korean Compliments

We hope that you enjoyed reading this article! Let us know in the comments which Korean compliment is your favorite!