Ask for directions in Korean
Learn to ask where the station is in Korean, understand left, right, and straight directions, and politely ask someone to repeat what they said, with Hangul and Revised Romanization.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When you are lost in Korea, the most useful question is short and clear: ask where the station is, then listen for three direction words. In this lesson you will learn to say 역이 어디예요? (yeogi eodiyeyo?) and to understand 왼쪽 (oenjjok, left), 오른쪽 (oreunjjok, right), and 직진 (jikjin, straight). You will also learn a polite way to ask for repetition when the answer comes too fast. Keep your sentences simple, speak slowly, and repeat the key word back to check that you understood.
By the end, you can…
- ask where the station is in polite Korean.
- understand left, right, and straight in a short direction answer.
- politely ask someone to repeat a direction.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
역이 어디예요?
Where is the station?
yeok-i eo-di-ye-yo
Use this with a stranger or staff member. 역 (yeok) means station, and 이 (i) marks it as the subject.
왼쪽
left
oen-jjok
The final consonant in 왼 (oen) is pronounced like n, and the double jj in 쪽 sounds tense.
오른쪽
right
o-reun-jjok
오른 (oreun) has a smooth r sound. Use it after a verb like 가세요 (gaseyo, go).
직진
straight
jik-jin
This is a common direction word, often used with 하세요 (haseyo) to mean go straight.
다시 말해 주세요.
Please say that again.
da-si mal-hae ju-se-yo
A polite request. Use it when you did not hear or understand the direction.
천천히 말해 주세요.
Please speak slowly.
cheon-cheon-hi mal-hae ju-se-yo
Use this when the person speaks too quickly. 천천히 (cheoncheonhi) means slowly.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern noun + 이/가 어디예요? means Where is the noun? For example, 역이 어디예요? (yeok-i eodiyeyo?) means Where is the station? If the noun ends in a consonant, use 이 (i): 역이 (yeok-i). If it ends in a vowel, use 가 (ga): 화장실이 어디예요? (hwajangsil-i eodiyeyo?) means Where is the restroom? You can also ask 이쪽이 역이에요? (ijjogi yeokieyo?) meaning Is the station this way? Keep the question short and polite.
When to use it
Use these phrases with staff at a convenience store, a passerby, or a bus driver. Start with 저기요 (jeogiyo), which means Excuse me, then ask 역이 어디예요? (yeok-i eodiyeyo?). When you hear a direction, listen for the last word: 왼쪽 (oenjjok), 오른쪽 (oreunjjok), or 직진 (jikjin). If you miss it, say 다시 말해 주세요 (dasi malhae juseyo). If it is still fast, say 천천히 말해 주세요 (cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo). Repeat the word back: 왼쪽이요? (oenjjogiyo?) to check.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
저기요, 역이 어디예요?
Excuse me, where is the station?jeogiyo, yeok-i eo-di-ye-yo직진하세요. 그리고 오른쪽으로 가세요.
Go straight. And then go to the right.jikjin-haseyo. geurigo oreunjjok-euro gaseyo다시 말해 주세요.
Please say that again.dasi malhae juseyo직진, 그다음 오른쪽이에요.
Straight, and then right.jikjin, geudaeum oreunjjog-ieyo오른쪽이요?
Right?oreunjjogiyo네, 맞아요.
Yes, that's right.ne, majayoA little context goes a long way
In Korea, 저기요 (jeogiyo) is a common and polite way to get a stranger's attention before asking a question. Using 요 (yo) at the end of a sentence makes it polite without being formal. If you are speaking to an older person or someone in a service role, this level is usually appropriate. Avoid touching the person to get attention; a small bow and eye contact are enough.
One thing to watch for
Using 왼 (oen) or 오른 (oreun) alone to mean left or right.
Try this instead: Add 쪽 (jjok) to make the direction word clear: 왼쪽 (oenjjok) means left and 오른쪽 (oreunjjok) means right. For example, 오른쪽으로 가세요 (oreunjjok-euro gaseyo) means Please go to the right.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask Where is the station? in polite Korean?
Show a sample answer
역이 어디예요? (yeok-i eodiyeyo?)
This uses the noun 역 (station) with the subject marker 이 and the polite question 어디예요? (where is it?). 화장실이 어디예요? is also correct for a different noun.
2You hear 직진하세요. What should you do?
Show a sample answer
Go straight.
직진 (jikjin) means straight, and 하세요 (haseyo) makes it a polite instruction. The speaker is telling you to go straight.
3The person speaks too fast. What polite sentence can you use?
Show a sample answer
천천히 말해 주세요. (cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo.)
This means Please speak slowly. 다시 말해 주세요 (dasi malhae juseyo), Please say that again, is also acceptable if you simply did not hear it.
Ask 역이 어디예요? (yeok-i eodiyeyo?), listen for 왼쪽 (oenjjok), 오른쪽 (oreunjjok), and 직진 (jikjin), and use 다시 말해 주세요 (dasi malhae juseyo) when you need the direction repeated.
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