Korean: Ask a Taxi or Bus Driver to Tell You When to Get Off
Learn the polite Korean pattern for asking a driver to tell you when to get off, how to name your stop, and how to understand the driver's confirmation.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When you ride a taxi or bus in Korea, you often need the driver to warn you before your stop. The key request is 내릴 때 알려 주세요 (naeril ttae allyeo juseyo), which means 'Please tell me when I get off.' In this lesson you will learn that pattern, how to add your destination with 에서 (eseo), and how to recognize simple confirmations such as 알려 드릴게요 (allyeo deurilgeyo), 'I will tell you.' You will also practice a shorter polite form, 내려 주세요 (naeryeo juseyo), which asks the driver to let you off. The focus is on speaking clearly, using polite endings, and listening for the driver's reply.
By the end, you can…
- ask a driver to tell me when to get off using a polite Korean sentence.
- name my stop or destination with 에서 and understand a simple confirmation.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
내릴 때 알려 주세요.
Please tell me when I get off.
nae-ril ttae al-lyeo ju-se-yo
The main request. Use it in a taxi or bus when you want the driver to warn you before your stop.
여기서 내려 주세요.
Please let me off here.
yeo-gi-seo nae-ryeo ju-se-yo
Use this when you are already at your stop and want the driver to stop the car or open the bus door.
강남역에서 내려요.
I get off at Gangnam Station.
gang-nam-yeok-e-seo nae-ryeo-yo
Replace 강남역 (Gangnam Station) with your stop. The particle 에서 marks the place where you get off.
도착하면 알려 주세요.
Please tell me when we arrive.
do-cha-ka-myeon al-lyeo ju-se-yo
A useful variant when you care about arriving at the destination rather than the act of getting off.
네, 알려 드릴게요.
Yes, I will tell you.
ne, al-lyeo deu-ril-ge-yo
A common driver's confirmation. Listen for 알려 드릴게요 (allyeo deurilgeyo).
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 내릴 때 알려 주세요 (naeril ttae allyeo juseyo). 내리다 (naerida) means 'to get off,' and 내릴 때 (naeril ttae) means 'when I get off.' 알려 주세요 (allyeo juseyo) means 'please tell me.' You can also say 도착하면 알려 주세요 (dochakamyeon allyeo juseyo), 'please tell me when we arrive.' If you want to name the stop, put the place before 에서 (eseo): 강남역에서 내려요 (Gangnam-yeok-eseo naeryeoyo), 'I get off at Gangnam Station.' The verb 내리다 becomes 내려요 (naeryeoyo) in the polite present tense.
When to use it
Use 내릴 때 알려 주세요 (naeril ttae allyeo juseyo) at the start of the ride, right after you tell the driver your destination. Use 여기서 내려 주세요 (yeogiseo naeryeo juseyo) only when you are at the stop and want to get out immediately. In a taxi, you can say the destination first, then add the request: 강남역으로 가 주세요. 내릴 때 알려 주세요 (Gangnam-yeogeuro ga juseyo. Naeril ttae allyeo juseyo). On a bus, the driver may simply say 네 (ne) or 알려 드릴게요 (allyeo deurilgeyo).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
저는 강남역에서 내려요. 내릴 때 알려 주세요.
I get off at Gangnam Station. Please tell me when I get off.jeo-neun gang-nam-yeok-e-seo nae-ryeo-yo. nae-ril ttae al-lyeo ju-se-yo네, 알려 드릴게요.
Yes, I will tell you.ne, al-lyeo deu-ril-ge-yo감사합니다. 여기서 내려 주세요.
Thank you. Please let me off here.gam-sa-ham-ni-da. yeo-gi-seo nae-ryeo ju-se-yo네, 여기서 내리세요.
Yes, get off here.ne, yeo-gi-seo nae-ri-se-yoA little context goes a long way
Korean politeness depends on the ending. 주세요 (juseyo) is polite and safe with any driver. 드릴게요 (deurilgeyo) is a humble form the driver may use to mean 'I will tell you.' In everyday speech, many drivers answer simply 네 (ne), 'yes,' so do not expect a long reply. If you are unsure, repeat your stop name clearly.
One thing to watch for
Saying 내릴 때 알려 주세요 to a friend or using 반말 (banmal) with a driver, such as 내릴 때 알려 줘.
Try this instead: Keep 주세요 (juseyo) with drivers and strangers. Use 내릴 때 알려 줘 (naeril ttae allyeo jwo) only with close friends. With a driver, say 내릴 때 알려 주세요 (naeril ttae allyeo juseyo).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask a taxi driver to tell you when you get off?
Show a sample answer
내릴 때 알려 주세요. (nae-ril ttae al-lyeo ju-se-yo)
This uses 내릴 때 (when I get off) plus 알려 주세요 (please tell me). 도착하면 알려 주세요 is also fine if you focus on arrival.
2How do you say 'I get off at Gangnam Station' in polite Korean?
Show a sample answer
강남역에서 내려요. (gang-nam-yeok-e-seo nae-ryeo-yo)
The place comes before 에서 (eseo), which marks the point of getting off. You can replace 강남역 with any stop name.
3What does the driver's reply 알려 드릴게요 mean?
Show a sample answer
It means 'I will tell you.'
알려 드릴게요 (al-lyeo deu-ril-ge-yo) is a humble promise to inform you. A simple 네 (ne) is also a valid confirmation.
Say 내릴 때 알려 주세요 (naeril ttae allyeo juseyo) when you board, and 여기서 내려 주세요 (yeogiseo naeryeo juseyo) when you are ready to get off.
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