Ask for Directions in Korean: Practice Speaking with Recordings

Asking Where the Station Is

Start by learning how to ask a simple location question. The line «역이 어디예요?» means 'Where is the station?' Use it when you need to find a station and are speaking to a stranger or staff member. The word for station comes first, and the polite question ending makes it suitable for most situations. When you speak, keep your voice clear and friendly. Practice saying «역이 어디예요?» several times until it feels natural. Then imagine you are on a street and need to find the station. Say the line aloud as if you are stopping someone politely. You can also use the longer version «저기요, 역이 어디예요?», which adds an attention-getter at the beginning. «저기요, 역이 어디예요?» means 'Excuse me, where is the station?' The first part is a polite way to get someone's attention. Try both versions and notice how the extra word makes the question sound more courteous. In a real conversation, you would say one of these lines and then listen for the answer.

Understanding Left, Right, and Straight

Now learn the three direction words you will hear in a short answer. The word «왼쪽» means 'left'. The word «오른쪽» means 'right'. The word «직진» means 'straight'. These are common words used when giving directions. Listen to each recording and repeat. Pay attention to the sounds: «왼쪽» has a tense double consonant at the end, and «오른쪽» has a smooth r sound. When someone answers your question, they may use these words. For example, a full answer might combine them. The line «직진하세요. 그리고 오른쪽으로 가세요.» means 'Go straight. And then go to the right.' It uses the straight word with a polite verb ending, then adds 'and then' and the right word with a direction particle. Another shorter answer is «직진, 그다음 오른쪽이에요.», which means 'Straight, and then right.' Notice that «직진, 그다음 오른쪽이에요.» does not repeat the verb; it just lists the two directions. Practice listening to «직진하세요. 그리고 오른쪽으로 가세요.» and «직진, 그다음 오른쪽이에요.» and identify the order: first straight, then right. You can also check your understanding with a simple confirmation question. The line «오른쪽이요?» means 'Right?' It repeats just the last direction with a rising intonation to confirm. The answer «네, 맞아요.» means 'Yes, that's right.' Use «오른쪽이요?» and «네, 맞아요.» to make sure you heard correctly.

Asking for Repetition Politely

If you do not understand the directions, you can politely ask the person to repeat. The line «다시 말해 주세요.» means 'Please say that again.' It is a polite and useful phrase when you need to hear something a second time. Practice saying «다시 말해 주세요.» clearly. After you ask, the person may repeat more slowly or in a simpler way. For example, after «다시 말해 주세요.», the answer could be «직진, 그다음 오른쪽이에요.», which gives just the two direction words without the verb. This is a common way to make directions easier to catch. In your practice, imagine you heard «직진하세요. 그리고 오른쪽으로 가세요.» but missed part of it. Say «다시 말해 주세요.» aloud, then listen to «직진, 그다음 오른쪽이에요.» as the repeated answer. You can also confirm with «오른쪽이요?» and hear «네, 맞아요.» as the response. Remember that asking for repetition is normal and polite. It shows you are listening carefully. Use «다시 말해 주세요.» whenever you need to hear the directions again.

Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.

Checking available voices…

Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.

Common questions