Learn Korean with Deja

Want to search for a restaurant in Korean, message a café, or send your teacher an assignment? Learning to type Korean makes these everyday tasks easier. You can start with the computer or phone you already own. This guide covers keyboard setup on Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android. You will also learn how Korean letters join together, fix common typing problems, and practise messages you can use in Korea. 1. Understand How a Korean Keyboard Works 한글 (hangeul)—“the Korean alphabet” groups letters into syllable blocks. For example, 한 contains three letters: ㅎ, ㅏ, and ㄴ. You enter the letters in order, and the keyboard builds the block. Start with 두벌식 (dubeolsik)—“the two-set Korean keyboard layout.” Its basic consonants sit on the left and its vowels on the right. This gives you a useful starting point for practising on both computers and phones. A standard two-set keyboard uses letter positions, rather than English spellings of Korean sounds. Typing “han” will not automatica...

Korean Politeness Levels: Using 존댓말 and 반말 Naturally

You know the Korean word for “thanks.” But should you say it the same way to a café worker, your manager, and a close friend? In Korean, sentence endings help show the relationship between you and the person you’re speaking to. You don’t need to memorise every speech level before visiting Korea. Start with everyday polite speech, learn a few useful expressions, and understand when casual speech is welcome. This guide covers practical choices for cafés, shops, work, school, and friendships. Romanization is a pronunciation aid, not an exact guide to Korean sounds. Read the Hangul alongside it, and listen to recordings when you can. 1. What Are 존댓말 and 반말? 존댓말 (jondaenmal) means respectful or polite speech. It is the usual starting point with unfamiliar adults, customers, teachers, and senior colleagues. For example, 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo)—“Hello” works when greeting a new neighbour or entering a small shop. 반말 (banmal) means speech without polite endings addressed to the l...

Formal vs Informal Korean: How to Choose the Right Tone

You order coffee, meet a colleague, and text a friend about lunch. In English, your tone changes with the situation. In Korean, the sentence ending often changes too. Learning formal vs informal Korean helps you sound considerate and understand everyday conversations. You do not need every speech level before your first trip. Start with everyday polite speech, recognise more formal endings, and learn when casual speech feels welcome. Romanization is a pronunciation aid, not an exact guide to Korean sounds. Use it to get started, but learn Hangul alongside these expressions. 1. Understand the Three Styles You Will Use Most “Formal” and “informal” are useful starting labels, but they can hide an important distinction. Korean speech can be polite without sounding formal. For beginners, three practical categories make things clearer. Everyday polite speech: a useful default with strangers, staff, neighbours, and many colleagues. Formal polite speech: common in presentations...

Korean Greetings for Every Situation: A Beginner’s Guide

You walk into a Seoul café, meet a new classmate, or leave the office before your colleagues. What should you say? Korean greetings depend on your relationship with the other person and, sometimes, on who is leaving. You do not need dozens of phrases to get started. A polite hello, a thank-you, and the right goodbye will cover plenty of everyday encounters. This guide shows you how to use them naturally while travelling, studying, or living in Korea. Romanization is a pronunciation aid, not an exact guide to Korean sounds. Use it to get started, but practise reading the Hangul alongside it and listening to the expressions. 1. Start with 안녕하세요: Your Everyday Hello 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo) means “Hello” or “Hi.” It is a polite greeting for shop staff, teachers, neighbours, colleagues, and people you are meeting for the first time. If you learn only one Korean greeting today, choose this one. Entering a café You: 안녕하세요. Barista: 안녕하세요. “Hello.” / “Hello.” A small nod can acc...

How to Order Food in Korean: Simple Phrases for Beginners

The simplest way to order food in Korean is to say the dish, add the quantity, and finish with 주세요. If you cannot read the dish name yet, point to the menu and say 이거 하나 주세요: “One of these, please.” You do not need perfect grammar to place a clear, polite order. This guide walks you through getting a server’s attention, choosing quantities, checking ingredients, and answering the questions you may hear. Romanization helps you get started, but learn the Hangul too. English letters do not capture every Korean sound. Recognising a few Korean words will also make menus and ordering screens less confusing. 1. Use One Simple Pattern: Food + Quantity + 주세요 주세요 (juseyo) is a polite request meaning “Please give me…” In an order, the natural English equivalent is often simply “…please.” Put the food before it. 비빔밥 하나 주세요. Bibimbap hana juseyo. “One bibimbap, please.” 이거 (igeo) means “this.” When pointing to a dish, say 이거 하나 주세요 (igeo hana juseyo) —“O...

Korean Restaurant Phrases and Vocabulary: Order with Ease

A Korean restaurant visit becomes easier when you know what happens next. Staff may ask how many people are eating, whether you are ready to order, or how you would like to pay. This guide follows a meal from finding a seat to paying the bill. You will learn polite phrases for ordering, checking ingredients, and asking for small things during your meal. Use romanization as a pronunciation aid, and learn the Hangul alongside it. English letters cannot capture every Korean sound. The expressions below use polite speech suitable for staff and people you do not know well. 1. Arrive, Explain Your Group Size, and Find a Seat 몇 분이세요? (myeot buniseyo?) means “How many people?” when a staff member greets you at the entrance. 분 is a respectful counter for people. Here, it does not mean “minutes.” Staff: 몇 분이세요? Myeot buniseyo? “How many people?” You: 두 명이에요. Du myeongieyo. “There are two of us.” 두 명이에요 (du myeongieyo) is a natural way...

Korean Travel Phrases You Need in Korea: A Beginner’s Guide

You do not need long Korean sentences to make travelling easier. A short question can help you find the right bus, order a drink, or ask someone to explain again. This guide covers useful phrases for transport, restaurants, shops, and everyday conversations. Most also work with colleagues or classmates you do not know well. Romanization is a pronunciation aid, not a replacement for Hangul. Learn the Korean spelling alongside each phrase. English letters cannot represent every Korean sound, and recognising Korean place names will help when reading signs and maps. 1. Start Conversations with Polite Greetings 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo) means “Hello.” It is a reliable polite greeting for staff, strangers, and people you have just met. You can use it throughout the day. 안녕하세요. 예약했어요. Annyeonghaseyo. Yeyakhaesseoyo. “Hello. I have a reservation.” 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) means “Thank you.” Its ending is formally polite, but the phrase is completely natura...

Korean Food Vocabulary for Beginners: Order and Eat with Confidence

You recognise a dish on the menu, but what do you say next? A few Korean food words can help you order lunch, ask about spice, and understand the questions you hear at a cafe. This guide connects useful vocabulary with things you can actually say. You will learn food names, polite requests, and phrases for eating with colleagues, classmates, or friends. Use romanization as a reading aid, not a replacement for Hangul. English spelling cannot capture every Korean sound. Learning the Korean letters alongside these phrases will also help you recognise real menus. 1. Start with Food, Rice, Menus, and Side Dishes 음식 (eumsik) means “food.” Use it when talking about food generally, rather than ordering a particular dish. 한국 음식 좋아해요. Hanguk eumsik joahaeyo. “I like Korean food.” 밥 (bap) can mean “cooked rice” or “a meal.” Context tells you which meaning fits. At a restaurant, asking for extra bap normally means an additional serving of rice, which ma...

Korean Age Explained: How to Say Your Age and Ask Politely

10월 15, 2026

You introduce yourself in Korean, and someone asks what year you were born. Later, a form asks for your age. Are these asking for the same thing? Not quite. South Korea uses international age as the default for civil and administrative purposes, but birth years and older age-counting habits can still come up in conversation. This guide explains the difference and gives you practical Korean for introductions, everyday questions, and situations where you need to clarify. Romanization is a pronunciation aid, not a replacement for Hangul. Read the Korean alongside it whenever possible. The examples below use polite speech unless they are clearly marked otherwise. 1. Which Age System Does Korea Use Now? 만 나이 (man nai) means age counted by completed years, often called “international age.” You start at zero and gain a year on your birthday. This is the system most English-speaking learners already use. Since June 28, 2023, international age has been the default for South Korean...

Korean Family Terms and Titles: What to Call People

10월 15, 2026

You meet a Korean friend’s older sister. Should you call her by her name, add a title, or say “eonni”? The answer depends on your relationship, not just her age. Korean family terms describe relatives, but some also become friendly titles outside the family. This guide shows you how to introduce your family, choose the right sibling word, and address people at school, work, and restaurants without sounding unexpectedly familiar. Romanization helps with pronunciation, but learn the Hangul alongside it. The examples use polite speech unless marked casual or formal. A friendly title does not automatically give you permission to use casual grammar. 1. Talking About Your Parents and Family 가족 (gajok) means “family.” When showing someone a family photo, you can use this simple introduction: 우리 가족이에요. Uri gajogieyo. “This is my family.” Although 우리 literally means “we” or “our,” Koreans often use it when talking about their own family. 우리 엄마 can therefore mean “my mum,” even when the sp...