🇰🇷 KoreanA1–A2

How to Ask for Directions in Korean

In Korean, strangers are usually addressed with polite forms like -세요 and -어요. On this page, you’ll hear the most useful street-direction patterns such as 쭉 가세요, 왼쪽으로 도세요, and 건너편에 있어요, plus the quick phrases you need when you didn’t catch what was said.

Useful in real conversations

Essential Korean phrases

Getting someone's attention

Short, safe ways to stop someone and start a directions question.

저기요.
Romanization: jeogiyo.
Excuse me.
실례합니다.
Romanization: sillyehamnida.
Excuse me.
잠시만요.
Romanization: jamsimanyo.
One moment, please.
도와주세요.
Romanization: dowajuseyo.
Please help me.

Asking where a place is

Ways to ask for a location, ask how to get there, and check whether you are on the right path.

버스 정류장이 어디예요?
Romanization: beoseu jeongnyujangi eodiyeyo?
Where is the bus stop?
화장실이 어디예요?
Romanization: hwajangsili eodiyeyo?
Where is the restroom?
어떻게 가요?
Romanization: eotteoke gayo?
How do I get there?
여기서 멀어요?
Romanization: yeogiseo meoreoyo?
Is it far from here?
이 길 맞아요?
Romanization: i gil majayo?
Is this the right way?

Understanding directions

Common replies and instructions you are likely to hear when someone tells you how to go.

쭉 가세요.
Romanization: jjuk gaseyo.
Go straight.
왼쪽으로 도세요.
Romanization: oenjjogeuro doseyo.
Turn left.
오른쪽으로 도세요.
Romanization: oreunjjogeuro doseyo.
Turn right.
건너편에 있어요.
Romanization: geonneopyeone isseoyo.
It's across the street.
바로 옆에 있어요.
Romanization: baro yeope isseoyo.
It's right next to it.
멀지 않아요.
Romanization: meolji anhayo.
It's not far.

Clarifying and thanking

Phrases for when you missed part of the directions and the polite closing you will often need.

다시 말씀해 주세요.
Romanization: dasi malssumhae juseyo.
Please say that again.
천천히 말씀해 주세요.
Romanization: cheoncheonhi malssumhae juseyo.
Please speak slowly.
잘 모르겠어요.
Romanization: jal moreugesseoyo.
I don't really understand.
네, 맞아요.
Romanization: ne, majayo.
Yes, that's right.
감사합니다.
Romanization: gamsahamnida.
Thank you.

Example conversations

Finding a library nearby

You stop a passerby on the street and ask for directions to a library.

You
저기요.
jeogiyo.
Excuse me.
Other person
네?
ne?
Yes?
You
도서관이 어디예요?
doseogwani eodiyeyo?
Where is the library?
Other person
쭉 가세요. 오른쪽으로 도세요.
jjuk gaseyo. oreunjjogeuro doseyo.
Go straight. Turn right.
You
잘 모르겠어요. 다시 말씀해 주세요.
jal moreugesseoyo. dasi malssumhae juseyo.
I don't really understand. Please say that again.
Other person
네. 쭉 가세요. 오른쪽으로 도세요.
ne. jjuk gaseyo. oreunjjogeuro doseyo.
Okay. Go straight. Turn right.

Finding a bakery across the street

You ask a shop worker where a bakery is, then ask them to repeat the directions more slowly.

You
실례합니다.
sillyehamnida.
Excuse me.
Other person
네?
ne?
Yes?
You
빵집이 어디예요?
ppangjibi eodiyeyo?
Where is the bakery?
Other person
멀지 않아요. 건너편에 있어요.
meolji anhayo. geonneopyeone isseoyo.
It's not far. It's across the street.
You
천천히 말씀해 주세요.
cheoncheonhi malssumhae juseyo.
Please speak slowly.
Other person
네. 멀지 않아요. 건너편에 있어요.
ne. meolji anhayo. geonneopyeone isseoyo.
Okay. It's not far. It's across the street.
You
감사합니다.
gamsahamnida.
Thank you.
Other person
네.
ne.
Okay.

A few things to know

polite by default

Use polite speech with strangers: most of the phrases here end in -요 or -세요. 저기요 is the most common way to get someone’s attention, while 실례합니다 is a slightly more formal alternative. 감사합니다 is the safest way to thank the person helping you.

grammar

Use 으로 for movement toward a direction

In phrases like 왼쪽으로 도세요 and 오른쪽으로 도세요, 으로 marks the direction you should move toward. This is the normal pattern for giving turn-by-turn directions in Korean.

grammar

Here uses -서 when you mean 'from here'

In 여기서 멀어요?, 여기서 means 'from here.' The -서 makes the starting point explicit, so the question asks about distance from your current location rather than just naming a place.

Try it yourself

Choose the right phrase

Pick what you would say in each situation.

Question 1 of 3

Question 1
Question 2
Question 3

You want to get the attention of a stranger before asking where a place is.

저기요.감사합니다.잘 모르겠어요.

Keep building your everyday vocabulary

Korean Introductions: Essential PhrasesLearn how to greet someone, introduce yourself, exchange basic personal details, and close a first conversation naturally in Korean.Korean Restaurant and Café PhrasesModern Korean phrases for a polite restaurant interaction in South Korea: getting a table, ordering, checking ingredients, handling problems, and paying.Korean Hotel and Accommodation PhrasesNatural Korean phrases for checking in at a hotel, asking about services, reporting room problems, and checking out.Essential Korean Shopping PhrasesLearn the Korean phrases you need to shop in Korea: ask where something is, check price, size, color, and stock, try clothes on, decide whether they fit, and handle payment, exchange, or refund.Korean Public Transport PhrasesA Korean phrasebook for finding the right bus or train, buying a ticket, checking fares and times, making transfers, and handling delays or missed stops in South Korea.

Put the phrases in context