Translate English to Korean
Korean is spoken by about 80 million people in South Korea, North Korea, and diaspora communities in the US, China, Japan, and Central Asia. South Korea is a global powerhouse in technology (Samsung, LG, Hyundai), entertainment (K-pop, K-drama), and gaming. Paste your English text above for a Korean translation.
Common English to Korean translations
| English | Korean | Pronunciation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hello | 안녕하세요 | ahn-nyung-hah-SEH-yoh | ||
| Good morning | 좋은 아침이에요 | joh-eun AH-chim-ee-eh-yoh | ||
| Thank you | 감사합니다 | kahm-sah-HAHM-nee-dah | ||
| Please | 부탁합니다 | boo-tahk-HAHM-nee-dah | ||
| How much is this? | 이것 얼마에요? | ee-guh UHL-mah-eh-yoh | ||
| Where is the bathroom? | 화장실이 어디에요? | hwah-jahng-SHIL-ee uh-DEE-eh-yoh | ||
| I do not understand | 이해하지 못합니다 | ee-heh-hah-jee MOT-hahm-nee-dah | ||
| Can you help me? | 도와주실겠어요? | doh-wah-joo-shee-GESS-uh-yoh | ||
| I would like coffee | 커피 주세요 | kuh-pee JOO-seh-yoh | ||
| The bill, please | 계산서 주세요 | gyeh-sahn-suh JOO-seh-yoh | ||
| Nice to meet you | 만나서 반갑습니다 | mahn-nah-suh bahn-GAHP-seum-nee-dah | ||
| Goodbye | 안녕히 계세요 | ahn-nyung-hee gyeh-SEH-yoh | ||
| I need a doctor | 의사가 필요합니다 | eui-sah-gah peel-yoh-HAHM-nee-dah | ||
| Excuse me | 실례합니다 | sheel-lyeh-HAHM-nee-dah |
Tips for English to Korean translation
Hangul, the Korean alphabet, was invented in 1443 by King Sejong the Great specifically to be easy to learn. Each character is a syllable block made of 2-4 letters stacked together. There are 14 basic consonants and 10 basic vowels. Most people can learn to read Hangul in a few hours, making it one of the most logical writing systems ever designed.
Korean has a complex honorific system with seven speech levels. The most common are -yo (polite informal) and -mnida/-sumnida (formal). Using the wrong level is a serious social mistake. The translator outputs polite formal Korean by default, which is safe for most situations.
Korean word order is SOV (subject-object-verb): “I coffee drink” instead of “I drink coffee.” Particles mark grammatical roles: -eun/-neun (topic), -eul/-reul (object), -e (location). These particles have no English equivalent and are handled automatically by the translator.
Korean has borrowed extensively from Chinese (Sino-Korean vocabulary makes up about 60% of the dictionary) and increasingly from English. Words like 컴퓨터 (computer), 택시 (taxi), and 커피 (coffee) are standard Korean.
About the Korean language
Korean is a language isolate (or part of the small Koreanic family) with no proven genetic relationship to any other language family. It has been spoken on the Korean Peninsula for thousands of years, with the earliest written records in Chinese characters. The invention of Hangul in 1443 revolutionized literacy and remains one of the most celebrated cultural achievements in Korean history.
South Korea has transformed from a war-torn country in the 1950s to the 12th largest economy in the world. Korean culture has gone global through K-pop (BTS, Blackpink), K-drama (Squid Game, Parasite), Korean cuisine (kimchi, bibimbap, Korean BBQ), and technology companies (Samsung, Hyundai, LG). This “Korean Wave” (Hallyu) has made Korean one of the fastest-growing languages studied worldwide.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. No sign-up, no fees.
Yes. Standard Korean in Hangul script.
Yes. Click the speaker icon.
Hangul is easy to learn (a few hours). Grammar is challenging for English speakers due to SOV order and honorifics.
Good for everyday use. Professional review for business or formal Korean.
The translator outputs polite formal forms. Adjust manually for casual speech.
Visit our Korean to English page.
No.
Grammatically similar (both SOV) but genetically unrelated. They share Chinese loanwords.
Over 60 language pairs available.
Need the reverse? Try Korean to English translation.
