Korean Shopping Phrases

Asking the price

Two questions — 얼마예요? for one thing, 전부 얼마예요? for the pile — plus the vocabulary to react when you hear the number.

1. 1 이거 얼마예요? igeo eolmayeyo? — How much is this?
2. 2 전부 얼마예요? jeonbu eolmayeyo? — How much all together?
3. 3 이거 싸요! igeo ssayo! — This is cheap!
4. 4 너무 비싸요. neomu bissayo — That's too expensive
5. 5 싸게 해 주세요. ssage hae juseyo — Please make it cheaper

Sales and discounts

할인 (discount) is the word to scan for on every shop window in Korea. Asking never hurts — student discounts hide everywhere.

1. 6 할인돼요? harindwaeyo? — Is there a discount?
2. 7 30% 할인 중이에요. samsippeosenteu harin jungieyo — It's 30 percent off
3. 8 학생 할인 있어요? haksaeng harin isseoyo? — Is there a student discount?
4. 9 시장이 더 싸요. sijangi deo ssayo — The market is cheaper

Sizes, colors, trying on

Korean fashion runs small — and 'one size' more often than you'd expect — so these five questions earn their keep fast.

1. 10 이 옷 입어봐도 돼요? i ot ibeobwado dwaeyo? — Can I try this on?
2. 11 다른 사이즈 있어요? dareun saijeu isseoyo? — Do you have another size?
3. 12 이 사이즈는 너무 커요. i saijeueun neomu keoyo — This size is too big
4. 13 다른 색깔 있어요? dareun saekkal isseoyo? — Do you have another color?
5. 14 이 색깔이 마음에 들어요. i saekkari maeume deureoyo — I love this color

Deciding and paying

Korea is nearly cashless — your card works everywhere from department stores to street food. Keep a few bills anyway for the market grandmother who doesn't take plastic.

1. 15 이거 살게요. igeo salgeyo — I'll take this one
2. 16 카드 돼요? kadeu dwaeyo? — Do you take cards?
3. 17 카드로 할게요. kadeuro halgeyo — I'll pay by card
4. 18 현금으로 할게요. hyeongeumeuro halgeyo — I'll pay in cash
5. 19 영수증 주세요. yeongsujeung juseyo — Receipt, please
6. 20 교환 가능해요? gyohwan ganeunghaeyo? — Can I exchange this?

In real life: talking down the price at Namdaemun