Markets & Souvenirs

1. 이거 얼마예요?

   i-geo eol-ma-ye-yo?

   How much is this?

   Usage

   Most basic phrase for asking the price at a market

   Grammar Note

   "얼마예요" is the most common pricing phrase. "얼마입니까" is more formal

2. 가격을 깎을 수 있어요?

   ga-gyeo-geul kkak-keul su i-sseo-yo?

   Can I bargain on the price?

   Usage

   Asking whether the price is negotiable

   Grammar Note

   "깎다" (to shave/cut) is used for prices. Bargaining works in markets like Namdaemun and Dongdaemun

3. 만 원에 어때요?

   man won-e eo-ttae-yo?

   How about 10,000 won?

   Usage

   Classic counter-offer phrasing

   Grammar Note

   "에 어때요" idiomatically suggests a price. Change the amount to fit your offer

4. 여러 개 사면 깎아 주세요

   yeo-reo gae sa-myeon kka-kka ju-se-yo

   If I buy several, please give me a discount

   Usage

   Asking for a bulk discount

   Grammar Note

   "-아/어 주세요" forms polite requests. Standard at markets

5. 이거 수공예품이에요?

   i-geo su-gong-ye-pu-mi-e-yo?

   Is this handmade?

   Usage

   Asking whether a craft is handmade

   Grammar Note

   "수제" (handmade) is also common. In Insadong, traditional "전통" crafts are popular souvenirs

6. 이거 무슨 재료로 만들었어요?

   i-geo mu-seun jae-ryo-ro man-deu-reo-sseo-yo?

   What material is this made of?

   Usage

   Asking about the material

   Grammar Note

   "로/으로" marks means. Use "로" after vowels, "으로" after consonants

7. 선물 포장해 주세요

   seon-mul po-jang-hae ju-se-yo

   Please gift-wrap it

   Usage

   Requesting gift wrapping

   Grammar Note

   Korean department stores (백화점) often gift-wrap beautifully and for free

8. 야시장은 어디에 있어요?

   ya-si-jang-eun eo-di-e i-sseo-yo?

   Where is the night market?

   Usage

   Asking the location of a night market

   Grammar Note

   Hangang Night Market and Dongdaemun Night Market are popular spots

9. 영수증 주세요

   yeong-su-jeung ju-se-yo

   Please give me a receipt

   Usage

   Requesting a receipt

   Grammar Note

   In Korea issuing receipts is legally required even for cash payments

10. 시장은 몇 시부터 몇 시까지예요?

    si-jang-eun myeot si-bu-teo myeot si-kka-ji-ye-yo?

    What hours is the market open?

    Usage

    Asking the market's operating hours

    Grammar Note

    "부터~까지" expresses a range "from~to~"

11. 그냥 구경만 하고 있어요

    geu-nyang gu-gyeong-man ha-go i-sseo-yo

    I'm just looking around

    Usage

    Politely declining a vendor's offer

    Grammar Note

    "구경하다" means to look around or sightsee. "만" means only

12. 카드 돼요?

    ka-deu dwae-yo?

    Do you take card?

    Usage

    Checking whether card payment is accepted

    Grammar Note

    Korea is highly cashless; cards are accepted almost everywhere. Even stalls use "Toss" (mobile pay)

13. 가족 선물로 사는 거예요

    ga-jok seon-mul-lo sa-neun geo-ye-yo

    It's a souvenir for my family

    Usage

    Telling the seller who the souvenir is for

    Grammar Note

    "-는 거예요" explains "(this) is something I am doing"

14. 해외 배송 돼요?

    hae-oe bae-song dwae-yo?

    Can you ship internationally?

    Usage

    Checking whether international shipping is offered

    Grammar Note

    "국제배송" (international shipping) and "해외 직배송" (direct international shipping) are common

15. 오늘 제일 신선한 게 뭐예요?

    o-neul je-il sin-seon-han ge mwo-ye-yo?

    What's the freshest today?

    Usage

    Asking which item is freshest at a food market

    Grammar Note

    "제일" means "the most". The "-한" attributive turns "신선하다" into "fresh (modifier)"

16. 이 가격 흥정 가능해요?

    i ga-gyeok heung-jeong ga-neung-hae-yo?

    Is this price negotiable?

    Usage

    Directly asking whether the price is negotiable

    Grammar Note

    "흥정" (negotiation) sounds slightly more formal than "깎다" (cut the price)

17. 더 작은 사이즈 있어요?

    deo ja-geun sa-i-jeu i-sseo-yo?

    Do you have a smaller size?

    Usage

    Asking for a smaller clothing size

    Grammar Note

    "더" means more. "작은" is the attributive of "작다" (small). Use "더 큰" for "bigger"

18. 너무 비싸요

    neo-mu bi-ssa-yo

    It's too expensive

    Usage

    Signaling that the price is too high

    Grammar Note

    "너무" originally means "excessively" but colloquially also "very". Common in market bargaining

19. 마늘

    Ma-neul

    Garlic

    Usage

    For buying it at a market, or for asking that it be left out of a dish

20. 양파

    Yang-pa

    Onion

    Usage

    Onion; a spring onion is a different word, "파"

21. 고추

    Go-chu

    Chili pepper

    Usage

    Fresh chili; the powder is "고춧가루"

22. 고수

    Go-su

    Cilantro

    Usage

    Cilantro; if you dislike it, say "고수 빼 주세요"

23. 생강

    Saeng-gang

    Ginger

    Usage

    Fresh ginger, as bought at a market or for seasoning

24. 과일

    Gwa-il

    Fruit

    Usage

    Fruit in general; also useful for asking where the fruit stalls are

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