Shopping & Prices
Korean Basic Conversation 1
Chapter 9 Β· Shopping & Prices
ποΈ Shopping & Prices β μΌν
In this chapter you learn to ask how much something costs, understand a price in won (μ), point at things with μ΄κ±° / κ·Έκ±° / μ κ±°, talk about size and colour, and ask for a discount at a market. Prices use Sino-Korean numbers, the same ones as in Chapter 3 and for minutes in Chapter 7.
eo = γ
(short, open "uh")
eu = γ
‘ (unrounded "oo")
ae = γ
(like the vowel in "bed")
[ ] = how the word is actually said, where it differs from the spelling
β How Much Is It? β μ΄κ±° μΌλ§μμ?
μλ:
μ κΈ°μ, μ΄κ±° μΌλ§μμ?
Jeogiyo, igeo eolmayeyo?
Excuse me, how much is this?
μ μ:
μΌμ² μμ΄μμ.
Samcheon wonieyo.
It's 3,000 won.
μλ:
κ·ΈλΌ λ κ° μ£ΌμΈμ.
Geureom du gae juseyo.
Then two, please.
μ μ:
μ‘μ² μμ
λλ€.
Yukcheon wonimnida.
That's 6,000 won.
β‘ Too Expensive? β μ’ λΉμΈμ
μλ:
μ΄ κ°λ°© μΌλ§μμ?
I gabang eolmayeyo?
How much is this bag?
μ μ:
μΌλ§ μ€μ² μμ΄μμ.
Samman ocheon wonieyo.
35,000 won.
μλ:
μ’ λΉμΈμ. λ μΌ κ±° μμ΄μ?
Jom bissayo. Deo ssan geo isseoyo?
That's a bit expensive. Do you have a cheaper one?
μ μ:
λ€, μ΄κ±΄ μ΄λ§ μμ΄μμ.
Ne, igeon iman wonieyo.
Yes, this one is 20,000 won.
β’ Size and Colour β λ€λ₯Έ μ μμ΄μ?
μλ:
μ΄ ν°μ
μΈ , λ€λ₯Έ μ μμ΄μ?
I tisyeocheu, dareun saek isseoyo?
This T-shirt: do you have another colour?
μ μ:
κ²μμμ΄λ ν°μ μμ΄μ.
Geomeunsaegirang huinsaek isseoyo.
We have black and white.
μλ:
ν°μμΌλ‘ μ£ΌμΈμ. μ’ μ»€μ. μμ κ±° μμ΄μ?
Huinsaegeuro juseyo. Jom keoyo. Jageun geo isseoyo?
White, please. It's a bit big. Do you have a smaller one?
β£ At the Market β κΉμ μ£ΌμΈμ
μλ:
μ¬κ³Ό μΌλ§μμ?
Sagwa eolmayeyo?
How much are the apples?
μμΈ:
ν λ΄μ§μ μ€μ² μμ΄μμ.
Han bongjie ocheon wonieyo.
5,000 won a bag.
μλ:
λ λ΄μ§ μ΄κ²μ. μ’ κΉμ μ£ΌμΈμ.
Du bongji salgeyo. Jom kkakka juseyo.
I'll buy two bags. Please give me a little discount.
μμΈ:
κ·ΈλΌ κ΅¬μ² μμ λ릴κ²μ.
Geureom gucheon wone deurilgeyo.
Then I'll give them to you for 9,000.
β€ Paying (formal) β μΉ΄λλ‘ κ³μ°ν΄λ λΌμ?
μλ:
μΉ΄λλ‘ κ³μ°ν΄λ λΌμ?
Kadeuro gyesanhaedo dwaeyo?
May I pay by card?
μ μ:
λ€, λ©λλ€. λ΄ν¬ νμνμλκΉ?
Ne, doemnida. Bongtu piryohasimnikka?
Yes, you can. Do you need a bag?
μλ:
λ€, μ£ΌμΈμ. μμμ¦λ λΆνν©λλ€.
Ne, juseyo. Yeongsujeungdo butakhamnida.
Yes, please. And a receipt, please.
β₯ Two Friends (casual) β μ΄κ±° μ΄λ?
A:
μ΄κ±° μ΄λ? μμμ§?
Igeo eottae? Yeppeuji?
How about this? Pretty, isn't it?
B:
μ, μλ». μΌλ§μΌ?
Eung, yeppeo. Eolmaya?
Yeah, it's pretty. How much is it?
A:
λ§ μμ΄μΌ. μΈλ€!
Man woniya. Ssada!
10,000 won. Cheap!
π΄ Money and Prices β μ
The Korean currency is the won (μ). A price is a Sino-Korean number + μ. The important big units are μ² (1,000) and λ§ (10,000). Korean counts in units of 10,000, not 1,000: 100,000 is μλ§ ("ten ten-thousands"). Say 1,000 as μ² and 10,000 as λ§ (not "μΌμ²" or "μΌλ§").
| Price | Korean | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| 500 won | μ€λ°± μ | o-baek won |
| 1,000 won | μ² μ | cheon won |
| 3,500 won | μΌμ²μ€λ°± μ | sam-cheon-o-baek won |
| 5,000 won | μ€μ² μ | o-cheon won |
| 10,000 won | λ§ μ | man won |
| 15,000 won | λ§ μ€μ² μ | man o-cheon won |
| 35,000 won | μΌλ§ μ€μ² μ | sam-man o-cheon won |
| 100,000 won | μλ§ μ | sim-man won |
π This, That, and That Over There β μ΄κ±° Β· κ·Έκ±° Β· μ κ±°
| Meaning | Korean | Before a noun | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| this (near me) | μ΄κ±° igeo | μ΄ κ°λ°© i gabang | μ¬κΈ° here |
| that (near you) | κ·Έκ±° geugeo | κ·Έ κ°λ°© geu gabang | κ±°κΈ° there |
| that over there (far from both) | μ κ±° jeogeo | μ κ°λ°© jeo gabang | μ κΈ° over there |
μ΄κ±°, κ·Έκ±° and μ κ±° are the everyday short forms of μ΄κ², κ·Έκ² and μ κ².
π¨ Colours and Sizes β μ, ν¬κΈ°
| English | Korean | Say it | English | Korean | Say it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| black | κ²μμ | geo-meun-saek | big | 컀μ | keo-yo |
| white | ν°μ | hin-saek | small | μμμ | ja-ga-yo |
| red | λΉ¨κ°μ | ppal-gan-saek | expensive | λΉμΈμ | bi-ssa-yo |
| blue | νλμ | pa-ran-saek | cheap | μΈμ | ssa-yo |
| yellow | λ Έλμ | no-ran-saek | pretty | μλ»μ | ye-ppeo-yo |
ποΈ Key Phrases β μ€μν νν
| Situation | Polite | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | μ΄κ±° μΌλ§μμ? igeo eolmayeyo? | μ΄κ±° μΌλ§μΌ? igeo eolmaya? |
| Too expensive | μ’ λΉμΈμ jom bissayo | μ’ λΉμΈλ€ jom bissada |
| Do you have another/cheaper one? | λ€λ₯Έ κ±° / λ μΌ κ±° μμ΄μ? dareun geo / deo ssan geo isseoyo? | λ€λ₯Έ κ±° μμ΄? dareun geo isseo? |
| A little discount, please | μ’ κΉμ μ£ΌμΈμ jom kkakka juseyo | μ’ κΉμ μ€ jom kkakka jwo |
| May I pay by card? | μΉ΄λλ‘ κ³μ°ν΄λ λΌμ? kadeuro gyesanhaedo dwaeyo? | μΉ΄λ λΌ? kadeu dwae? |
| I'll take it | μ΄κ±° μ΄κ²μ igeo salgeyo | μ΄κ±° μ΄κ² igeo salge |
π€ Three Verbs You Can Already Use β λμ¬
| Verb | Everyday polite (-μ) | Formal (-γ λλ€) | Casual |
|---|---|---|---|
| to buy (μ¬λ€) | μ¬μ sayo | μ½λλ€ samnida | μ¬ sa |
| to need (νμνλ€) | νμν΄μ piryohaeyo | νμν©λλ€ piryohamnida | νμν΄ piryohae |
| to be OK; to become (λλ€) | λΌμ dwaeyo | λ©λλ€ doemnida | λΌ dwae |
π Vocabulary β μ΄ν
| # | Korean | Say it | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | μΌλ§ | eol-ma | how much | question word |
| 2 | μ | won | won (Korean currency) | noun |
| 3 | μ² | cheon | thousand | number |
| 4 | λ§ | man | ten thousand | number |
| 5 | κ°κ²© | ga-gyeok | price | noun |
| 6 | μμ₯ | si-jang | market | noun |
| 7 | νΈμμ | pyeo-nui-jeom | convenience store | noun |
| 8 | κ°λ°© | ga-bang | bag | noun |
| 9 | λ΄ν¬ | bong-tu | (shopping) bag; envelope | noun |
| 10 | μ | saek | colour | noun |
| 11 | μ΄κ±° | i-geo | this (thing) | pronoun |
| 12 | κ·Έκ±° | geu-geo | that (thing) | pronoun |
| 13 | μ κ±° | jeo-geo | that over there | pronoun |
| 14 | λΉμΈλ€ | bi-ssa-da | to be expensive | adj. |
| 15 | μΈλ€ | ssa-da | to be cheap | adj. |
| 16 | ν¬λ€ | keu-da | to be big | adj. |
| 17 | μλ€ | jak-tta | to be small | adj. |
| 18 | μ¬λ€ | sa-da | to buy | verb |
| 19 | κΉλ€ | kkak-tta | to cut; to give a discount | verb |
| 20 | λ€λ₯Έ | da-reun | other; different | adj. |
When You May Bargain
μ’ κΉμ μ£ΌμΈμ ("a little discount, please") works at traditional markets and street stalls, especially if you buy several items, and is much more welcome with a smile. In department stores, malls and chain shops prices are fixed, so do not try it there. Buying more helps: λ κ° μ¬λ©΄ ν μΈλΌμ? ("is there a discount if I buy two?"). You can repeat a price back to check it: μΌλ§ μμ΄μ? ("30,000 won?").
Hear a Price
Staff often speak fast and drop the μ: μΌλ§ μ€μ² is already "35,000". Listen for the big words μ² and λ§ first, then the numbers around them. A common trap is 30,000 versus 3,000: μΌλ§ vs μΌμ².
As Heard in Dramas β λλΌλ§μμ
Characters shopping together say μ΄κ±° μ΄λ? ("how about this?") and μμλ€!. Someone paying for everyone says λ΄κ° λΌκ² ("I'll pay"). A shopkeeper might call a customer μλ and an older woman customer μ΄λ¨Έλ (literally "mother"); a stall owner you want a discount from is a good time for an μ¬μ₯λ, as in Chapter 6.
Grammar Pointer
The Sino-Korean numbers and μ are covered in Korean Grammar 1, chapter 9. The -μ/μ΄μ verb endings (μ¬μ, νμν΄μ) are in Korean Grammar 1, chapter 6, and -(μΌ)γΉκ²μ and the permission pattern -μ/μ΄λ λΌμ? are touched on in Korean Grammar 1, chapter 10.
βοΈ Try It Yourself β μ°μ΅
Say each answer out loud first, then click to check.
1. Ask how much "this" costs, politely.
Show answer
μ΄κ±° μΌλ§μμ?
2. Read these prices aloud: 2,000 won; 12,000 won; 45,000 won.
Show answer
μ΄μ² μ; λ§ μ΄μ² μ; μ¬λ§ μ€μ² μ.
3. Say "That's a bit expensive. Do you have a cheaper one?"
Show answer
μ’ λΉμΈμ. λ μΌ κ±° μμ΄μ?
4. At a market, ask for a little discount.
Show answer
μ’ κΉμ μ£ΌμΈμ.
5. Ask if you may pay by card.
Show answer
μΉ΄λλ‘ κ³μ°ν΄λ λΌμ?
6. Which would you use to point at something far from both of you: μ΄κ±°, κ·Έκ±° or μ κ±°?
Show answer
μ κ±°.