What Are the Most Useful Korean Phone Phrases to Learn First?
Learn six lines first, in the order a call runs: answer, ask who is calling, ask to hold, report a bad line, promise a call-back and hang up. Together they handle a short call with a friend, a shop or an office.
| Step in a call | Korean | Revised Romanization | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| hello (on the phone) | 여보세요 | yeoboseyo | hello on the phone in korean |
| who is it? | 누구세요? | nuguseyo | who is this in korean |
| please wait a moment | 잠시만 기다려 주세요 | jamsiman gidaryeo juseyo | one moment please in korean |
| I can't hear you well | 잘 안 들려요 | jal an deullyeoyo | i can't hear you in korean |
| I'll call you back | 다시 전화할게요 | dasi jeonhwahalgeyo | i'll call you back in korean |
| I'll hang up now | 끊을게요 | kkeuneulgeyo | bye on the phone in korean |
Each line is in the polite 요 style or an honorific form, so you can say it to a stranger. The table shows the lead form of each guide, and the cards below cover three more. Revised Romanization (the South Korean government system of 2000) is a reading aid only. Play the sample call to hear the whole run of lines.
The next section shows how the lines change with the person on the other end.
How Do You Choose between Formal, Polite and Casual Korean Phone Phrases?
Answer with 여보세요 for everyone, switch to the polite style for strangers and the casual style for friends, and use the formal style when you speak for a company. The page on Korean speech levels explains the three styles. The table shows the closing and the hold request in each.
| Moment | Formal (business) | Polite (safe default) | Casual (friends) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hold on | 잠시만 기다려 주십시오 (jamsiman gidaryeo jusipsio) | 잠시만 기다려 주세요 (jamsiman gidaryeo juseyo) | 잠깐만 (jamkkanman) |
| Hang up | 끊겠습니다 (kkeunketseumnida) | 끊을게요 (kkeuneulgeyo) | 끊을게 (kkeuneulge) |
| Call back | 다시 연락드리겠습니다 (dasi yeollakdeurigetseumnida) | 다시 전화할게요 (dasi jeonhwahalgeyo) | 다시 전화할게 (dasi jeonhwahalge) |
여보세요 Belongs to the Phone
여보세요 is a call-opening word. You say it when you pick up, and you say it again when the line seems dead, as in 여보세요? 들려요? ("hello? can you hear me?"). It is not a greeting for meeting people face to face, where 안녕하세요 is correct. A shop or office often skips it and answers with 네, then the company name + 입니다 ("yes, this is the company").
Ending a Korean Call
End a call with the closing that fits the last topic, then hang up. Say 끊을게요 when you are the one ending the call. 들어가세요 (literally "go in", used as "take care") is a common polite closing on the phone, and it fits especially well when the other person is heading home. With elders, say 안녕히 계세요 ("stay well") before you hang up. A call that stops with no closing words feels abrupt.
How Do You Say a Phone Number in Korean?
Say a phone number digit by digit with Sino-Korean numbers, and read 0 as 공 (gong). The common mobile prefix 010 is 공일공 (gongilgong). Pause where the hyphens fall, so 010-1234-5678 becomes 공일공, 일이삼사, 오육칠팔. The page on how to say a phone number covers the full pattern.
The cards below list every guide in the cluster.
All Korean Phone Phrases Guides
The list has all 9 guides, each with its lead phrase and an audio clip. Read the four starter guides first, then use the alphabetical list for the rest. The Korean conversation hub holds the other conversation clusters.
Start Here
Bye on the Phone
The key phrase is 끊을게요 (kkeuneulgeyo), which means "I'll hang up now." It ends a call politely by saying that you will hang up, and it sounds like [끄늘께요].
Call Me
The key phrase is 전화해 주세요 (jeonhwahae juseyo), which means "please call me." It asks someone to phone you, using the request pattern verb + -아/어 주세요.
Hello on the Phone
The key phrase is 여보세요 (yeoboseyo), which means "hello (on the phone)." It is the word for answering a call and for checking that the line works.
I Can't Hear You
The key phrase is 잘 안 들려요 (jal an deullyeoyo), which means "I can't hear you well." It reports a bad line or a quiet voice, and 들려요 has a long double-ㄹ sound.
More Phrases
The other 5 guides are in alphabetical order.
I'll Call You Back
The key phrase is 다시 전화할게요 (dasi jeonhwahalgeyo), which means "I'll call you back." It promises a call-back and uses the intention ending -(으)ㄹ게요.
One Moment Please
The key phrase is 잠시만 기다려 주세요 (jamsiman gidaryeo juseyo), which means "please wait a moment." It asks a caller to hold, and it is the standard line in shops and offices.
What's Your Phone Number
The key phrase is 전화번호가 뭐예요? (jeonhwabeonhoga mwoyeyo), which means "what's your phone number?" It asks for a number so you can call or text.
Who Is This
The key phrase is 누구세요? (nuguseyo), which means "who is it?" It asks who is calling or who is at the door, using the honorific -시-.
Wrong Number
The key phrase is 잘못 거셨어요 (jalmot geosyeosseoyo), which means "you have the wrong number." It tells a caller that they dialed the wrong number, and the honorific -시- is used for the caller.
How Do You Practise Korean Phone Phrases?
Phone lines need to come out without thought, because you cannot see the other person. Use this routine for ten minutes:
- Play the sample call and repeat each line after the audio.
- Role-play both sides: say 여보세요 as the answerer, then 누구세요? as the caller.
- Practise one bad-line sequence: 잘 안 들려요, then 다시 전화할게요.
- Read your own number aloud in digits, with 0 as 공.
- Drill the lines with the phrase flashcards, which pair each phrase with audio.
Saying the lines aloud with no screen is the closest practice to a real call. After a few rounds, check yourself against the mistakes below.
What Mistakes Do Learners Make with Korean Phone Phrases?
Learners most often use a face-to-face greeting on the phone or hang up without a closing. Four mistakes appear again and again:
- Answering with 안녕하세요 only. It is polite but not the usual pickup. Fix: say 여보세요 first, then your name.
- Saying 누구야? to a stranger. It is the casual form. Fix: use 누구세요?
- Reading 0 as 영 in a number. Both exist, but 공 is the usual choice for phone numbers. Fix: say 공일공.
- Saying 끊어요 as a goodbye. It is abrupt and can even sound like an order to hang up. Fix: say 끊을게요.
Each fix comes from picking the line that fits a voice-only setting, which is the main skill in Korean phone phrases. The questions below cover details that the cards do not.
Frequently Asked Questions
These answers add details about Korean phone phrases beyond the guides above.
What do Koreans say when they answer the phone?
Most people say 여보세요 (yeoboseyo), then their name or the business name, such as 네, 민지입니다 ("yes, this is Minji"). In a shop or office, the answer is 네, followed by the company name and 입니다. After the opening word, the caller states who they are.
How do I say goodbye on a call?
Say 끊을게요 (kkeuneulgeyo, "I'll hang up now") with a polite closing. To a friend, 끊을게 or 그럼 이만 are common. With elders, say 안녕히 계세요 ("stay well") first. 들어가세요 also works when the other person is going home. The page on bye on the phone covers each case.
How do I say wrong number in Korean?
If someone calls you by mistake, say 잘못 거셨어요 (jalmot geosyeosseoyo, "you have the wrong number"). If you called by mistake, say 죄송합니다, 잘못 걸었어요 ("sorry, I dialed wrong"). Keep the tone polite and brief, then hang up, because a long explanation is not expected.
How do I ask someone to speak louder?
Say 잘 안 들려요 ("I can't hear you well"), then ask 조금 크게 말해 주세요 ("please speak a little louder"). To ask someone to repeat, say 다시 말해 주세요 ("please say it again"). On a poor line, 여보세요? 들려요? ("hello? can you hear me?") checks the connection first.
How do I give my phone number in Korean?
Read it digit by digit with Sino-Korean numbers, using 공 for 0: 010 is 공일공. Pause at the hyphens, and repeat slowly when asked. If the listener is writing it down, add 다시 한번 말씀드릴게요 ("I'll say it once more"). A text with the number is a common backup.