What Are the Most Useful Business Korean Phrases to Learn First?
Learn six business Korean phrases first: 수고하셨습니다 (sugohasyeotseumnida, good work today), 열심히 하겠습니다 (yeolsimhi hagetseumnida, I'll do my best), 먼저 가보겠습니다 (meonjeo gabogetseumnida, I'm leaving first), 잘 부탁드립니다 (jal butakdeurimnida, nice to work with you), 확인해 주세요 (hwaginhae juseyo, please check) and 알겠습니다 (algetseumnida, understood). Together they cover a normal office day from the first meeting to the last goodbye.
| Order | Job | Korean | Revised Romanization | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thank effort | 수고하셨습니다 | sugohasyeotseumnida | good work today in Korean |
| 2 | Promise effort | 열심히 하겠습니다 | yeolsimhi hagetseumnida | I'll do my best in Korean |
| 3 | Leave first | 먼저 가보겠습니다 | meonjeo gabogetseumnida | I'm leaving first in Korean |
| 4 | Ask for cooperation | 잘 부탁드립니다 | jal butakdeurimnida | nice to work with you in Korean |
| 5 | Ask for a check | 확인해 주세요 | hwaginhae juseyo | please check in Korean |
| 6 | Confirm | 알겠습니다 | algetseumnida | understood in Korean |
Revised Romanization, the South Korean government standard of 2000, appears only as a reading aid. Learn the Hangul first. Knowing the six phrases is half the task, because the ending you choose must match the listener.
How Do You Choose between Formal, Polite and Casual Business Korean Phrases?
Use the formal -습니다 style with managers and in meetings, the polite -요 style with colleagues you know, and the casual style only with close peers or juniors. Korean marks the listener in the sentence ending, as the guide to Korean speech levels explains. The formal style is called 합쇼체 and the polite style 해요체.
| Job | Formal (managers, meetings) | Polite (colleagues) | Casual (close peers) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good work today | 수고하셨습니다 | 수고하셨어요 | 수고했어 |
| I'll do my best | 열심히 하겠습니다 | 열심히 할게요 | 열심히 할게 |
| I'm leaving first | 먼저 가보겠습니다 | 먼저 갈게요 | 먼저 갈게 |
| Nice to work with you | 잘 부탁드립니다 | 잘 부탁드려요 | 잘 부탁해 |
| Please check | 확인 부탁드립니다 | 확인해 주세요 | 확인해 줘 |
| Understood | 알겠습니다 | 알겠어요 | 알았어 |
Two details make the formal column sound right. 드리다 in 부탁드립니다 is a humble verb that lowers yourself and raises the listener. The suffix -시- in 수고하셨습니다 honours the person who did the work. See Good Work Today in Korean. Sound is the next difficulty.
How Do the Business Korean Phrases Sound?
Most formal business phrases end in -습니다, and the spelling hides the sound. Under the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원) Standard Pronunciation rules (표준 발음법), ㅂ before ㄴ becomes ㅁ, so 알겠습니다 is [알겓씀니다] and 수고하셨습니다 is [수고하셛씀니다].
- -습니다 sounds like [씀니다]. Learn it once and it works in every formal phrase. See ㅂ-to-ㅁ nasalization.
- 부탁드립니다 is [부탁뜨림니다]. The ㄷ after ㄱ is said tense, as the tensification rules describe.
- Ending ㅆ sounds like ㄷ. The final ㅆ in 겠 and 셨 is said as [ㄷ] before 습, which then tenses the next ㅅ.
Audio on each phrase page lets you hear these changes. The guide cards below list the six pages.
All Business Korean Phrases Guides
The list below has all 6 guides, each with its lead phrase and a short audio clip.
Start Here
Good Work Today in Korean
The key phrase is 수고하셨습니다 (sugohasyeotseumnida), which means "thank you for your hard work" or "good work today."
I'll Do My Best in Korean
The key phrase is 열심히 하겠습니다 (yeolsimhi hagetseumnida), which means "I will work hard."
I'm Leaving First in Korean
The key phrase is 먼저 가보겠습니다 (meonjeo gabogetseumnida), which means "I'll head out first."
Nice to Work with You in Korean
The key phrase is 잘 부탁드립니다 (jal butakdeurimnida), which means "please take care of me" or "I look forward to working with you." It is said at introductions and when handing over a task.
More Phrases
Please Check in Korean
The key phrase is 확인해 주세요 (hwaginhae juseyo), which means "please check."
Understood in Korean
The key phrase is 알겠습니다 (algetseumnida), which means "understood, I will do it."
How Do You Practise Business Korean Phrases?
Practise business Korean phrases in three steps: listen, repeat, then choose the level. Play the clip on a guide once, say the phrase aloud twice, and then decide whether the listener is a manager, a colleague or a peer. The work and business phrases flashcards and the wider phrase flashcards drill the same lines with audio.
A realistic day is a good test. Say 잘 부탁드립니다 when you meet the team, 확인 부탁드립니다 when you send a file, 알겠습니다 when you get an instruction, 먼저 가보겠습니다 when you leave, and 수고하셨습니다 as people go home. Each phrase also appears in emails, and an email often closes with 확인 부탁드립니다 or 잘 부탁드립니다 followed by 감사합니다.
Phrases or Vocabulary: Which Page Do You Need?
This cluster teaches ready-to-say phrases for work situations. If you need single words, such as meeting, report, deadline and manager, use the themed word list on business Korean vocabulary, which has its own audio, deck and worksheet. Start here for what to say, and go there for what things are called. If you have not learned the basics yet, begin with Korean greetings.
What Mistakes Do Learners Make with Business Korean Phrases?
Most mistakes come from choosing the wrong level, not from the words themselves.
| Mistake | Why it is a problem | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Casual 알았어 to a manager | It sounds disrespectful | Say 알겠습니다 |
| 수고하셨습니다 to a much more senior boss | Some people prefer other thanks for seniors | Say 감사합니다 or 고생 많으셨습니다 |
| Leaving without a line | It can look cold | Say 먼저 가보겠습니다 |
| 확인해 줘 to a client | It is a casual command | Say 확인 부탁드립니다 |
| Dropping -시- in honorific phrases | The phrase loses respect | Keep 수고하셨습니다, not 수고했습니다 |
Learners often assume the formal style sounds cold. Actually, the formal -습니다 style is the normal default for manager-level talk, and a formal phrase said with a smile is warm and expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I say to my Korean boss?
Use formal -습니다 endings and the ritual lines. Greet with 안녕하세요, say 알겠습니다 when you get an instruction, 확인 부탁드립니다 when you ask for a check, 먼저 가보겠습니다 when you leave and 수고하셨습니다 or 감사합니다 at the end of the day. Avoid casual endings such as 알았어.
How do I say good work today?
Say 수고하셨습니다 (sugohasyeotseumnida) to colleagues and juniors at the end of the day, and 수고하셨어요 in a friendlier tone. For a very senior boss, 고생 많으셨습니다 or 감사합니다 can be safer. Say 수고하세요 to someone who stays to keep working.
How do I say I will do my best?
Say 열심히 하겠습니다 (yeolsimhi hagetseumnida) in meetings and to managers. It promises effort, not a result. For a stronger promise, say 최선을 다하겠습니다, "I will do my utmost". With peers, 열심히 할게요 is polite and softer, and it fits a team you already know well.
Which speech level do offices use?
Many offices use formal -습니다 with managers, in meetings and in emails, and polite -요 among colleagues who know each other. The casual style appears only between close peers. When you are unsure, start formal and let your colleagues invite you to relax, because moving down is easier than moving up.