Konglish: 50 Words with Romanization and Audio

Konglish at a Glance

Konglish is the English-looking vocabulary of Korean. The word covers two things: English words that Korean has borrowed and respelled in Hangul, and new words that Koreans made from English parts, such as 핸드폰 (mobile phone). Some of these words mean something different from the English word they came from. Others come from Japanese, not English. This page holds 50 words in five groups and separates the kinds, so that you know when a word is safe to use with English speakers. Each word has Hangul, Revised Romanization, audio and one example sentence.

This list sits inside Korean Word Types. Two deeper pages follow it: Konglish Examples and False Friends and How English Words Sound in Korean.

Which Loanwords and Konglish Should You Learn First?

Start with the English loanwords, because you can guess them. Then learn the Konglish words, because they are everywhere and English speakers will not understand them. The false friends come last, because they make sense only when you already know the real English word.

1. Day one. The ten English loanwords: 컴퓨터, 커피, 택시, 버스, 호텔, 인터넷, 카메라, 텔레비전, 아이스크림 and 샌드위치.
2. Day two. The Konglish words: 핸드폰, 노트북, 에어컨, 리모컨, 파이팅 and the rest of that group.
3. Day three. The sound-rule words: 스트라이크, 스트레스, 피자, 팬, 비타민 and the rest of that group.
4. Day four. The Japanese-origin words and their replacements: 돈가스, 오뎅, 어묵, 다꽝, 단무지, 알바 and the rest.
5. Day five. The false friends: 서비스, 샤프, 콘센트, 핸들, 아파트, 미팅 and the rest.

At 10 words a day, the list takes five days. The scene below puts eight of the words on one picture.

Word · 8

1. 1

   컴퓨터

   Play

   keompyuteo

   computer

2. 2

   핸드폰

   Play

   haendeupon

   mobile phone (from hand + phone)

3. 3

   아파트

   Play

   apateu

   apartment block; flat in a large complex (from apartment)

4. 4

   서비스

   Play

   seobiseu

   free extra; also service (from service)

5. 5

   샤프

   Play

   syapeu

   mechanical pencil (from Sharp, a brand)

6. 6

   콘센트

   Play

   konsenteu

   electrical outlet (from concentric plug)

7. 7

   에어컨

   Play

   eeokeon

   air conditioner (from air conditioner)

8. 8

   리모컨

   Play

   rimokeon

   remote control (from remote controller)

By origin label, the list has 23 English loanwords, 17 Konglish words, 7 Japanese-origin words and 3 replacement words (단무지 and 도시락 are native; 어묵 mixes a Sino-Korean and a native syllable). The origin column in each table marks them.

English Loanwords

An English loanword is an English word that Korean has taken in and written in Hangul. The meaning is almost the same as in English, so these are the easiest words in the whole vocabulary. 컴퓨터, 커피 and 택시 are good examples. Spelling follows the sounds, not the English letters, so computer is 컴퓨터 and not a copy of the English spelling. The sound changes behind that are in How English Words Sound in Korean.

Notice that Korean often adds a vowel. English "bus" ends with s, but Korean 버스 ends with 스, which has the vowel ㅡ. Each Korean syllable needs a vowel, so final consonants that Korean cannot say get one. This habit is the key to the whole topic.

Example Sentences

The examples use two simple patterns: noun + 을/를 + verb, as in 택시를 탔어요 (I took a taxi), and noun + 이/가 + verb or adjective, as in 인터넷이 느려요 (the internet is slow). Say each one aloud, then swap the noun for another word in the same table.

How Do You Say Konglish (Korean-made English) in Korean?

Konglish words are Korean inventions. The parts are English, but the word is not English. A 핸드폰 joins "hand" and "phone", and English speakers say "mobile phone" or "cell phone". A 노트북 is a laptop, not a paper notebook. An 아이쇼핑 is window shopping, from "eye" plus "shopping". Many Konglish words are shortened: 에어컨 is "air conditioner" and 리모컨 is "remote controller".

One word in this group needs special care. 파이팅 comes from "fighting", but Koreans use it as a cheer that means "go for it" or "you can do it". It is not a call to fight. You will hear it at sports events, before exams and in K-pop. 화이팅 is a second spelling of the same word, and both appear on signs and in captions; 파이팅 is the standard spelling.

Japanese-Origin Words

Some Korean words came from Japanese during the twentieth century. Many of them are food and everyday items. Because they are tied to history, the 국립국어원 has promoted replacements, and the replacements are now the standard. The table pairs each older word with its standard replacement.

Not every Japanese-origin word has been replaced in practice. 돈가스 is the dictionary spelling of the word, and 우동 is used by almost everyone, even though 가락국수 was proposed in its place. Notice that 알바 and 아르바이트 are the same word: 아르바이트 comes from the German word Arbeit, through Japanese, and 알바 is its short form. People use 알바 in speech and 아르바이트 in writing.

The origin of a few words in this group is debated, and the page gives only the commonly cited source. The 국립국어원 dictionary is the right place to check an origin. In everyday speech, you will hear both 오뎅 and 어묵. When you write for a Korean reader, 어묵 is the safer choice.

How Do You Say Loanword Sound Rules in Korean?

A loanword shows its rules in the way it is written. The ten words in this group are chosen because each one displays a rule. 스트라이크 shows how vowels are added to break up consonant groups. 피자 and 팬 show that English f and p both become ㅍ. 비타민 and 라이브 show that English v becomes ㅂ. 주스 shows j written as ㅈ, and 셔츠 shows sh written with ㅅ and a vowel.

The short table summarises the five rules behind these words. The lesson on how English words sound in Korean gives more examples of each.

Words That Sound Like English but Are Not

A false friend is a word that looks English but means something else in Korean. These words cause the most confusion between Korean and English speakers. A 서비스 is a free extra at a restaurant, and the English "service" meaning also exists. A 샤프 is a mechanical pencil, after a brand called Sharp. A 콘센트 is a wall outlet, and a 핸들 is a steering wheel, from "handle". An 아파트 is a flat in a large block or a whole complex, and it is not an apartment in a small building.

Several words here are coined, not borrowed. A 미팅 is a group blind date between students, not a business meeting. A 모닝콜 is a wake-up call. A 백미러 is a rear-view mirror. If you want to say "meeting" in the business sense, the Korean word is 회의 (hoeui). If you speak to an English speaker, say "outlet", "mechanical pencil" or "steering wheel" and not the Korean word.

How Do You Pronounce These Words?

Loanwords follow their spelling, but a few sound changes appear. The table lists the ones that learners most often miss. Brackets show the spoken sound.

The rules come from the Standard Pronunciation rules (표준 발음법) of the 국립국어원. Revised Romanization is a learning aid. It writes the assimilation in wollum and baengmireo, but it does not show tensing such as [돈까스].

Audio and Slow Playback

Each word has a normal clip. Five words with tricky sounds also have a slow clip at 0.8 times the speed: 원룸, 백미러, 클럽, 스트라이크 and 파이팅. Nothing plays until you press a button. The audio is generated with text-to-speech and checked by a Korean teacher before publication.

Listen to 스트라이크 first. You should hear five clear syllables, seu-teu-ra-i-keu, with a light, unrounded ㅡ in the first, second and last syllable.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with Loanwords and Konglish?

• Using Konglish with English speakers. Wrong: asking an English speaker for a 핸드폰 or a 콘센트 in English. Correct: say "mobile phone" or "cell phone" and "outlet", and keep the Korean words for Korean.
• Assuming 서비스 means a service charge. In a restaurant, 서비스 usually means something given free. Your host may say 서비스예요 as they put down a dish.
• Treating 미팅 as a business meeting. Wrong: 오늘 미팅이 있어요 for a work meeting, if you want to be clear. Correct: 회의가 있어요 for a work meeting. 미팅 is a group blind date.
• Reading 파이팅 as fighting. Wrong: taking it as an invitation to fight. Correct: it is a cheer, "you can do it".
• Using 오뎅 or 다꽝 in formal writing. The standard words are 어묵 and 단무지.
• Pronouncing the final consonant of 클럽 with a burst. Wrong: keul-lep with a puff of air. Correct: [클럽], with the lips closed and no puff.
• Dropping the extra vowel. Wrong: saying strike as one syllable. Correct: 스트라이크 has five syllables.

The first three change the meaning, and the rest change how natural you sound.

Practice: Flashcards and Worksheet

Drill these words with the vocabulary flashcard decks. A printable worksheet for these words (word list, matching, writing practice, fill-in-the-blank exercises and answer key) is available in A4 and US Letter from the download card on this page. Progress in the decks is saved only in your browser.

Try this five-question check, then say all 50 words aloud once more.

Where to Go Next

This list sits inside Korean Word Types. After Konglish, many learners move on to the list of Sino-Korean words, which are the other large layer of borrowed vocabulary, or to Onomatopoeia and Mimetic Words.

Pages in This Section

Two deeper pages expand this list. Konglish Examples and False Friends goes further into words that look English but are not, and How English Words Sound in Korean explains the rules behind the spelling of English words in Hangul. Open the one that matches what you want to read next.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Say Computer in Korean?

Computer is 컴퓨터 (keompyuteo). It is an English loanword written in Hangul, and it has four syllables. The ㅓ is a relaxed, unrounded vowel. To say your computer is broken, use 컴퓨터가 고장 났어요 (keompyuteoga gojang nasseoyo). Press the audio button to hear the word.

How Do You Pronounce 핸드폰 (haendeupon)?

핸드폰 is said [핸드폰], haen-deu-pon, in three beats. The first syllable has the ㅐ vowel, close to the e in bed. The ㅡ in the second syllable is unrounded, with the lips spread. The last syllable ends in the ㄴ sound. Use the word clip to match the rhythm. English speakers say mobile phone or cell phone instead.

How Many Loanwords and Konglish Should I Learn First?

Learn ten first: the English loanwords from the first table. They are the easiest, and that takes one day. Then add the Konglish words, the sound-rule words, the Japanese-origin words and the false friends. The whole list of 50 takes five days at 10 words a day, with review on the sixth day.

Where Can I Practise Loanwords and Konglish with Flashcards?

Use the vocabulary flashcard decks, which list every deck with audio. A deck for these words is planned. Progress stays in your browser. Until then, copy a table above onto cards: Hangul on one side, English on the other, and say each word aloud as you flip it.

Is the Romanization on This Page Official?

It follows the Revised Romanization of Korean, which South Korea officially adopted on 7 July 2000 and whose rules the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원) publishes. It is a learning aid that does not show tensing caused by a neighbouring sound, so learn the Hangul and use the audio to hear the real sound.

Is There a Printable Worksheet for Loanwords and Konglish?

A printable worksheet for these words (word list, matching, writing practice, fill-in-the-blank exercises and answer key) is available in A4 and US Letter from the download card on this page. For practice, write the Hangul from memory, cover the English column and check your answers against the tables above.