Konglish Examples: 40 Words with Romanization and Audio

Key facts

• Konglish words are normal Korean. They only confuse English speakers, so use the English column when you speak English.
• 파이팅 is the loanword spelling and 화이팅 is the common spelling. Both mean 'you can do it'.

Konglish Examples at a Glance

Konglish, called 콩글리시 (konggeullisi) in Korean, means words that look like English but work differently in Korean. Some are shortened (에어컨 for 'air conditioner'), some change meaning (서비스 means a free extra), and some are invented from English parts (소개팅 for a blind date). Koreans use them every day, and they are not mistakes in Korean. They only become a problem when you carry them into English.

Standard loanwords, 외래어 (oeraeeo), are English words that Korean has borrowed with the same meaning, such as 커피 (coffee) and 택시 (taxi). The two groups overlap. 아파트 is a standard Korean word and it is also a clue to Konglish, because the Korean word means a tall residential block, not one flat. The rules for spelling borrowed words are published by the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원). For the sound rules behind the shapes, read How English words sound in Korean.

The page sits inside Konglish and Loanwords, part of Korean Word Types.

Which Konglish Words Should You Learn First?

Learn the words you will hear on day one in Korea: 에어컨, 리모컨, 아파트, 핸드폰, 파이팅 and 서비스. Then learn the shop and office words, such as 콘센트, 호치키스 and 포스트잇. Leave the youth words, such as 맨투맨 and 소개팅, until you can follow casual talk.

• Say first. 파이팅, 서비스, 핸드폰, 에어컨, 리모컨, 아파트.
• Use often. 노트북, 콘센트, 셀카, 아르바이트, 와이셔츠.
• Recognise. 몰카, 에이에스, 모닝콜, 크리넥스, 포클레인.

The scene below is a living room with ten numbered objects from the first two groups. Tap a number to hear the word.

Word · 10

1. 1

   에어컨

   Play

   eeokeon

   air conditioner

2. 2

   리모컨

   Play

   rimokeon

   remote control

3. 3

   노트북

   Play

   noteubuk

   laptop

4. 4

   콘센트

   Play

   konsenteu

   power outlet

5. 5

   핸드폰

   Play

   haendeupon

   mobile phone

6. 6

   셀카

   Play

   selka

   selfie

7. 7

   믹서

   Play

   mikseo

   blender

8. 8

   오토바이

   Play

   otobai

   motorcycle

9. 9

   핸들

   Play

   haendeul

   steering wheel

10. 10

    스탠드

    Play

    seutaendeu

    desk lamp

Shortened and Reshaped English

The first group is the least confusing. These words come from real English words that were cut short or reshaped. 에어컨 and 리모컨 drop the second half of the English word. 노트북 and 믹서 keep the shape but name a different object from the English one. In each row, the column 'Say this in English' tells you what to say when you speak English.

Example Sentences

The sentences use short frames: object + 을/를 + verb, or object + 이/가 + place. The particle is 을 after a consonant and 를 after a vowel (에어컨을, 오토바이를); 믹서로 uses 로, 'with'. Play the sentence, say it aloud, then swap in another object from the table.

Words with a Different Meaning

This group holds the real false friends. The English origin is easy to see, but the Korean meaning moved away from it. 서비스 sounds like 'service', yet in a restaurant it means a free extra. 원피스 sounds like 'one-piece', and in Korea it is a dress. If you say these in English, listeners will be puzzled.

What Are the Made-in-Korea Phrases?

Some Konglish words were built in Korea and never existed in English. 파이팅, from 'fighting', is a cheer. 에이에스 is the two letters A and S, from 'after service'. 커닝 is from 'cunning', and in a classroom it means cheating on a test. English speakers do not say these, so they need a different phrase. For 파이팅, say 'Good luck!' or 'You've got this!'. In English, 'Fighting!' by itself may sound like a call to a physical fight.

파이팅 or 화이팅?

Both spellings are in use. The loanword spelling is 파이팅 (paiting), because the Korean rules for English words write the English 'f' as ㅍ. Many people write 화이팅 (hwaiting), and the pronunciation is close to it. Pick 파이팅 when you want the standard form and expect 화이팅 on signs, in messages and in songs.

Brand Names That Became Nouns

A brand can become a word for the whole product. English has 'Band-Aid' and 'Kleenex'. Korean has its own set: 포스트잇 for a sticky note, 호치키스 for a stapler and 크리넥스 for a tissue. These are plain nouns in speech. The brands behind them are old and mostly not Korean, which is why a learner does not guess the meaning from the sound alone.

Look-Alikes with a Local Meaning

The last group is full of words you will hear in youth talk and in offices. 미팅 means a group blind date, not a work meeting, and 아르바이트 is a part-time job, not any job. Some words, such as 와이셔츠 and 맨투맨, name clothing with a shape that does not match the English words. The table lists what to say in English for each one.

What Should You Say in English Instead?

Konglish is normal in Korean and unusual in English. Before you speak English, check the word. The list below gives the five most common slips.

How Do You Pronounce These Words?

English words are reshaped by the Korean sound system. Korean has no f or v, so 'f' is written ㅍ and 'v' is written ㅂ. A vowel is added to split clusters: 'blender' becomes 블렌더 and 'soft' becomes 소프트, with ㅡ added after a consonant. The Standard Pronunciation Rules (표준 발음법) of the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원) apply to these words, and the romanization follows the Revised Romanization of Korean.

• Tensing. A plain consonant after a final ㄱ is tense (Article 23), so 믹서 is said [믹써]. Romanization does not show tensing caused by a neighbouring sound.
• Final ㅅ. At the end of a syllable ㅅ sounds like ㄷ: 핫팩 is said [핟팩].
• Added vowels. A vowel ㅡ is added after a lone consonant, which makes an extra syllable: 'sharp' becomes 샤프 (sya-peu), with two syllables.
• Stress. Korean does not stress syllables the way English does. Give each syllable about the same length.

Audio and Slow Playback

Each word and sentence has its own clip. The clips below replay five longer words slowly. Play one, repeat it, then play it again and compare.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with Konglish?

Five mistakes come up often.

1. Using Konglish in English. Telling an English speaker 'I lost my hand phone' makes them stop and think. Say 'phone'.
2. Expecting the English meaning. 서비스 is a free gift, 미팅 is a group date and 커닝 is cheating. The English word is not the Korean meaning.
3. Mixing up 파이팅 and 화이팅. They are two spellings of the same cheer. Do not treat them as different words.
4. Thinking Konglish is wrong in Korean. These words are the right Korean words. Using a 'proper' English word in a Korean sentence may sound odd.
5. Guessing a brand noun from its sound. 호치키스 and 포클레인 come from brand names, so you must learn them as words.

The key idea is that Konglish is a Korean word that borrowed English sounds, not a broken form of English.

Practice: Flashcards and Worksheet

Run the deck in recognition mode until each word gives its meaning, then switch to listening mode and take the quiz. The deck holds all 40 words with audio, and your progress stays in your browser. The vocabulary flashcard decks page lists the other decks, and the Konglish words flashcards deck is a separate 28-card set that shares some of these words.

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, list five Konglish words you use and write the English phrase next to each.

Where to Go Next

Read How English words sound in Korean for the sound rules behind these shapes, then practise reading with Reading English loanwords in Hangul. Return to Konglish and Loanwords for the wider list. Continue to Sino-Korean words for the other large layer of Korean vocabulary.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Konglish?

Konglish, called 콩글리시 (konggeullisi), means Korean words made from English parts that do not match English. Examples are 서비스 (a free extra), 원피스 (a dress) and 핸드폰 (a mobile phone). They are normal Korean, and they only confuse people when used in English.

What Does 파이팅 Mean in Korean?

파이팅 (paiting) is a cheer that means 'You can do it!' or 'Good luck!'. It comes from the English word 'fighting'. The loanword spelling is 파이팅, and many people write 화이팅 (hwaiting). Both are used to encourage someone.

What Does 서비스 Mean in Korean?

In a shop or restaurant, 서비스 (seobiseu) means a free extra or a gift from the house, such as a free drink. It does not usually mean customer service, which is 고객 서비스 or 서비스 센터.

Is Konglish the Same as a Loanword?

No. A loanword, 외래어, is an English word that Korean borrowed with the same meaning, such as 커피 (coffee). Konglish words have changed meaning or were made in Korea, such as 아이쇼핑 (window shopping). The two groups overlap, so some words fit both.

Should I Use Konglish When I Speak English?

No. English speakers will not understand most of it. Use the English column in the tables and say 'phone', 'dress' or 'good luck' instead. In Korean, use the Konglish word, because it is the right Korean word.

Is the Romanization on This Page Official?

It follows the Revised Romanization of Korean, which South Korea adopted on 7 July 2000 and whose rules the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원) publishes. It is a learning aid and does not mark every sound change, so rely on the Hangul and the audio.

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