Key Facts
- Word: 카페 (kape)
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: loanword
- Register: Neutral, everyday loanword.
- Senses: cafe; coffee shop
Cafe in Korean: Meaning and Register
카페 is a loanword meaning a cafe or coffee shop. It is neutral and common in speech and on signs.
Cafes are popular places to meet friends and to study. People who study at cafes are jokingly called 카공족, a slang word built from 카페 and 공부 (study).
Older words exist for similar places: 커피숍, 다방 and 찻집. 카페 is now the broad word that most learners will meet first.
Pronunciation
카페 has two syllables, ka-pe, and the RR is kape. Both ㅋ and ㅍ are aspirated, with a puff of air. In casual speech many people say it with a tenser first sound, close to kka-pe, which is why 까페 shows up on some signs.
Example Sentences
카페에서 커피를 마셔요.
Kapeeseo keopireul masyeoyo
I drink coffee at a cafe.
카페에서 커피를 마셔요. (I drink coffee at a cafe.) 에서 shows where the action takes place. 커피를 마셔요 is drink coffee, so the sentence describes a daily habit.
친구와 카페에서 만나요.
Chinguwa kapeeseo mannayo
I meet a friend at a cafe.
친구와 카페에서 만나요. (I meet a friend at a cafe.) 와 means with. 친구와 카페에서 만나요 names the person and the place in one go.
이 카페는 분위기가 좋아요.
I kapeneun bunwigiga joayo
This cafe has a nice atmosphere.
이 카페는 분위기가 좋아요. (This cafe has a nice atmosphere.) 분위기 means atmosphere, and 좋아요 means is good. The sentence is a review of the place.
Collocations
- 카페에 가다: to go to a cafe
- 카페에서 공부하다: to study at a cafe
- 카페 라테: cafe latte
- 동네 카페: neighborhood cafe
카페에 가다 uses 에 for the destination. 카페에서 공부하다 uses 에서 for the place where you study. 카페 라테 is a drink named after the place, and 동네 카페 is a neighbourhood cafe.
Common Mistake
Learners copy the tense sound into the spelling.
Wrong: 까페.
Correct: 카페. Standard loanword spelling avoids tense consonants such as ㄲ, so use 카페 in your own writing even though 까페 appears on some signs.
카페 vs 커피숍
| Word | Meaning | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|---|
| 카페 | cafe; coffee shop | this page's word |
| 커피숍 | coffee shop | older/common word for a coffee place |
| 다방 | old-style tea room | older-fashioned tea house |
| 찻집 | teahouse | for tea |
커피숍 is the older and common word for a coffee place. 다방 is an old-style tea room. 찻집 is a teahouse for tea. 카페 is the modern general word.
Choosing a Cafe near the Station
Two colleagues are deciding where to sit after lunch. Their polite endings work naturally with colleagues who are friendly but still use polite speech.
Yuna
어느 카페에 갈까요?
Eoneu kapee galkkayo?
Which cafe shall we go to?
Minho
역 앞 카페는 어때요?
Yeok ap kapeneun eottaeyo?
How about the cafe in front of the station?
Yuna
좋아요. 거기 조용해요?
Joayo. Geogi joyonghaeyo?
Sounds good. Is it quiet there?
Minho
네, 이야기하기 좋아요.
Ne, iyagihagi joayo.
Yes, it is a good place to talk.
어느 asks “which”, so the first question invites the other person to choose a place. 역 앞 identifies the location before 카페: the cafe in front of the station. The third line switches to 거기, “there”, because the place is now clear. 조용해요 asks about quietness, a more specific concern than whether the cafe is good.
Where Will You See 카페?
카페 appears on storefronts, maps and meeting messages. In a message arranging to meet, the name of the cafe matters: 카페 alone tells your friend the kind of place, but may leave several possible locations. Add the business name or a nearby landmark, as the station reference does in the dialogue.
The noun before 카페 can describe what makes the place distinctive. 디저트 카페 is a dessert cafe, and 고양이 카페 is a cat cafe. These labels identify a type of cafe; they do not tell you every item on the menu. Read the menu separately to find the drink you want.
On the internet, 카페 can also mean an online community. Clues such as 가입, “joining”, and 회원, “member”, point to that meaning. An invitation to join a 카페 may be about a website rather than meeting for coffee. The surrounding action usually makes the difference clear.
Describing the Place More Precisely
동네 카페 is a cafe in the neighbourhood. 동네 tells you the area, without saying whether the business belongs to a chain. 분위기 좋은 카페 means a cafe with a nice atmosphere. That phrase praises the setting; it does not specifically promise excellent coffee or a quiet room.
카페에서 공부하다 names the activity of studying at a cafe. The slang 카공족 refers to people who do that, rather than to a separate kind of shop. It can appear in informal online writing as well as conversation. A message to a shop asking about seating is clearer if you ask about studying directly.
Related Words for a Cafe Visit
| Korean | Meaning | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 메뉴 | menu | Lists the choices; 카페 names the place. |
| 주문 | order; ordering | Useful at the counter before paying. |
| 자리 | seat; place | Ask about this when you need somewhere to sit. |
| 영업시간 | business hours | Tells you when the cafe is open. |
The city places vocabulary lesson puts 카페 alongside other meeting places. For a visit, learn 자리 with 카페: knowing the shop's name gets you there, while knowing the word for a seat helps once you arrive.
Quick Self-Test
- Which particle belongs in 카페___ 공부해요: 에 or 에서?
- What does 동네 add to 동네 카페?
- A 카페 asks you to 가입. Is this probably a physical coffee shop?
Show answers
- 에서: it marks where studying happens.
- It places the cafe in the neighbourhood.
- Probably an online community. 가입 means joining.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I say cafe in Korean?
It is 카페 (kape), a loanword from the French café. Use it for any coffee place, as in 친구와 카페에서 만나요 (I meet a friend at a cafe).
Is the spelling 까페 correct?
No. The standard spelling is 카페, with ㅋ. 까페 appears on some signs because many people pronounce the word with a tense sound, but it is not the standard form.
What does 카공족 mean?
카공족 is a joking name for people who study at cafes, combining 카페 with 공부 (study). It is informal slang, so use it in casual conversation or informal online writing rather than formal writing.
How is 카페 different from 커피숍?
커피숍 is the older, still common word for a coffee place. 카페 is now the broad everyday word and also covers dessert and themed cafes.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: places city vocabulary puts 카페 next to its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z lists every word page.
- Practice: vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next word: Cinema in Korean