Key Facts
- Hangul: 영어; Revised Romanization: yeongeo
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 英語 (英 England + 語 language)
- Register: neutral, standard word for the English language in all registers
English in Korean: What Does 영어 Mean?
영어 means the English language, whether spoken or written. It names the language only: the country is 영국 (the UK), and written English text is often called 영문. Before another noun, 영어 means "English-language", as in 영어 선생님 (English teacher) and 영어 단어 (English word).
How Do You Pronounce 영어?
Two syllables, yeong-eo. The first glides from y into ㅓ (eo), like the u in "fun", and ends in ng. The second is the same vowel ㅓ with no consonant, so the ng runs straight into it.
Example Sentences with 영어
영어를 공부해요.
Yeongeoreul gongbuhaeyo
I study English.
공부해요 means "study". The object particle is 를, not 을, because 영어 ends in a vowel.
영어를 조금 할 수 있어요.
Yeongeoreul jogeum hal su isseoyo
I can speak a little English.
조금 means "a little", and 할 수 있어요 means "can do". With a language, 하다 means "speak".
회사에서 영어를 써요.
Hoesaeseo yeongeoreul sseoyo
I use English at work.
회사에서 means "at the company" or "at work", and 써요 means "use".
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 영어 공부 | studying English |
| 영어를 하다 | to speak English |
| 영어 단어 | English word |
| 영어 선생님 | English teacher |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: 영국어, formed from the country name 영국 plus 어.
Correct: 영어. The language is 英語, "England's language", with no 국. Language names take 을 or 를 with verbs like 하다, 공부하다 and 배우다: 영어를 공부하다.
영어 Compared with Similar Words
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 영어 | English (language) | This page's word |
| 영국 | UK | The country, not the language |
| 영문 | English text | Written English, as on documents and forms |
| 한국어 | Korean (language) | Another language name; here the 어 follows the full country name 한국 |
Where Does the Word Come From?
영어 is the Korean reading of 英語: 英 (England) plus 語 (language). The same 語 appears as 어 in 한국어, but the English word uses only the first character of the country name, which is why 영국어 is wrong.
Asking for Help at a Ticket Counter
Visitor
영어로 설명해 주실 수 있어요?
Yeongeoro seolmyeonghae jusil su isseoyo?
Could you explain in English?
Staff
네. 어떤 표가 필요하세요?
Ne. Eotteon pyoga piryohaseyo?
Yes. What kind of ticket do you need?
Visitor
왕복 표 주세요.
Wangbok pyo juseyo.
A return ticket, please.
Staff
네. 여기 있어요.
Ne. Yeogi isseoyo.
Certainly. Here you are.
The visitor asks for an explanation in English rather than asking a general question about the staff member's language ability. 영어로 means “in English”; 로 identifies the language used for the explanation. 설명해 주실 수 있어요 is a considerate request for help from someone at a service counter.
The staff member's reply shows agreement and moves on to the task. 어떤 asks “what kind”, and 왕복 identifies a return or round-trip ticket. Once the language request has been understood, the visitor does not need to repeat 영어 in every sentence.
영어를 or 영어로: Which Particle Fits?
영어를 공부해요 means “I study English”. The language is the thing being studied, so it takes the object marker 를. 영어를 배우다 similarly means learning English. These phrases describe studying or acquiring the language, without saying how the lesson itself is taught.
영어로 설명하다 means explaining in English. 영어로 쓰다 means writing in English. Here the language is the medium used for another activity. A Korean learner can write an explanation in English without studying English at that moment, so 영어로 and 영어를 answer different questions.
The verb 쓰다 can mean either “use” or “write”. In the existing example 회사에서 영어를 써요, it means using English at work. In 영어로 쓰다, the language marks how something is written. Read the particle and the surrounding situation together instead of assigning 쓰다 just one English translation.
Common Language-Learning Phrases
영어 회화 means English conversation, especially as a learning subject. 회화 focuses on spoken interaction. 영어 문법 means English grammar, and 영어 발음 means English pronunciation. These labels distinguish the skill or topic being practised; a general 영어 수업 is simply an English class.
영어를 잘하다 means being good at English. The phrase can refer broadly to language ability, while 영어를 조금 할 수 있어요 makes a more modest, limited claim. 조금 does useful work here: the speaker says they can manage some English, without promising they will understand everything.
영어 자막 means English subtitles. In a video menu, 영어 identifies the subtitle language, rather than the language spoken by the actors. Look for the word 자막 before assuming that an English option changes the soundtrack. English audio and English subtitles are separate choices.
Where Will You See 영어 and 영문?
School timetables use 영어 as a subject name. Language-school listings combine it with words such as 회화 or 문법 to specify what a course teaches. Job advertisements may mention 영어 when describing language skills needed for the work; the noun alone does not state a particular proficiency level.
Forms may use 영문 이름 for a name written in Roman letters. That field usually asks for the spelling of your name, rather than an English translation of its meaning. This is a useful difference between 영어, the general language name, and 영문, which often points to written text or lettering.
Words for Choosing the Help You Need
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 회화 | conversation | Often labels a course focused on speaking. |
| 발음 | pronunciation | Use when asking about how a word sounds. |
| 자막 | subtitles | Written dialogue displayed during a video. |
| 통역 | interpreting | Help with spoken communication between languages. |
| 번역 | translation | Commonly concerns written text. |
The nationalities and languages lesson connects 영어 with other language names. 통역 and 번역 help you ask for the type of language support a situation requires.
Quick Self-Test
- Which means “in English”: 영어로 or 영어를?
- Does 영어 자막 necessarily mean the actors speak English?
- What does 영문 이름 on a form usually ask for?
Show answers
- 영어로. 영어를 marks English as an object, as in studying English.
- No. It specifies English subtitles.
- Your name written in Roman letters, rather than a translation of its meaning.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "English" in Korean?
Say 영어 (yeongeo).
Is the word for the UK the same as the word for English?
No. 영국 is the country, and 영어 is the language.
How do you say "I study English" in Korean?
Say 영어를 공부해요.
Is 영국어 correct?
No. 영국어 is a common learner error. The correct word is 영어.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: nationalities and languages vocabulary groups 영어 with other language names.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: vocabulary flashcard decks.
- The country: UK in Korean.
- Compare: the Korean language in Korean.