Key Facts
- Hangul: 게임; Revised Romanization: geim
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: loanword
- Register: Neutral loanword; usually refers to video games unless context says otherwise.
Game in Korean: What Does 게임 Mean?
게임 has two senses: game, and video game. The register is neutral. Without context, a listener will think of a console, PC or phone.
How Do You Pronounce 게임?
Two syllables, ge-im. The second syllable starts with the silent ㅇ, so the vowel ㅔ runs straight into ㅣ before the final ㅁ: say ge, then im, without inserting a consonant.
Example Sentences with 게임
저는 게임을 좋아해요.
jeoneun geimeul joahaeyo.
I like games.
A hobby statement with 좋아해요, "like".
친구와 같이 게임해요.
chinguwa gachi geimhaeyo.
I play games with a friend.
The verb 게임해요 attaches 하다 directly to the noun. 같이 means "together".
이 게임은 재미있어요.
i geimeun jaemiisseoyo.
This game is fun.
이 게임은 introduces the game as the topic. 재미있어요 says it is fun.
Common Phrases and Collocations
게임을 하다 is playing a game. 컴퓨터 게임 and 모바일 게임 specify the platform, computer and mobile.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 게임을 하다 | play a game |
| 컴퓨터 게임 | computer game |
| 모바일 게임 | mobile game |
The Mistake to Avoid
English says "game" for both a video game and a sports fixture. Korean usually splits the two.
Less precise in a fixture list: 게임 for a scheduled sports match, such as a league fixture or a cup final.
Usual choice: 경기 for the match; 게임 for a video, mobile or board game.
A football final is normally called a 경기 in schedules and reports, while a phone game is a 게임. Sports talk does use 게임 for a single game inside a tennis set, but the match as a whole is a 경기.
게임 Compared with Similar Words
놀이 is play or a traditional game or activity. 경기 is a match in sports. 게임 sits in the electronic and tabletop sense, but it can also name a game or challenge on an entertainment show.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 게임 | game | This page's word |
| 놀이 | play | play / traditional game or activity |
| 경기 | match | match / sports game |
Where Does the Word Come From?
게임 is a loanword from English, written in Hangul.
Choosing a Game at a Friend’s Home
Jisu sees a game on Minho’s table. They decide whether to play together.
Jisu
이거 무슨 게임이에요?
Igeo museun geimieyo?
What game is this?
Minho
보드게임이에요. 같이 할까요?
Bodeugeimieyo. Gachi halkkayo?
It’s a board game. Shall we play together?
Jisu
좋아요. 어떻게 해요?
Joayo. Eotteoke haeyo?
Sounds good. How do you play?
Minho
제가 먼저 설명할게요.
Jega meonjeo seolmyeonghalgeyo.
I’ll explain first.
무슨 게임 asks what kind of game it is. Once the game is established, 같이 할까요 can leave out 게임을: everyone knows what they are proposing to do. 어떻게 해요 asks how to play in this scene, even though the words themselves simply mean “How do you do it?”
Invitations, Rounds and Results
게임 한 판 means one round or session of a game. 판 counts the bout of play, rather than the number of game titles you own. An invitation to play 한 판 might mean one match in an online game or one complete round at a table. How long that lasts depends on the game.
게임에서 이기다 means to win at a game; 게임에서 지다 means to lose. Here 에서 identifies the contest in which the result happened. Compare 게임을 하다: 을 marks the game as the activity you do. Learning the whole phrase helps you avoid carrying one particle into every sentence about gaming.
게임을 잘하다 means to be good at games. The literal pieces are “do games well”; the natural English meaning is about skill. A person can enjoy games without being good at them, so 좋아하다 and 잘하다 answer different questions: preference and ability.
게임 끝 means “game over” or “the game is finished”. You may hear it when players stop, or as a playful comment after a decisive result. It is a short announcement, with the full sentence ending left out. Add context before assuming someone is talking about software closing.
Where Will You Meet 게임?
On an app listing, 모바일 게임 identifies phone games. 컴퓨터 게임 specifies computer games, while 온라인 게임 describes games played online. These labels can overlap: a mobile game may also be online. The word before 게임 tells you which feature the speaker wants to highlight.
A 보드게임 카페 is a café where people play board games. Seeing 게임 on a sign therefore does not always mean a screen is involved. On television, entertainment programmes also use 게임 for games and challenges between participants. The activity and the setting narrow the meaning.
In a sports schedule or match report, 경기 is the usual word for the fixture. 게임 can still occur in sports conversation, so treat the difference as a guide to natural usage rather than a ban on the loanword. For a video game, 게임 remains the clear everyday choice.
게임 itself is neutral. A polite invitation can use the full noun phrase, while friends often omit particles once the activity is clear. The question ending and the relationship between speakers determine how polite the invitation sounds.
Words for Playing Together
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 보드게임 | board game | Makes the tabletop meaning explicit. |
| 규칙 | rules | What a new player needs explained before starting. |
| 차례 | turn | Helps you follow who acts next. |
| 점수 | score | Refers to points rather than a player’s turn. |
The hobbies vocabulary lesson places 게임 alongside other leisure activities. Use these extra words when you need to join in, rather than only name your hobby.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 게임 한 판 count a game title or a session of play?
- Which phrase expresses skill: 게임을 좋아하다 or 게임을 잘하다?
- What is the usual word for a sports fixture in a schedule?
Show answers
- A round or session of play.
- 게임을 잘하다 means to be good at games.
- 경기. 게임 is the everyday choice for video games.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "game" in Korean?
Say 게임 (geim).
How do you say "play a game"?
Say 게임을 하다.
What is a mobile game?
It is 모바일 게임, a game played on a phone.
What do I say for a sports match?
경기 is the usual word for a scheduled sports match. 게임 is also heard in sports conversation, but 게임 is the everyday choice for video games.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Hobby words. 게임 sits among other hobbies.
- Index: look up more words near "game" in Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: the word for game fits into the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next in this list, see the page for hiking.