Key Facts
- 왼쪽 (oenjjok) means left.
- Part of speech: noun (direction); origin: native Korean.
- Register: Neutral, everyday word used in both spoken and written Korean.
- Level: A1.
Left in Korean: What Does 왼쪽 Mean?
왼쪽 means left or left side, a direction noun used in both speech and writing. It joins 왼, the left element, and 쪽, side. The same 왼 starts 왼손, the left hand, and 왼쪽 눈, the left eye.
How Do You Pronounce 왼쪽?
The standard pronunciation is [왼쪽], and [웬쪽] is also accepted, because the vowel ㅚ may be said like we. The Revised Romanization oenjjok shows a doubled j: the 쪽 is spelled with the tense ㅉ, said tight and with no breath.
How Do You Use 왼쪽 in a Sentence?
왼쪽으로 가세요.
Please go to the left.
Oenjjogeuro gaseyo. Adding 으로 makes the direction a path, so go to the left. 가세요 is the polite imperative, a natural way to direct a driver.
은행은 왼쪽에 있어요.
The bank is on the left.
Eunhaengeun oenjjoge isseoyo. Here 에 marks a location and 있어요 says exists. The topic 은행은 is placed first, which is how Korean names where something is.
왼쪽 길로 가요.
I take the road on the left.
Oenjjok gillo gayo. Before the noun 길, the word 왼쪽 works as a modifier, and 로 means by or along. The sentence describes your route.
Common Word Combinations
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 왼쪽으로 돌다 | to turn left |
| 왼쪽 눈 | left eye |
| 왼쪽 끝 | left end |
왼쪽으로 돌다 is the turning phrase, 왼쪽 눈 names one eye, and 왼쪽 끝 is the far left edge. In every case the word comes before what it describes.
Common Mistake
Learners swap the two sides when giving directions.
Wrong: 왼쪽 when you mean right.
Correct: 왼쪽 for left and 오른쪽 for right. A memory hook: 왼 is left, as in 왼손 (left hand), and 오른 is right. Practise the pair together so each is tied to its opposite.
How Does 왼쪽 Differ from Similar Words?
| Word | Meaning | How to tell it from 왼쪽 |
|---|---|---|
| 오른쪽 | right | The opposite side. Same pattern with 오른 in place of 왼. |
| 왼손 | left hand | Refers to the hand only, not a general direction. |
Finding an Exit in a Station
A visitor asks a station employee where the exit is. They confirm the side before walking away.
Visitor
출구가 어디에 있어요?
Chulguga eodie isseoyo?
Where is the exit?
Employee
왼쪽에 있어요.
Oenjjoge isseoyo.
It’s on the left.
Visitor
저 계단 왼쪽이요?
Jeo gyedan oenjjogiyo?
To the left of those stairs?
Employee
네. 왼쪽으로 가세요.
Ne. Oenjjogeuro gaseyo.
Yes. Please go to the left.
왼쪽에 identifies a location; 왼쪽으로 gives a direction of movement. In 저 계단 왼쪽, the stairs provide a landmark. The visitor checks the relationship to that landmark, which is more precise than repeating “left” while facing a different way.
Where Will You Hear or See 왼쪽?
A driver, station employee or shop assistant can use 왼쪽 to direct you toward a lane, an exit or a shelf. Listen for the landmark and the action after the direction word. 왼쪽에 can describe where something already is; 왼쪽으로 can tell you which way to move.
In exercise classes and fitting rooms, 왼쪽 may refer to your body. 왼쪽 팔 means the left arm, and 왼쪽 눈 means the left eye. If an instructor faces you while demonstrating a movement, their left appears on your right. Check whose side the instruction refers to before copying the movement.
A photo caption may also identify someone on the left. The left side of the picture is the viewer’s left, which can differ from the photographed person’s own left side. A phrase about someone’s left hand uses that person’s body as the reference instead.
Useful Phrases on Maps and in Instructions
왼쪽 끝 means the far left end of a row or area. In a shop, it can identify a product at the end of a shelf. 끝 adds an edge or endpoint; 왼쪽 alone covers the broader left side. This is a practical distinction when several objects are on that side.
왼쪽으로 돌다 means to turn left. 왼쪽으로 가다 means to go to the left, which can be a simple move sideways rather than a turn onto another road. For street directions, 좌회전 means a left turn. It is a more compact term you may encounter in navigation instructions and road signs.
왼쪽 길 means the road or path on the left. In the existing example 왼쪽 길로 가요, the particle 로 attaches to 길 because it is the route being taken. In 왼쪽으로 가세요, 으로 attaches directly to the side. Both guide movement, but one selects a path and the other selects a direction.
Nearby Direction Words
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 오른쪽 | right side | The opposite of 왼쪽. |
| 앞 | front / ahead | Helps distinguish forward movement from a left turn. |
| 뒤 | back / behind | Locates something behind a person or landmark. |
| 건너편 | opposite side / across | Useful for something across a street. |
The directions and position lesson teaches these words with locations. A landmark plus a position is often enough to identify a place even when you do not know the street name.
Quick Self-Test
- Which phrase describes a location: 왼쪽에 or 왼쪽으로?
- What does 끝 add to 왼쪽 끝?
- Does a person facing you have their left hand on your left?
Show answers
- 왼쪽에. 왼쪽으로 marks a direction of movement.
- The end or edge on the far left.
- No. Their left appears on your right when you face each other.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does 왼쪽 Mean?
왼쪽 means left, or the left side. It works as a noun with particles, as in 은행은 왼쪽에 있어요 (The bank is on the left), and before another noun, as in 왼쪽 길 (the road on the left).
Is There Another Pronunciation?
Yes. Besides the standard [왼쪽], [웬쪽] is accepted, because ㅚ is often said like we. Both are correct, and you will hear the second more often in everyday speech.
How Do I Say Turn Left?
Use 왼쪽으로 돌다, where 으로 marks the direction and 돌다 means to turn. To ask a driver or a passer-by to go left, say 왼쪽으로 가세요.
How Do I Say the Left Eye?
Say 왼쪽 눈, with 왼쪽 before the noun. For hands there is a shorter word: 왼손 is the left hand.
Where to Go Next
Open the places and directions vocabulary list, then learn right so you can give both sides.