Key Facts
- Hangul: 음악; Revised Romanization: eumak
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 音樂 (音 sound + 樂 music)
- Register: Neutral, everyday word used in both spoken and written Korean. As a school subject, 음악 is music class.
Music in Korean: What Does 음악 Mean?
음악 means music. It is neutral, used in speech and writing. As a school subject it means music class, which is why 음악 시간 appears in the collocations. Both the thing and the school subject use the same noun, so the surrounding word decides. 음악 시간 puts it in a timetable, and 음악회 turns it into an event. The related word 음악가 names the person who makes it, and 노래 is the single song rather than the art in general. The second example shows both: a class where students sing.
How Do You Pronounce 음악?
Two syllables, eu-mak. The ㅁ links to the next syllable, so it is [eu-mak], with no break between the syllables.
Example Sentences with 음악
저는 음악을 좋아해요.
Jeoneun eumageul joahaeyo.
I like music.
A preference statement: 저는 (I) is the topic and 좋아해요 means "like".
음악 시간에 노래를 불러요.
Eumak sigane noraereul bulleoyo.
We sing in music class.
Music class as a time slot. 노래를 불러요 means "sing a song". Korean sings with 불러요, from a verb that also means "to call".
음악을 들으면서 공부해요.
Eumageul deureumyeonseo gongbuhaeyo.
I study while listening to music.
Two actions at once, with 들으면서 meaning "while listening". The ㄷ of 듣다 changes to ㄹ before a vowel.
Common Phrases and Collocations
음악을 듣다 is to listen to music, 음악 시간 is music class and 음악회 is a concert.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 음악을 듣다 | to listen to music |
| 음악 시간 | music class |
| 음악회 | concert |
The Mistake to Avoid
Learners pause between the two syllables.
- Wrong: "eum-ak", with a clear break.
- Correct: [eu-mak]. The ㅁ links to the next syllable.
음악 Compared with Similar Words
Two related words are a song and a person.
| Word | Meaning | Contrast with music |
|---|---|---|
| 음악 | music | This page's word |
| 노래 | song | 노래 is a song. |
| 음악가 | musician | 음악가 is a musician. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
音樂 is Sino-Korean: 音 means sound and 樂 means music.
Choosing Background Music in a Café
A customer asks about the music playing in a café. The staff member offers a recommendation.
Customer
지금 나오는 음악이 뭐예요?
Jigeum naoneun eumagi mwoyeyo?
What’s the music playing now?
Staff member
재즈예요.
Jaejeuyeyo.
It’s jazz.
Customer
이런 음악을 좋아해요.
Ireon eumageul joahaeyo.
I like this kind of music.
Staff member
그럼 이 앨범도 들어 보세요.
Geureom i aelbeomdo deureo boseyo.
Then try listening to this album too.
나오는 describes the music coming from the speakers. 이런 음악 means “this kind of music”, so the customer comments on a style rather than naming one song. 들어 보세요 offers a suggestion: try listening. The staff member recommends an album within that musical style.
Where Will You See 음악?
On a school timetable, 음악 is the subject. 음악 시간 means the music lesson or class period; it does not mean the length of a recording. In a café or a video description, 배경 음악 means “background music”. The modifier tells you the role the music plays in that setting.
In conversations about taste, 클래식 음악 means “classical music” and 대중음악 means “popular music”. 대중음악 covers a broad field, rather than just one singer or one release. 음악 remains useful for instrumental pieces as well as vocal music, so it does not require lyrics.
음악회 is a concert, often associated with classical performances. 콘서트 is another common concert word, especially for popular performers. 공연 is wider: it means a performance and can include theater or dance. A 공연 listing therefore needs more context before you know whether it is a music event.
Listening, Playing and Making Music
음악을 틀다 means “to put on music” or “to play music” through a device. 음악을 듣다 means “to listen to music”. Someone may put music on for other people while doing something else. These verbs distinguish operating the playback from paying attention to the sound.
음악을 끄다 means “to turn off the music”. For lowering the loudness, 소리를 줄이다 means “to turn down the sound”. Turning music off and turning its volume down produce different results, so the verb is useful when making a request in a shared room.
음악을 하다 can mean “to make music” or “to be involved in music”, especially as a field of work or serious activity. It is broader than singing one song. 노래를 부르다 specifically means “to sing a song”, as in the existing classroom example. An instrumental musician can 음악을 하다 without singing.
Is It a Song, a Piece or an Album?
| Korean | Meaning | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 곡 | piece; track; song | Can refer to an instrumental piece as well as a song. |
| 가사 | lyrics | The words of a song, rather than its melody. |
| 앨범 | album | A release containing music, rather than one song title. |
| 악기 | musical instrument | The object someone plays to make music. |
The music vocabulary lesson teaches the wider listening and performance set. 노래 is especially natural for asking about a song with a singer. 곡 gives you a broader word when the recording could be instrumental.
A useful question is 이 노래 제목이 뭐예요?, “What is the title of this song?” 제목 means title. Unlike a question about which genre is playing, it asks for the name of the particular song. The café customer’s broader question can receive “jazz” as an answer; adding 제목 makes the desired information more precise.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 음악 include instrumental music?
- Which expression means to put music on through a device?
- Which word names the words of a song?
Show answers
- Yes. Music does not need lyrics to be 음악.
- 음악을 틀다.
- 가사 means lyrics.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "music" in Korean?
Say 음악 (eumak).
How do you pronounce it?
As [eu-mak]: the ㅁ moves to the start of the second syllable, so there is no break.
How do you say "to listen to music"?
음악을 듣다. In polite speech: 음악을 들으면서 공부해요 means "I study while listening to music".
What is a concert?
음악회 is a concert, especially a classical one. The ending 회 means a gathering or event.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: School subjects groups 음악 with its neighbours.
- Browse the Korean words A to Z index for words near music.
- Drill music in the vocabulary flashcard decks.