Key Facts
- Hangul: 약속; Revised Romanization: yaksok; pronounced [yak-ssok]
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 約束 (約 promise + 束 bind)
- Register: Neutral. Used both for promises and for appointments/plans with friends.
Promise in Korean: What Does 약속 Mean?
약속 means promise and also appointment or plans with someone. One word covers both, so 약속이 있어요 can mean I have plans with a friend. The tone is neutral.
How Do You Pronounce 약속?
약속 is pronounced [yak-ssok]. After the final ㄱ of the first syllable, the ㅅ of the second becomes the tense ss. Revised Romanization does not show this tensing, which is why the spelling is yaksok. Before a particle the ㄱ links over: 약속이 sounds like yak-sso-gi.
Example Sentences with 약속
약속 꼭 지킬게요.
Yaksok kkok jikilgeyo.
I will definitely keep my promise.
지킬게요 is the "I will" form of 지키다 (to keep), a promise made to the listener, and 꼭 (definitely) makes it firm.
내일 친구와 약속이 있어요.
Naeil chinguwa yaksogi isseoyo.
I have plans with a friend tomorrow.
Here 친구와 names the friend and 약속이 있어요 turns the same word into plans.
약속 시간에 늦었어요.
Yaksok sigane neujeosseoyo.
I was late for our appointment.
약속 시간 is the agreed meeting time, and 늦었어요 means "was late". Here 약속 is a scheduled meeting, not a vow.
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 약속을 지키다 | to keep a promise |
| 약속이 있다 | to have plans |
| 약속을 어기다 | to break a promise |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 약속 for booking a restaurant table or a hotel room
Correct: ✓ 예약
Why: A reservation with a business is 예약. 약속 is a promise or a social appointment with people you know, such as plans with a friend.
약속 Compared with Related Words
Three nearby words split plans, bookings and vows.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 약속 | promise | This page's word |
| 예약 | reservation | Booking a seat or room. |
| 계획 | plan | Plan or schedule. |
| 맹세 | vow | Stronger promise. |
약속 is a promise or a meeting with people. 예약 is a booking with a business, 계획 is a plan or schedule, and 맹세 is a stronger vow.
Where Does the Word Come From?
약속 is Sino-Korean, written 約束 in hanja: 約 (promise) plus 束 (bind), a promise that binds.
Making Plans: Choosing a Meeting Time
Two colleagues arrange to meet outside work. 약속 refers to an agreed meeting here, rather than a serious vow.
Yuna
내일 저녁에 약속 있어요?
Naeil jeonyeoge yaksok isseoyo?
Do you have plans tomorrow evening?
Sujin
아니요, 없어요.
Aniyo, eopseoyo.
No, I do not.
Yuna
그럼 여섯 시에 만날까요?
Geureom yeoseot sie mannalkkayo?
Then shall we meet at six?
Sujin
좋아요. 어디에서 만날까요?
Joayo. Eodieseo mannalkkayo?
Sounds good. Where shall we meet?
The first question leaves out 이 after 약속, a common conversational shortening of 약속이 있어요. The reply 없어요 answers the question without repeating the noun. The two people have chosen a time, but still need to agree on a place before the arrangement is complete.
Which Phrases Distinguish a Promise from an Appointment?
약속을 하다 means to make a promise or an arrangement. The rest of the conversation supplies what was agreed. A promise to help tomorrow and an agreement to meet tomorrow can both involve 약속, so translating every occurrence as “promise” makes ordinary social talk sound too solemn.
약속을 잡다 means to arrange a meeting. 잡다 literally means “catch” or “hold”, but nobody is catching an object here. The phrase concerns finding a time and settling on plans. 약속을 취소하다 means to cancel the arrangement. In a calendar conversation, the appointment sense is usually the useful one.
약속을 지키다 and 약속을 어기다 concern keeping or breaking what was agreed. 지키다 also means to guard or protect; with 약속 it means following through. 어기다 means violating an agreement or rule. Simply moving a meeting with everyone's agreement is different from failing to do what you promised.
약속 시간 and 약속 장소 mean the agreed meeting time and place. Both phrases are useful after a meeting has been arranged. 시간 alone is just time, while 약속 시간 ties it to that particular arrangement. 장소 names the location, such as a station exit or a café entrance.
Where Will You Hear 약속?
In everyday talk, 약속이 있어요 can explain why someone is unavailable. It does not tell you whether the plans are romantic, professional or with family. If a colleague turns down dinner using this phrase, the appointment itself may be private; the sentence gives no further details.
In dramas, 약속해요 can mean “I promise” or a request to promise, depending on the speaker and intonation. A short 약속! may accompany a pinky promise between close people. This compact use sounds more personal than the calendar expression 약속이 있어요.
약속 itself is neutral. Close friends can say 약속 있어?, while polite conversation uses 약속 있어요? or 약속이 있어요? The change is in the ending, rather than a special polite word for the appointment. A business booking still uses 예약 even when the conversation is friendly.
Words to Finish Arranging the Meeting
| Korean | Meaning | When it helps |
|---|---|---|
| 시간 | time | Set when the meeting starts. |
| 장소 | place | Agree where to meet. |
| 일정 | schedule | Check how the meeting fits other commitments. |
| 취소 | cancellation | Discuss calling off the arrangement. |
For the personal side of promises, continue with the emotions vocabulary lesson. For a booking with a business, compare 예약. You can have an 약속 with a friend and make a restaurant 예약 for the same evening: the words describe different parts of the plan.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 약속이 있어요 always mean “I have made a solemn promise”?
- What does 잡다 mean in 약속을 잡다?
- You book a table for your meeting. Is the booking 약속 or 예약?
Show answers
- No. It often means “I have plans” or “I have an appointment”.
- To arrange the meeting, rather than literally catch something.
- 예약. The meeting with the person is the 약속.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "promise" in Korean?
Promise in Korean is 약속 (yaksok), pronounced [yak-ssok]. The same word also means plans or an appointment with someone.
How do I say "I have plans"?
Say 약속이 있어요, as in 내일 친구와 약속이 있어요 (I have plans with a friend tomorrow).
How do I say to keep or break a promise?
Use 약속을 지키다 to keep a promise and 약속을 어기다 to break one. 약속 꼭 지킬게요 means "I will definitely keep my promise".
Is 약속 a restaurant booking?
No. A restaurant or hotel booking is 예약. 약속 is a promise or a meeting arranged with people.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Emotions groups 약속 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Compare 약속 with 예약, a booking with a business.