Key Facts
- 신발 (sinbal) means shoes, or footwear in general.
- Part of speech: noun; origin: native.
- Register: neutral and general; it is not marked as polite or casual.
- Level: A1.
Shoes in Korean: What Does 신발 Mean?
신발 is a native Korean noun covering shoes and footwear. It is neutral, not marked polite or casual. It is the umbrella word, and more specific kinds sit under it.
How Do You Pronounce 신발?
The Revised Romanization is sinbal. The b in the middle follows the n and stays a plain b. Particles attach to the final l, giving sinbareul and sinbari in the examples.
How Do You Use 신발 in a Sentence?
신발을 벗어 주세요.
Please take off your shoes.
sinbareul beoseo juseyo. 벗어 주세요 is please take off. This is what hosts say at a door.
새 신발이 편해요.
The new shoes are comfortable.
sae sinbari pyeonhaeyo. 새 is new and 편해요 is comfortable. The adjective describes the shoes.
신발이 너무 작아요.
The shoes are too small.
sinbari neomu jagayo. 너무 is too, and 작아요 is small. A shop assistant hears this when a size does not fit.
Common Word Combinations
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 신발을 신다 | to put on shoes |
| 신발을 벗다 | to take off shoes |
| 신발장 | shoe cabinet |
| 신발 가게 | shoe store |
신발을 신다 is put on shoes, and 신발을 벗다 is take them off. 신발장 is a shoe cabinet, and 신발 가게 is a shoe store.
Shoes at the Door
In a Korean home you take off your shoes at the entrance (현관) and do not wear them indoors. 신발장 is the cabinet that stores them near that spot.
Common Mistake
Mistake: Using 입다 for shoes.
Fix: The verb is 신다. Forgetting to take shoes off at the entrance of a Korean home is a social mistake as well.
How Does 신발 Differ from Similar Words?
| Word | Meaning | How to tell it from 신발 |
|---|---|---|
| 구두 | dress shoes | 구두 are leather formal shoes, while 신발 is the general word. |
| 운동화 | sneakers | 운동화 are sneakers, a specific type of 신발. |
Trying on Shoes in a Shop
A customer wants to try a pair before choosing a size. The assistant asks about fit rather than assuming the number alone will be enough.
Customer
이 신발 신어 봐도 돼요?
I sinbal sineo bwado dwaeyo?
May I try these shoes on?
Assistant
네. 사이즈가 어떻게 되세요?
Ne. Saijeuga eotteoke doeseyo?
Yes. What size are you?
Customer
이백사십이요.
Ibaeksasibiyo.
Size 240.
Assistant
신발이 편해요?
Sinbari pyeonhaeyo?
Are the shoes comfortable?
신어 보다 means to try footwear on. The 보다 here adds the idea of trying an action, so the customer is asking for permission to test the fit. 이백사십 is 240, a number you can encounter in Korean shoe sizing. The ending 이요 makes the short numerical answer polite. There is no need to repeat the whole question in the answer.
Which Shoe Expressions Describe Fit?
신발이 맞다 means that shoes fit. 신발이 작다 means that they are small, while 신발이 크다 means that they are big. These descriptions concern size. 편하다 means comfortable, which is a separate judgment: a shoe can be the right size yet feel uncomfortable around the heel.
새 신발 means new shoes. Compare 새 with 헌 in 헌 신발, old or worn shoes. Here “old” describes previous use, rather than a particular fashion period. 신발 한 켤레 means one pair of shoes. 켤레 counts matching pairs, so it is useful when buying footwear or describing what is in a bag.
신발을 갈아 신다 means to change into another pair. You may change from outdoor shoes into slippers or from work shoes into sneakers. The phrase names a change of footwear; it does not mean washing the shoes. The wearing verb remains 신다 even when another action comes before it.
Where Will You See 신발?
At an entrance, 신발을 벗어 주세요 is a polite instruction to remove shoes. 주세요 softens the request. The same noun appears in 신발장, the shoe cabinet, and 신발 가게, a shoe store. A cabinet label identifies storage; a sentence with 벗어 주세요 asks you to do something.
In a shoe shop, staff may use a specific type such as 운동화 once they know what you want. You can keep using 신발 when you do not know the category. The word also covers footwear in general, so it does not tell the listener whether you mean sneakers, boots or dress shoes.
English marks “shoe” and “shoes” differently, but 신발 alone can refer to either according to context. In the dialogue, 이 신발 refers to the pair the customer is holding. Add 한 켤레 when the number of pairs matters, rather than looking for a separate everyday plural word.
신발끈 means shoelace. The set phrase 신발끈을 묶다 means to tie your shoelaces, rather than fastening every possible kind of shoe. 끈 is a string or strap. You may hear the phrase before a walk or a run, when someone needs a moment to secure their shoes.
Footwear Words to Learn Together
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 양말 | socks | These also take the wearing verb 신다. |
| 슬리퍼 | slippers | Useful when someone offers indoor footwear. |
| 부츠 | boots | A type of 신발 with a higher upper. |
| 현관 | entrance area | The place where you remove outdoor shoes at home. |
The clothing vocabulary lesson connects footwear with the rest of an outfit. For a shopping conversation, learn both the item and its wearing verb: shoes take 신다, while a skirt or shirt takes 입다.
Quick Self-Test
- How do you count one pair of shoes?
- Which phrase asks to try shoes on: 신어 보다 or 입어 보다?
- Does 신발이 편해요 describe comfort or price?
Show answers
- 신발 한 켤레.
- 신어 보다 uses the footwear verb.
- Comfort. It means the shoes are comfortable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Verb Goes with 신발?
Use 신다 to put on and 벗다 to take off.
Do You Wear Shoes Indoors?
Not in a Korean home; you remove them at the 현관.
What Is 신발장?
A shoe cabinet.
What Is 운동화?
Sneakers.
Where to Go Next
신발 is in the clothing vocabulary list. Read the shirt word before it and the skirt word after it. Compare with the socks word. See Korean words A to Z.