Korean Shopping Phrases for Markets & Malls

Whether you're browsing Myeongdong, haggling at Namdaemun Market, or ordering on Coupang, knowing shopping vocabulary in Korean makes the experience smoother, and cheaper. Here are 50 essential words and phrases for every shopping situation.

Basic Shopping Words

Asking About Products

These phrases will get you through 90% of shopping interactions:

Bargaining at Traditional Markets

Korean traditional markets (시장) often allow bargaining, especially for clothing, accessories, and souvenirs. These phrases are your secret weapons:

Bargaining Tips

1. Start at 60-70% of the asking price and work up
2. Walk away slowly, they'll often call you back with a better price
3. Buy multiple items from the same vendor for leverage
4. Be friendly, a smile goes further than aggressive haggling
5. Don't bargain at convenience stores, department stores, or places with fixed prices

Clothing & Sizes

Korean sizing tip: Korean clothing often runs smaller than Western sizes. If you normally wear M, try L or XL. Shoe sizes use mm (e.g., 260 = US men's 8 / EU 40).

Payment & Checkout

Online Shopping Vocabulary

Korea is one of the world's biggest online shopping markets. If you're on Coupang, Gmarket, or Naver Shopping, you'll see these terms everywhere:

Convenience Store Essentials

You'll visit 편의점 (convenience stores like CU, GS25, 7-Eleven) daily in Korea:

• "데워 주세요" (dewo juseyo), "Please heat it up" (for 도시락/lunchboxes)
• "봉투 주세요" (bongtu juseyo), "Can I have a bag?"
• "충전해 주세요" (chungjeonhae juseyo), "Please charge it" (for T-money cards)

Practice Dialogue

You: 이거 얼마예요? (How much is this?)

Vendor: 삼만 원이에요. (It's 30,000 won.)

You: 너무 비싸요. 이만 원에 안 돼요? (Too expensive. Can't you do 20,000?)

Vendor: 이만 오천 원이요. (25,000 won.)

You: 좋아요! 카드 돼요? (OK! Do you take cards?)

Vendor: 네, 돼요. (Yes, we do.)

Quick Reference Card

Save these five phrases, they'll handle most shopping situations:

1. 이거 얼마예요?, How much is this?
2. 좀 깎아 주세요, Please give me a discount
3. 카드 돼요?, Do you take cards?
4. 영수증 주세요, Receipt please
5. 감사합니다, Thank you

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Ready to practice shopping Korean with real conversations? Try Chamelingo's interactive shopping scenarios, practice bargaining with AI shopkeepers who respond naturally in Korean.