Korean

Korean is the official language of South Korea and North Korea. It is also spoken in smaller communities in the following countries: Uzbekistan, Brunei, Turkmenistan, Philippines, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Thailand, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Singapore.¹

Fast Facts

1. Language family: Ural-Altaic²
2. Number of speakers: 75 million²
3. Official language: South Korea, North Korea and China
4. Major dialects: Cheju Island, Hamgyongdo, Chollado, Hwanghaedo, Ch'ungch'ongdo, Seoul, P'yong'ando, Kyongsangdo¹
5. Number of letters in alphabet: 24 letters, 10 vowels, 14 consonants³

Common Words and Phrases

• Welcome: Hwangyong-hamnida
• How are you?: Eotteohke jinaeseyo?
• I'm fine, thanks: Jaljinaeyo
• What's your name?: Dangshin-ui ireum-eun mu-eot-imnika
• Good morning: Annyeong hashimnikka
• Good night: Annyonghi jumushipsiyo
• I don't understand: Moreugesseumnida
• Thank you: Kamsahamnida

Korean Alphabet

The Korean alphabet, called hangeul, was developed during the 15th century. Educated and upper class Koreans, however, continued to use hanja, the Chinese alphabet, rather than hangeul, whose characters represented the shape of the mouth when the sound was made. During the late 1800's and early 1900s, a mixed system developed that incorporated characters from both hanja and hangeul. After World War II, hanja fell out of fashion, although today both North Korean and South Korean schools require 1800-2000 hanja characters to be learned by the end of high school.³

Related Pages on Mahalo

South Korea | North Korea | Seoul | Shanghai Vacation | Beijing Vacation | Monkeys Butt Is Red | Seoul Hotels

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