Korean for Dummies (38 page)

ye? gye-san-suh-ga jal-mot dwen-guht ga-teun-dae-

yo. o-man-won duh na-on-guht ga-ta-yo.

Excuse me? I think there is a mistake on the bill. I am

charged 50,000 won additional.

Clerk:

a, ye, jamsimannyo.

a, ye, jam-shi-man-nyo.

Ah, yes. Just a moment, please.

19_037188-ch13.qxp 6/24/08 11:13 PM Page 230

When the clerk checks, he discovers the hotel made a mistake and

charged Joshua for room service that he didn’t order.

Clerk:

a, joesonghamnida. chong sasip omanwon imnida.

a, swae-song-ham-ni-da. chong sa-ship o-man-won

im-ni-da.

Ah, I’m so sorry. The total is 450,000 won.

Joshua: yeogi

iseoyo.

yuh-gee ee-ssuh-yo.

Here it is.

Clerk:

ye, gamsahamnida. annyeonghi gasipsiyo.

ye, gam-sa-ham-ni-da. an-nyoung-hee ga-ship-shi-yo.

Thank you very much. Good bye.

Words to Know

bangbeonho

bang-bun-ho

Room number

bangyeolsoe

bang-yuhl-sae

Room key

chekeuout

che-keu-out

Check out

daeume tto

da-eum-ae tto-

I’ll come back next

olkkeyo

ol-kkae-yo

time.

gyesanhalkkeyo

gye-san-hal-kke-yo

I’d like to pay the

bill.

gyesanseo

gye-san-suh

Bill

rumsseobiseu

room-ssuh-bee-sseu

Room service

19_037188-ch13.qxp 6/24/08 11:13 PM Page 231

Fun & Games

Fill in the blanks with the words from the following list (Appendix C reveals the correct answers):

jijeobunhaneyo

jeonhwa

gyesanseo

binbang

oneul

1. Bange ________________ ga iseoyo? (Is there a telephone in the room?) 2. ________________ chekeuautago sipeoyo. (I would like to check out today.) 3. Joesonghamnida, ________________ i eopseumnida. (I’m sorry, we don’t have vacancies.) 4. Bangi neomu ________________. (The room is so dirty.)

5. Je ________________ ga anieyo. (This is not my bill.)

19_037188-ch13.qxp 6/24/08 11:13 PM Page 232

20_037188-ch14.qxp 6/24/08 11:15 PM Page 233

In This Chapter

Getting around at the airport

Getting around town

Public transportation in Korea

Renting a car

Even though Korea is a very small country, getting from one place to

another can be quite a hassle. Because of the high population density, getting around can be more troublesome than a lot of other countries.

Especially in urban areas, the rush hour traffic can last for hours, and a good part of your day may be ruined by being stuck in traffic. It can simply be a
nappeunkkum
(
nappeun-kkoom;
nightmare). However, even though Korea has a high population density, the country is quite modernized and has an excellent
daejung gyotong
(
dae-joong gyotong;
public transport) system that is very reliable. If you do visit the country, you should utilize the available public transit system to maximize your visit. By teaching you a few key phrases and sentences, this chapter can help you enjoy the country by mini-mizing the hassle that can be encountered in airports, bus terminals, train stations, and hailing cabs.

Getting Around at the Airport

Korea participates actively in the global economy. Due to the large amount of foreign investment in the country, many signs in
gonghang
(
gonghang;
airports) and other transportation hubs have English written along side Korean on them. Initially, this will make your navigation through an airport much 20_037188-ch14.qxp 6/24/08 11:15 PM Page 234

easier. You may also notice that the people working behind the information desk or the ticket counters all speak English as well. Korea is also a country that enjoys its technological advances and developments, so at Incheon International Airport, for example, you may even find a robot or two wander-ing around ready to call you a cab, make reservations at a hotel for you, recommend you fine shopping areas, or provide other amenities. It may even be able to recommend you a great restaurant, though what a robot knows about food, I haven’t the slightest. Regardless of what the robot may tell you, the following sections can make your way through the airport easier.

Making it past the checkin counter

If you’re ready to go on a
yeohaeng
(
yuh-haeng;
travel or trip), you need to be sure that you have everything so that you can get past the ticket counter with ease. Go over the following checklist of items to make sure you have everything you need for your journey: A
yeogwon
(
yuh-gwon;
a passport)

A
yeohaeng gabang
(
yuh-haeng ga-bang;
a luggage or travel bag)

Your
yeohaeng iljeong
(
yuh-haeng il-jung;
travel itinerary) Talkin’ the Talk

Brian is traveling from Chicago to Seoul. He is at the airport checking his bags in with the attendant.

Attendant:

annyeonghaseyo. tiket jom boyeojusigetseumnikka?

an-nyoung-ha-sae-yo. tee-ket jom bo-yuh-joo-shi-get-

sseumni-kka?

Hello. May I please see your ticket?

Brian:

ye. yeogi iseoyo.

ye. yuh-gee ee-ssuh-yo.

Yes. Here it is.

20_037188-ch14.qxp 6/24/08 11:15 PM Page 235

Attendant:

seoule gasineyo. yeogwon jom boyeojusigetseum-

nikka?

seoul-ae ga-shi-nae-yo. yuh-gwon jom bo-yuh-joo-shi-

gae-sseum-ni-kka?

I see you’re going to Seoul. May I see your passport

please?

Brian:

ne. yeogi iseyo.

ne. yuh-gee ee-ssuh-yo.

Yes. Here it is.

Attendant:

eolmadongan hanguge gyesilgeomnikka?

ul-ma-dong-an han-goo-gae gye-shil-gum-ni-kka?

How long are you planning on staying in Korea?

Brian:

sabak oil dongan iseul yejeongieyo.

sa-bak o-eel dong-an ee-sseul yea-jung-ee-ae-yo.

I plan on staying four nights and five days.

Attendant:

yeohaeng gabangeun myeotgae gatgo gyesimnikka?

yuh-haeng ga-bang-eun myut-gae gat-go gae-shim-

ni-kka?

How many bags of luggage do you have?

Brian:

ye, segae gatgo iseoyo.

ye, sae-gae gat-go ee-ssuh-yo.

Yes, I have three.

Attendant:

geujunge ginae gabangeun myeotgae gatgo

gyesimnikka?

geu-joong-ae gee-nae ga-bang-eun myut-gae gat-go

gyeshim-ni-kka?

How many of those are carry-on luggage?

Brian:

i baenang hanamanyo.

ee baenang ha-na-mahn-yo.

Just this backpack.

20_037188-ch14.qxp 6/24/08 11:15 PM Page 236

Attendant:

changmun yeope inneun jwaseogeul deurilkkayo,

animyeon tongno yeope inneun jwaseogeul

deurilkkayo?

chang-moon yuh-pae in-neun jwa-suh-geul deu-ril-

kka-yo, a-nee-myun tong-no yuh-pae in-neun jwa-

suh-geul deu-ril-kka-yo?

Would you like a seat next to the window, or would

you like a seat next to the aisle?

Brian:

doelsu iseumyeon changmun yeope inneun

jwaseogeul juseyo.

dwel-soo ee-sseu-myun chang-moon yuh-pae in-neun

jwa-suh-geul joo-sae-yo.

If at all possible, I would like a seat next to the

window, please.

Attendant:

ye, algetseumnida. tapseunggwon yeogi itseumnida.

pyeon beonho ibaek sipsam, jul isipsam, jwaseok “A”

imnida.

ye, al-get-sseumni-da. tapseung-gwon yuh-gi ee-

sseumni-da. pyun bun-ho ee-baek ship-sam, jool ee-

ship-sam, jwa-suk “A” im-ni-da.

Yes, I understand. Here is your boarding pass. It’s

flight number two hundred and thirteen, row twenty

three, seat “A.”

Brian:

gamsahamnida.

gam-sa-ham-ni-da.

Thank you very much.

Attendant:

ye, annyeonghi gasipsiyo.

ye, an-nyoung-hee ga-ship-shi-yo.

Yes, please enjoy your journey.

20_037188-ch14.qxp 6/24/08 11:15 PM Page 237

Words to Know

baenang

baenang

Back pack

balcha

bal-cha

Departure

(trains and buses)

bija

bee-ja

Visa

changmun

chang-moon

Window

chekeu in

che-keu een

Checking in

chulbal

chulbal

Departure (flights)

chulgu

chool-goo

Exit

churipgu

choo-rip-goo

Entrance/exit/gate

dochak

do-chak

Arrival

doelsuiseumyeon

dwel-soo-ee-

If at all possible

sseu-myun

eolmadongan

ul-ma-dong-an

For how long

gasineyo

ga-shi-nae-yo

You are going to

ginae gabang

gee-nae ga-bang

Carry on luggage

ipgu

eep-goo

Entrance

iseul yeojeongieyo

ee-sseul yea-

Do you plan to stay?

jung-ee-ae-yo

jwaseok beonho

jwa-suk bun-ho

Seat number

mokjeokji

mok-juk-jee

Destination

myeotgae

muht-gae

How many

pyeon beonho

pyun bun-ho

Flight number

sojipum

so-jee-poom

Personal belongings

tapseunggwon

tahp-seung-gwon Boarding pass/

ticket

tiket

tee-ket

Ticket

tongro

tong-no

Aisle

yeohaengja supyo

yuh-haeng-ja

Traveler’s check

soo-pyo

20_037188-ch14.qxp 6/24/08 11:15 PM Page 238

Getting past Immigration and Customs

After you arrive at the airport, before you can go to the baggage claim, you have to go through the
ipgukja simsadae
(
eep-gook-ja shim-sa-dae;
Immigration) They check your
yeongwon
(
yuh-gwon;
passport) for your
bija
(
bee-ja;
visa). They also ask you if you’re here on
il gwangye
(
il-gwan-gye;
work related),
gwangwang
(
gwahn-gwang;
sightseeing) or
chinji bangmun
(
chin-jee-bang moon;
visiting family & friends). After going through immigration, you need to pick up your bags and go through the customs. If you have anything to declare, especially meat, vegetables, seeds, fruits, dairy, anything made of fresh wood,
etc.
(just like in U.S.) you must declare those items. If you do not declare them and you get caught, you will have hefty fines and some good explaining to do. Due to the recent world affairs, security at the airport will be pretty tight and they will go through your luggage and such, but be patient and cooperative. You will have little trouble making it past the customs and you’ll be out of the
gonghang
(
gonghang;
airport) in no time.

Generally, from the United States, it takes at least ten to fourteen hours to get to Korea. Flying halfway around the world does take a bit of time and you may find yourself wanting something other than the in-flight movie that is provided. Many intercontinental flights do offer movies, blankets, pillows, and magazines to help pass the time, but you may grow tired of them rather quickly. Try to bring a book you enjoy, or a small handheld game device to make the time pass by much quicker.

Leaving the airport

Most airports have various means of travel available right as you leave the terminal. Many of them have
beoseu
(
buh-sseu;
bus) stops,
gicha
(
gee-cha;
train) stops, and
jihacheol
(
jee-ha-chul;
subway) stops all located within the airport. If you’re not fond of mass transit or unsure as to how to get to your destination using them, you can always find a row of taeksi (
taek-si;
taxis) parked in front of the arrivals terminal as well. You can also find an
annaeweon
(
an-nae-won;
attendant/guide) who can hail a cab for you, make a reservation at a hotel, or whatever else you need done.