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In this post we’re going to look at some basic Korean vocabulary that you can use to talk about your town or city.

건물 geonmul , 길 gil : A Building, A Street

Let’s start with some basic general vocabulary: 건물 geonmul  building; 아파트 apateu apartment building 사무실 samushil office building; 길 gil street; 고속도로 gosokdoro highway; 인도 indo sidewalk; 공원 gongwon park; 주차장 juchajang parking lot; 주차공간 juchagonggan parking space; 호텔hotel hotel.

• 호텔이 어디에요?
  hotel-i eodieyo?
  Where’s the hotel?
• 이 근처에 공원이 있어요.
  i geuncheo-e gongwon-i isseoyo.
  There’s a park near here.
• 이 건물에는 아파트가 몇개 있어요?
  i geonmureneun apateuga myeotgae isseoyo?
  How many apartments are in this building?

가게 gage: A Store

Now let’s look at how to say various kinds of stores: 가게gage store; 슈퍼마켓 syupeomaket supermarket; 옷 가게 ot gage clothing store; 신발 가게shinbal gage shoe store; 보석 가게boseok gage jewelry store; 빵집 ppangjip bakery; 제과점 jegwajeom pastry shop; 정육점 jeongyukjeom butcher; 철물점 cheolmuljeom  hardware store; 책방/서점 chaekbang/seojeom bookstore; 전자제품 가게 jeonjajepum gage electronics store; 약국yaggug pharmacy.

• 이 거리에는 많은 가게들이 있어요.
  i geori-e-neun maneun gagedeuri isseoyo.
  There are a lot of stores on this street.
• 우리 동네에 큰 슈퍼마켓이 있어요.
  uri dongne-e keun syupeomakesh-i isseoyo.
  There is a big supermarket in my town.
• 신발가게/옷가게/책방이 근처에 있어요? 
  shinbalgage/ otgage/ chaekbangi geuncheoe isseoyo? 
  Is there a shoe store/ clothing store/ bookstore nearby?

학교 hakgyo: School

Now let’s look at vocabulary for other places around town: 학교 hakgyo school; 도서관doseogwan library; 대학교 daehakgyo university; 소방서 sobangseo  firehouse; 우체국 ucheguk post office; 경찰서 gyeongchalseo police station; 병원 byeong-won hosptial; 주유소 juyuso gas station; 교회 gyohoe  church; 시나고그shinagogeu synagogue; 절 jeol temple; 모스크moseukeu mosque.

• 학생들은 학교에 있어요.
  hagsaengdeul-eun haggyo-e isseoyo.
  The students are at school.
• 우리 도시에 대학이있어요.
  uri doshi-e daehaggyo-i isseoyo.
  There’s a university in my city.
• 나는 우체국에 갈 거예요. 
  na-neun uchegug-e gal geoyeyo. 
  I’m going to the post office.
• 나는도서관에 갈 거예요. 
  na-neun doseogwan-e gal geoyeyo. 
  I’m going to the library.

좋은 식당 joheun shikdang: A Good Restaurant

Now let’s look at vocabulary related to fun and entertainment: 식당shikdang restaurant; 술집suljip bar 박물관 bakmulgwan museum; 영화관 yeonghwagwan cinema/movie theater; 극장geukjang theater; 미술관 misulgwan art gallery.

• 좋은 식당이 있어요?
  joheun shikdangi isseoyo?
  Is there a good restaurant?
• 영화 보러 가자.
  yeonghwa boleo gaja.
  Let’s go to the movies.
• 미술관을 방문하고 싶어요.  
  misulgwan-eul bangmunhago shipeoyo.
  We would like to visit an art gallery.

기차역 gichayeok: The Train Station

Now let’s look at some vocabulary related to getting around town: 기차역gichayeok train station; 버스 터미널 beoseu teomineol bus station; 버스 정류장beoseu jeongryujang bus stop; 공항 gonghang airport; 지하철 역 jihacheol yeok subway station.

• 기차역은 시내에 있어요.
  gichayeog-eun shinae-e isseoyo.
  The train station is downtown.
• 나는 기차를 타고 도시에 가요.
  na-neun gicha-reul tago doshi-e gayo.
  I take the train to the city.
• 나는 버스를 타고 공항에 가요.
  na-neun beoseureul tago gonghang-e gayo.
   I take the bus to the airport.

지하철이 어디에 있어요?  jihacheori eodi-e isseoyo?  Where is the subway?

Let’s end with a few expressions related to asking directions: 여기yeogi here; 거기 geogi there (by you); 저기jeogi over there, 오른쪽 oreunjjog right; 왼쪽oenjjog left; 근처geuncheo nearby; 멀리meolli far away.

• 지하철이 어디에 있어요?
  jihacheori eodi-e isseoyo?
  Where is the subway?
• 여기요.
  yeogiyo.
  It’s here.
• 저기요.
  jeogiyo.
  It’s there.
• 오른쪽이요.  
  oreunjjogiyo.  
  It’s to the right.
• 왼쪽이요.  
  oenjjogiyo.  
  It’s to the left.
• 근처예요.  
  geuncheoyeyo.  
  It’s nearby.
• 멀어요.  
  meoreoyo.  
  It’s far away.
• 호텔 옆이예요.  
  hotel yeopiyeyo.  
  It’s next to the hotel.
• 길 건너에요.  
  gil geonneoeyo.  
  It’s across the street.
• 직진하세요.  
  jikjinhaseyo.  
  Go straight.
• 왼쪽으로 돌아요.  
  oenjjogeuro dorayo.  
  Turn left.
• 오른쪽으로 돌아요.  
  oreunjjogeuro dorayo.  
  Turn right.

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