I can say how many of us there are, call the server, order food and drinks with the counters 잔 and 인분, ask for something not spicy, and pay.
At a café: how many of you, ordering, and the check
At a café: how many of you, ordering, and the check
At the door you'll hear 몇 분이세요? (“how many of you?”). 분 is the honorific “person”, used about guests. About yourselves, use 명: 네 명이에요. If you're alone, answer 혼자.
Call the server aloud: 여기요 or 저기요 is polite; “종업원!” sounds rude. The server asks 뭐 드릴까요? (“what can I get you?”). Without a counter: dish + 하나/둘… + 주세요; with a counter: dish + number + counter (잔, 인분, 개) + 주세요. The number always comes after the dish.
Drinks are counted with 잔 and native Korean numbers: 한 잔, 두 잔, 세 잔. Servings of meat and of dishes for the table take 인분 and Sino-Korean numbers: 갈비 이 인분 (written 2인분). The counter decides the number system, as with 살 and 번.
Learn these set requests whole: 물 좀 주세요; 안 맵게 해 주세요 (“make it not spicy”). When the food arrives, the server says 맛있게 드세요 (“enjoy your meal”). Before eating say 잘 먹겠습니다, after: 잘 먹었습니다.
To ask for the check: 계산해 주세요. You usually pay at the register on the way out; there's no tipping in Korea. At the door and the register, staff use the formal style: 어서 오십시오, 안녕히 가십시오.
Common mistakes:
• NOT “네 분이에요” → 네 명이에요: never 분 about yourselves.
• NOT “커피 이 잔” → 커피 두 잔: 잔 takes native Korean numbers.
• NOT “갈비 두 인분” → 갈비 이 인분: 인분 takes Sino-Korean numbers.
• NOT “두 커피 주세요” → the number and its counter come after the noun, unlike English “two coffees”.
At a restaurant, step by step
The staff speak with honorifics or in the formal style; you answer in the polite style.
| Step | Staff | You | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| entrance | 어서 오세요. 몇 분이세요? | 네 명이에요. | Welcome. How many of you? — Four of us. |
| table | 이쪽으로 앉으세요. | 네. | Have a seat here. — OK. |
| ordering | 뭐 드릴까요? | 비빔밥 하나 주세요. | What can I get you? — 비빔밥, please. |
| meal | 맛있게 드세요. | 감사합니다. | Enjoy your meal. — Thank you. |
| register | 만 이천 원입니다. | 여기 있어요. | That's 12,000 won. — Here you are. |
What's on the menu
You only need to recognize these dishes by name on a menu.
| In Korean | What it is |
|---|---|
| 냉면 | cold noodles |
| 삼계탕 | chicken soup with ginseng |
| 갈비탕 | beef short rib soup |
| 김치찌개 | stew with 김치 |
| 된장찌개 | soybean paste stew |
| 잡채 | glass noodles with vegetables |
Lesson notes
At a café: how many of you, ordering, and the check
At the door you'll hear 몇 분이세요? (“how many of you?”). 분 is the honorific “person”, used about guests. About yourselves, use 명: 네 명이에요. If you're alone, answer 혼자.
Call the server aloud: 여기요 or 저기요 is polite; “종업원!” sounds rude. The server asks 뭐 드릴까요? (“what can I get you?”). Without a counter: dish + 하나/둘… + 주세요; with a counter: dish + number + counter (잔, 인분, 개) + 주세요. The number always comes after the dish.
Drinks are counted with 잔 and native Korean numbers: 한 잔, 두 잔, 세 잔. Servings of meat and of dishes for the table take 인분 and Sino-Korean numbers: 갈비 이 인분 (written 2인분). The counter decides the number system, as with 살 and 번.
Learn these set requests whole: 물 좀 주세요; 안 맵게 해 주세요 (“make it not spicy”). When the food arrives, the server says 맛있게 드세요 (“enjoy your meal”). Before eating say 잘 먹겠습니다, after: 잘 먹었습니다.
To ask for the check: 계산해 주세요. You usually pay at the register on the way out; there's no tipping in Korea. At the door and the register, staff use the formal style: 어서 오십시오, 안녕히 가십시오.
Common mistakes:
• NOT “네 분이에요” → 네 명이에요: never 분 about yourselves.
• NOT “커피 이 잔” → 커피 두 잔: 잔 takes native Korean numbers.
• NOT “갈비 두 인분” → 갈비 이 인분: 인분 takes Sino-Korean numbers.
• NOT “두 커피 주세요” → the number and its counter come after the noun, unlike English “two coffees”.