Getting around 길 찾기
How it works: Find the restroom and the subway, take a taxi and ask how long it takes. Tap Listen, then tap the microphone and say the sentence. You will see which syllables a Korean speech recognizer heard.
Study list
“Said as” is the standard pronunciation (표준 발음법) where it differs from the spelling. Romanization follows the official Revised Romanization.
| # | Korean | Said as | Romanization | English | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 화장실이 어디예요 | [화장시리 어디예요] | hwajangsiri eodiyeyo | Where is the restroom? Swap in any place: 화장실 → 지하철역, 편의점… | |
| 2 | 지하철역이 어디예요 | [지하철려기 어디예요] | jihacheollyeogi eodiyeyo | Where is the subway station? 지하철 (subway) + 역 (station). An ㄴ sound is added between them and turns into ㄹ: [지하철력]. | |
| 3 | 명동으로 가 주세요 | as written | myeongdongeuro ga juseyo | To Myeongdong, please. (in a taxi) Put any place before 으로/로: 강남으로, 서울역으로. | |
| 4 | 여기서 세워 주세요 | as written | yeogiseo sewo juseyo | Please stop here. Tell the taxi driver where to stop. | |
| 5 | 이 버스 서울역 가요 | [이 버스 서울력 가요] | i beoseu seoullyeok gayo | Does this bus go to Seoul Station? A plain sentence becomes a question with a rising voice. 서울역 is said [서울력]. | |
| 6 | 얼마나 걸려요 | as written | eolmana geollyeoyo | How long does it take? 걸리다 is used for time: “it takes”. | |
| 7 | 여기 어떻게 가요 | [여기 어떠케 가요] | yeogi eotteoke gayo | How do I get here? Point at the map on your phone and ask. | |
| 8 | 오른쪽으로 가 주세요 | [오른쪼그로 가 주세요] | oreunjjogeuro ga juseyo | Please go right. 오른쪽 right, 왼쪽 left, 직진 straight on. | |
| 9 | 길을 잃었어요 | [기를 이러써요] | gireul ireosseoyo | I’m lost. Literally “I lost the road”. | |
| 10 | 다음 역은 어디예요 | [다음 여근 어디예요] | daeum yeogeun eodiyeyo | What is the next station? 다음 = next. |
Sounds to watch in this set
Korean is not always said the way it is written. These sound changes happen in the sentences above.
- Linking 연음 — A final consonant (받침) moves to the next syllable when that syllable starts with the silent ㅇ. In this set: 화장실이 어디예요 [화장시리 어디예요], 지하철역이 어디예요 [지하철려기 어디예요], 오른쪽으로 가 주세요 [오른쪼그로 가 주세요]. More →
- Silent ㅎ ㅎ 탈락 — A final ㅎ is not pronounced before a vowel. In this set: 길을 잃었어요 [기를 이러써요]. More →
- Aspiration 격음화 — ㅎ next to ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ or ㅈ merges with it into ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ or ㅊ. In this set: 여기 어떻게 가요 [여기 어떠케 가요]. More →
- ㄹ assimilation 유음화 — ㄴ next to ㄹ is said as ㄹ. In this set: 지하철역이 어디예요 [지하철려기 어디예요], 이 버스 서울역 가요 [이 버스 서울력 가요]. More →
About the score
The score is the share of syllables the speech recognizer heard as written. Recognizers guess whole words, so they forgive some mistakes and sometimes miss a word that was said well — treat a high score as “Koreans would understand you”, not as a pronunciation test. Questions about the microphone and privacy →
More speaking practice
- Everyday greetings 인사The first ten things everyone says in Korea: hello, thank you, sorry and goodbye.10 sentences
- At a café or restaurant 카페·식당Order, ask for water and pay — the sentences you need at a Korean café or restaurant.10 sentences
- Talking with people 대화Introduce yourself, ask someone to slow down and keep a conversation going.10 sentences
- K-drama & K-pop phrases 드라마·K팝The short phrases you hear in every K-drama and K-pop song — say them like the stars.10 sentences
- Korean tongue twisters 잘 말하기 어려운 문장Traditional Korean tongue twisters (잰말놀이). Native speakers stumble on them too.5 sentences