How to Say ‘Family’ in Korean

When introducing yourself or when making small talk, often the topic of ‘family’ comes up. Learn how to say family in Korean, and you will be able to talk about an extra topic when you meet somebody for the first time.

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‘Family’ in Korean

 

The word for ‘family’ in Korean is 가족 (gajok).

The first part of the word, ‘가’, often appears in other words related to family, such as 가정 (gajeong), which is a less commonly used word for ‘family’, or in restaurant names such as 유가네 (yugane), which would translate as ‘Yoo family’. Knowing the meaning of different parts of words can help you grow your vocabulary very quickly.

If you want to say ‘my family’, then instead of using 제 (je) or 내 (nae) for my, you can use 우리 (uri). Usually 우리 means ‘our’, but it can mean ‘my’ when referring to your family.

 

A Word of Caution About Romanization

Although it is possible to learn the words in this article by reading the Romanized versions of them, learning the Korean alphabet, known as Hangeul, will make it far easier for you to learn Korean properly. Reading words in Hangeul helps you make connections between words with similar meanings and can help you grow your vocabulary quickly.

It is possible to learn Hangeul in just ninety minutes, so what are you waiting for. Learn it now, and then you will be able to say ‘I can read Korean’.

 

How Many People Are in Your Family?

 

In English, people will often ask a question like ‘Do you have any brothers or sisters?’ However, the same question in Korean would be ‘How many people are in your family?’ To answer this question, you should count your mother, father, brothers, and sisters. If you have sons or daughters, then you can count your spouse and children instead. You can then answer by saying something like ‘There are five people in my family’.

Look at the dialogue below to see how to ask about someone’s family in Korean:

 

A: 가족이 몇 명이에요? (Gajoki myeot myeongieyo?)

How many people are in your family?

 

B: 가족이 다섯 명이에요. (Gajoki daseot myeongieyo.)

There are five people in my family.

 

Sample Sentences

Formal:

가족이 몇 명입니까? (Gajoki myeot myeongimnikka?)

How many people are in your family?

 

우리 가족은 모두 다섯명입니다. (Uri gajokeun modu daseot myeongimnida.)

There are five people in my family.

 

Standard:

가족끼리 여행 중이에요. (Gajokggiri yeohaeng jungieyo.)

We are travelling as just a family.

 

저는 가족들과 함께 경주에 갔어요. (Jeoneun gajokdeulgwa hamgge Gyeongjue gasseoyo.)

I went to Gyeongju with my family.

 

Informal:

그 파티에 가족도 초청할 거야? (Geu patie gajokdo chocheonghal geoya?)

Will you invite your family to the party?

 

Family is very important in Korean culture. Now that you know how to say ‘family’ in Korean, use it when introducing yourself or talking to your new friends. It will help you get to know them better.

*Want more Korean phrases? Go to our Korean Phrases Page for a complete list!

 

Learn to read Korean and be having simple conversations, taking taxis and ordering in Korean within a week with our FREE Hangeul Hacks series: http://www.90DayKorean.com/learn

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