What is Konglish?
What if we told you that even if you’ve never studied Korean a day in your life, you already know plenty of words!
How is this possible? Perhaps you were a Korean scholar in your past life? Or maybe your roommate has been secretly teaching you in your sleep.
While those may be possibilities, the more likely scenario is because of a good friend of ours—Konglish!
Kong—WHAT?! Maybe you’ve never heard this word before.
Konglish (Korean: 콩글리쉬) is the Korean version of English words.
For some words that weren’t in the traditional Korean language, Koreans simply took the English word and sounded it out in Hangeul (the Korean alphabet).
This is great news for you as a student of Korean, because you can start saying words in Korean from the get-go without having to pick up a single book.
Other Konglish words are made from a combination of Korean and/or English words which are not used in English-speaking countries.
This brings us to the disctinction between loan words and true Konglish words.
Konglish vs. Loan Words
Korean words derived from English fall into one of two categories:
a) Loan Words
If the meaning of the word or phrase is the same as it is in English, they are loan words.
These words are easier for even native speakers of English to understand because the pronunciation is easily recognizable and the meaning of the word remains the same. Therefore, even without knowing Korean, you may be able to understand these words.
Let’s take a look at some examples:
Loan Word (한국어) | Romanization/Pronunciation | Actual English Translation |
---|---|---|
컵 | keop | air conditioner |
포크 | po-keu | fork |
초콜릿 | cho-kol-lit | chocolate |
아이스크림 | a-i-seu keu-rim | ice cream |
콜라 | kol-la | cola |
주스 | ju-seu | juice |
피자 | pi-ja | pizza |
비타민 | bi-ta-min | vitamin |
샌드위치 | san-deu-wi-chi | sandwich |
와인 | wa-in | wine |
b) Konglish Words
If the meaning of the word or phrases changes from its meaning in English, they are Konglish words.
Often, words and phrases that are borrowed from English (and sometimes other languages) are shortened. Slang words in Korean also are often shortened words, but differ from Konglish words.
For native speakers of English, these can be more difficult to understand. Without studying the meanings, in some cases it would be hard to understand what Koreans are referring to—even though they are derived from English! Depending on context, you may be able to decipher the meanings, but still they require a little learning.
Words and phrases borrowed from English or other languages are often shortened if Koreans feel they are too long, and these shortened words account for a large number of Konglish words.
Also, sometimes Konglish words add morphemes or combine English words to create new words. In many cases the word takes on a Korean meaning that is exclusive to Korean speakers and native English speakers may not be able to comprehend its meaning.
Konglish Word (한국어) | How it Sounds | Meaning in Korean |
---|---|---|
오바이트 | overeat | vomit |
개그맨 | gag man | comedian |
버버리 | Burberry | trench coat |
A Note on Pronunciation
There is one thing you need to take into account when reading both loan words and Konglish words, and that is pronunciation.
Since we’re sounding out English words in Korean, the words may sometimes sound slightly different than the standard English pronunciation. Some will sound identical, and some will sound a bit different to you.
Let’s take a look:
메뉴 (menu)
Pronounced exactly like the English word
오렌지 (orange)
Pronounced similar to “orange”. However, there is an extra syllable in the Korean version. Therefore, the pronunciation sounds like “o-ren-ji”
Yikes! You may be wondering: “How do I know when the pronunciation is slightly different than English?” Great question!
If you’re looking at the word in Hangeul, then you just follow that pronunciation.
The other great thing about learning these words is that Koreans will be impressed with your pronunciation!
They are used to hearing visitors and expats saying “orange”.
So, if you kick things off with the pronunciation “o-ren-ji”, you already get bonus points! Koreans will recognize your language skills, so you will get more Korean speaking opportunities if you want them. Stepping up as King of Konglish reaps many benefits!
Konglish Words
80/20 Konglish Word List
First, we’re going to cover some of the most frequently used Konglish words. These words follow the “80/20 Principle”, which states that “20% of vocabulary is used 80% of the time.”
While we’ll cover the comprehensive list of Konglish words below, use these 25 to get started with. These are commonly used Konglish words that you should put most of your focus on in the beginning in order to save time and avoid overwhelm.
We’re sure you’re excited to get rolling, so let’s get you started with 25 of the most frequently used Konglish words!
*Can’t read Korean yet? Click here to learn for free in about 60 minutes!
Konglish Word (한국어) | How it Sounds | Actual English Translation |
---|---|---|
에이어 콘 | air con | air conditioner |
아파트 | apart | apartment |
센티 | centi | centimeter |
리모컨 | remo con | remote control |
와이셔츠 | Y-shirt | collared dress shirt |
셀프 | self | self service |
나이트 | night | night club |
노트 | note | notebook |
헬스 | health | health club |
원피스 | one-piece | dress |
밴드 | band | bandage/Band-Aid |
스탠드 | stand | desk lamp |
사이다 | cider | Sprite (soft drink) |
아이쇼핑 | eye shopping | window shopping |
핫도그 | hot dog | corn dog |
더치페이 | Dutch pay | Dutch treat |
샤프 | sharp | mechanical pencil |
이벤트 | event | sale/promotion |
원룸 | one room | bachelor apartment |
원샷 | one shot | bottom's up |
머플러 | muffler | scarf |
핸드 폰 | handphone | cell phone |
콘센트 | consent | electrical outlet |
서비스 | service | on the house/free of charge |
싸인 | sign | signature |
Comprehensive List of Konglish Words
*Can’t read Korean yet? Click here to learn for free in about 60 minutes!
Konglish Word (한국어) | How it Sounds | Actual English Translation |
---|---|---|
랩 | wrap | plastic wrap |
텔레비 | telebi | television |
텔레비 프로 | telebi pro | television program |
코팅 | coating | lamination |
시에프 | CF | commercial film |
레미콘 | remi con | ready-mix concrete truck |
화이트 | white | white out (correctional liquid) |
드라이버 | driver | screwdriver |
포켓볼 | pocketball | pool (billiards game) |
클립 | clip | paper clip |
파스 | pass | plaster/pain relief patch |
크레용 | crayong | crayon |
크레파스 | craypas | crayon/pastel |
크림 파스타 | cream pasta | pasta with cream sauce |
매직펜 | magic pen | magic marker |
오므라이스 | ome-rice | omelette with rice filling |
펑크 | punc | puncture (flat tire) |
레포츠 | leports | leisure sports |
글래머 | glamor | a voluptuous woman |
백 댄서 | back dancer | backup dancer |
백 뮤식 | back music | background music |
백 보컬 | back vocal | backing vocals |
오픈카 | open car | convertible |
에로 | ero | erotic movie |
파마 | pama | perm |
데모 | demo | demonstration/protest |
다큐 | docu | documentary |
홈피 | home-p | homepage |
오에이치피 | OHP | overhead projector |
트로트 | trot | foxtrot (music genre) |
트랜스 | trans | transformer (power) |
체크 | check | checkered pattern |
콘디션 | condition | physical condition |
미팅 | meeting | blind date |
오토바이 | autobi | motorcycle |
팬티 | panty | underwear (male or female) |
커닝 | cunning | cheating |
미싱 | mising | sewing machine |
팬티 | panty | underwear (male or female) |
Now that you’ve got these Konglish words in your vocabulary arsenal, it’s time to put them to use!
The next time you go into a convenience store or supermarket, you can ask for one of the items. Even if you don’t understand Korean yet, that’s fine. Usually you can guess from the context of the situation when someone is asking if you’re looking for something.
Once you hear a question-like sentence, it’s time to spring into action with your newfound Konglish knowledge!
Remember, it’s key to practice the pronunciation of these words. Some of them sound similar to the English pronunciation, but some are quite different.
The sooner you can get in the groove of pronouncing words like a Korean, the better you’ll be understood. The more you are understood, the more motivated you’ll be to learn the language!
You can also get to know these words better by looking out for them as you go about your day. When you’re out shopping or doing errands, try to spot the Hangeul for the words you learned today. Writing them will also be good practice!
Although it may be tempting to use the Romanized version of a word (“menu” instead of “메뉴”), it’s better to get in the habit of writing the Hangeul. You’ll learn faster and Korea will become a more familiar place much quicker!
It’s exciting to know that it’s possible to learn Korean quickly if you focus on the right parts of the language, and make it FUN.
What your favorite Konglish word? Let us know in the comments below!
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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