Business in Korean – Vocabulary To Learn Before Starting A Company

One of the reasons people come to Korea is for work, which makes learning business in Korean very essential. In this lesson, we will be learning exactly what you need before you embark on your plans for a business in Korea.

Business in Korean

Business culture in South Korea

Apart from the basic Korean vocabulary, another important subject that we need to discuss is the business etiquette of Koreans. Since this is essential in Korean business, we dedicated a separate article for this topic. If you would like to learn more about Korean work and business culture, visit our article on the topic. You’ll also want to know Korean business etiquette before doing any business with your Korean business partner.

Now that we’ve covered that let’s get down to business and learn words and phrases about business Korean!

Business in Korean

The words for “business” in Korean are 사업 (saeop) and 상업 (sangeop), and the word 영업 (yeongeop) is also sometimes used. There is little difference between these words, so you may use whichever comes naturally to you.

Company in Korean

The word for “company” in Korean is 회사 (hoesa). Regardless of the size or type of company, this is a word you can use to describe it.

Korean business vocabulary

Now you know how to say the Korean words for business and company. Let’s now learn more specific terms or languages revolving around business!

Words for Types of Companies in Korean

Company or businesses come in different types and sizes. Below are their terms Korean.

English Korean
business 사업 (saeop)
enterprise 기업 (gieop)
large enterprise 대기업 (daegieop)
small and medium-sized companies 중소기업 (jungsogieop)
venture company 벤처기업 (bencheogieop)
company 회사 (hoesa)
corporation 주식회사 (jusikhoesa)
limited company 유한회사 (yuhanhoesa)
unlimited partnership 합명회사 (habmyeonghoesa)
joint-stock company 합자회사 (habjahoesa)
establishment of a company 창업 (changeop)
partnership 제휴 (jehyu)
corporate entity 법인 (beobin)

Job Positions in Korean

These are some job positions that you’ll often encounter when dealing with businesses in Korea. For a more extensive list of job positions in Korean, we have a separate article you can find here.

English Korean
department head 부장 (bujang)
section manager 과장 (gwajang)
CEO 최고경영자 (choegogyeongyeongja)
deputy 대리 (daeri)

Different Business Types in Korean

Businesses are categorized through the service they provide. Here are some of them in Korean.

English Korean
service business 서비스업 (seobiseueop)
hospitality 숙박업 (sokbageop)
restaurant business 음식점업 (eumsikjeomeop)
wholesale business 도매업 (domaeeop)
logistics business 물류업 (mullyueop)
manufacturing industry 제조업 (jejoeop)
 

Photo credit: https://bigstock.com

Company Departments in Korean

A company or business is comprised of departments that specialize in specific tasks. Here are some of them:

English Korean
management department 관리부 (gwallibu)
general affairs department 총무부 (chongmubu)
planning department 기획부 (gihoekbu)
human resources 인사부 (insabu)
accounting department 회계부 (hoegyebu)
financing department 재무부 (jaemubu)
sales department 영업부 (yeongeopbu)
production department 생산부 (saengsanbu)
logistics department 물류부 (mullyubu)
IT department 전산부 (jeonsanbu)
technology department 기술부 (gisulbu)
research department 연구부 (yeongubu)

Words Used for Business Meetings in Korean

When it comes to meeting with Korean business partners, it’s also helpful to learn these Korean words.

English Korean
meeting 회의 (hoeui)
deal 거래 (georae)
trade 교역 (gyoyeok)
negotiation 협상 (hyeopsang)
business trip 출장 (chuljang)
contract 계약 (gyeyak)
business card 명함 (myeongham)
 

Photo credit: https://bigstock.com

Payment-related Vocabulary in Korean

Payment is an essential part of businesses. Here are some terms related to payment and taxes.

English Korean
payment, reward 보상 (bosang)
method 방법 (bangbeop) 
price 가격 (gagyeok)
purchase 구매 (gumae)
sale 판매 (panmae)
income 소득 (sodeuk)
profit 이익 (iik)
loss 손해 (sonhae)
loss 손실 (sonsil)
non-payment 부도 (budo)
bill 어음 (eoeum)
debt 채무 (chaemu)
liabilities 부채 (buchae)
invoice 대차 계정 (daecha gyejeong)
customs tax 관세 (gwanse)
tax 세금 (segeum)
surtax 부가세 (bugase)

Common business vocabulary in Korean

There are plenty of other business terms in the Korean language, but these are the most common ones you’ll encounter.

English Korean
stockholder 주주 (juju)
transfer 양도 (yangdo)
monopoly 독점 (dokjeom)
bidding 입찰 (ipchal)
export 수출 (suchul)
import 수입 (suip)
management 경영 (gyeongyeong)
financial affairs 재무 (jaemu)
tax affairs 세무 (semu)
supply 공급 (gonggeup)
demand 수요 (suyo)
capital 자본 (jabon)
bond 채권 (chaegwon)
property 자산 (jasan)
market 시장 (sijang)
trademark 상표 (sangpyo)
product 상품 (sangpum)
item 품목 (pummok)
patent, license 특허 (teukeo)
deficit 적자 (jeokja)
margin 마진 (majin)
investment 투자 (tuja)
advertisement 광고 (gwanggo)
bank note 지폐 (jipye)
check 수표 (supyo)
account 채무 명세서 (chaemu myeongseseo)
complaint 불평 (bulpyeong)
customer 고객 (gogaek)
interest 이자 (ija)
law 법 (beop)
share 주식 (jusik)
 

Photo credit: https://bigstock.com

Sample Business Conversation

For the next level, we will be learning Korean phrases. These will especially be helpful when talking to or meeting with Korean clients.

만나서 반갑습니다. (mannaseo bangapseumnida)

Nice to meet you.

처음 뵙겠습니다. (cheoeum boepgetseumnida)

How do you do? (Asked upon meeting for the first time.)

여기 제 명함입니다. (yeogi je myeonghamimnida.)

Here’s my business card.

내일 회사에 계실 건가요? (naeil hoesae gyesil geongayo?)

Will you be at work tomorrow?

내일 찾아뵙고 싶은데요. (naeil chajaboepgo sipeundeyo.)

I would like to meet with you tomorrow.

무슨 요일이 괜찮으세요? (museun yoiri gwaenchaneuseyo?)

What day is good for you?

일정이 어떻게 되세요? (iljeongi eotteoke doeseyo?)

What does your schedule look like?

언제 만나고 싶으세요? (eonje mannago sipeuseyo?)

When do you want to meet?

어디에서 만나고 싶으세요? (eodieseo mannago sipeuseyo?)

Where do you want to meet?

그 날은 좀 안 될 것 같아요. (geu nareun jom an doel geot gatayo.)

That’s not a good day for me.

지금 시간 좀 있으세요? (jigeum sigan jom isseuseyo?)

Do you have time now?

무슨 일로 찾으셨어요? (museun illo chajeusyeosseoyo?)

What did you need to see me about?

회의를 다음 주로 시간을 변경할 수 있을까요? (hoeuireul daeum juro siganeul byeongyeonghal su isseulkkayo?)

Can we change the date of the meeting to next week?

더 정확히 말씀해주세요. (deo jeonghwaki malsseumhaejuseyo)

Please be more clear.

다시 한번 말씀해주시겠어요? (dasi hanbeon malsseumhaejusigesseoyo?)

Can you please say that one more time?

죄송하지만 안될 것 같습니다. (joesonghajiman andoel geot gatseumnida)

I’m sorry, but it doesn’t seem possible.

X씨와 통화할 수 있으세요? (Xssiwa tonghwahal su isseuseyo?)

May I speak with X?

전화주신 분 성함을 알 수 있을까요? (jeonhwajusin bun seonghameul al su isseulkkayo?)

May I ask who’s calling?

이따가 다시 전화해 주실 수 있으세요? (ittaga dasi jeonhwahae jusil su isseuseyo?)

Would you mind calling back later?

잘 부탁드립니다. (jal butakdeurimnida)

I look forward to your kind cooperation.

시간내주셔서 감사합니다. (sigannaejusyeoseo gamsahamnida)

Thank you for giving me your time.

와주셔서 감사합니다. (wajusyeoseo gamsahamnida)

Thank you for coming.

먼저 들어가보겠습니다. (meonjeo deureogabogetseumnida)

I will leave first.

죄송하지만 아직 한국어를 잘못하신데요. 영어로 말해도 괜찮을까요? (joesonghajiman ajik hangugeoreul jalmothasindeyo. yeongeoro malhaedo gwaenchaneulkkayo?)

I’m afraid I cannot speak Korean well yet. Is it possible to speak in English?

기다리시게 해서 정말 죄송합니다. (gidarisige haeseo jeongmal joesonghamnida)

I apologize for making you wait.

Should I learn Korean for business?

If you intend to conduct business in South Korea or work for a Korean firm, learning about business in Korean can be very helpful. Not only will it help you understand Korean business culture better, but it’s also a sure-fire way to wow all of the bosses, coworkers, and business partners.

Learning business Korean will come tremendously handy when you may be communicating with someone whose English isn’t as strong or where much of the conversation around you happens in Korean. It will be beneficial to set some time aside for some Korean language learning.

Well, that’s many phrases and vocabulary related to business in Korean that we’ve just learned! Although it may seem like a lot and complicated, this is such an important vocabulary to learn if you want to do business in Korea.

Through this language learning, building your business relationships will surely take a positive turn. Thankfully, after this lesson, you’re one step closer to doing a great job at it! If you want to keep learning with us, many more Korean lessons are available on our blog.

The post Business in Korean – Vocabulary To Learn Before Starting A Company appeared first on 90 Day Korean®.

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