Today we will go over how to say “travel” in Korean. Raise your hand if you also love to travel! It wouldn’t be a surprise if many of you did, in fact, raise your hands just now; even if, in general, you may not be the biggest friend of travel, you’ve likely got some fun travel plans for South Korea cooking up.
And since you’re already learning Korean, it’s only natural to then learn how to say travel in Korean – as well as all the vocabulary that goes along with it!
In this article, we’ll also teach you other related vocabulary, from transportation words to anything having to do with culture, for example. Once you have a hold of this vocabulary, you can have an exciting conversation with your Korean friends about your upcoming trips, be that to South Korea or elsewhere!
Read on for explanations, associations, and usage examples. Or just get the 80/20 below! If you want to learn more great Korean vocabulary with us, we’re happy to help!
Contents
How to Say “Travel” in Korean
There are two ways to say “travel” in Korean, depending if you’ll use it as a noun or a verb. You’ll also find some sample sentences that can be of aid in learning how to use this vocabulary in Korean sentences.
“Travel” in Korean (Noun)
The word for how to say “travel” in Korean, as a noun, is 여행 (yeohaeng).
일본에 벚꽃을 보러 가려면 여행하기 위해 필요한 표와 호텔방 일찍 예약하세요. (ilbone beotkkocheul boreo garyeomyeon yeohaenghagi wihae pillyohan pyowa hotelbang iljjik yeyakaseyo.)
If you want to go see the cherry blossoms in Japan, you should book early everything you need for your trip.
여행 잘 다녀와요! (yeohaeng jal danyeowayo!)
Have a nice trip!
비행기에서 일등석을 타고 여행을 다녀본 적 있어? (bihaenggieseo ildeungseogeul tago yeohaengeul danyeobon jeok isseo?)
Do you have experience traveling in the first class of an airplane?
다음에 언제 여행 떠나? (daeume eonje yeohaeng tteona?)
When do you next go travel?
여행 일정을 어떻게 짰어? (yeohaeng iljeongeul eotteoke jjasseo?)
How did you plan your trip?
난 지난주에 여행에서 돌아왔어. (nan jinanjue yeohaengeseo dorawasseo.)
I came back from my trip last week.
여행 잘 다녀왔어? (yeohaeng jal danyeowasseo?)
How was your trip?
“Travel” in Korean (Verb)
“Travel” in Korean is typically used in its verb form, either as 여행하다 (yeohaenghada), which translates simply to “to travel,” or as 여행 가다 (yeohaeng gada), which has a meaning closer to “to go on a trip.”
You may also replace 하다 (hada) and 가다 (gada) with 다니다 (danida) and 돌아다니다 (doradanida).
Sample sentences:
어디로 여행 가요? (eodiro yeohaenggayo?)
Where are you traveling to?
여행 가는 것을 좋아해요? (yeohaeng ganeun geoseul joahaeyo?)
Do you like to travel?
대학교를 졸업하자마자 취직하기 전에 1년 동안 여행했어. (daehakgyoreul joreopajamaja chwijikagi jeone ilnyeon dongan yeohaenghaesseo.)
As soon as I graduated from university, I traveled for one year before finding a job.
제 꿈은 세계여행하는 것이에요. (je kkumeun segyeyeohaenghaneun geosieyo.)
My dream is to travel around the world.
내일 여행 가니까 오늘은 일찍 잡시다. (naeil yeohaeng ganikka oneureun iljjik japsida.)
Since we’re traveling tomorrow, let’s sleep early today.
나는 국내 여행 갈 때마다 버스만 타요. (naneun gungnae yeohaeng gal ttaemada beoseuman tayo.)
I only travel by bus whenever I travel inside the country.
우리는 그 결혼식 위해 파리까지 여행 갔어요. (urineun geu gyeolhonsik wihae parikkaji yeohaeng gasseoyo.)
We traveled all the way to Paris for that wedding.
Association for “Travel” in Korean
To remember how to say “travel” in Korean, we’ll create an English association for it. This can be any word, phrase, or image that helps you recall the Korean word and its meaning.
How to remember (association):
When I travel, I tell my friends, “Yo, let’s hang“. (여행 | yeohaeng)
*80/20 Pareto Principle – The 20% you should learn that will give you 80% of the results.
Right away, let’s look at some vocabulary in relation to travel. For your convenience, we’ve divided them into separate categories.
Vocabulary for types of travelers and travels in Korean
Here we have a section for different types of trips you can take and a different type of traveler you can be. These can be incredibly handy when describing the type of travel you like to do or plan to do.
“Backpacker” in Korean
The word for “backpacker” in Korean is 백패커 (baekpaekeo). As you know, the word for “backpack” in Korean is 백팩 (baekpaek), so just like in English, the term for backpacker is directly derived from it. The word for hiker in Korean, on the other hand, is 등산객 (deungsangaek).
“Cruise” in Korean
The word for “cruise” in Korean is 크루즈 여행 (keurujeu yeohaeng). There are at least half a dozen different types of travelers that may go on a cruise. For example, for some, the below-mentioned luxury travel can mean a cruise around the Caribbean islands.
나는 크루즈를 타본 적이 없어요. (naneun keurujeureol tabon jeogi eopseoyo.)
I have never been on a cruise.
“Luxury travel” in Korean
The word for “luxury travel” in Korean is 호화 여행 (hohwa yeohaeng). There is no specific term for luxury traveler, but you can perhaps say it as 호화 여행객 (hohwa yeohaenggaek), as 여행객 means “traveler.”
“Tourist” in Korean
The word for “tourist” in Korean is 관광객 (gwangwanggaek). Alternatively, you may also opt to describe yourself as a traveler as opposed to tourist. As mentioned above, the word 여행객 means traveler. Another word for traveler in Korean is 여행자 (yeohaengja).
어떤 종류의 여행자예요? (eotteon jongnyuui yeohaengjayeyo?)
What kind of traveler are you?
Vocabulary list for types of travels and travelers
| English | Korean |
|---|---|
| Backpacker | 백패커 (baekpaekeo) |
| Business travel | 출장(chuljjang) |
| Business traveler | 출장 여행자 (chuljjang yeohangja) |
| Hiker | 등산객 (deungsangaek) |
| Long-term travel | 장기 여행 (janggi yeohaeng) |
| Tourist | 관광객 (gwangwanggaek) |
| Traveler | 여행객 (yeohaenggaek) |
| Traveler | 여행자 (yeohaengja) or 여행가 (yeohangga) |
| Cruise | 크루즈 여행 (keurujeu yeohaeng) |
| Luxury travel | 호화 여행 (hohwa yeohaeng) |
Vocabulary for modes of transportation in Korean
Previously, we have already covered extensively the vocabulary for car in Korean and train in Korean. In addition, we also have an article that’ll teach you all about using the bus in Korea! Thus, in this section, we will shortly highlight some other types of transportation, although they may not be as commonly used in comparison.
“Ship” in Korean
The most common word for “ship” in Korean is 배 (bae). However, in some cases, different words may apply. For example, a mail steamer, which is a boat carrying post and mail, is called 우편선 (upyeonseon) in Korean. Meanwhile, a cruise ship, which is the type of ship you’d use during your travels, is called 유람선 (yuramseon). And the word for “ferry” in Korean is 연락선 (yeollakseon).
“Airport” in Korean
You can say “airport” in Korean as 공항 (gonghang). Here, you’ll be able to ride an airplane which is called 비행기 (bihaenggi) in Korean.
The word for “flight” in Korean is 비행 (bihaeng). The word for “domestic flight” is 국내선 (gungnaeseon), and for “international flight,” it is 국제선 (gukjeseon).
하와이에 정말 가고 싶은데 비행기 타는 게 무서워요. (hawaie jeongmal gago sipeunde bihaenggi taneun ge museowoyo.)
I want to go to Hawaii, but I’m scared to go on an airplane.
Vocabulary list for transportation in Korean
| English | Korean |
|---|---|
| Airplane | 비행기 (bihaenggi) |
| Airport | 공항 (gonghang) |
| Car | 차 (cha) |
| Cruise ship | 크루즈 (keurujeu) or 유람선 (yuramseon) |
| Domestic flight | 국내선 (gungnaeseon) |
| Ferry | 연락선 (yeollakseon) or 페리 (peri) |
| Flight | 비행 (bihaeng) |
| International flight | 국제선 (gukjeseon) |
| Ship | 배 (bae) |
| Taxi | 택시 (taekshi) |
| Train | 기차 (gicha) |
Here’s one more list of travel-related vocabulary that you may find useful. They may consider any area of travel.
| English | Korean |
|---|---|
| Adventure | 모험 (moheom) |
| Arrival | 도착 (dochak) |
| Baggage claim | 수하물 찾기 (suhamul chatki) |
| Boarding gate | 탑승 게이트 (tapseung geiteu) |
| Boarding pass | 탑승권 (tapseunggwon) |
| Departure | 출발 (chulbal) |
| Duty-free goods | 면세품 (myeonsepum) |
| Emergency exit | 비상 출구 (bisang chulgu) |
| Entry gate | 출입문 (churipmun) |
| Go backpacking | 배낭여행을 가다 (baenangyeohaengeul gada) |
| Hitchhiking | 히치하이킹 (hichihaiking) |
| Hotel | 호텔 (hotel) |
| Life vest | 구명조끼 (gumyeongjokki) |
| Lost and found | 분실물 보관소 (bunsilmul bogwanso) |
| Luggage | 짐 (jim) |
| Map | 지도 (jido) |
| Passport | 여권 (yeogwon) |
| Plane ticket | 비행기표 (bihaenggipyo) |
| Rail ticket | 기차표 (gichapyo) |
| Subway | 지하철 (jihacheol) |
| Ticket machine | 표 판매기 (pyo panmaegi) |
| Tour guide | 여행 가이드 (yeohaeng gaideu) |
| To pack | 짐을 싸다 (jimeul ssada) |
| To travel | 여행 가다 (yeohaeng gada) or 여행을 가다 (yeohaenggeul gada) |
| Travel expenses | 여행 경비 (yeohaeng gyeongbi) |
| Travel sickness | 멀미 (meolmi) |
| Trip abroad | 해외여행 (haeoeyeohaeng) |
| Vacation | 휴가 (hyuga) |
| Visa | 비자 (bija) |
“Passport” in Korean
The word for “passport” in Korean is 여권 (yeogwon). Never leave for the airport without it!
여권이 만료돼서 새로 만들어야 할 것 같아요. (yeogwoni mallyodwaeseo saero mandeureoya hal geot gatayo.)
Seems like my passport has expired, and I need to make a new one.
How to say “Have a nice trip” in Korean
If you have a friend or family that will be traveling soon, here’s how you can wish them a nice trip. Listen carefully to learn how to say this phrase correctly!
A word of caution about Romanization
While it is possible for you to study the words in this article simply by reading their Romanized versions, it will come in handy for you to be able to read Hangeul if you ever wish to come to Korea. Hangeul is the Korean alphabet, and not difficult to learn. In fact, you can learn it in just 90 minutes.
After you’ve familiarized yourself with Hangeul, life in Korea will suddenly seem so much easier, and the country won’t appear so foreign to you. So, if you’re serious about learning Korean, why not learn Hangeul today?
Here’s how you can learn Hangeul before you eat your next meal.
Wrap Up
So, do you like to travel? What kind of traveler are you? Let us know below in the comments with the newly learned vocabulary! Next, let’s learn about the weather and seasons in Korean!
What is the meaning of Yeohaengsa?
Hello! 여행사 means “travel agency.” ^^
How do you say ‘I was on tour’ since I’m a bit confused here. Also your website has been of so much help. 감사합니다! ????
Hi, It’s Me! You can say “저는 여행 중이었어요.” ^^