How To Say ‘Vacation’ In Korean

It’s time for vacation! Isn’t it just the best time of the year?! It sure is for us! Thus, it’s only right that the next lesson we take upon is how to say “vacation” in Korean.

Do you have any guesses on how to say it? Or are you entering this lesson completely new to how to say vacation in Korean? Whichever category you fall into, you’ll come out of this lesson having learned and memorized a new word!

Let’s get on with it!

A couple holding hands while walking on the water

‘Vacation’ in Korean

So, how do you say vacation in Korean? The word you should be using is 방학 (banghak). This also corresponds to the British English word ‘holiday’. It is the one and only word used when you refer to summer and winter vacations, especially for school vacations. Of course, the words ‘summer’ or ‘winter’ will be attached to the word to indicate which vacation is in question. There are a few other words of similar meanings in Korean language, but when talking about an actual long vacation, this is the word to use.

What’s an association you could use to remember it? Here’s our suggestion:

“I went on vacation in Bangkok but my credit card got hacked, my vacation turned into a Banghack!

휴가 (hyuga)* break, leave, holiday

휴일 (hyuil)day off

*similar in meaning to 방학 (banghak), but typically used only to refer to (short) holidays from work or week-long national holidays such as Lunar New Year and Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving).

If you want more useful Korean vocabulary words, head over here for the essential list!

Can't read Korean yet? Click here to learn for free in about 60 minutes!

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 how to read Hangeul before your next meal using fun associations and stories.

After you’ve familiarized yourself with Hangeul, life in Korea will suddenly seem so much easier and the country won’t appear so foreign for you. So, if you’re serious about learning Korean, why not learn Hangeul today? Learning Korean is easier and faster than you think!

Sample Sentences

Wicker basket with shoes, camera, hat, toy airplane, toy globe, compass, map, smartphone, and passport on top

Standard:

곧 올 겨울 방학때는 뭐할거에요? (got ol gyeoul banghakttaeneun mwohalgeoeyo?)

What will you do on the upcoming winter vacation?

올해는 휴일 며칠 있어요? (orhaeneun hyuil myeochil isseoyo?)

How many days off are there this year?

내년에는 방학때 유럽여행을 할까 해요. (naenyeoneneun banghakddae yureobyeohaengeul halkka haeyo.)

I’m considering on doing a trip to Europe during next year’s vacation.

Informal:

이번 여름에는 휴가를 1주일 뿐이야. (ibeon yeoreumeneun hyugareul 1juil bbuniya.)

I only have one week of holiday this summer.

지금 방학기간인데 같이 여행갈래? (jigeum banghakgiganinde kachi yeohaengkallae?)

Since it’s vacation time now, do you want to go on a trip together?

Planning your next vacation? Before that, it’s best to know everything about Korea: Head over here to learn more.

So now that you know how to say ‘vacation’ in Korean where will your Korean vacation take you? Let us know in the comments below!

Want more Korean phrases? Click here for a complete list!

Photo Credit: BigStockPhoto

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