Ordering in Korea blends clear requests with short replies to staff questions.

You don’t need to narrate your whole meal—templates + listening for yes/no and option questions get you most of the way.

Start at our Korean basics hub, run the Korean everyday phrases quiz and Korean travel essentials quiz, and warm up with café & restaurant Korean and thank you / sorry.

Meaning pages: 감사합니다, 안녕하세요.

Opening at the table or counter

  • 메뉴 주세요 (menyu juseyo) — “Menu, please.”
  • 추천 뭐예요? (chucheon mwoyeyo?) — “What do you recommend?”
  • 이거 두 개 주세요 (igeo du gae juseyo) — “Two of these, please.”

Portions, spice, and options (listen for these)

Staff may ask:

  • 맵게 해드릴까요? (maepge haedeurilkkayo?) — “Make it spicy?”
    안 맵게 해주세요 (an maepge haejuseyo) — “Not spicy, please.”
  • 여기 드실게요? (yeogi deusilgeyo?) — “Eating here?”
    네, 여기서 먹어요 / 포장이요 as you learned in the café post.

Water / side refills (context-heavy): 물 더 주세요 (mul deo juseyo) — “More water, please.” Chains vary.

Korean BBQ and shared plates

Common patterns:

  • 고기 추가해 주세요 (gogi chugahae juseyo) — “Add meat, please.”
  • 소금 / 쌈장 … — listen for condiments; 조금만 주세요 (jogeumman juseyo) — “Just a little, please.”

Bell tables: Press 호출벨 (hochul bel — call bell); say 저기요 when they arrive if needed.

What staff often says (recognition)

  • 잠시만 기다려 주세요 (jamsiman gidaryeo juseyo) — “Please wait a moment.”
  • 맛있게 드세요 (masitge deuseyo) — “Enjoy your meal.”
  • 다 드셨어요? (da deusyeosseoyo?) — “Finished eating?” (context: clearing / check).

Reply 네 / 아직이요 (ajikiyo — “not yet”) as needed.

Paying and leaving

  • 계산할게요 (gyesanhalgeyo) — “I’ll pay.” / check context.
  • 카드 돼요? (kadeu dwaeyo?) — “Do you take card?”
  • 영수증 주세요 (yeongsujeung juseyo) — “Receipt, please.”

Thanks: 감사합니다 is always safe—see formal vs casual thanks.

Sound natural

Trap: One giant sentence; short orders + 이거 / 저거 + 주세요 patterns win.
Trap: 반말 with staff—keep -요 until you know the room.

Habits

Short daily drills: 15 minutes a day.

StudyArcade

Build a six-line deck: menu → recommend → spicy yes/no → 여기/포장 → add item → 계산.

Replay until boring.

Ready to make studying fun? Download StudyArcade on the App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/app/studyarcade-study-games/id6759309341