The 20 Most Important Korean Words

So my Korean best friend (ha--that's a private joke between me and her as she is not Korean and hates to use the term "best friend". I do too; I just mean she's one of my closest friends in Korea.) Karissa and I have been congratulating ourselves on how easily we can travel anywhere in Korea we want to go now that we have a small arsenal of essential Korean. I decided to write down some of the words and phrases that we have found to be most helpful (basically the words I use the most), as well as a few of my own personal favorites. I will write them as they sound in English, as well as in Korean.


20 Essential Korean Words and Phrases:

hello: ahn-yong-ha-say-yo 안녕하세요
yes: nay
no: ah-nee-yo 아니요
thank you: gahms-hahm-ni-dah 감사합니다
you're welcome: nay 
excuse me (like to ask for help): shilay-hahm-ni-dah 실례합니다
here: yogi-oh 여기요
goodbye (when you're leaving and they're staying): ahn-yong-hee-gay-say-oh
goodbye (when you're staying and they're leaving): ahn-yong-hee-gah-say-oh 안녕히 가세요
where: oh-dee 어디에
go: gah 가
where is: oh-dee-so-yo 어디로요
restroom: hwa-zhong-sheel 화장실
man: nahm-jah 남자
woman: yo-jah 여자
please: joo-say-oh 주세요
this one: ee-gaw 이것
how much is it: ol-mah-ay-oh 얼마 요
I'm sorry: mee-ahn-hahm-nee-da 미안합니다
minutes: boon 분

the numbers one through ten (used for money and minutes):
1 = eel
2 = ee
3 = sahm
4 = sah
5 = oh
6 = yuke
7 = cheel
8 = pal
9 = gu
10 = sheep

the numbers one, two, and three (used for counting things, like to say "I'd like two glasses of water please")
1 = hahna
2 = dool
3 = set

100 = beck
1,000 = chuhn
10,000 = mahn
(helpful when dealing in Korean currency, for which the basic unit is 1,000 won)

Disclaimer: As I am not Korean, I don't claim inaccuracy. I'm only sharing what has worked for me.