1. Your five survival moves

Start with five patterns that fit dozens of situations.

1 · 주세요 — Please give me

물 주세요.

Mul juseyo.

Water, please.

Pointing works: 이거 주세요. (Igeo juseyo.) means “This one, please.” Add a number between the item and 주세요: 이거 두 개 주세요. (Igeo du gae juseyo.) — “Two of these, please.”

2 · 어디예요? — Where is

화장실이 어디예요?

Hwajangsil-i eodiyeyo?

Where is the restroom?

Replace 화장실 with 출구 (chulgu, exit), 지하철역 (jihacheol-yeok, subway station), or 매표소 (maepyoso, ticket office).

3 · 있어요? — Do you have / Is there

영어 메뉴 있어요?

Yeongeo menyu isseoyo?

Do you have an English menu?

The negative answer may be 없어요 (eopseoyo, there isn’t / we don’t). Hearing only 있어요 or 없어요 is already useful.

4 · 돼요? — Is it possible or allowed

카드 돼요?

Kadeu dwaeyo?

Can I pay by card?

여기 앉아도 돼요? (Yeogi anjado dwaeyo?) means “May I sit here?” The pattern -아/어도 돼요? asks permission politely.

5 · 도와주세요 — Please help me

도와주세요.

Dowajuseyo.

Please help me.

Add your problem after it if you can, but the single phrase plus a map, booking screen, or emergency card is enough to begin.

First mini-dialogue

Traveler: 저기요. 화장실이 어디예요?

Jeogiyo. Hwajangsil-i eodiyeyo?

Excuse me. Where is the restroom?

Staff: 저쪽이에요.

Jeojjog-ieyo.

It’s over there.

Traveler: 감사합니다.

Gamsahamnida.

Thank you.

저기요 gets attention without touching anyone. It can also sound like “Excuse me.” Do not shout it across a quiet room.