Your Ticket to Korean Islands: Ferry Phrases!
Hello! This is Maeil Hangeul, here to upgrade your Korean skills!
Have you ever dreamed of exploring the beautiful islands of Korea? From the famous Jeju Island to the hidden gems along the coast, traveling by sea is a fantastic experience. These days in Korea, island hopping is a huge trend, partly thanks to popular K-dramas that showcase the country’s stunning coastal scenery. To help you join in on the fun, today we’re going to learn the essential Korean phrases for buying a ferry ticket. Let’s get you ready for your own island adventure!
Core Expressions for Your Ferry Trip
Here are the key phrases you’ll need at the ticket counter. Let’s break them down!
1. [Destination] 가는 표 있어요?
* Pronunciation [Romanization]: [Destination] ga-neun pyo iss-eo-yo?
* English Meaning: Do you have tickets to [Destination]?
* Detailed Explanation: This is the perfect way to start the conversation. Simply put the name of the island or port you want to go to at the beginning of the sentence. 가는 표 (ga-neun pyo) literally means “a ticket that is going,” and 있어요? (iss-eo-yo?) is the polite way to ask “is there?” or “do you have?”.
2. 왕복 / 편도
* Pronunciation [Romanization]: Wang-bok / Pyeon-do
* English Meaning: Round-trip / One-way
* Detailed Explanation: This is a crucial vocabulary pair for buying any kind of travel ticket.
* 왕복 (Wang-bok) means “round-trip.”
* 편도 (Pyeon-do) means “one-way.”
You’ll often use this with the next expression.
3. 왕복으로 한 장 주세요.
* Pronunciation [Romanization]: Wang-bog-eu-ro han jang ju-se-yo.
* English Meaning: One round-trip ticket, please.
* Detailed Explanation: This is your magic sentence for getting the ticket you want.
* 왕복으로 (wang-bog-eu-ro) means “as a round-trip.” You can swap it with 편도로 (pyeon-do-ro) for a one-way ticket.
* 한 장 (han jang) means “one ticket.” 장 (jang) is the counter for flat objects like paper or tickets. For two tickets, you’d say 두 장 (du jang).
* 주세요 (ju-se-yo) is the polite way to say “Please give me.”
4. 다음 배는 몇 시에 출발해요?
* Pronunciation [Romanization]: Da-eum bae-neun myeot si-e chul-bal-hae-yo?
* English Meaning: What time does the next boat/ferry leave?
* Detailed Explanation: This is a very useful question to know your travel schedule. 다음 (da-eum) means “next,” 배 (bae) means “boat” or “ship,” and 몇 시에 출발해요? (myeot si-e chul-bal-hae-yo?) means “What time does it depart?”.
Example Dialogue at the Terminal
Let’s see how these expressions work in a real conversation. Imagine you (A) are at the ferry terminal talking to a ticket agent (B).
A: 안녕하세요. 제주도 가는 표 있어요?
(An-nyeong-ha-se-yo. Jeju-do ga-neun pyo iss-eo-yo?)
Hello. Do you have tickets to Jeju Island?
B: 네, 있습니다. 왕복으로 하시겠어요, 편도로 하시겠어요?
(Ne, iss-seum-ni-da. Wang-bog-eu-ro ha-si-gess-eo-yo, pyeon-do-ro ha-si-gess-eo-yo?)
Yes, we do. Would you like a round-trip or a one-way?
A: 왕복으로 한 장 주세요.
(Wang-bog-eu-ro han jang ju-se-yo.)
One round-trip ticket, please.
B: 네. 신분증 보여주세요.
(Ne. Sin-bun-jjeung bo-yeo-ju-se-yo.)
Okay. Please show me your ID.
A: 여기요. 아, 그리고 다음 배는 몇 시에 출발해요?
(Yeo-gi-yo. Ah, geu-ri-go da-eum bae-neun myeot si-e chul-bal-hae-yo?)
Here you are. Oh, and what time does the next ferry leave?
B: 다음 배는 오후 2시에 출발합니다.
(Da-eum bae-neun o-hu du-si-e chul-bal-ham-ni-da.)
The next ferry departs at 2 PM.
Culture Tip: Become a Korean Island Hopping Pro!
Knowing the phrases is great, but here’s a tip to make you sound like a real local traveler!
When you buy a ferry ticket in Korea, you must show a form of identification. For foreigners, this means your passport or your ARC (Alien Registration Card). The ticket agent will always ask for it by saying 신분증 보여주세요 (Sin-bun-jjeung bo-yeo-ju-se-yo).
If you have your ID ready and say 신분증 여기 있어요 (Sin-bun-jjeung yeo-gi iss-eo-yo / Here is my ID) before they even ask, you’ll look like a seasoned pro! This small step shows you understand Korean travel culture and makes the process smoother for everyone.
Let’s Review and Practice!
Amazing work today! You’ve learned how to ask for a ferry ticket to a specific destination, choose between one-way and round-trip, and ask for the departure time. You’re officially ready to explore Korea by sea!
Now, let’s test your knowledge with a quick quiz.
- Fill in the blank: You want two one-way tickets to Ulleungdo (울릉도). What do you say?
울릉도 가는 표, (__________)으로 두 장 주세요.
- Make a sentence: How would you ask, “Do you have tickets to Geoje Island (거제도)?”
Leave your answers in the comments below using the phrases you learned today! Where do you want to go by ferry in Korea? We can’t wait to read your responses
