Don’t Miss Your Flight! Korean for Travelers

Hello! This is Maeil Hangeul, here to upgrade your Korean skills!

Are you dreaming of a trip to Korea? Getting excited just thinking about it? That’s great! But imagine you’re at the airport, looking at the departure board, and feeling a little lost. Don’t worry! Today, we’re going to learn the essential Korean phrases for telling time, especially for travel. Lately, Korea has become a super popular travel destination, with K-pop and K-dramas attracting fans from all over the world. Knowing how to ask for the time will make your airport experience smooth and stress-free. Let’s get started!

Core Expressions You Need to Know

Here are the key phrases that will make you a confident traveler in Korea.

1. 비행기는 몇 시에 출발해요? (What time does the plane depart?)

• Pronunciation [Romanized]: Bihaenggineun myeot sie chulbalhaeyo?
• English Meaning: What time does the plane depart?
• Detailed Explanation: This is your golden phrase at the airport! It’s a polite and natural way to ask about your flight’s departure time. You can break it down:
  • 비행기 (bihaenggi): Plane
  • -는 (neun): Topic marker
  • 몇 시에 (myeot sie): At what time?
  • 출발해요 (chulbalhaeyo): To depart (polite form)
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  The word 출발해요 looks like it should be pronounced chul-bal-ha-yo, right? But when the consonant ㅂ (b) is followed by ㅎ (h), they merge to create a stronger, aspirated ㅍ (p) sound. So, a native speaker would pronounce it like [chul-pa-rae-yo]. Try it! It will make you sound much more natural.

2. 지금 몇 시예요? (What time is it now?)

• Pronunciation [Romanized]: Jigeum myeot siyeyo?
• English Meaning: What time is it now?
• Detailed Explanation: This is the most common and basic way to ask for the current time. 지금 (jigeum) means “now,” and 몇 시예요? (myeot siyeyo?) means “What time is it?”. You can use this phrase anywhere, not just at the airport!
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  In 몇 시예요?, the last consonant ㅊ (t) in 몇 isn’t fully pronounced. Instead, the sound links to the next syllable. It sounds less like myeot si-ye-yo and more like [myeo-ssi-ye-yo], with a slightly stronger ‘s’ sound. This is a very common sound-linking rule in Korean called yeon-eum (연음).

3. 오전 (AM) / 오후 (PM)

• Pronunciation [Romanized]: ojeon / ohu
• English Meaning: AM / PM
• Detailed Explanation: These two words are crucial to avoid mixing up your morning coffee with your evening flight! In Korean, you place them before the time.
  • 오전 (ojeon) is used for the morning (AM).
  • 오후 (ohu) is used for the afternoon/evening (PM).
  • Example: 오후 2시 (ohu dusi) means 2 PM.

Example Dialogue at the Airport

Let’s see how these expressions work in a real conversation at Incheon Airport!

A: 실례합니다. 제주도 가는 비행기는 몇 시에 출발해요?
(Sillyehamnida. Jejudo ganeun bihaenggineun myeot sie chulbalhaeyo?)
(Excuse me. What time does the plane to Jeju Island depart?)

B: 네, 오후 3시 20분에 출발합니다.
(Ne, ohu sesi isip-bune chulbalhamnida.)
(Yes, it departs at 3:20 PM.)

A: 감사합니다! 그럼 지금 몇 시예요?
(Gamsahamnida! Geureom jigeum myeot siyeyo?)
(Thank you! Then, what time is it now?)

B: 지금은 오후 1시 30분이에요.
(Jigeumeun ohu hansi samsip-bunieyo.)
(It’s 1:30 PM now.)

Culture Tip & Trend Deep Dive

✈️ 24-Hour Clock vs. AM/PM

When you’re speaking, Koreans almost always use 오전 (ojeon) and 오후 (ohu) with the 12-hour clock system (1-12). However, on your flight ticket, airport display boards, and train schedules, you will almost always see the 24-hour clock (00:00 – 23:59).

So, if your ticket says 15:20, a Korean staff member will tell you it’s at “오후 3시 20분” (ohu sesi isip-bun). Knowing both systems is a super skill for any traveler in Korea! This shows you’re not just a tourist, but someone who really understands the culture.

With travel to Korea booming, especially to hotspots like Seoul and Jeju Island, being able to navigate the airport confidently is a huge plus. Using these phrases at Incheon Airport will definitely impress the staff!

Let’s Review and Practice!

Great job today! You learned how to ask for the time and your flight’s departure time in Korean. You also learned the difference between spoken time (오전/오후) and written time (24-hour clock).

Now, let’s test your knowledge!

Practice Question:

1. Your flight ticket says your departure time is 09:00. How would you say “It departs at 9 AM” in Korean? Fill in the blank.
   

   ______ 9시에 출발해요.

(Scroll down for the answer!)

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Answer: 오전 (ojeon)

How did you do? You’re ready for your trip!

Now it’s your turn! Leave a comment below telling us your dream flight time to Korea using the phrases you learned today! (e.g., 제 비행기는 오전 10시에 출발해요!)