Spicy Food Challenge? How to Say ‘My Stomach Hurts’ in Korean!

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

Have you ever been in Korea, eaten something incredibly delicious (and maybe a little too spicy), and then felt a rumble in your tummy? Uh-oh! Knowing how to explain that you have a stomach ache is a super important skill for any traveler or foodie.

Nowadays in Korea, there’s a huge trend of eating super spicy food like mara tteokbokki (마라 떡볶이) or tackling the “fire chicken” noodle challenge. It’s delicious, but sometimes your stomach disagrees! Today, we’ll learn the essential phrases you need to confidently walk into a pharmacy (약국) and get the help you need. Let’s get started!

Core Expressions You Need to Know

Here are three simple but powerful phrases to remember.

1. 배가 아파요 (Bae-ga a-pa-yo)

• Pronunciation [Romanization]: Bae-ga a-pa-yo
• English Meaning: My stomach hurts.
• Detailed Explanation: This is the most direct and common way to say your stomach hurts. It’s a polite phrase (-아요/어요 ending) that you can use with anyone, from a pharmacist to a friend. ‘배’ (bae) means stomach, and ‘아파요’ (a-pa-yo) is the polite form of ‘to be sick/hurt’. You can even swap ‘배’ with other body parts! For example, ‘머리가 아파요’ (Meori-ga a-pa-yo) means “My head hurts.”
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  • The pronunciation here is quite straightforward! The ‘가’ (ga) sound flows right into the ‘아’ (a) of ‘아파요’. Just remember to pronounce each syllable clearly: Bae – ga – a – pa – yo. Unlike in English where words can blend together, Korean syllables are usually pronounced distinctly.

2. 소화가 안 돼요 (So-hwa-ga an dwae-yo)

• Pronunciation [Romanization]: So-hwa-ga an dwae-yo
• English Meaning: I have indigestion. / I can’t digest.
• Detailed Explanation: This is a very specific and useful phrase, especially after a big meal! ‘소화’ (so-hwa) means ‘digestion’, and ‘안 돼요’ (an dwae-yo) means ‘it doesn’t work’ or ‘it’s not possible’. So literally, it means “Digestion isn’t working.” It perfectly describes that heavy, uncomfortable feeling when you’ve eaten too much.
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  • The ‘화’ (hwa) sound can be tricky for beginners. It’s a quick combination of ‘ㅎ’ (h) and ‘ᅪ’ (wa). Try saying “H” and “Wa” very quickly together: hwa. It’s not “ha-wa,” but one smooth sound, [hwa]. Practice it a few times: So-hwa!

3. 이 약 주세요 (I yak ju-se-yo)

• Pronunciation [Romanization]: I yak ju-se-yo
• English Meaning: Please give me this medicine.
• Detailed Explanation: This is your magic phrase at any store, not just a pharmacy! ‘이’ (i) means ‘this’, ‘약’ (yak) means ‘medicine’, and ‘주세요’ (ju-se-yo) is the polite way to say “Please give me.” You can point to the medicine you want and say this phrase. You can also replace ‘약’ with anything else, like ‘물’ (mul) for water: ‘이 물 주세요’ (I mul ju-se-yo).
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  • Let’s look at what happens when ‘약’ is followed by a particle like ‘을’ (eul), the object marker, as in ‘약을 먹다’ (yageul meokda – to take medicine). The final consonant ‘ㄱ’ (k) in ‘약’ (yak) moves to the next syllable. So, ‘약 을’ is not pronounced ‘yak-eul’, but rather [야글, ya-geul]. This is called liaison (연음), and it’s a key rule that makes Korean sound smooth and natural!

Example Dialogue at the Pharmacy

Let’s see how these phrases work in a real conversation. Imagine you just tried the trendy spicy mara tteokbokki.

• A (You): 안녕하세요. (Annyeonghaseyo.)
  • Hello.
• B (Pharmacist): 안녕하세요. 어떻게 오셨어요? (Annyeonghaseyo. Eotteoke osyeosseoyo?)
  • Hello. How can I help you?
• A (You): 배가 아파요. 어제 매운 떡볶이를 먹었어요. 그리고 소화가 안 돼요. (Bae-ga a-pa-yo. Eoje maeun tteokbokki-reul meogeosseoyo. Geurigo so-hwa-ga an dwae-yo.)
  • My stomach hurts. I ate spicy tteokbokki yesterday. And I have indigestion.
• B (Pharmacist): 아, 알겠습니다. 이 약이 좋아요. (A, algesseumnida. I yagi joayo.)
  • Ah, I see. This medicine is good.
• A (You): 네, 이 약 주세요. (Ne, i yak ju-se-yo.)
  • Yes, please give me this medicine.

🌶️ Culture & Trend Deep Dive: Korea’s Spicy Soul

Why are these phrases so useful? Because spicy food is a huge part of Korean culture! For many Koreans, eating spicy food is a way to relieve stress (스트레스 풀기). You’ll often hear people say, “아, 스트레스 받아! 매운 거 먹고 싶다!” (Ah, I’m so stressed! I want to eat something spicy!).

Because of this, digestive aids, called 소화제 (sohwaje), are one of the most common over-the-counter medicines in Korea. You can find them easily in any pharmacy (약국) or even convenience store (편의점). So don’t be shy! Asking for a 소화제 is completely normal, and now you know how to do it. Using these phrases will make you sound like you really understand Korean food culture!

Let’s Review and Practice!

Great job today! We learned how to say your stomach hurts (배가 아파요), you have indigestion (소화가 안 돼요), and how to ask for medicine (이 약 주세요).

Now it’s your turn to practice!

1. Fill in the blank: You ate too much kimchi stew. How do you tell the pharmacist you have indigestion?
   김치찌개를 너무 많이 먹었어요. _______ 안 돼요.

2. Make a sentence: You have a headache, not a stomach ache. How would you say, “My head hurts”? (Hint: ‘Head’ is ‘머리’ [meori]).

Leave your answers in the comments below! We’d love to see you try using these new expressions. See you next time