Your Korean Pharmacy Survival Guide: The Sore Throat Edition

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

Have you ever been traveling in Korea and suddenly felt a tickle in your throat? It can be scary to go to a pharmacy when you don’t know how to explain what’s wrong. Don’t worry! Today, we’re going to learn exactly how to say “My throat hurts” and get the help you need.

Lately in Korea, with the seasons changing and huge K-pop concerts happening every weekend, many people are talking about sore throats from all the cheering! This is a super useful topic, so let’s learn how to take care of ourselves in Korean.

Core Expressions You Need to Know

Here are the essential phrases to survive a trip to the Korean pharmacy for a sore throat.

1. 목이 아파요 (Mogi apayo)

• Pronunciation [Romanization]: Mo-gi a-pa-yo
• English Meaning: My throat hurts.
• Detailed Explanation: This is the most important phrase! Let’s break it down:
  • 목 (mok): This means “throat” or “neck.”
  • -이 (-i): This is a subject particle, attached to nouns ending in a consonant. It marks ‘목’ as the subject of the sentence.
  • 아파요 (apayo): This is the polite, present tense form of the verb ‘아프다’ (apeuda), which means “to be sick” or “to hurt.”
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip: The first word, 목 (mok), ends with a ‘ㄱ’ (k) consonant. When it’s at the end of a syllable like this, you don’t release the air strongly. It’s a soft, unreleased ‘k’ sound. But in the next syllable, 기 (gi), the ‘ㄱ’ is at the beginning, so it sounds like a soft ‘g’. Listen carefully: [Mok] (soft k) vs. [Gi] (soft g).

2. 언제부터 아팠어요? (Eonjebuteo apasseoyo?)

• Pronunciation [Romanization]: Eon-je-bu-teo a-pa-sseo-yo?
• English Meaning: Since when has it hurt?
• Detailed Explanation: The pharmacist will almost always ask you this question. Recognizing it is key!
  • 언제 (eonje): When
  • -부터 (-buteo): From / since
  • 아팠어요 (apasseoyo): This is the past tense of 아파요. It means “it hurt.”
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip: Notice the ‘ㅆ’ (ss) in 아팠어요 [apasseoyo]. This is a “tensed” consonant. You make the sound with more tension in your mouth, and it’s shorter and stronger than a regular ‘ㅅ’ (s). It sounds like the “ss” in “hiss,” not the “s” in “is.”

3. 어제부터요 (Eojebuteoyo)

• Pronunciation [Romanization]: Eo-je-bu-teo-yo
• English Meaning: Since yesterday.
• Detailed Explanation: This is a simple and perfect answer to the pharmacist’s question.
  • 어제 (eoje): Yesterday
  • -부터 (-buteo): From / since
  • -요 (-yo): The politeness marker.
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip: The vowel ‘어’ (eo) can be tricky. It’s similar to the “o” sound in the English word “song.” It’s an open sound made in the back of your mouth. Try not to round your lips like you would for an “o” sound.

💬 Example Dialogue

Let’s see how these phrases work in a real conversation at a pharmacy (약국 – yakguk).

• A (You): 안녕하세요. 목이 아파요.
  • (Annyeonghaseyo. Mogi apayo.)
  • Hello. My throat hurts.
• B (Pharmacist): 아, 그러세요? 언제부터 아팠어요?
  • (A, geureoseyo? Eonjebuteo apasseoyo?)
  • Oh, really? Since when has it hurt?
• A (You): 어제 콘서트에서 소리를 너무 질렀어요. 어제부터요.
  • (Eoje konseoteu-eseo sorireul neomu jilleosseoyo. Eojebuteoyo.)
  • I screamed too much at a concert yesterday. Since yesterday.
• B (Pharmacist): 알겠습니다. 이 약 드릴게요. 식후 30분에 드세요.
  • (Algesseumnida. I yak deurilgeyo. Sikhu samsipbun-e deuseyo.)
  • I see. I’ll give you this medicine. Please take it 30 minutes after your meal.

💊 Culture Tip & Trend Deep Dive

In Korea, pharmacies (약국 – yakguk) are incredibly convenient and are your first stop for minor illnesses. You don’t need a prescription for many common medicines.

The K-Pop Concert Aftermath: It’s a running joke among K-pop fans in Korea that after a big concert, pharmacies near the venue sell a lot of throat lozenges and sprays! Fans who screamed for their favorite idols for hours often wake up with a sore throat. So, if you say your throat hurts after a concert, the pharmacist will understand completely!

Pro Tip: If you want to sound like a local, you can ask for a famous brand of throat candy called 목캔디 (Mok-kaendi). It’s a household name for soothing a sore throat in Korea! Knowing this little detail will surely impress the pharmacist.

📝 Let’s Practice!

Time to check what you’ve learned. You can do it!

1. Fill in the blank:
You learned that 목이 아파요 (Mogi apayo) means “My throat hurts.” How would you say “My head hurts?” (Hint: Head = 머리 (meori))

머리__ 아파요. (Meori__ apayo.)

2. Make a sentence:
Using what you learned, how would you tell a pharmacist, “My stomach has been hurting since this morning”?

(Hint: Stomach = 배 (bae), This morning = 오늘 아침 (oneul achim))

Great job today! Learning these simple phrases can make a huge difference when you’re feeling unwell in a new country.

Now it’s your turn! Try using the grammar “___-이/가 아파요” to make a sentence in the comments below! We’ll check it for you.