Swipe, Tap, Go! Pay in Korea Like a Pro 💳
Hello! This is Maeil Hangeul (매일한글), here to upgrade your Korean skills!
Are you planning a trip to Korea? Get ready for a shopping paradise! But how do you pay for all those cute souvenirs and delicious street food? Today, we’re going to learn the essential Korean phrases for paying with a credit card. This is super useful whether you’re buying coffee, clothes, or concert tickets.
And here’s a fun fact: these days in Korea, it’s all about going cashless. You’ll see everyone, from students to grandmas, simply tapping their phones or cards to pay for everything. It’s fast, easy, and super modern. Let’s learn how you can do it too!
Core Expressions You MUST Know
Here are the key phrases that will make you a confident shopper in Korea.
1. 카드로 계산할게요 (Kadeu-ro gye-san-hal-ge-yo)
- Pronunciation [Romanized]: Ka-deu-ro gye-san-hal-ge-yo
- English Meaning: I’ll pay by card.
- Detailed Explanation: This is the magic phrase! 카드 (kadeu) is the Korean word for “card.” The particle -로 (-ro) means ‘by’ or ‘with’. 계산할게요 (gyesanhalgeyo) is a polite way of saying “I will pay.” Use this sentence right when you get to the counter to let the cashier know your payment method.
2. 일시불로 해주세요 (Il-si-bul-lo hae-ju-se-yo)
- Pronunciation [Romanized]: Il-shi-bul-lo hae-ju-se-yo
- English Meaning: One-time payment, please.
- Detailed Explanation: This is a VERY important phrase in Korea. When you use a credit card, the cashier will almost always ask if you want to pay in 일시불 (ilsibul – one-time payment) or 할부 (halbu – installments). As a tourist, you will always choose
일시불. By saying this phrase proactively, you’ll look like a local!
3. 영수증 버려주세요 (Yeong-su-jeung beo-ryeo-ju-se-yo)
- Pronunciation [Romanized]: Yeong-su-jeung beo-ryeo-ju-se-yo
- English Meaning: Please throw away the receipt.
- Detailed Explanation: Many Koreans don’t take receipts for small purchases to be eco-friendly. 영수증 (yeongsujeung) means “receipt,” and 버려주세요 (beoryeojuseyo) is a polite request to “please throw it away.” If you don’t need the receipt, this phrase is very natural and common. Of course, if you want it, you can just say 네, 주세요 (Ne, juseyo – Yes, please give it to me).
Example Conversation: At a K-Pop Store!
Let’s see how these phrases work in a real-life situation. Imagine you’re buying some goods of your favorite K-pop group!
- Cashier (B): 안녕하세요. 25,000원입니다. (Hello. It’s 25,000 won.)
- You (A): 네. 카드로 계산할게요. (Okay. I’ll pay by card.)
- Cashier (B): 할부로 해드릴까요? (Would you like to pay in installments?)
- You (A): 아니요, 일시불로 해주세요. (No, one-time payment, please.)
- (You tap your card or phone on the reader.)
- Cashier (B): 감사합니다. 영수증 필요하세요? (Thank you. Do you need a receipt?)
- You (A): 아니요, 영수증 버려주세요. (No, please throw it away.)
See? So simple and smooth!
Culture Tip & Trend Deep Dive 💡
Welcome to the Cashless Society!
Korea is one of the world’s leading cashless societies. Especially in big cities like Seoul, you can go for days without touching physical money! The trendiest way to pay isn’t even with a plastic card, but with a mobile phone. Systems like Samsung Pay (삼성페이) and Apple Pay (애플페이) are everywhere.
You’ll see this in K-dramas all the time! In a show like “Queen of Tears”, the characters aren’t fumbling for cash; they’re effortlessly tapping their phones to buy coffee or go shopping.
So, when you’re in Korea, don’t be surprised if you’re the only one using cash. Embracing card and mobile payments will make your trip much more convenient and help you blend in. Knowing the phrase “일시불로 해주세요” is your secret weapon to sounding like you’ve been living there for years!
Let’s Review and Practice!
Amazing work today! You’ve learned the essential phrases for paying with a card in Korea. You now know how to say you’ll pay by card (카드로 계산할게요), ask for a one-time payment (일시불로 해주세요), and even what to do with your receipt (영수증 버려주세요).
Quick Quiz:
- You are buying a souvenir that costs 10,000 won. You hand the cashier your credit card. What is the most important phrase you should say to make sure you pay the full amount now?
_____________ -
Fill in the blank: “I’ll pay by card” in Korean is “__________ 계산할게요.”
Ready to try it out? Leave a comment below making a sentence with one of the phrases you learned today! Happy shopping! 🛍️
