Essential Korean Phrases: Emergencies

Key expressions you need for emergencies in Korea.

The Situation

You're emergencies in Korea. These phrases will help you handle the situation confidently. Even if your pronunciation isn't perfect, Koreans will appreciate the effort — and these specific phrases are what they expect to hear. Each phrase below is in 해요체 (polite form), which is appropriate for all service situations.

Why English Speakers Get It Wrong

The biggest mistake isn't grammar — it's using English-style directness. Korean service interactions follow specific scripts. Saying "Give me a coffee" (translated literally) sounds rude, even with perfect grammar. Korean uses 주세요 ("please give") as the default polite request form. Almost every service phrase ends with this word. Learn it once, use it everywhere.

How It Works

Key phrases for Emergencies: • 도와주세요! (dowajuseyo!) "Help me!" • 경찰 불러 주세요. (gyeongchar burreo juseyo.) "Please call the police." • 길을 잃었어요. (gireur ireoteoyo.) "I'm lost." These phrases cover the most common interactions. Memorize them as complete units rather than trying to construct sentences from scratch.

Real Examples

• 도와주세요! (dowajuseyo!) — "Help me!" • 경찰 불러 주세요. (gyeongchar burreo juseyo.) — "Please call the police." • 길을 잃었어요. (gireur ireoteoyo.) — "I'm lost."

Common Mistakes

❌ Translating English phrases word-by-word ✅ Use the set Korean phrases: 도와주세요! → Korean service language has fixed patterns. Use the phrases as-is rather than constructing your own sentences. ❌ Speaking too quickly or mumbling ✅ Speak slowly and clearly, especially 주세요 at the end → Even if your pronunciation isn't perfect, speaking clearly with 주세요 at the end will get your message across.

Quick Tip

Emergency: 119 (fire/ambulance), 112 (police). 1345 for foreigner help hotline (24h). Pro tip: Screenshot these phrases on your phone before going out. In the moment, you can quickly reference them. After using them 3-4 times in real situations, they'll become automatic. Start with the first phrase (도와주세요!) — it's the most essential one for this situation.

Emergency: 119 (fire/ambulance), 112 (police). 1345 for foreigner help hotline (24h).

Examples

도와주세요! — dowajuseyo! — Help me!

경찰 불러 주세요. — gyeongchar burreo juseyo. — Please call the police.

길을 잃었어요. — gireur ireoteoyo. — I'm lost.