Korean Family & People Vocabulary가족과 사람

family

가족이 몇 명이에요?How many people are in your family?

💡 Memory tip: 가(家, house) + 족(族, clan/tribe) — the "people of the house." The same 가 is in 가정 (household).

Pronunciation: ㄱ받침 + vowel: in 가족이 the ㄱ links to 이: [가조기]

father

아버지는 회사원이에요.My father is an office worker.

💡 Memory tip: 아빠 (appa, casual "dad") → 아버지 is the polite, respectful form. Pair with 어머니 (mother).

Pronunciation: Polite form. Casual: 아빠 (appa). Very formal: 아버님 (abeonim)

mother

어머니가 요리를 잘해요.My mother cooks well.

💡 Memory tip: 엄마 (eomma, casual "mom") → 어머니 is the polite, respectful form. The mirror of 아버지.

Pronunciation: Polite form. Casual: 엄마 (eomma). Very formal: 어머님 (eomeonim)

older brother

형이 대학생이에요. / 오빠가 대학생이에요.My older brother is a university student.

💡 Memory tip: Which word depends on YOUR gender: a man says 형, a woman says 오빠. (오빠 is also what K-pop fans call male idols.)

Pronunciation: 형 = male speaker's older brother. 오빠 = female speaker's older brother. Very different words!

older sister

누나가 선생님이에요. / 언니가 선생님이에요.My older sister is a teacher.

💡 Memory tip: Again depends on YOUR gender: a man says 누나, a woman says 언니. Mirror of the 형/오빠 pair.

Pronunciation: 누나 = male speaker's older sister. 언니 = female speaker's older sister.

man / male

저 남자는 누구예요?Who is that man?

💡 Memory tip: 남(男, male) + 자(子, person) = "male person." The 남 reappears in 남편 (husband) and 남자친구 (boyfriend).

woman / female

그 여자는 제 친구예요.That woman is my friend.

💡 Memory tip: 여(女, female) + 자(子, person) = "female person." The mirror of 남자. The 여 reappears in 여자친구 (girlfriend).

child / kid

아이가 세 명 있어요.I have three children.

💡 Memory tip: Two soft vowels, "a-i" — the gentle word for a child. Contracts to 애 in casual speech.

Pronunciation: Also written as 애 in casual speech. 아이들 = children (plural)

husband

남편은 한국 사람이에요.My husband is Korean.

💡 Memory tip: Starts with 남 (male) — the same 男 as in 남자 (man). Your husband is your "male partner."

Pronunciation: ㅁ + ㅍ: [남편] — the ㅁ nasalizes before ㅍ

wife

아내와 같이 여행해요.I travel together with my wife.

💡 Memory tip: The counterpart of 남편 (husband). Native Korean word — distinct from the borrowed 와이프 (wife).

Pronunciation: More formal/neutral than 와이프 (waipeu, from English "wife") which is commonly used in casual speech

friend

친구를 만났어요.I met a friend.

💡 Memory tip: 친(親, close/intimate) + 구(舊, longtime) — a "close, longtime person." The 친 also appears in 친절 (kindness).

Pronunciation: In Korean, 친구 strictly means someone your OWN age. Older/younger friends use different terms.

to love

가족을 사랑해요.I love my family.

💡 Memory tip: 사랑 (love, the noun) + 하다 (to do) = "to do love." 사랑해요 is the phrase you hear in every K-drama.

Pronunciation: 하다 verb: 사랑하다 → 사랑해요 (polite present) → 사랑했어요 (past)

how many / what (number)

몇 살이에요?How old are you?

💡 Memory tip: The "how many" word that sits before counters: 몇 살 (how old), 몇 시 (what time), 몇 명 (how many people).

Pronunciation: ㅊ받침 → [ㄷ]: [멷]. Before a vowel: 몇이 → [며치]

years old (age counter)

스물다섯 살이에요.I'm 25 years old.

💡 Memory tip: The counter for years of age. Always pair it with native numbers: 한 살, 두 살, 스무 살.

Pronunciation: Uses native Korean numbers: 한 살 (1), 두 살 (2), 세 살 (3)... 스무 살 (20)