How to Say “Korea” in Korean

Get ready to learn how to say “Korea” in Korean because we’re going to teach you how in about 5 minutes flat!

We’ll also explain why many people get the pronunciation wrong (without even knowing it!).

This is one of the first words many people learn in Korean since it’s often used when speaking Korean or traveling to Korea.

It comes up time and time again, so we’re going to make sure you are prepared.

Let’s get to it!

In this short lesson, we’ll get you to use the word and some other forms of it. We’re going to teach you how to say “Korea” in Korean, and as a bonus, we’ll give you some sample sentences and ideas for how to remember them easily.

Let’s get right into it.

What is “Korea” in Korean?

The way to say “Korea” in Korean is 한국 (hanguk). Just two syllables! Take a look at how it’s written in Korean and get a feel for its pronunciation:

Many people are confused because the final ㄱ syllable in 국 is pronounced softly. If you try to pronounce it distinctly, it will be a bit difficult and sound strange. Instead, you can make it more of a lighter pronunciation.

Sample Sentences

We’ve added some sample sentences to help you get a feel for how the word “Korea” in Korean is used. Can you still remember the word? Try to find it in the sentences below and grasp their meaning.

As we mentioned before, your main study focus should always be on the practical usage of the word in phrases and conversation, so this should help.

Example (Formal):

저는 한국을 좋아합니다. (jeoneun hangugeul joahamnida)

I like Korea.

한국의 문화는 매우 따뜻하고 친절합니다. (hangugui munhwaneun maeu ttatteuthago chinjeolhamnida)

Korea’s culture is very warm and hospitable.

Example (Standard):

한국의 수도는 서울이다. (hangugui sudoneun seourida)

The capital city of Korea is Seoul.

Example (Informal):

한국에서 영어를 가르치고 있어요. (hangugeseo yeongeoreul gareuchigo isseoyo)

I am teaching English in Korea.

Romanization and Vocabulary Memorization – A Warning

As you can see, we’ve written the Romanized version of the word 한국 (hanguk) above to assist with pronunciation for beginners. It’s definitely a great way to pronounce new words when you’re just starting out easily. That being said, if you intend to delve into learning the Korean language, we recommend avoiding Romanization altogether and just becoming comfortable with Hangul (the Korean alphabet). 

“Why?” you might ask. Well, we’re glad you asked! The biggest reason that Romanization can be confusing is that the English characters cannot perfectly replicate the sounds that Korean characters make. Add that to the fact that there are multiple methods for romanizing Korean, and it just complicates things.

You need to learn each method to be able to read the words since different websites or signs may use different methods. Cut out the time it takes you to learn Romanization methods and just invest 90 minutes in learning to read Korean – that’s really all it takes!

Picking up vocabulary words here and there is a great way to help you start getting a feel for the Korean language, but if you really want to start having conversations or be able to use the language, it won’t get you very far.

We recommend starting to learn some phrases or taking a course and studying the grammar of the language. Take a look at our free list of Korean phrases, or consider joining our full Korean course, and we’ll help you learn Korean in 90 days!

Other Ways to Say “Korea” in Korean

Although Koreans most often refer to Korea as 한국 (hanguk), there are ways to specifically refer to North and South Korea.

“South Korea” in Korean

The full name of the Republic of Korea is 대한민국 (daehanminguk) which translates as ‘The Democratic Nation of the Great Han.” You’ll often hear this being chanted during international events to show a sense of pride for Korea.

“North Korea” in Korean

Also, as you may know, Korea is divided into two different nations. We have been specifically talking about South Korea, but if you wish to refer to North Korea, you can say 북한 (bukan), which literally means “North Korea.”

Korean People and Korean Language

Now that you’ve learned how to say “Korea” in Korean, you’re ready to move on to some upgrades! Let’s learn the ways to refer to a Korean person and the Korean language:

Korean (person) – 한국인 (hangugin) or 한국 사람 (hanguksaram)

Korean (language) – 한국어 (hangugeo)

If you’re curious about the Korean language, go here: https://www.90daykorean.com/korean/

How to Remember the Word

Learning new Korean vocabulary words isn’t easy! It takes some time to let them sink in. You can speed up the process by making associations to help you remember them rapidly.

Finding words that sound similar in English or making silly pictures in your head are two easy ways to go about this. If you have a base knowledge of some simply Korean vocabulary, you can also use those as associations.

For example, imagine Han Solo from Star Wars! The word “Han” sounds similar to the first syllable of the word 한국 (hanguk). Also, the second syllable (국 | guk) is the same as the word for ‘soup’ in Korean. Imagine Han Solo visiting Korea and sitting down to a nice hearty bowl of Korean soup (국 | guk)!

Wrap Up

What’s your favorite thing about Korea? Do you have any ways you like to remember this word? Leave a comment below and let us know!