Weather & Seasons in Korean – Know this for your next trip

In this article, we will be learning about how to say seasons in Korean. Possibly, you’ve already checked our lesson for months in Korean, but we’ll also identify and describe what season takes place in those months.

If you’re searching for Korean words related to the weather and the four seasons in Korean, this lesson is perfect for you. This may come in handy if you plan to visit the Land of the Morning Calm during a certain season.

By the end of the lesson, you may very well be able to use Korean words and describe the seasons and even mark your calendar for these four seasons in Korean!

To start, here is a list of the four seasons in Korean. We’ll learn more about them in a while!

• Spring – 봄 (bom)
• Summer – 여름 (yeoreum)
• Autumn – 가을 (gaeul)
• Winter – 겨울 (gyeoul)

All of the Korean vocabulary you’ll learn below will be in Hangeul (Korean Alphabet) with Romanized Korean next to it. We recommend learning the Korean alphabet so you can learn these terms faster and have accurate pronunciation.

Being able to read the Korean alphabet will help you retain the core Korean words you should learn first. It will also improve your overall Korean language learning plan.

Below is a free PDF guide for “Seasons in Korean” that you can download and take with you:

Seasons in Korean

Countries in the world have different types of seasons depending on their location. Some countries have two, and some have four seasons. This is determined by certain temperatures, weather conditions, and, most importantly, the Earth’s position in relation to the sun. But for this lesson, we’ll focus more on how to say the vocabulary related to seasons in Korean!

How to say “seasons” in Korean

There are different seasons in Korea, but the Korean word for “season” is 계절 (gyejeol).

How many seasons are in a year in Korea?

South Korea has four seasons, namely spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

There are also many countries all over the world with four seasons, like the United States and Japan.

What are the seasons in Korean?

Now we know that there are four seasons in Korea. Let us now learn how to say the Korean words and describe each of them in the Korean language. In addition, it is advantageous to know the seasons in the Korean language to explain your home country’s climate and different seasons (or lack of) to a Korean friend.

“Spring” in Korean

The word for “spring” in Korean is 봄 (bom). It is a fairly short season in Korea, but it is beautiful when all the flowers, like the various tree blossoms, bloom.

Here are some Korean words and sentences related to spring:

Sample Sentences:

내가 가장 좋아하는 계절은 봄이에요. (naega gajang joahaneun gyejoreun bomieyo.)

My favorite season is spring.

봄 방학에 뭐 할 거예요? (bom banghage mwo hal geoyeyo?)

What are you going to do during spring vacation?

따뜻한 봄날에는 소풍을 가고 싶어요. (ttatteutan bomnareneun sopungeul gago sipeoyo)

I want to go on a picnic on a sunny spring day.

“Summer” in Korean

여름 (yeoreum) is the term for summer in Korean. It’s a season filled with hot and humid weather in Korea, with a monsoon season squeezed in.

During summer, the perfect place for a quick summer getaway is the beach. Beach in Korean is called 해변 (haebyeon). While the sea or ocean in Korean is 바다 (bada).

Below are related terms to summer in Korean:

Sample Sentences:

올여름은 많이 더울 거예요. (olyeoreumeun mani deoul geoyeyo)

This summer will be very hot.

여름철에는 식중독을 조심하세요. (yeoreumchoreneun sikjjungdogeul josimhaseyo)

Be careful of food poisoning in the summertime.

지난 여름에는 여름 학교를 다녔어요. (jinan yeoreumeneun yeoreum hakgyoreul danyeosseoyo)

I went to summer school last summer.

“Autumn” in Korean

Another short but beautiful season in South Korea is autumn, or 가을 (gaeul) in Korean. You would also use 가을 (gaeul) to say “fall” in Korean. It’s the time of year when the mountainous country is filled with beautifully colored leaves.

To help you learn about autumn in Korean better, here are some words and sentences related to it:

Sample Sentences:

추수를 하고 난 뒤라서 한가해요. (chusureul hago nan dwiraso hangahaeyo.)

I’m free because it’s after harvesting.

올가을도 산이 단풍으로 뒤덮혔어요. (olgaeuldo sani danpungeuro dwideophyeosseoyo.)

The mountain is covered with autumn leaves again this fall.

집 앞 마당에 낙엽을 쓸었어요. (jip ap madange nagyobeul sseureosseoyo.)

I swept the fallen leaves in the front yard of my house.

“Winter” in Korean

The year’s last (and first) season, winter in Korean, is called 겨울 (gyeoul). Lasting for around three months, temperatures drop in Korea during winter.

You might be wondering, “Does it snow in Korea?” In many parts of Korea, it can be quite snowy during the winter months. The perfect time for ice skating!

Here are some Korean words and sentences related to winter:

Sample sentences:

올겨울에는 유난히 눈이 많이 오는군요. (olgyeoureneun yunanhi nuni mani oneungunyo.)

It’s snowing a lot this winter.

이제 겨울옷을 입기 시작했어요. (ije gyeouroseul ipgi sijakaesseoyo.)

I started wearing winter clothes now.

올겨을에 아이스 스케이트를 배우고 싶어요. (olgyeoure aiseu seukeiteureul baeugo sipeoyo.)

I want to learn ice skating this winter.

우리는 새 집에서 따뜻하게 겨울을 났어요. (urineun sae jibeso ttatteutage gyeoureul nasseoyo.)

We spent a warm winter at the new house.

When do these seasons occur each year?

This question is often asked, especially when people have travel plans to Korea. We’ve learned the words for the four seasons in Korean, but if you plan to visit in a certain month to take a closer look and experience Korea, you need to know what season it will be. Knowing this will not only help you learn Korean but also know more about Korean culture. Let’s read on!

What month is spring in Korea?

Spring in Korea normally happens between April and June. It’s said to be the best time to visit Korea because the temperature is just right and all the flowers bloom.

What month is summer in Korea?

The summer season is usually just from July to August. The duration of summer is short, but it can get really hot and humid, so it’s a good time to visit the beach.

What month is autumn in Korea?

Autumn is another great time to travel to Korea, between September and November. Chuseok, or the Korean Thanksgiving, is also celebrated during this season.

What month is winter in Korea?

If you plan to visit South Korea to enjoy various winter festivals, it’s best to go between December to March. It’s good to mark your calendar for this winter-season event! Perhaps you can also visit other key areas in Korea, like ski resorts on Jeju Island, for some skiing and other winter activities.

What is 삼복 (sambok)?

The word 삼복 (sambok), also known as dog days of summer, refers to the three hottest days of the year. 삼복 (sambok) happens between June and August.

삼복 (sambok) is also commonly referred to as 복날 (boknal). These three 복날 (boknal) days have a ten-day interval in between each other. If you’re in Korea or plan to visit soon, you need to know about these three days.

What is 초복 (Chobok)?

Chobok is known as the first dog day and marks the start of sambok.

What is 중복 (Jungbok)?

Chobok is then followed by the middle dog day called 중복 (jungbok) after 10 days.

What is 말복 (Malbok)?

Lastly, the third and last dog day is called 말복 (malbok).

Interestingly, even though it’s very hot, Korean people enjoy having hot soup during sambok. Specifically, a soup such as 삼계탕 (samgyetang), is the most famous choice.

삼계탕 (samgyetang) is a chicken soup with ginseng.  Since it’s hotter than usual in Korea during these days, most people opt to eat healthier food to avoid any possible health issues due to the heat.

You can learn more about sambok in this article.

What is 추분 (chubun)?

The Korean term 추분 (chubun) means autumn equinox. This is the time of the year when the length of day and night is equal. Chubun falls according to the Gregorian calendar, which is usually around September 23. After this, you can already feel the nights gradually become longer.

As Chubun takes place, people also use the weather to identify having a good harvest from a bad one. If there is rain or dry wind, it indicates a good harvest. If the weather is clear, it may mean there’s not much to harvest.

What is 춘분 (chunbun)?

춘분 (chunbun) is the term used in Korean for the spring equinox. It can literally mean “spring point of division”. This time of the year marks the first day of spring.

What is 동지 (dongji)?

동지 (dongji) is the Korean word for Winter Solstice. This day marks the beginning of when daytime is the shortest and nighttime is the longest.

During this day, many Koreans enjoy a bowl of 팥죽 (patjuk) or red bean porridge.

What is 하지 (haji)?

The Korean word 하지 (haji) means Summer Solstice. During this time, daytime is longer than nighttime.

Weather in Korean

Great, now you know the words for the four seasons in Korean! So, let’s move on to the list below and learn Korean vocabulary related to weather with its English counterpart. With this vocabulary, it will also be possible to describe and understand daily forecasts.

Note: Minus temperatures (below zero temperatures) are said like this:

영하 7도 (yeongha 7do)

-7 degrees

“Weather” in Korean

To start, the word for “weather” in Korean is 날씨 (nalssi). In a simple definition, it is the state of the atmosphere, often describing whether the day is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy. Or it could be sunny, cloudy, windy, rainy, and stormy.

“Cold” in Korean

There are two Korean words that translate to “cold.” One is 춥다 (chupda), which is used to describe something that makes you feel cold, just like an airconditioned room or a cold and windy winter day.

On the other hand, the Korean word 차갑다 (chagapda) is used to describe things that are cold to the touch. For example, a cold drink, ice cream, or an ice cube.

This video shows How to Say “Cold” in Korean

“Hot” in Korean

There are different Korean words for “hot” in Korean. In this topic, the word that we will use is 덥다 (deobda). This describes the hot environment or weather.

“Cool” in Korean

There are different definitions for “cool,” but we’ll focus on it as an adjective that describes the cold weather in this lesson. The word for “cool” in the Korean language in this context is 시원해요 (shiwonhaeyo).

However, if you want to know the other terms for “cool,” we have another article saying cool in Korean.

“Warm” in Korean

This defines a temperature that contains heat but is not enough to be called hot. There are two terms for “warm” in Korean, which are 따뜻하다 (ttatteuthada) and 포근하다 (pogeunhada).

On the other hand, the word for “temperature” in Korean is called 온도 (ondo).

“Snow” in Korean

The word for “snow” in Korean is 눈 (nun). If you’d like to describe the day as “snowy,” then you can say it as 눈 오는 날 (nun oneun nal).

“Dry” in Korean

“Dry” in Korean is 건조 (geonjo). This is used to describe a period where the amount of rainfall is low. This is more common in tropical countries where there are only dry and wet seasons.

“Humid” in Korean

“Humid” in Korean is 습하다 (seupada). People often experience this temperature in summer.

“Rain” in Korean

The word for “rain” in Korean is 비 (bi), while the lighter version of rain, which is “shower,” is called 소나기 (sonagi) in Korean.

Also, umbrella in Korean is 우산 (usan). These go hand in hand, so make sure you have your umbrella and waterproof boots with you in the rainy seasons!

“Wind” in Korean

Don’t you love it when the wind brings a cool breeze? The word for “wind” in Korean is 바람 (baram), while “air” in Korean, which is often associated with it, is 공기 (gonggi).

“Thunder” in Korean

“Thunder” in Korean is 천둥 (cheondung). It’s something we can expect during thunderstorms, and it often appears with lightning.

“Lightning” in Korean

This is often accompanied by thunder. In Korean, you can say “lightning” as 번개 (beongae).

“Blizzard” in Korean

“Blizzard” in Korean is 눈보라 (nunbora). This is defined to be a powerful snowstorm that happens in the rainy season.

“Cloud” in Korean

The word for “cloud” in Korean is 구름 (gureum). Clouds help us easily determine what the weather is like on a certain day.

Wrap Up

Congratulations! You have now successfully reached the end of today’s highly informative lesson about the weather and the four distinct seasons in Korean. So be sure to take some time to digest what you’ve just the information as you learn Korean. Do you like winter, spring, summer, or autumn? Or perhaps all seasons?

We also have a separate article focused on nature-related terms in Korean to help you expand your vocabulary further.

You might also want to learn Korean words for more lessons to learn along with your newly learned vocabulary about the weather and the four seasons in Korean! This will further help you in learning the Korean language.