There are a few different ways to say “bag” in Korean. We’ll explain how!
Imagine: You’re about to head out the door, and you’ve got your clothes and shoes on, but what’s missing? Where will you keep your phone, wallet, and other things you need while you’re out?
A bag, of course!
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How to say “Bag” in Korean
So how to say “bag” in Korean? Well, it depends on the kind of bag you’re talking about! The word for the type of bag you would have outside and have your keys, wallet, and other things in is called 가방 (gabang).
Sample sentences
그 사람이 가방에서 사과를 꺼냈어요. (geu sarami gabangeseo sagwareul ggeonaesseoyo.)
That person took an apple out of the bag.
어떤 가방을 원해? (eoddeon gabangeul sago shipeo?)
What kind of bag do you want?
“Shopping bag” in Korean
However, when you’re referring to a bag like a shopping bag, the word you’d want to use is either 봉투 (bongthu) or 봉지 (bongji). These words can also be used to refer to a trash bag.
Sample sentences
봉투를 필요하세요? (bongthureul phiryohaseyo?)
Do you need a bag?
봉지에 넣어 주십시오. (bongjie neoheo jushibshio.)
Please put it in the bag for me.
“Snack bag” in Korean
Additionally, if you are talking about a bag of snacks or candy, you should say X 한 봉지 (han bongji), with the X indicating whether it’s snacks, candies, etc.
“Trash bag” in Korean
If you want to say “trash bag,” you should use either 쓰레기 봉투 (sseuregi bongthu) or 쓰레기 봉지 (sseuregi bongji).
“Plastic bag” in Korean
If you’d like to ask for a plastic bag, you can specifically say 비닐 봉지 (binil bongji) or 비닐 봉투 (binil bongthu). Below is a sample sentence of this scenario.
Sample sentence
종이봉투에나 비닐봉투에 넣어드릴까요? (jongibongthuena binilbongthue neoheodeurilggayo?)
Do you want a paper bag or plastic?
“Paper bag” in Korean
If the answer you have for the question above is “paper bag,” you can use the words 종이 봉지 (jongi bongji) or 종이 봉투 (jongi bongthu) instead. If you order Korean food for takeout or delivery, they usually use these types of bags.
Verbs to use with “bag” in Korean
There are also verbs that are convenient to attach to the word “bag.” Here are some of them.
If you’d like to know more about verbs, we have a separate article about Korean verbs.
“Opening the bag” in Korean
If you want to say you are opening the bag, you’ll want to attach it to the verb stem 뜯다 (ddeudda).
“Putting something in the bag” in Korean
If you’re saying you’re putting something in the bag, the verb stem to use is 담다 (damda) for 봉투 (bongthu) and 봉지 (bongji), but 넣다 (neodda) for 가방 (gabang).
“Carrying the bag” in Korean
If you want to express that you are carrying the bag, the correct verb stem is 들다 (deulda), or 어깨에 메다 (eoggaee meda) if you want to especially express you are carrying it on your shoulder.
A word of caution about Romanization
While you can study the words in this article simply by reading their romanized versions, it will come in handy for you to be able to read Hangeul if you ever wish to come to Korea. Hangeul is the Korean alphabet, and not difficult to learn. In fact, you can learn it in just 90 minutes.
Get the 90-Minute Challenge PDF guide here and be reading Korean before your next meal. Once you know the alphabet, learning Korean will be faster and easier.
After you’ve familiarized yourself with Hangeul, life in Korea will suddenly seem so much easier. The country and culture will be more familiar, and you’ll understand the language on a different level.
Wrap Up
So now that you have this Korean word in the bag, and can add it to your list of Korean words to memorize. What words would you like to learn next? Let us know in the comments below!
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