Korean Phrases for Emergencies, Hospitals, and Pharmacies

This guide provides essential Korean expressions you can use during emergencies, at hospitals, and at pharmacies in Korea. Each phrase includes Korean, romanized pronunciation, and English meaning, so you can read and say them more easily.

1. Emergency Situations

If you need urgent help from people nearby:

• 도와주세요. (do-wa-ju-se-yo) – Please help me.
• 긴급 상황이에요. (gin-geup sang-hwang-i-e-yo) – This is an emergency.
• 구급차 불러 주세요. (gu-geup-cha bul-leo ju-se-yo) – Please call an ambulance.
• 경찰 불러 주세요. (gyeong-chal bul-leo ju-se-yo) – Please call the police.

If someone is hurt:

• 사람이 다쳤어요. (sa-ra-mi da-chyeot-seo-yo) – Someone is injured.
• 호흡이 이상해요. (ho-heub-i i-sang-hae-yo) – The breathing is abnormal.
• 의식을 잃었어요. (ui-sig-eul i-reot-seo-yo) – They lost consciousness.

If you need to describe your own condition:

• 아파요. (a-pa-yo) – I’m in pain.
• 숨쉬기 힘들어요. (sum-swi-gi him-deu-reo-yo) – It’s hard to breathe.
• 어지러워요. (eo-ji-reo-wo-yo) – I feel dizzy.
• 넘어졌어요. (neo-meo-jeot-seo-yo) – I fell down.

2. At the Hospital Reception

Common phrases at the front desk:

• 진료 받고 싶어요. (jin-ryo bat-go si-peo-yo) – I want to see a doctor.
• 응급실 어디예요? (eung-geup-sil eo-di-ye-yo?) – Where is the emergency room?
• 예약 없어요. (ye-yak eop-seo-yo) – I don’t have a reservation.
• 여권 있어요. (yeo-kkwon i-sseo-yo) – I have my passport.

Staff may ask:

• 어디가 아프세요? (eo-di-ga a-peu-se-yo?) – Where does it hurt?
• 언제부터 아팠어요? (eon-je-bu-to a-pat-seo-yo?) – Since when has it been hurting?
• 증상이 뭐예요? (jeung-sang-i mwo-ye-yo?) – What are your symptoms?
• 약 먹었어요? (yak meo-geot-seo-yo?) – Have you taken any medicine?

How to respond:

• 배가 아파요. (bae-ga a-pa-yo) – My stomach hurts.
• 목이 아파요. (mok-i a-pa-yo) – My throat hurts.
• 열이 있어요. (yeol-i i-sseo-yo) – I have a fever.
• 기침이 나요. (gi-chim-i na-yo) – I am coughing.
• 토했어요. (to-haet-seo-yo) – I vomited.
• 설사해요. (seol-sa-hae-yo) – I have diarrhea.

3. Describing Pain

Useful expressions for explaining the pain level:

• 많이 아파요. (ma-ni a-pa-yo) – It hurts a lot.
• 조금 아파요. (jo-geum a-pa-yo) – It hurts a little.
• 갑자기 아파졌어요. (gap-ja-gi a-pa-jeot-seo-yo) – The pain started suddenly.
• 계속 아파요. (gye-sok a-pa-yo) – It has been hurting continuously.

Type of pain:

• 찌르는 느낌이에요. (jji-reu-neun neu-kki-mi-e-yo) – It feels like stabbing.
• 압박감 있어요. (ap-bak-gam i-sseo-yo) – I feel pressure.
• 쑤시는 느낌이에요. (ssu-si-neun neu-kki-mi-e-yo) – It’s an aching pain.

4. Medical Tests and Procedures

You may hear from staff:

• 혈압 재겠습니다. (hyeol-ap jae-ge-seum-ni-da) – We will check your blood pressure.
• 체온 재겠습니다. (che-on jae-ge-seum-ni-da) – We will check your temperature.
• 피 검사 필요해요. (pi geom-sa pi-ryo-hae-yo) – You need a blood test.
• X-ray 찍어야 해요. (ek-seu-re-i jji-geo-ya hae-yo) – You need an X-ray.
• 잠시만 기다려 주세요. (jam-si-man gi-da-ryeo ju-se-yo) – Please wait for a moment.

Useful responses:

• 네, 알겠습니다. (ne, al-ge-sseum-ni-da) – Okay, I understand.
• 기다릴게요. (gi-da-ril-ge-yo) – I will wait.

5. Getting a Diagnosis

What a doctor may say:

• 감기예요. (gam-gi-ye-yo) – You have a cold.
• 염증이 있어요. (yeom-jjeung-i i-sseo-yo) – You have inflammation.
• 탈수 상태예요. (tal-su sang-tae-ye-yo) – You are dehydrated.
• 약 드릴게요. (yak deu-ril-ge-yo) – I will prescribe medicine.

6. At the Pharmacy

Common phrases for pharmacies (약국, yak-guk):

• 이 약 처방전 있어요. (i yak cheo-bang-jeon i-sseo-yo) – I have a prescription for this medicine.
• 감기약 주세요. (gam-gi-yak ju-se-yo) – Please give me cold medicine.
• 두통약 있어요? (du-tong-yak i-sseo-yo?) – Do you have headache medicine?
• 배탈약 주세요. (bae-tal-yak ju-se-yo) – Stomach medicine, please.
• 연고 추천해 주세요. (yeon-go chu-cheon-hae ju-se-yo) – Please recommend an ointment.

If you need non-prescription help:

• 이런 증상 있어요. (i-reon jeung-sang i-sseo-yo) – I have these symptoms. (Show list.)
• 어떤 약이 좋아요? (eo-ttheon yak-i jo-a-yo?) – Which medicine is good?

Useful questions:

• 얼마예요? (eol-ma-ye-yo?) – How much is it?
• 하루에 몇 번 먹어요? (ha-ru-e myeot beon meo-geo-yo?) – How many times a day should I take it?
• 식사 전에 먹어요? (sik-sa jeon-e meo-geo-yo?) – Should I take it before meals?

7. Serious Emergency Phrases

For urgent or life-threatening situations:

• 숨이 안 쉬어져요. (su-mi an swi-eo-jyeo-yo) – I can’t breathe.
• 심장이 아파요. (sim-jang-i a-pa-yo) – My chest hurts.
• 통증이 심해요. (tong-jjeung-i sim-hae-yo) – The pain is severe.
• 쓰러졌어요. (sseu-reo-jeot-seo-yo) – Someone collapsed.

8. Realistic Emergency Dialogue

You: 도와주세요! 친구가 다쳤어요. (do-wa-ju-se-yo! chin-gu-ga da-chyeot-seo-yo)
Local: 어디 아픈가요? (eo-di a-peun-ga-yo?) – Where is your friend hurt?
You: 머리를 다쳤어요. 구급차 불러 주세요. (meo-ri-reul da-chyeot-seo-yo. gu-geup-cha bul-leo ju-se-yo) – They hurt their head. Please call an ambulance.
Local: 네, 119 부를게요. (ne, il-il-gu bu-reul-ge-yo) – Okay, I will call 119.

Final Note

Korean emergency services and hospitals are efficient, well-organized, and used to helping international visitors. Knowing these key expressions, along with their pronunciation, can help you communicate more clearly and receive help quickly in urgent situations.