Learn Basic Korean for Travel: How to Talk at a Pharmacy

Catch a cold or headache while traveling in South Korea? Head to a pharmacy, marked 약국 (yak-guk) literally "medicine office."

This guide equips non-Hangul readers with essential phrases for symptoms like headaches or fevers, plus pharmacist responses.

1. Watch & Listen: See the Conversation in Action

Watch the short video below and practice the conversation first. This "How to Talk at a Pharmacy" video is part of our "Everyday Korean" series, which is specifically designed to help travelers learn the language through real-world situations you're likely to encounter on your trip.

2. Full Dialogue Breakdown: What They're Saying and How to Say It

This section provides a complete, line-by-line breakdown of the pharmacy conversation you just watched. Understanding the natural flow of the interaction is key to feeling confident. Even if you only plan to use one or two phrases, knowing what to expect from the pharmacist will help you feel prepared.

Note: Romanization is a guide to pronunciation, but the sounds of Korean are unique. Use the video to hear the most accurate pronunciation.

Pharmacist: What can I get for you?

Korean: 뭐 드릴까요?

Romanization: Mwo deu-ril-kka-yo?

Customer: I have a headache.

Korean: 머리가 아파요.

Romanization: Meo-ri-ga a-pa-yo.

Pharmacist: Do you have a fever?

Korean: 열 있으세요?

Romanization: Yeol i-sseu-se-yo?

Customer: Yes, a little.

Korean: 네, 조금 있어요.

Romanization: Ne, jo-geum i-sseo-yo.

Pharmacist: What about a runny nose?

Korean: 콧물은요?

Romanization: Kon-mu-reun-yo?

Customer: Yes, I have a runny nose too.

Korean: 네, 콧물도 나요.

Romanization: Ne, kon-mul-do na-yo.

Pharmacist: Then I’ll give you some cold medicine.

Korean: 그럼 감기약 드릴게요.

Romanization: Geu-reom gam-gi-yak deu-ril-kke-yo.

Pharmacist: This medicine may make you sleepy.

Korean: 이 약은 졸릴 수 있어요.

Romanization: I ya-geun jol-lil su i-sseo-yo.

Pharmacist: Take it three times a day, after meals.

Korean: 하루에 세 번, 식후에 드세요.

Romanization: Ha-ru-e se beon, sik-hu-e deu-se-yo.

4. Key Vocabulary & Expressions

You don't need to memorize the entire dialogue to be successful. Focusing on a few core words can help you understand the context of the pharmacist's questions and form your own simple, effective responses. The table below contains the most high-impact vocabulary from our pharmacy conversation.

Korean (Hangul)	Romanization	Meaning
머리	Meo-ri	Head
아파요	A-pa-yo	It hurts / I'm sick
열	Yeol	Fever
조금	Jo-geum	A little
콧물	Kon-mul	Runny nose
약	Yak	Medicine
감기	Gam-gi	Cold
하루	Ha-ru	a day
세 번	Se beon	Three times
식후	Sik-hu	After meals

Building Your Own Phrases

The most powerful phrase you learned is 아파요 (a-pa-yo), meaning "it hurts." You can combine it with different body parts to describe various symptoms. The basic structure is:

[Body Part] + 아파요 (a-pa-yo)

Here are a few more words to make this pattern even more useful:

• 목 (mok): Throat

• 배 (bae): Stomach

Now you can form new, essential sentences:

• 목 아파요 (Mog a-pa-yo): I have a sore throat.

• 배 아파요 (Bae a-pa-yo): My stomach hurts.

5. Real Travel Tips: At the Korean Pharmacy

Knowing a few cultural details is just as important as knowing the language. These simple tips will help you navigate the pharmacy experience smoothly and confidently, ensuring you get what you need without any stress.

• Spot the '약' Sign: Find Korean pharmacies by looking for a large red or green cross symbol and the Hanguel character 약 (yak).

• Single Doses are Common: Unlike in some countries where you must buy a full box, you can often buy just one or two doses of medicine in Korea. This is perfect for treating a minor, short-term illness while traveling.

• Describe Your Symptoms: As you saw in the dialogue, you don't need perfect sentences. The phrase '머리 아파요' (Meo-ri a-pa-yo) is a complete and effective way to communicate your main symptom. Pharmacists are skilled at using gestures and simple follow-up questions from there.

Ready to see how much you've learned? Let's try a few practice questions to build your confidence.

6. Let's Practice! How to Talk at a Pharmacy?

Now it's time to apply what you've learned. This is a simple, low-pressure way to practice the phrases and make sure they stick. Read the scenarios below and try to answer the questions.

1. You walk into the pharmacy. How do you tell the pharmacist, "I have a headache"?

2. The pharmacist asks if you have a fever. You feel a little warm. How do you say, "Yes, a little"?

3. The pharmacist gives you medicine and says, "하루에 세 번 드세요. (Ha-ru se beon deu-se-yo)" What does this mean?

    A) Take it when you feel sleepy.

    B) Take it three times a day

    C) This is strong medicine.

🔹 Answers

1.머리가 아파요. Meo-ri-ga a-pa-yo.

2. 네, 조금요. Ne, jo-geum-yo.

3. B) Take it three times a day

7. Keep Learning with Everyday Korean

Great job! With just a few phrases, you are now much better prepared to handle a common travel situation in Korea. This post is part of our Everyday Korean series, which focuses on learning practical Korean through real-life dialogues just like this one. Keep practicing, and you'll be communicating with confidence in no time.

— Talkhey

TalkHey aims to be the go-to online platform for teens and adults worldwide who want to learn Korean, helping them confidently achieve their language goals through personalized and flexible lessons, whether they're just starting or looking to master advanced skills.