안녕하세요 is a great start. But the moment you walk into a Korean restaurant, catch a taxi, or need help in a shop, you need more. Here are 30 phrases that actually come up: organized by situation.
At a restaurant (식당에서)
주문할게요. (jumun halgeyo): I'd like to order.
이거 주세요. (igo juseyo): This one, please. (while pointing)
하나 더 주세요. (hana deo juseyo): One more, please.
얼마예요? (eolmayeyo?): How much is it?
계산해 주세요. (gyesan hae juseyo): Check, please.
맛있어요! (masisseoyo!): It's delicious!
조금 덜 맵게 해주세요. (jogeum deol maepge haejuseyo): A little less spicy, please.
Shopping (쇼핑할 때)
얼마예요?: How much?
깎아 주세요. (kkakka juseyo): Please give me a discount. (markets only)
이거 입어봐도 돼요? (igo ibeoobwado dwaeyo?): Can I try this on?
다른 색 있어요? (dareun saek isseoyo?): Do you have another color?
그냥 볼게요. (geunyang bolgeyo): I'm just browsing.
Getting around (교통)
~에 어떻게 가요? (~e eotteoke gayo?): How do I get to ~?
여기서 내려 주세요. (yeogiseo naeryeo juseyo): Please let me off here. (taxi)
~까지 가 주세요. (~kkaji ga juseyo): Please take me to ~. (taxi)
지하철역이 어디예요? (jihacheollyeogi eodiyeyo?): Where is the subway station?
When you don't understand (이해 못 할 때)
다시 말해 주세요. (dasi malhae juseyo): Please say that again.
천천히 말해 주세요. (cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo): Please speak slowly.
한국어 잘 못해요. (hangugeo jal motaeyo): I'm not very good at Korean.
영어 하세요? (yeongeo haseyo?): Do you speak English?
이게 뭐예요? (ige mwoyeyo?): What is this?
Being polite (예의 표현)
감사합니다. (gamsahamnida): Thank you. (formal)
고마워요. (gomawoyo): Thanks. (casual polite)
죄송합니다. (joesonghamnida): I'm sorry / Excuse me. (formal)
괜찮아요. (gwaenchanayo): It's okay / No worries.
실례합니다. (sillyehamnida): Excuse me. (getting past someone)
Everyday useful
있어요 / 없어요 (isseoyo / eopseoyo): There is / There isn't. (incredibly useful)
돼요 / 안 돼요 (dwaeyo / an dwaeyo): It's okay / It's not okay.
맞아요. (majayo): That's right.
아, 알겠어요. (a, algessoyo): Ah, I understand. / Got it.
잠깐만요. (jamkkanmanyo): Just a moment.
These phrases carry you surprisingly far. Koreans genuinely appreciate any effort to speak Korean, even if it's just 이거 주세요 while pointing at a menu. Once you have these locked in, the next step is building grammar so you can say what you actually mean. Not just memorized chunks. A structured Korean course starts with exactly this kind of practical vocabulary before moving into structured grammar.