9 Korean Phrases for Asking for Directions: 어떻게 가요?

Quick answer: To ask for directions in Korean, get the person's attention with 저기요 and then say ○○ 어떻게 가요? (eotteoke gayo) — "How do I get to ○○?" To ask if something is nearby, say 이 근처에 ○○ 있어요? — "Is there a ○○ around here?" Both are 해요체, polite enough for any stranger on the street.

The hard part of asking for directions isn't the question. It's the answer. You ask one clean sentence, and back comes a stream of 쭉, 사거리, 건너편, 출구 — and you nod and walk off in the wrong direction. So this article gives you the nine phrases that matter, including the two that save you when the reply goes past you.

Here's how it usually sounds:

A: 저기요, 뭐 좀 여쭤볼게요. 이 근처에 우체국 있어요? B: 우체국이요? 저기 사거리에서 오른쪽으로 가시면 바로 보여요. A: 여기서 멀어요? B: 아니요, 걸어서 5분쯤 걸려요. A: 감사합니다!

A: Excuse me, can I ask you something? Is there a post office near here? / B: A post office? Turn right at that intersection and you'll see it right away. / A: Is it far from here? / B: No, about five minutes on foot. / A: Thank you!

1. 저기요, 뭐 좀 여쭤볼게요.

저기요, 뭐 좀 여쭤볼게요. — "Excuse me, can I ask you something?"

This is the opener. 저기요 gets the attention of a stranger, and 여쭤보다 is the humble form of 묻다 (to ask) — it lowers you, not them, which is exactly what you want when you've just interrupted someone's walk. You can also say 길 좀 여쭤볼게요 ("let me ask the way"). Saying just 저기요 and then launching into your question is fine too, but this one sentence buys you a second while the person turns around.

2. ○○ 어떻게 가요?

서울역 어떻게 가요? — "How do I get to Seoul Station?"

This is the workhorse. 어떻게 가요 asks for the route, not the location, so you'll get "go straight, then left" instead of a vague point. Slot in any place name: 시청 어떻게 가요?, 버스 터미널 어떻게 가요? If you want to be a touch softer, add 혹시 at the front: 혹시 서울역 어떻게 가요? — "Do you happen to know how to get to Seoul Station?"

3. 이 근처에 ○○ 있어요?

이 근처에 약국 있어요? — "Is there a pharmacy around here?"

Use this when you don't have a specific place in mind, just a type of place: 약국 (pharmacy), 화장실 (restroom), 편의점 (convenience store), 현금인출기 (ATM). The particle 에 marks where something exists — 근처에 있어요, not 근처에서 — and in speech Koreans usually drop the 이/가 after the noun, which is why it's 약국 있어요? and not 약국이 있어요? (에 vs 에서 is worth a quick refresher if that split still feels slippery.)

4. 여기서 멀어요?

여기서 멀어요? — "Is it far from here?"

Short, natural, and the single most useful follow-up question. The answer will be 네, 좀 멀어요 or 아니요, 가까워요 — and often a number of minutes. If you want to flip it, 가까워요? ("Is it close?") works the same way. Koreans ask this constantly; it doesn't sound lazy or rude.

5. 걸어서 얼마나 걸려요?

걸어서 얼마나 걸려요? — "How long does it take on foot?"

걸리다 is the verb for time taken, and 걸어서 means "by walking." Swap it out: 버스로 얼마나 걸려요? ("How long by bus?"), 지하철로 얼마나 걸려요? ("How long by subway?"). Expect an answer with 한 or 쯤 stuck on, because Koreans almost always round: 한 10분쯤 걸려요 — "about ten minutes."

6. 걸어갈 수 있어요?

걸어갈 수 있어요? — "Can I walk there?"

This asks whether walking is a realistic option, not whether your legs work. If the place is across a river or three subway stops away, you'll hear 아니요, 좀 멀어요. 버스 타세요 — "No, it's a bit far. Take the bus." The pattern is -(으)ㄹ 수 있다, the Korean "can", and it shows up everywhere once you notice it.

7. 이 길 맞아요?

이 길 맞아요? — "Is this the right way?"

Use this when you're already walking and losing confidence. 맞다 means "to be correct," so you're asking whether this road is the correct one. A natural alternative is 이쪽으로 가면 돼요? — "Is it okay if I go this way?" Both get you a quick 네, 맞아요 or 아니요, 반대쪽이에요 ("no, it's the other direction").

8. 죄송한데, 다시 한번 말씀해 주시겠어요?

죄송한데, 다시 한번 말씀해 주시겠어요? — "Sorry, could you say that one more time?"

This is the phrase that rescues the whole conversation. 말씀하다 is the honorific form of 말하다, and -주시겠어요 is a soft request — together it's polite without being stiff. If you want it shorter, 네? 다시 한번요? works in real life. Nobody minds repeating directions; they mind you walking away confused. The -아/어 주다 pattern for asking someone to do something for you is worth owning — it's half of everyday Korean requests.

9. 조금만 천천히 말씀해 주세요.

조금만 천천히 말씀해 주세요. — "Please speak a little more slowly."

Pair this with the one above when the speed, not the words, is the problem. 조금만 ("just a little") makes it a small favor instead of a complaint. Many people will also switch to pointing and short phrases once they hear it, which is honestly the best outcome. And if someone offers to walk you there — 제가 데려다 드릴게요 — you can accept, or decline warmly with 아니에요, 괜찮아요. 감사합니다!

What they'll say back

That last one is the off-script moment. 저도 잘 모르겠는데요 means the person genuinely doesn't know — it's not a brush-off. Say 아, 네. 감사합니다 and ask someone else. Shop staff standing in a doorway are usually your best bet; they know their block.

FAQ

How do you ask for directions in Korean?

Say 저기요 to get someone's attention, then ask 서울역 어떻게 가요? ("How do I get to Seoul Station?") or 이 근처에 약국 있어요? ("Is there a pharmacy near here?"). Both are in 해요체, the standard polite speech level, which is right for any stranger. Finish with 감사합니다.

What does 어떻게 가요 mean in Korean?

It means "How do I get there?" — literally "how do (I) go." Korean usually leaves out the subject, so 어떻게 가요? on its own is a complete, natural question. Put a place in front of it and you have your whole sentence: 명동 어떻게 가요?

How do you say "Is it far?" in Korean?

여기서 멀어요? — "Is it far from here?" 멀다 means "to be far" and 가깝다 means "to be close," so 가까워요? asks the opposite. To ask about time instead of distance, use 얼마나 걸려요? ("How long does it take?").

Practice

1. You want to stop a stranger politely before asking anything. What do you say?
2. Ask how to get to the bus terminal (버스 터미널).
3. Ask if there's a restroom (화장실) around here.
4. They answered too fast. Ask them to say it once more.
5. What does 길 건너편에 있어요 mean?