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Korean Convenience Store Phrases: What the Clerk Will Ask You
Five quick questions, almost always in the same order. Learn them once and checkout stops being scary.
In 30 seconds
- The clerk usually asks about a bag, heating, points, payment and the receipt.
- For most of them you can answer 아니요, 괜찮아요: "No, I'm fine."
- Press 🐢 Slow on any line below to hear it slowly.
Korean convenience stores (편의점, pyeon-ui-jeom) like GS25, CU and 7-Eleven are everywhere. Buying isn't the hard part. The hard part is that the clerk says everything fast. The good news: the questions are almost always the same. Here they are, in the order you'll hear them.
1 "Do you need a bag?"
봉투 필요하세요?
Sounds like [봉투 피료하세요] · bong-tu pi-ryo-ha-se-yo
Bags usually cost a little extra, so many people carry their own. Your answer:
아니요, 괜찮아요. No, I'm fine.
네, 하나 주세요. Yes, one please.
💡 괜찮아요 sounds like [괜차나요]. The ㅎ goes silent.
2 "Should I heat it up?"
데워 드릴까요?
Sounds like [데워 드릴까요] · de-wo deu-ril-kka-yo
You'll hear this when you buy a lunch box (도시락), a burger or triangle kimbap. Your answer:
네, 데워 주세요. Yes, please heat it.
아니요, 괜찮아요. No, thanks.
3 "Do you collect points?"
포인트 적립하세요?
Sounds like [포인트 정니파세요] · po-in-teu jeong-ni-pa-se-yo
This one confuses everyone. 적립 (collect points) is written jeok-rip but said [정닙] jeong-nip. If you don't have the store's membership app, answer:
아니요, 없어요. No, I don't have one.
💡 없어요 sounds like [업써요].
4 "How will you pay?"
결제 어떻게 하시겠어요?
Sounds like [결쩨 어떠케 하시게써요] · gyeol-jje eo-tteo-ke ha-si-ge-sseo-yo
Often the clerk skips this and just points to the card reader. If you're asked:
카드로 할게요. By card.
현금으로 할게요. In cash.
5 "Do you want the receipt?"
영수증 드릴까요?
Sounds like [영수증 드릴까요] · yeong-su-jeung deu-ril-kka-yo
Most locals don't keep it. The natural answer is:
버려 주세요. Please throw it away.
Two things that surprise visitors
1+1 and 2+1 deals
A sticker that says 1+1 (원 플러스 원) means buy one, get one free. 2+1 means buy two, get one free. Bring all the items to the counter yourself, including the free one. The register takes the discount off automatically.
Topping up a T-money card
You can add money to a transit card at the counter. Put the card down with cash and say:
만 원 충전해 주세요. Please add 10,000 won.
💡 만 원 runs together as [마눤]. Top-ups at the counter are usually cash only.
📄 Free printable: all of this on one page
Save it on your phone or print it before your trip.
Quick check: 3 questions
Score: 0 / 3
1. The clerk says 봉투 필요하세요? You brought your own bag. What do you say?
봉투 means bag. "No, I'm fine" is the polite no.
2. How is 적립 (collect points) actually pronounced?
When ㄱ meets ㄹ, they change to [ㅇ + ㄴ] in speech. That's why it sounds so different.
3. You pick up ONE drink with a 1+1 sticker. What should you do?
You bring both. The register takes off the price of the free one.
About the audio: the play buttons use your device's built-in Korean voice, so the sound depends on your phone or browser. Native-speaker recordings are coming. The [brackets] always show the real pronunciation.