Navigating the fresh produce section of a Korean supermarket, or ‘mart’, offers a delightful experience, but knowing how to select the best fruit and communicate your needs is key. This guide provides essential Korean phrases for choosing fruit (과일 고르기 – gwa-il go-reu-gi) at a Korean mart, covering everything from identifying fruits to asking about ripeness and making your purchase.
Table Of Content
Core Expression
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Expression: 과일 고르기
Pronunciation: gwa-il go-reu-gi
Meaning: Choosing fruit
Identifying Fruits
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Expression: 사과
Pronunciation: sa-gwa
Meaning: Apple -
Expression: 배
Pronunciation: bae
Meaning: Pear (specifically Korean pear) -
Expression: 딸기
Pronunciation: ttal-gi
Meaning: Strawberry -
Expression: 포도
Pronunciation: po-do
Meaning: Grape -
Expression: 수박
Pronunciation: su-bak
Meaning: Watermelon -
Expression: 복숭아
Pronunciation: bok-sung-a
Meaning: Peach -
Expression: 귤
Pronunciation: gyul
Meaning: Tangerine/Mandarin Orange -
Expression: 바나나
Pronunciation: ba-na-na
Meaning: Banana -
Expression: 참외
Pronunciation: cham-oe
Meaning: Korean Melon -
Expression: 감
Pronunciation: gam
Meaning: Persimmon -
Expression: 오렌지
Pronunciation: o-ren-ji
Meaning: Orange -
Expression: 체리
Pronunciation: che-ri
Meaning: Cherry
Asking Questions About Fruit
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Expression: 이거 뭐예요?
Pronunciation: i-geo mwo-ye-yo?
Meaning: What is this? -
Expression: 이 과일 이름이 뭐예요?
Pronunciation: i gwa-il i-reum-i mwo-ye-yo?
Meaning: What is the name of this fruit? -
Expression: 이거 맛있어요?
Pronunciation: i-geo ma-si-sseo-yo?
Meaning: Is this delicious? -
Expression: 이거 달아요?
Pronunciation: i-geo da-ra-yo?
Meaning: Is this sweet? -
Expression: 이거 익었어요?
Pronunciation: i-geo i-geo-sseo-yo?
Meaning: Is this ripe? -
Expression: 어떤 게 제일 맛있어요?
Pronunciation: eo-tteon ge je-il ma-si-sseo-yo?
Meaning: Which one is the most delicious? -
Expression: 이거 얼마예요?
Pronunciation: i-geo eol-ma-ye-yo?
Meaning: How much is this? -
Expression: 한 개에 얼마예요?
Pronunciation: han gae-e eol-ma-ye-yo?
Meaning: How much is it for one? -
Expression: 이거 국산이에요?
Pronunciation: i-geo guk-san-i-e-yo?
Meaning: Is this domestic (Korean-grown)? -
Expression: 맛 좀 볼 수 있을까요?
Pronunciation: mat jom bol su i-sseul-kka-yo?
Meaning: Can I have a taste? (May not always be possible) -
Expression: 더 신선한 거 있어요?
Pronunciation: deo sin-seon-han geo i-sseo-yo?
Meaning: Do you have fresher ones? -
Expression: 오늘 들어온 거예요?
Pronunciation: o-neul deu-reo-on geo-ye-yo?
Meaning: Did this come in today?
Making Purchases
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Expression: 사과 세 개 주세요.
Pronunciation: sa-gwa se gae ju-se-yo.
Meaning: Please give me three apples. -
Expression: 딸기 한 팩 주세요.
Pronunciation: ttal-gi han paek ju-se-yo.
Meaning: Please give me one pack of strawberries. -
Expression: 이걸로 주세요.
Pronunciation: i-geol-lo ju-se-yo.
Meaning: Please give me this one. -
Expression: 봉투 필요해요.
Pronunciation: bong-tu pi-ryo-hae-yo.
Meaning: I need a bag. -
Expression: 봉투는 괜찮아요.
Pronunciation: bong-tu-neun gwaen-chan-a-yo.
Meaning: I don’t need a bag. / The bag is okay (I have one). -
Expression: 따로 담아주세요.
Pronunciation: tta-ro dam-a-ju-se-yo.
Meaning: Please pack them separately. -
Expression: 계산해 주세요.
Pronunciation: gye-san-hae ju-se-yo.
Meaning: Please calculate (ring me up). -
Expression: 카드로 계산할게요.
Pronunciation: ka-deu-ro gye-san-hal-kke-yo.
Meaning: I’ll pay by card. -
Expression: 현금으로 계산할게요.
Pronunciation: hyeon-geum-eu-ro gye-san-hal-kke-yo.
Meaning: I’ll pay with cash. -
Expression: 포인트 적립해 주세요.
Pronunciation: po-in-teu jeok-rip-hae ju-se-yo.
Meaning: Please add points (for loyalty program). -
Expression: 영수증 주세요.
Pronunciation: yeong-su-jeung ju-se-yo.
Meaning: Please give me the receipt. -
Expression: 이거 한 상자 주세요.
Pronunciation: i-geo han sang-ja ju-se-yo.
Meaning: Please give me one box of this.
Cultural Tips
Seasonal Fruits: Koreans highly value eating fruits that are in season (제철 과일 – je-cheol gwa-il). Expect to see specific fruits prominently displayed depending on the time of year (e.g., strawberries in spring, watermelon in summer, pears and persimmons in fall).
Sampling: While less common in large supermarkets compared to traditional markets, sometimes vendors might offer small samples (시식 – si-sik) of fruit, especially if it’s a new variety or particularly good quality. It’s polite to accept if offered.
Pre-packaged vs. Loose Fruit: You’ll find both pre-packaged fruit (often in plastic containers or boxes) and loose fruit you can pick yourself. Pre-packaged items are convenient, while choosing loose fruit allows you to select individual pieces. Prices might be per item, per pack, or by weight (무게 – mu-ge).
Fruit as Gifts: Beautifully packaged fruit boxes are very common gifts in Korea, especially during holidays like Chuseok and Seollal. These gift sets often feature premium quality, large fruits and can be quite expensive.
Appearance Matters: There’s often a strong emphasis on the visual appearance of fruit in Korea. Perfectly shaped, unblemished fruits are preferred, especially for gifting.
Real Conversation Example
Situation: A customer (A) is trying to choose apples at a Korean mart and asks an employee (B) for help.
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Expression: A: 저기요, 이 사과 맛있어요?
Pronunciation: jeo-gi-yo, i sa-gwa ma-si-sseo-yo?
Meaning: Excuse me, are these apples delicious? -
Expression: B: 네, 오늘 들어온 부사 사과인데 아주 달고 아삭해요.
Pronunciation: ne, o-neul deu-reo-on bu-sa sa-gwa-in-de a-ju dal-go a-sak-hae-yo.
Meaning: Yes, they are Fuji apples that came in today, they’re very sweet and crisp. -
Expression: A: 어떤 게 더 달아요? 이 빨간 거요, 아니면 저기 약간 노란 거요?
Pronunciation: eo-tteon ge deo da-ra-yo? i ppal-gan geo-yo, a-ni-myeon jeo-gi yak-kkan no-ran geo-yo?
Meaning: Which one is sweeter? This red one, or that slightly yellow one over there? -
Expression: B: 둘 다 맛있지만, 보통 더 빨갛게 잘 익은 게 당도가 높아요. 이걸로 추천해 드려요.
Pronunciation: dul da ma-sit-jji-man, bo-tong deo ppal-ga-ke jal i-geun ge dang-do-ga no-pa-yo. i-geol-lo chu-cheon-hae deu-ryeo-yo.
Meaning: Both are delicious, but usually the ones that are redder and well-ripened have higher sugar content. I recommend this one. -
Expression: A: 그럼 이걸로 다섯 개 주세요.
Pronunciation: geu-reom i-geol-lo da-seot gae ju-se-yo.
Meaning: Then please give me five of these. -
Expression: B: 네, 봉투 필요하세요?
Pronunciation: ne, bong-tu pi-ryo-ha-se-yo?
Meaning: Okay, do you need a bag? -
Expression: A: 네, 하나 주세요. 감사합니다.
Pronunciation: ne, ha-na ju-se-yo. gam-sa-ham-ni-da.
Meaning: Yes, please give me one. Thank you.
Practice Tips
Ready to practice choosing fruit like a local?~ Next time you visit a Korean mart or even a local grocery store with diverse fruit options, try identifying the fruits using their Korean names! You can practice asking questions silently to yourself first, like “이거 달아요?” (i-geo da-ra-yo?) or “얼마예요?” (eol-ma-ye-yo?).
Don’t be afraid to use simple phrases like “이거 주세요” (i-geo ju-se-yo – Please give me this) when you make your selection. Every little bit of practice helps build confidence. Happy fruit shopping! 화이팅!
