Korean Phrases at a Nail Salon in Korea
Korean phrases at a 네일샵 (neilsyap, nail shop) lean on Pattern 23 from the SULSUL workbook — verb plus 아/어 주세요 (a/eo juseyo), "please do it for me." Point at a sample photo and say 이렇게 해 주세요 (ireoke hae juseyo), "Please do it like this." Pattern 01 — noun plus 주세요 (juseyo) — opens the visit: 젤네일 해 주세요 (jelneil hae juseyo), "Gel nails, please," when you sit down.
- Order the service: 젤네일 해 주세요 (jelneil hae juseyo), "Gel nails, please."
- Pick a color: 이 색으로 해 주세요 (i saegeuro hae juseyo), "Please do it in this color."
- Show a reference photo: 이렇게 해 주세요 (ireoke hae juseyo), "Please do it like this."
- Ask the price: 얼마예요? (eolmayeyo?), "How much is it?"
- Need more time: 조금만 기다려 주세요 (jogeumman gidaryeo juseyo), "Please wait a moment."
How do you book and sit down?
Nail shops in Seoul cluster near 홍대 (Hongdae) and 강남 (Gangnam) — many take walk-ins, but weekend slots fill fast. Call or message 예약하고 싶어요 (yeyakago sipeoyo), "I want to make a reservation," using Pattern 02 from the workbook, then confirm the time at the door.
You: 안녕하세요, 젤네일 해 주세요. — annyeonghaseyo, jelneil hae juseyo. — "Hello, gel nails, please."
Them: 어떤 디자인 원하세요? — eotteon dijain wonhaseyo? — "Which design do you want?"
You: 이 사진처럼 해 주세요. — i sajincheoreom hae juseyo. — "Please do it like this photo."
| Situation | Say this |
|---|---|
| Gel nails, please | 젤네일 해 주세요 (jelneil hae juseyo) |
| This color, please | 이 색으로 해 주세요 (i saegeuro hae juseyo) |
| Like this photo | 이렇게 해 주세요 (ireoke hae juseyo) |
| How much is it? | 얼마예요? (eolmayeyo?) |
| Wait a moment | 조금만 기다려 주세요 (jogeumman gidaryeo juseyo) |
Practice this out loud with SULSUL — the app says it, you repeat it →
What if the tech asks follow-up questions?
Staff often confirm length and removal — 기존 젤 제거해 주세요 (gijon jel jegeohae juseyo), "Please remove the old gel," uses the same Pattern 23 shape as 포장해 주세요 (pojanghae juseyo) from ordering at a bakery in Korea.
You: 짧게 해 주세요. — jjalbge hae juseyo. — "Please keep them short."
Them: 네, 알겠어요. — ne, algesseoyo. — "Yes, got it."
You: 감사합니다. — gamsahamnida. — "Thank you."
If the color looks wrong under the lamp, 조금 더 연하게 해 주세요 (jogeum deo yeonhage hae juseyo), "Please make it a bit lighter," is clearer than pointing silently. Pattern 32 — 처럼 (cheoreom, "like") — also works: 사진처럼 해 주세요 (sajincheoreom hae juseyo), "Like the picture, please."
What usually goes wrong at a Korean nail salon?
Travelers show a Pinterest screenshot but never say 이렇게 해 주세요 — the tech picks a similar shade and the result feels off. Say the line while you hold the phone up. A second mistake is skipping removal: old gel plus new gel chips in a week; ask 제거해 주세요 (jegeohae juseyo), "Please remove it," before the new set starts.
You: 얼마예요? — eolmayeyo? — "How much is it?"
Them: 5만 원이에요. — oman won-ieyo. — "It is 50,000 won."
You: 카드 돼요? — kadeu dwaeyo? — "Do you accept card?"
For beauty shopping before your appointment, K-beauty phrases at Olive Young covers the same 주세요 rhythm at a different counter.
Say it out loud, not just in your head
Reading 젤네일 해 주세요 in a caption is not the same as saying it while the tech is waiting with the UV lamp on.
SULSUL is a speaking gym for exactly that moment: pick a survival pattern, say it out loud, get an instant fix from the AI pronunciation coach, then run the real situation as a mission. The 100-pattern PDF workbook comes along as a bonus.
