How to See a Doctor in Korea When You Feel Sick
To see a doctor in Korea, walk in and say 아파서 왔어요 (apaseo wasseoyo), "I came because I'm in pain." The nurse or doctor then asks 어디가 아파요? (eodiga apayo?), "Where does it hurt?" — answer with body part plus 아파요 (apayo), like 배가 아파요 (baega apayo), "My stomach hurts."
- Open with 아파서 왔어요 (apaseo wasseoyo), "I came because I'm in pain," at the reception desk.
- Answer 어디가 아파요? (eodiga apayo?) with body part plus 아파요 (apayo), "It hurts."
- Say 열이 나요 (yeori nayo), "I have a fever," if your temperature is high.
- If the reply is too fast, say 다시 말씀해 주세요 (dasi malsseumhae juseyo), "Please say that again."
How do you tell a doctor where it hurts?
Korean does not always need "my" before a body part. 머리가 아파요 (meoriga apayo) means "My head hurts" — the 가 (ga) marks the subject, so 나의 (naui, "my") is optional.
Point if you need to. 여기가 아파요 (yeogiga apayo), "It hurts here," works when the pain spot is hard to name.
| Symptom | Say this |
|---|---|
| Headache | 머리가 아파요 (meoriga apayo) |
| Stomachache | 배가 아파요 (baega apayo) |
| Sore throat | 목이 아파요 (mogi apayo) |
| Fever | 열이 나요 (yeori nayo) |
| Nausea | 속이 안 좋아요 (sogi an joayo) |
You do not need a long medical history at the front desk. One clear symptom line is enough for triage staff to send you to the right room.
Practice this out loud with SULSUL — the app says it, you repeat it →
What happens once you sit down with the doctor?
Doctors in Korea often ask quick follow-up questions before prescribing anything. Listen for 언제부터 아팠어요? (eonjebuteo apasseoyo?), "Since when has it hurt?"
You: 어제부터 배가 아파요. — eojebuteo baega apayo. — "My stomach has hurt since yesterday."
Them: 열은 있어요? — yeoreun isseoyo? — "Do you have a fever?"
You: 조금 있어요. — jogeum isseoyo. — "A little."
조금 (jogeum) means "a little" — use it for mild fever or pain instead of guessing numbers in Celsius.
How do you ask about medicine and follow-up?
After the exam, the doctor explains what to take and whether you need a return visit. Ask 약은 어떻게 먹어요? (yageun eotteoke meogeoyo?), "How do I take the medicine?" if the instructions come too fast.
며칠 동안 먹어요? (myeochil dongan meogeoyo?) means "How many days do I take it?" — useful when you are packing for a short trip and cannot come back easily.
If symptoms feel serious — trouble breathing, chest pain, or a high fever that will not drop — say 응급실에 가야 해요? (eungguksire gaya haeyo?), "Do I need to go to the emergency room?" Staff will point you to the right wing.
Can you prepare these lines before you travel?
Most travelers rehearse 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo) and freeze the moment a nurse asks 어디가 아파요? That reply is the half worth practicing, not the greeting.
If you already handled a mild illness at a 약국 (yakguk, pharmacy), the post on Korean phrases for the pharmacy in Korea covers the lighter version of the same vocabulary.
Say it out loud, not just in your head
Reading 배가 아파요 here is not the same as saying it while a nurse is already writing your chart.
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.
