Clinic Phrase Card: Korean for Consultations and Aftercare
Korean phrases with romanization, English and Indonesian glosses for consultations, describing pain, allergies, and follow-up appointments.
Most Seoul clinics that see international patients have English-speaking coordinators, so you will rarely be stranded. But the nurse applying your numbing cream, the pharmacist filling your prescription, and the receptionist rescheduling your follow-up often do not — and those are the moments where a wrong word matters. Save this page offline.
The romanization below is written to be readable, not linguistically exact. Use a translation app's audio to hear each phrase once before you need it.
Opening lines
| Korean | Romanization | English | Indonesian |
|---|---|---|---|
| 안녕하세요 | annyeong-haseyo | Hello | Halo |
| 예약했어요 | ye-yak-haesseoyo | I have an appointment | Saya punya janji temu |
| 영어 하시는 분 계세요? | yeong-eo hasineun bun gyeseyo? | Anyone who speaks English? | Ada yang bisa bahasa Inggris? |
| 천천히 말해 주세요 | cheon-cheonhi malhae juseyo | Please speak slowly | Tolong bicara pelan-pelan |
| 여기에 써 주세요 | yeogi-e sseo juseyo | Please write it here | Tolong tuliskan di sini |
| 감사합니다 | gamsa-hamnida | Thank you | Terima kasih |
The most useful of these is "please write it here." Korean written down can be photographed and translated; Korean spoken quickly cannot.
Describing what you want
| Korean | Romanization | English | Indonesian |
|---|---|---|---|
| 여기가 고민이에요 | yeogi-ga gomin-ieyo | This is what bothers me (pointing) | Ini yang saya khawatirkan |
| 색소침착이 있어요 | saekso-chimchak-i isseoyo | I have pigmentation | Saya punya hiperpigmentasi |
| 여드름 흉터예요 | yeodeureum hyungteo-yeyo | These are acne scars | Ini bekas jerawat |
| 피부가 예민해요 | pibu-ga yemin-haeyo | My skin is sensitive | Kulit saya sensitif |
| 자연스럽게 해 주세요 | jayeon-seureopge hae juseyo | Please keep it natural-looking | Tolong buat terlihat natural |
| 조금만 해 주세요 | jogeum-man hae juseyo | Just a little, please | Sedikit saja |
"Please keep it natural" is worth memorizing — it is the phrasing Korean patients use.
Time and downtime — the critical ones
| Korean | Romanization | English | Indonesian |
|---|---|---|---|
| 회복 기간이 얼마나 걸려요? | hoebok gigan-i eolmana geollyeoyo? | How long is the recovery? | Berapa lama pemulihannya? |
| 모레 출국해요 | more chulguk-haeyo | I leave the day after tomorrow | Saya pulang lusa |
| 붓기가 얼마나 가요? | butgi-ga eolmana gayo? | How long will the swelling last? | Berapa lama bengkaknya? |
| 오늘 바로 할 수 있어요? | oneul baro hal su isseoyo? | Can it be done today? | Bisa dilakukan hari ini? |
Tell the clinic your departure date at the consultation, not afterward. Said early, it changes what a doctor will recommend.
Pain and discomfort during treatment
| Korean | Romanization | English | Indonesian |
|---|---|---|---|
| 아파요 | apayo | It hurts | Sakit |
| 너무 아파요 | neomu apayo | It hurts a lot | Sakit sekali |
| 잠깐만요 | jamkkan-manyo | Wait a moment / stop briefly | Tunggu sebentar |
| 마취 더 해 주세요 | machwi deo hae juseyo | More anesthetic, please | Tolong tambah biusnya |
| 어지러워요 | eojireowoyo | I feel dizzy | Saya pusing |
| 숨쉬기 힘들어요 | sumswigi himdeureoyo | I have difficulty breathing | Saya sulit bernapas |
| 속이 안 좋아요 | sogi an joayo | I feel nauseous | Saya mual |
"잠깐만요" (jamkkan-manyo) is the most useful word here. It means "just a moment" and it will stop what is happening without drama. Asking for a pause is not rudeness in Korea and staff will not be offended.
Allergies and medical history
| Korean | Romanization | English | Indonesian |
|---|---|---|---|
| 약 알레르기가 있어요 | yak allereugi-ga isseoyo | I have a drug allergy | Saya alergi obat |
| 마취제 알레르기 | machwi-je allereugi | Anesthetic allergy | Alergi obat bius |
| 항생제 알레르기 | hangsaeng-je allereugi | Antibiotic allergy | Alergi antibiotik |
| 임신 중이에요 | imsin jung-ieyo | I am pregnant | Saya sedang hamil |
| 모유 수유 중이에요 | moyu suyu jung-ieyo | I am breastfeeding | Saya sedang menyusui |
| 항응고제를 먹어요 | hang-eunggoje-reul meogeoyo | I take blood thinners | Saya minum obat pengencer darah |
| 켈로이드 체질이에요 | kelloideu chejil-ieyo | I scar keloid | Saya mudah keloid |
Do not rely on speaking these. Write your allergies and medications on a card in English, with generic drug names, and hand it over at reception. Speech fails; paper does not.
Religion and dietary needs
| Korean | Romanization | English | Indonesian |
|---|---|---|---|
| 저는 무슬림이에요 | jeoneun museullim-ieyo | I am Muslim | Saya Muslim |
| 돼지고기 성분이 있나요? | dwaeji-gogi seongbun-i innayo? | Does it contain pork? | Apakah mengandung babi? |
| 알코올 성분이 있나요? | alkol seongbun-i innayo? | Does it contain alcohol? | Apakah mengandung alkohol? |
| 기도할 공간이 있나요? | gido-hal gonggan-i innayo? | Is there a space to pray? | Ada tempat untuk salat? |
| 여자 의사 선생님 가능한가요? | yeoja uisa seonsaengnim ganeung-hangayo? | Is a female doctor possible? | Bisa dokter perempuan? |
The last is a normal request that many clinics accommodate. Ask when booking, not on the day.
Aftercare and pharmacy
| Korean | Romanization | English | Indonesian |
|---|---|---|---|
| 언제 세수할 수 있어요? | eonje sesu-hal su isseoyo? | When can I wash my face? | Kapan boleh cuci muka? |
| 화장 언제 해도 돼요? | hwajang eonje haedo dwaeyo? | When can I wear makeup? | Kapan boleh pakai makeup? |
| 운동 언제부터 돼요? | undong eonje-buteo dwaeyo? | When can I exercise? | Kapan boleh olahraga? |
| 약국이 어디예요? | yakgug-i eodi-yeyo? | Where is the pharmacy? | Di mana apoteknya? |
| 하루에 몇 번 먹어요? | haru-e myeot beon meogeoyo? | How many times a day do I take it? | Berapa kali sehari? |
| 부작용이 있나요? | bujagyong-i innayo? | Are there side effects? | Ada efek sampingnya? |
Pharmacy is 약국 (yakguk), marked with a green cross. If the dosing instructions are only in Korean, ask the pharmacist to write the number of times per day in digits.
Follow-up and problems
| Korean | Romanization | English | Indonesian |
|---|---|---|---|
| 예약 변경하고 싶어요 | ye-yak byeongyeong-hago sipeoyo | I want to change my appointment | Saya ingin ubah jadwal |
| 상태가 이상해요 | sangtae-ga isang-haeyo | It looks abnormal | Kondisinya aneh |
| 열이 나요 | yeori nayo | I have a fever | Saya demam |
| 피가 나요 | piga nayo | It is bleeding | Berdarah |
| 진료 기록 영어로 주세요 | jillyo girok yeong-eo-ro juseyo | Records in English, please | Tolong rekam medis dalam bahasa Inggris |
Ask for records in English before you leave Korea. Requesting them from Jakarta afterward is slow and sometimes impossible.
Emergency
If something is seriously wrong, do not translate. Call 119 for an ambulance — the emergency medical number in Korea, with English support generally available. 1330 is the Korea Travel Hotline, staffed with interpreters and useful for non-emergency help including three-way translation with a clinic.
How Kordy fits into this
We hold a WhatsApp thread with you throughout your trip and can interpret in real time — you send us what you need to say, we relay it to the clinic in Korean, we send back the answer. We are a registered international-patient facilitator operated by DYPHI Inc., not a clinic, so what we relay is the clinic's words, not our own medical opinion. For anything urgent, contact the clinic or emergency services first, then tell us.