Top 10 Mistakes Korean Learners Make When Learning English
"Konglish" (Korean-English) is part of everyday life in Korea, but using those words with native speakers leads to confusion! Here are the top mistakes we hear from Korean students.
Top 10 Mistakes
1
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I have a promise tonight."
🤔 Why learners say this:
Korean 'yaksok' means both promise (vow) and appointment (plan). English separates them.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Very dramatic. Like you swore a sacred oath to meet your friend for beer.
✅ Natural English version:
"I have plans tonight." (or 'an appointment')
2
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"My condition is bad."
🤔 Why learners say this:
In Korean, 'condition' refers to how you feel physically. In English, 'condition' is usually medical or for objects.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Like you are an old car or a house that needs repairs.
✅ Natural English version:
"I don't feel well."
3
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I like skinship."
🤔 Why learners say this:
Classic Konglish! 'Skinship' means physical affection (hugging/holding hands). It doesn't exist in English.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
A very strange, possibly creepy scientific experiment involving skin.
✅ Natural English version:
"I like showing physical affection." (or PDA)
🎯 Practice: Which Word?
You are meeting your boyfriend for dinner. You say:
A) I have a promise
B) I have plans
4
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"Let's Dutch Pay."
🤔 Why learners say this:
Konglish derived from 'Go Dutch'. But we never use 'pay' as a verb like this.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Like you are inventing a new payment app called DutchPay.
✅ Natural English version:
"Let's split the bill." (or 'Go Dutch')
5
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I overate yesterday." (Meaning vomited)
🤔 Why learners say this:
The Korean word 'oba-hada' comes from 'over', but it implies vomiting/exaggerating. In English 'overeat' just means eating too much.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
You are saying you ate too much food, not that you threw up!
✅ Natural English version:
"I threw up / vomited."
6
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"He is very cunning." (Meaning cheating)
🤔 Why learners say this:
Koreans use 'cunning' to mean cheating on a test. In English, 'cunning' means clever/sly (like a fox).
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
You are complimenting his intelligence, not accusing him of cheating!
✅ Natural English version:
"He is cheating."
🎯 Practice: Fix the Sentence
"My condition is bad because I drank soju."
7
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I bought a new note."
🤔 Why learners say this:
Konglish! Koreans call notebooks 'notes'. A 'note' in English is a short message on a piece of paper.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Like you bought a single post-it note.
✅ Natural English version:
"I bought a new notebook."
8
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I am doing eye shopping."
🤔 Why learners say this:
Direct translation of 'eye shopping' (looking without buying). English uses 'Window Shopping'.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Terrifying. Are you shopping FOR eyes?
✅ Natural English version:
"I am window shopping."
9
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"I live in a one-room."
🤔 Why learners say this:
Koreans call studio apartments 'one-room'.
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
It sounds incomplete. One room in a big house?
✅ Natural English version:
"I live in a studio apartment."
10
❌ Typical learner sentence:
"Can I get after service–
🤔 Why learners say this:
Konglish for warranty/customer service repairs (A/S).
🇬🇧 What it sounds like to a Brit:
Like a church service that happens after the main one. Very confusing.
✅ Natural English version:
"Is it under warranty– / "Customer service."
🎯 Practice: Fix the Sentence
"We are eye shopping for a new note."
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