Left and right, in front and behind, near and far: asking the way and understanding the answer.
Practise this list
From these 45 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
The words for position are nouns, and they come after the thing they are measured from: 책상 위에, “on the desk”, is literally “desk top-at”. So English “next to the bank” turns round into 은행 옆에. Where you are going takes 으로/로: 오른쪽으로 가세요, “go to the right”. Directions are given from landmarks far more often than by street names.
The words
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Verb (4)
건너다to crossVerb2
여기서 길을 건너세요.Cross the road here.
돌다to turnVerb2
저 모퉁이에서 왼쪽으로 도세요.Turn left at that corner.
The l of the stem drops before some endings: 도세요.
지나다to pass (a place); to go byVerb2
은행을 지나면 바로 보여요.Once you are past the bank you will see it.
찾아가다to find your way to, go and visitVerb2
주소만 있으면 찾아갈 수 있어요.If I have the address, I can find it.
Noun (35)
길road, wayNoun1
이 길로 가면 역이 나와요.If you go this way, you will come to the station.
왼쪽leftNoun1
은행은 왼쪽에 있어요.The bank is on the left.
오른쪽rightNoun1
다음 신호등에서 오른쪽으로 가세요.Turn right at the next traffic lights.
앞front; in front ofNoun1
학교 앞에서 만나요.Let's meet in front of the school.
뒤back; behindNoun1
우체국 뒤에 주차장이 있어요.There is a car park behind the post office.
옆side; next toNoun1
편의점 옆에 약국이 있어요.There is a chemist's next to the convenience store.
위top; on, aboveNoun1
책상 위에 지도가 있어요.There is a map on the desk.
아래bottom; below, underNoun1
계단 아래에 화장실이 있어요.The toilets are at the bottom of the stairs.
밑underneath, underNoun2
의자 밑에 가방이 있어요.The bag is under the chair.
밑 is directly underneath; 아래 is lower down in general.
안insideNoun1
가게 안에 사람이 많아요.There are lots of people inside the shop.
Not the same word as the 안 that means “not”.
밖outsideNoun1
밖에서 기다릴게요.I will wait outside.
바깥the outside, outdoorsNoun2
바깥 날씨가 꽤 추워요.It is quite cold outdoors.
Means the same as 밖, and can stand before a noun: 바깥 날씨.
안쪽the inner side, further inNoun2
안쪽으로 들어가세요.Please move further in.
사이between; gapNoun2
은행과 서점 사이에 카페가 있어요.There is a café between the bank and the bookshop.
가운데middle, centreNoun2
사진 가운데에 있는 사람이 저예요.The person in the middle of the photo is me.
건너편the other side (of a road)Noun2
길 건너편에 버스 정류장이 있어요.The bus stop is across the road.
맞은편opposite, facingNoun2
호텔 맞은편에 식당이 있어요.There is a restaurant opposite the hotel.
반대편the opposite side; the other wayNoun2
반대편에서 버스를 타세요.Take the bus from the other side of the road.
정문main gate, main entranceNoun2
학교 정문 앞에서 기다릴게요.I will wait in front of the main gate of the school.
길가roadsideNoun2
길가에 차를 세웠어요.I stopped the car at the side of the road.
지도mapNoun2
휴대폰으로 지도를 봐요.I look at the map on my phone.
방향directionNoun2
이 방향이 맞아요?Is this the right direction?
동쪽eastNoun2
해는 동쪽에서 떠요.The sun rises in the east.
서쪽westNoun2
서쪽 하늘이 빨개요.The western sky is red.
남쪽southNoun2
제주도는 한국 남쪽에 있어요.Jeju Island is in the south of Korea.
북쪽northNoun2
산은 도시 북쪽에 있어요.The mountain is to the north of the city.
삼거리T-junction, three-way junctionNoun2
삼거리에서 오른쪽으로 가세요.Go right at the junction.
모퉁이corner (of a street)Noun2
모퉁이에 편의점이 있어요.There is a convenience store on the corner.
큰길main roadNoun2
큰길로 나가면 택시가 많아요.If you go out to the main road, there are plenty of taxis.
끝endNoun2
이 길 끝까지 가면 병원이 있어요.Go to the end of this road and you will find the hospital.
표지판sign, signpostNoun2
표지판을 보고 따라가세요.Follow the signs.
쪽side; directionNoun2
어느 쪽으로 가요?Which way are you going?
Also the second half of 오른쪽 and 왼쪽.
뒤쪽the back; the rearNoun2
버스 뒤쪽에 자리가 있어요.There are seats at the back of the bus.
앞쪽the frontNoun2
앞쪽에 앉고 싶어요.I want to sit at the front.
중간the middleNoun2
영화 중간에 잠이 들었어요.I fell asleep in the middle of the film.
Adjective (2)
멀다to be farAdjective2
여기서 공항까지 멀어요?Is it far from here to the airport?
The l of the stem drops before some endings: 먼 곳, a faraway place.
가깝다to be near, closeAdjective2
우리 집은 역에서 가까워요.My house is close to the station.
Irregular: 가까워요, 가까운.
Adverb (2)
똑바로straightAdverb2
이 길로 똑바로 가세요.Go straight along this road.
쭉straight on, all the wayAdverb2
쭉 가면 공원이 있어요.Keep going straight and you will find a park.
Phrase (1)
걸어서on footPhrase2
역까지 걸어서 십 분 걸려요.It is ten minutes to the station on foot.
