Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 가게 | gage | [ˈka̠(ː)ɡe̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 상점 | sangjeom | [sʰa̠ŋd͡ʑʌ̹m] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 판매점 | panmaejeom | [pʰa̠nmɛd͡ʑʌ̹m] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [pʰa̠nme̞d͡ʑʌ̹m] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
|
| 점포 | jeompo | [ˈt͡ɕɘ(ː)mpʰo̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 숍 | syop | uncommon | |
| 스토아 | seutoa | uncommon |
A shop is an establishment that sells goods. While 가게 is the most common word used in daily conversation, there are other ways to describe different types of establishments. For example, 매장 is used to describe larger department stores, chain stores or big brand shops. In rural or older parts of the city, the term 전통시장 is used to refer to a traditional market. If you are talking about the act of shopping, 쇼핑하다 means to shop in general, but if you are specifically shopping for food and household necessities, you should use the colloquial term 장보다.
Which one should you use?
The word 가게 is the most common, everyday word for a shop used in conversation. In contrast, 상점 is a more formal or technical term often seen in written signs or official contexts. Other formal options include 판매점, which specifically emphasizes the function of a place as a retail outlet or point of sale and 점포, which is a formal term used in business or commercial contexts to refer to a physical retail unit. Finally, 숍 is a loanword that transliterates the English word 'shop' and is used in modern, trendy contexts or specific brand names, such as a coffee shop or hair shop. The form 스토아 is also an uncommon way to express this concept.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
gage
Did you know?
- In Korean, the word 매장 is used for a brand's retail space, but it is also the word for a 'burial ground' or 'grave'.
- The term 전통시장 describes a traditional market, which often involves a unique culture of '덤', the practice of a shopkeeper giving a small amount of extra product for free.
- The word 가게 first appeared in written records as early as the 1460s in the 삼강행실도, a collection of moral examples.
Examples in context
- 우리는 먹을 것을 얻기 위해 가게로 들어갔다.We went into a shop to get some food.This sentence shows how to use 가게 when talking about entering a shop to get food.Tatoeba #13135591 by SN_H, translation #22894 by CK
- 가장 가까운 골동품 가게가 어디 있는지 알려줄 수 있어?Can you tell me where the nearest antique shop is?This sentence uses 가게 to ask about the location of an antique shop.Tatoeba #13756554 by qlTmalffk, translation #27272 by Dejo
- 나는 어제 그 가게에 가서 마실 것을 샀다.I went to that shop and bought something to drink yesterday.This sentence demonstrates using 가게 when describing a past visit to a shop to buy a drink.
- 가게 직원님Shop staff
- 근처에 상점이 어디 있나요?Where is the nearest shop?
- 가게에 같이 가볼까요?Shall we go to the shop together?
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Subin and Hyunwoo are walking through a neighborhood.
- 수빈 Su-bin현우야, 저 가게 정말 예쁘다.Hyeon-u-ya, jeo gae-ge jeong-mal ye-ppeu-da.Hyunwoo, that shop is really pretty.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo응, 옷을 파는 가게인가 봐.Eung, ot-eul pa-neun gae-ge-in-ga bwa.Yeah, it looks like a shop that sells clothes.
- 수빈 Su-bin우리 저 가게에 들어가 볼까?U-ri jeo gae-ge-e deul-eo-ga bol-kka?Shall we go into that shop?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo좋아, 같이 가자.Jo-a, gat-i ga-ja.Okay, let's go together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shop” translations and entries 가게, 상점, 판매점, 점포, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 가게, 상점, 점포, 판매점, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
