Giving and Asking for Directions; Facility Signs

Expressions for Asking for and Giving Directions

Expressions for asking for and giving directions are used to request from the other person the location of an unfamiliar place or how to get there, and to hear the answer. Questions are divided into asking for a method, confirming a place, confirming a means of transportation, and requesting an explanation again. Answers consist of directional words and distance expressions. You must accurately distinguish the type of question to choose the right expression.

When asking for a method, use '가르쳐 주다'(to tell, to show). '길 좀 가르쳐 주시겠어요?'(Could you show me the way?) is a request to be told how to get to an unfamiliar place. Putting '걷다'(to walk), '세우다'(to stop), or '건너다'(to cross) in the same position does not match the meaning of asking to be shown the way.

When choosing one among several options, use '어느'(which). '지하철을 타려면 어느 쪽으로 가야 해요?'(Which way should I go to take the subway?) is a question choosing a direction, so '어느' is correct. It must be distinguished from '몇'(how many), which asks about quantity, '무엇'(what), which asks about things, and '무슨'(what kind of), which must be followed by a noun indicating a category.

When taking a bus, ask about the bus number, as in '몇 번 버스를 타야 해요?'(Which bus number should I take?). Ask about the fare with '얼마예요?'(How much is it?) and about the travel time with '얼마나 걸려요?'(How long does it take?). '어디까지 가세요?'(Where are you going?) is said by a bus driver to a passenger, so it differs from the situation of asking for directions.

To check whether a facility exists nearby, use '있다'(to exist, to be), as in '이 근처에 약국 있어요?'(Is there a pharmacy near here?). This question asks whether that facility is close by. It must be distinguished from questions asking where someone lives or what their name is, and from requests to borrow a phone.

When the explanation you heard is hard to understand, say '다시 한번 설명해 주시겠어요?'(Could you explain it once more?). This expression means asking to be told the directions again. Its use differs from expressions for bargaining a price, asking the other person to wait a moment, or asking to be told later.

Arrows on road signs indicate direction precisely. An arrow pointing straight up means going straight (직진)(straight ahead).

If an arrow is bent to the left, it means go left. If an arrow is bent to the right, it means go right.

'우회전'(right turn) means turn right, and '좌회전'(left turn) means turn left. An arrow bent to the right is the right-turn sign. The two terms must be distinguished according to direction.

If an arrow points to the upper right, it means go up toward the upper right. Direction arrows must be checked for their slope as well.

On a restroom sign, if a male and female figure appears together with a distance number, you must go the distance written in the direction of the arrow on the same side where the figure is placed. You must check whether the direction of the arrow and the position of the figure are on the same side.

A restroom sign with a distance written beside an arrow means that if you go the indicated distance in the direction the arrow points, you will find a restroom. Check together whether the arrow direction and the distance match the explanation.

The height written on a parking lot sign is a restriction meaning that only vehicles of that height or lower may enter. The entrance and exit arrows show the direction of entry. However, a facility not shown on the sign, such as a gas station, cannot be found from that sign alone.

On a building guide board, the way out is found by the '비상구'(emergency exit) sign and its arrow direction. Other facilities, such as restrooms, public phones, and currency exchange, may have arrows pointing in different directions. You must choose the sign that matches your destination.

If a sign shows a floor number and the arrow points downward, you must go down to that floor. '지하'(basement, underground) refers to a floor below ground, so it is used together with '내려가다'(to go down).

Intersection signs show a place name or facility name together with each directional arrow. A place name on the sign is usually located ahead in that direction, so it must be distinguished from where you are now.

A place written above the straight-ahead arrow can be reached by going straight. Match each arrow with its text to determine in which direction the facility is located. Do not make assumptions about content that is not shown on the sign.

On a subway line guide board, the mark '← 방면'(toward ~) means that you must go in the direction of the arrow to reach the platform or exit for that direction. On a route map, you change lines at a station marked as a transfer point where two lines meet, shown as '갈아타는 곳'(transfer point).

On a subway station exit map, choose the exit number closest to the destination. The exit located right next to the destination building is the correct answer.

For a facility you are looking for, such as a store or an apartment complex, find its name on the map by matching it with the building next to an exit. For example, to check whether a department store that sells goods is nearby, confirm that it is on the side of the relevant exit.

When giving directions, state the distance first and the direction afterward. Saying '200미터 가서 오른쪽으로 가세요.'(Go 200 meters and then turn right.) conveys the distance and the direction in order.

If a notice says '걸어서 몇 분'(minutes on foot), it refers to the time needed to walk. Judge the means of transportation only on the basis of what is separately stated in the notice.

When finding a route on a map, first confirm the direction from your current position to the intersection, and then decide '왼쪽으로'(to the left) or '오른쪽으로'(to the right). A U-turn means returning in the opposite direction, which moves you farther from the destination.

On a sketch map, a location is described as '~과 ~ 사이에 있다'(is between ~ and ~). This expression indicates where a place is, in the middle of two places, based on a station or building name.

On a map, when a direction is given together with a phrase such as '왼쪽 길 위쪽'(upper side of the left road), you must follow that road in that direction to reach the destination. Check both the direction of the road and the direction of the position.

The place where you wait for and board a bus is the bus stop. An airport, an entrance door, or a transportation card indicates a place or a tool, but none of them is the place where you board a bus.

Asking for and Giving Directions

Choose the question for asking directions according to what you want to know. To ask where a place is, use '어디에 있어요?(Where is it?)'. To ask what places are nearby, use '이 근처에 ~ 있어요?(Is there ~ nearby?)'. Example: 이 근처에 은행 있어요?

Use '어느(which)' for questions that choose a direction. '어느' is used to pick one among several options, so it asks about direction, as in '어느 쪽으로 가야 해요?(Which way should I go?)'. '몇(how many)' asks about numbers or quantities and is used when asking for a bus number. Example: 몇 번 버스를 타야 해요? It must be distinguished from '무엇(what)', which asks about things or content, and from '무슨(what kind of)', which is followed by a noun that indicates a type. Example: 무슨 버스를 타야 해요?

Questions and answers must match in content. An answer that gives a bus number is followed by a question asking which bus to take, while questions about the fare or the time required do not fit this conversation.

The verbs used in giving directions must accurately match how one moves. '건너다(to cross)' means to go across a road or crosswalk, '세우다(to stop something, to make something stop)' means to make something stop, and '걸리다(to get caught, to be stuck)' means to be caught on or blocked by something, so it is not used to mean passing along a road. Example: 횡단보도를 건너서 오른쪽으로 가세요.

When you did not understand the directions well, use a request expression such as '다시 한번 설명해 주시겠어요?(Could you explain it once more?)'. This expression has a different meaning from requests to lower a price or to ask someone to wait a moment.

On direction signs, arrows show the direction to go. If the arrow points up, it means go straight ahead; if it points left or right, it means turn in that direction. Example: 똑바로 가면 공원이 나와요.

The number below a sign shows distance, and the unit is meters (m). Restroom signs shown with pictures distinguish men from women, so you must read the direction, the distance, and the picture together to choose the correct answer. Example: 오른쪽으로 100m 가면 화장실이 있어요.

A building's floor guide map shows the facilities on each floor. The basement is the floor below ground and is called '지하 1층(first basement floor)' or '지하 2층(second basement floor)'. To eat a meal, you must go to the floor where the restaurant is.

On facility signs, decide your route by following the direction the arrow points. You must distinguish the direction of the exit to the outside from the direction of the facility you are looking for, such as a currency exchange office or a public telephone. Example: 밖으로 나가려면 오른쪽 화살표를 따라가세요.

'올라가다(to go up)' means moving to a higher floor, and '내려가다(to go down)' means moving to a lower floor. A facility on a floor below ground level can be found only by going down. Example: 지하 2층으로 내려가세요.

'○○ 방면(toward ○○)' on a subway sign means a train or passage going in that direction. At a transfer point, follow the arrow that shows the direction of your destination. Example: 시청 방면은 왼쪽입니다.

On a subway station map, look at the exit numbers together with the locations of buildings near each exit. Find which exit is closest to the apartment or building that is your destination.

The basic approach on a map is to choose the exit closest to the direction of your destination. If you check which side of the map the exit number is on, you can find your way without getting lost.

An exit guide map shows the number of each exit and the facilities near it. To buy things, choose the exit with a shop, and distinguish it from exits with public institutions such as an embassy or a police station.

In direction drawings, check the point where you change direction after arriving at an intersection. Stating the distance and the direction together, as in '몇 미터 가서 오른쪽으로 가세요(Go a few meters and turn right)', lets the other person follow exactly. Example: 100m 가서 왼쪽으로 가세요.

You can choose an exit by finding which side of the subway station the residential building is on. Even at the same station, the exit number differs depending on the location of the building.

For a route that starts from your current location and changes direction several times, you must follow the steps in order. Connect the order of actions with '-아서/-어서(and then, after doing)' and '-고(and)', as in '사거리에서 오른쪽으로 가서 횡단보도를 건너다(go right at the intersection and cross the crosswalk)'. Example: 골목으로 들어가서 편의점 앞에서 우회전하세요.

A 사거리(four-way intersection) is a place where four roads meet. If the destination is on the left side of the intersection, go left; if it is on the right side, go right. A U-turn means turning around and returning along the road you came from, so it is different from the direction toward the destination.

At an intersection, if the destination is at the lower right, you must go right. Going straight through the intersection may lead in the direction opposite to the destination, so you must check the signs carefully.

Stating the exit number together with the direction lets you give accurate directions. Add the direction you head after coming out of the exit, as in '○번 출구로 나와서 ○○ 쪽으로 가다(come out of exit ○ and head toward ○○)'. Example: 3번 출구로 나와서 시장 쪽으로 가세요.

Facility Use Information Signs

Facility use information signs are signs that show, with pictures and symbols, the location and availability of facilities in a building or place. Each facility has a representative picture so that its meaning can be understood without reading any words, so you should remember the key elements of each picture together with its meaning.

The main signs and their meanings are as follows.

• 화장실 (restroom) — A sign showing a man and a woman side by side. It means restroom.
• 엘리베이터 (elevator) — Shown with up and down arrows and a box picture. It must be distinguished from the escalator sign, which shows a moving staircase.
• 인터넷 (internet) — The @ symbol means internet and email, so this is a sign for a place where the internet can be used.
• 안내소 (information desk) — A sign with an i inside a circle means a place to get travel information. A sign with a question mark means a place that gives directions or information.
• 주차장 (parking lot) — A sign with the letter P. It means a place to park. It should not be confused with the sign for an information desk or a gas station.
• 공항 (airport) — An airplane-shaped sign. It means a place to board an airplane. It must be distinguished from transportation signs showing taxis, buses, and subways.
• 공항의 탑승 안내 (airport boarding guide) — Boarding guides for international flights and signs showing gate numbers can be seen at airports.
• 식수대 (drinking fountain) — A picture of a person bending down to drink water. It means a place where water can be drunk. It means something different from a shower area, so do not confuse them.
• 쓰레기 버리는 곳 (trash disposal area) — A picture of a person putting trash into a trash bin. A picture of pulling out tissue indicates a place related to tissues, so the two must be distinguished.
• 주유소 (gas station) — A picture of a fuel pump. It shows a place where fuel is put into cars.
• 정비소 (repair shop) — Tools and a car are drawn together. It shows a place where cars are repaired.
• 공장 (factory) — Shown as a building with a smokestack and a sawtooth roof. It must be distinguished from the lodging sign showing a bed.
• 수영장 (swimming pool) — A sign showing a person swimming in water. It is distinguished from signs for ball-game fields and stadiums.
• 흡연 장소 (smoking area) — A picture of smoke rising from a cigarette. It means a place where one may smoke.
• 미술관 (art museum) — A sign showing framed pictures on a wall and a person viewing them. Its meaning differs from 도서관 (library), so it must be distinguished.
• 영화관 (movie theater) — Shown with a movie camera picture. It means a place to watch movies.
• 매표소 (ticket office) — A place that sells tickets. If the sign also has an arrow and a distance marking, the facility is not here but is located ahead by the indicated distance.
• 방향 화살표 (direction arrow) — Means go in the direction the arrow points. An arrow pointing to the upper right means go up to the right.
• 금지 표지 (prohibition sign) — A person between doors with arrows on both sides pointing inward. It means do not ride while the doors are closing.

Signs about viewing etiquette show prohibited actions such as eating, taking photos, and smoking together as pictures. When choosing a prohibition that is not shown on the signs, it is effective to compare the pictures on the signs one by one and eliminate them.

On building floor directories, check the name of the business you are looking for and choose the floor. Places that sell books, such as 서점 (bookstore), are on specific floors. Floor numbers are written with numbers or Sino-Korean words, such as 2층 (2nd floor) and 이층 (second floor), which refer to the same floor. Basement floors are written as 지하 일층 (basement level 1), so they must be distinguished from ground floors. Bread and milk can be bought at 편의점 (convenience store), so you need to find the floor where the convenience store is. Places where foreign languages are learned are 외국어학원 (foreign language institute). When choosing a facility that is not in the building, check the businesses on the floor directory one by one and eliminate them. 약국 (pharmacy) is a place that sells medicine, 맥주집 (beer house) is a place where one drinks alcohol, and 미용실 (hair salon) is a place where hair is cut.

Facility Entry Prohibition Signs

Facility entry prohibition signs are picture signs that tell people not to perform certain actions or bring in, enter, or use certain objects inside a facility. Prohibition signs usually show the prohibited object inside a circular border with a diagonal slash (strike line) drawn over it. Therefore, you must read both what object is in the picture and what action the slash prohibits in order to understand the meaning of the sign accurately.

If a slash is drawn over a picture of a person's action, it means that action is not allowed. A sign with a picture of a running person and a slash means no running. A sign with a picture of a person swimming in water and a slash means no swimming.

A camera picture with a slash means photography is not allowed. A laptop picture with a slash means do not use computers, and a mobile phone picture with a slash means do not use mobile phones, so the two signs must not be confused. A food and drink picture with a slash means food cannot be brought in.

The 취사금지(no cooking) sign means cooking food is prohibited. '취사(cooking)' refers to cooking and preparing rice or food, so it is different from words meaning lodging or smoking. The fine notice below the sign means that a fine must be paid if this rule is violated. '정숙(quiet)' means keeping quiet, so the 실내정숙(indoor quiet) sign means do not make noise indoors.

'폐문(closed door)' means the door is shut and cannot be used. Therefore, a door with a 폐문 sign cannot be used, so people cannot go in or out. '미시오(push)' means push the door to open it, and '당기시오(pull)' means pull the door to open it, so neither sign means use is prohibited. '출입문(entrance door)' means a door that people go in and out of, so it has nothing to do with meaning that the door cannot be used.

'탑승금지(no boarding)' means do not climb onto something. '보행금지(no walking)' means do not walk around, so it must be distinguished from 탑승금지, which blocks the action of climbing onto something. '물체이동금지(no moving objects)' means do not move objects such as boxes to another place.

A sign with a slash drawn over a picture of a hand means do not touch with your hand. A sign with a hand slash has a different meaning from signs that block leaning or entering. In a sign written in text such as '위험! 뛰지말 것(Danger! Do not run)', '~하지 말 것(do not ~)' is a prohibition expression meaning that the action must not be done.

A sign with a slash over an animal picture means do not bring animals inside. It does not mean to feed animals or prohibit buying and selling animals, so you must judge the prohibited content only by the one action shown in the sign.

When looking for content that is not on a museum visitor sign, you must check one by one whether each picture has a slashed object. Items with prohibition pictures such as photography, food, and smoking are content on the sign, while items without a prohibition picture are content not on the sign. Meanwhile, the fork and spoon are guidance pictures meaning eating, the machine that takes fuel means refueling, and the wrench and car mean maintenance, so actions not shown in the pictures should be judged as things that cannot be done in the place where this sign is posted.

Vehicle Traffic Restriction Signs

Vehicle traffic restriction signs are distinguished by the shape of the sign, the color of the border, and the presence of a diagonal slash. A red-bordered circle with a slash means that the vehicle or action is prohibited. A blue circle containing only a white picture means that only that vehicle may use the road. The text written with the picture must also be read to understand the exact meaning.

The following signs are commonly confused:

• 과적금지(Overloading prohibition) — A sign that prevents loading more cargo than the specified amount. 과적(overloading) means loading more cargo than the prescribed amount, so it relates to the act of loading too much onto a vehicle.
• 차높이제한(Vehicle height limit) — A sign that prevents a vehicle's height from exceeding the specified value. The number in the center indicates the height limit, and it must be distinguished from width, length, and weight restrictions.
• 전방 거리 표시가 있는 좌회전 금지(No left turn with a distance marking ahead) — A red circle containing a left-turning arrow with a slash, with a distance written below, means that a left turn is prohibited before reaching that distance. A slashed arrow is a sign that prohibits travel in that direction.
• 통행금지(교통차단)(No passage (traffic blocking)) — A sign with a vehicle picture bearing a prohibition mark, or a sign reading '통행금지'(no passage), means that vehicles may not pass. It differs from signs that limit speed or prevent passengers from boarding.
• 자동차전용(Motor vehicles only) — A sign with a car picture and the words '자동차전용'(motor vehicles only) means that the road is open only to motor vehicles. If the same picture has a prohibition slash, motor vehicles cannot pass, so the presence or absence of the slash must always be checked.
• 자전거전용과 자전거 통행금지(Bicycle-only and bicycle prohibition) — A blue circle containing only a bicycle picture means that the road is open only to bicycles. Conversely, a bicycle picture with a prohibition slash means that bicycles cannot use the road.
• 직진·좌회전·우회전·유턴 금지(Prohibition of straight, left turn, right turn, and U-turn) — A red circle containing a direction arrow with a slash prohibits travel in that direction. An upward arrow means straight, a left-bent arrow means left turn, a right-bent arrow means right turn, and a downward arrow that returns means U-turn.
• 정지 표지(Stop sign) — An octagonal sign reading '정지 STOP'(stop) means that the vehicle must stop. A triangular sign gives notice of caution or warning, so the two must be distinguished by shape.
• 화물 자동차 통행금지(No cargo trucks) — A loaded cargo vehicle is represented by a truck picture, and a prohibition line drawn over that picture means that loaded cargo vehicles cannot pass. Signs that block passenger cars, motorcycles, or buses use different pictures.
• 손수레·경운기 통행금지(No handcarts and tillers) — A picture of a person pulling a handcart and a tiller picture with a prohibition slash mean that handcarts and tillers cannot pass. Some signs prohibit several kinds of vehicles at once, so all pictures on the sign must be checked.

Place and Facility Name Vocabulary

Questions about place and facility names mainly ask you to identify the function of a place from a picture or description. Each place has a typical activity and a representative picture, so recall the name based on what people do there.

The frequently appearing place names and their meanings are as follows:

• 공원 (park) — An outdoor place where people take walks or exercise. Its use is completely different from 은행 (bank), where people deposit or withdraw money.
• 관광 안내 센터 (tourist information center) — A place where you obtain information needed for travel. It must be distinguished from places for walking or exercising.
• 휴게실 (break room) — A room where people rest for a while and drink beverages. 사장실 (president's office), where a company head works, 예약실 (reservation room), where seats or rooms are reserved in advance, and 회의실 (meeting room), where several people talk, are not places for resting, so they must be distinguished.
• 매표소 (ticket office) — A place where you buy transportation tickets or admission tickets. It is shown by a picture of a person holding a ticket or card, and it must be distinguished from 환전소 (currency exchange office), where money is changed into another country's currency.
• 화장실 (restroom) — Shown by a sign with pictures of a man and a woman side by side. A cigarette picture means 흡연 장소 (smoking area), and a picture of people meeting means 회의실 (meeting room), so they must be distinguished.
• 공항 (airport) — Shown by a picture of an airplane; it is the place where airplanes are boarded and deplaned. '국제선 (international flight)' means a flight route to foreign countries, and '탑승구 (boarding gate)' means the door through which you board an airplane. An international flight boarding notice can be seen at an airport, but not at a school, travel agency, or dormitory.
• 안내소 (information desk) — A place where you ask for directions or information, shown by a question mark inside a circle. Its meaning differs from the parking, phone, and money signs.
• 공장 (factory) — Shown by a picture of a building with smoke coming out of a chimney. A picture of a person lying in bed means a place for sleeping, so it must be distinguished from a factory.
• 수영장 (swimming pool) — Shown by a picture of a person swimming in water. Exercise pictures holding a racket or stick mean 배드민턴 (badminton) or 하키 (hockey), so they must be distinguished.
• 도서관과 미술관 (library and art museum) — A picture of a book means 도서관 (library), and a picture of a framed picture and a person looking at it means 미술관 (art museum). Both end in '관', so they must be distinguished by their pictures.
• 운동장·영화관·농구장 (sports field, movie theater, basketball court) — 운동장 is shown by an oval-shaped field, 영화관 by a movie camera, and 농구장 by a picture of a ball being thrown into a hoop.
• 건물 안의 시설 (facilities inside a building) — 미용실 (hair salon) is where hair is cut, 치과 (dental clinic) and 내과 (internal medicine clinic) are where treatment is received, and 부동산 (real estate agency) is where you look for a home. 우체국 (post office) is where letters are mailed, so if the building directory does not list a 우체국, you cannot mail letters in that building.
• 서점 (bookstore) — A shop that sells books. To buy a book, you must go to the floor where the bookstore is located.
• 외국어학원 (foreign language institute) — A place where you learn a foreign language such as English or Japanese. Check the institute's name and floor together on the building directory sign.
• 편의점 (convenience store) — A place that sells simple food such as bread and milk, and daily necessities. A floor below ground is written with a basement floor number, such as '지하 일 층 (basement level 1)'.
• 세탁소·약국·미용실·맥주집 (laundry, pharmacy, hair salon, beer hall) — 세탁소 is where you leave clothes to be washed, 약국 (pharmacy) is where medicine is sold, and 맥주집 (beer hall) is where people drink alcohol. 옷가게 (clothing store), a shop that sells clothes, is different from 세탁소, so they must be distinguished.