When to use it
Point to the spot and say it: 머리가 아파요 ("my head hurts"), 배가 아파요 ("my stomach hurts"). At a pharmacy (약국) this phrase gets you a long way.
Letter by letter: 아파요
Korean is written in syllable blocks. Here is what each block of 아파요 is made of.
| Block | Letters | Sounds |
|---|---|---|
| 아 | ㅇ + ㅏ | ㅇ silent, ㅏ a |
| 파 | ㅍ + ㅏ | ㅍ p, ㅏ a |
| 요 | ㅇ + ㅛ | ㅇ silent, ㅛ yo |
New to the letters? Tap through the Hangul chart to hear each one.
How to type it
On a standard Korean keyboard (2-set), press these keys in order:
DㅇKㅏVㅍKㅏDㅇYㅛ
Practice with the online Korean keyboard, or learn the layout in the typing test.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "It hurts" in Korean?
The everyday polite way is 아파요 (apayo). With close friends, say 아파.
How do you pronounce 아파요?
It sounds like "apayo". Press the speaker button on this page to hear it.
Romanization: Revised Romanization of Korean, with sound changes. Audio: a recorded native-sounding Korean voice.
Last checked: 2026-10-20