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How to Say “I Forgot” in Korean While Traveling
Level
A2
Type
phrase
Theme
casual
작성자
Y
작성시각
You reach the subway gate and realize your wallet is still at the hotel. In English, you might say "I forgot my wallet." Korean usually describes what happened more precisely.
Use
깜빡했어요 when an action slipped your mind, 잊어버렸어요 when you cannot remember information, and 두고 왔어요 when you left a physical item somewhere.
깜빡했어요: an action slipped your mind
깜빡했어요 feels like "I forgot" or "It slipped my mind." It is useful for a task you meant to do.
Korean | Pronunciation | Meaning |
깜빡했어요 | kkam-ppak-hae-sseo-yo | I forgot / It slipped my mind |
예약 확인하는 걸 깜빡했어요 | ye-yak hwa-gin-ha-neun geol kkam-ppak-hae-sseo-yo | I forgot to check the reservation |
우산 가져오는 걸 깜빡했어요 | u-san ga-jyeo-o-neun geol kkam-ppak-hae-sseo-yo | I forgot to bring an umbrella |
답장하는 걸 깜빡했어요 | dap-jang-ha-neun geol kkam-ppak-hae-sseo-yo | I forgot to reply |
The reusable pattern is:
verb + 는 걸 깜빡했어요
You do not need to analyze 는 걸 during the trip. Learn the whole shape as "I forgot to do…"
verb + 는 걸 깜빡했어요
You do not need to analyze 는 걸 during the trip. Learn the whole shape as "I forgot to do…"
잊어버렸어요: the information is gone from memory
Use 잊어버렸어요 when you cannot recall a name, word, password, or other information. The line between these expressions is not absolute, but this distinction gives a beginner a natural first choice.
Korean | Pronunciation | Meaning |
잊어버렸어요 | i-jeo-beo-ryeo-sseo-yo | I forgot |
비밀번호를 잊어버렸어요 | bi-mil-beon-ho-reul i-jeo-beo-ryeo-sseo-yo | I forgot the password |
이름을 잊어버렸어요 | i-reu-meul i-jeo-beo-ryeo-sseo-yo | I forgot the name |
한국어 단어를 잊어버렸어요 | han-gu-geo da-neo-reul i-jeo-beo-ryeo-sseo-yo | I forgot the Korean word |
두고 왔어요: you left the object behind
For a wallet, phone, passport, bag, or umbrella, Korean often says where the object was left.
Korean | Pronunciation | Meaning |
호텔에 두고 왔어요 | ho-te-re du-go wa-sseo-yo | I left it at the hotel |
지갑을 방에 두고 왔어요 | ji-ga-beul bang-e du-go wa-sseo-yo | I left my wallet in the room |
휴대폰을 카페에 놓고 왔어요 | hyu-dae-po-neul ka-pe-e no-ko wa-sseo-yo | I left my phone at the café |
휴대폰을 택시에 두고 내렸어요 | hyu-dae-po-neul taek-si-e du-go nae-ryeo-sseo-yo | I left my phone in the taxi when I got out |
Use 두고 내렸어요 when you left something on a bus, subway, or taxi and got off. It tells the listener more than a general "I forgot."
두고 왔어요 or 잃어버렸어요?
Choose based on what you know.
Korean | Pronunciation | Meaning |
지갑을 호텔에 두고 왔어요 | ji-ga-beul ho-te-re du-go wa-sseo-yo | I left my wallet at the hotel |
지갑을 잃어버렸어요 | ji-ga-beul i-reo-beo-ryeo-sseo-yo | I lost my wallet |
Use 두고 왔어요 when you know or strongly suspect where the item is. Use 잃어버렸어요 when it is missing and you do not know where it went.
Ask someone to help
Korean | Pronunciation | Meaning |
죄송해요. 지갑을 방에 두고 왔어요 | joe-song-hae-yo. ji-ga-beul bang-e du-go wa-sseo-yo | Sorry. I left my wallet in the room |
확인해 주실 수 있어요? | hwa-gin-hae ju-sil su i-sseo-yo? | Could you check for me? |
어디에 연락하면 돼요? | eo-di-e yeol-la-ka-myeon dwae-yo? | Who should I contact? |
Before your trip, remember the object version first: 지갑을 호텔에 두고 왔어요. After you come home, the phrase gives you a useful grammar pattern to keep: name the place, add 에, and describe what you left there.