How to Say “It Hurts” in Korean: 아파요 Explained for Real-Life Situations

You are in Korea and something hurts.

Maybe you have a headache. Maybe your throat feels painful. Maybe your stomach suddenly hurts after dinner.

You walk into a pharmacy or clinic, and someone asks:

어디가 아프세요?

You understand almost nothing.

But there is one Korean word that can help you immediately:

아파요

아파요 means “it hurts,” “I am in pain,” or sometimes “I feel sick,” depending on the situation.

The best part is that the pattern is simple.

Once you learn how to combine a body part with 아파요, you can explain many common problems in Korean without using complicated medical vocabulary.

What Does 아파요 Mean?

아파요 comes from the Korean verb 아프다.

아프다 means to hurt, to be painful, or to be sick.

아파요 is the polite everyday form.

Korean	Natural English Meaning
머리가 아파요.	My head hurts.
배가 아파요.	My stomach hurts.
목이 아파요.	My throat hurts.
아파요.	It hurts. / I am sick.

The Basic 아파요 Pattern

The most useful beginner pattern is:

[Body part] + 이/가 + 아파요

This means:

My [body part] hurts.

머리가 아파요.
My head hurts.

배가 아파요.
My stomach hurts.

목이 아파요.
My throat hurts.

눈이 아파요.
My eye hurts.

Korean does not normally need the word “my” here. The situation already makes it clear that you are talking about your own body.

Why 이 or 가?

머리 + 가 = 머리가
배 + 가 = 배가
목 + 이 = 목이
눈 + 이 = 눈이

For survival Korean, memorize the full phrases you are most likely to use.

Body Parts You Need Most

English	Korean	Useful Sentence
Head	머리	머리가 아파요.
Throat	목	목이 아파요.
Stomach / belly	배	배가 아파요.
Back / lower back	허리	허리가 아파요.
Eye	눈	눈이 아파요.
Ear	귀	귀가 아파요.
Tooth	이	이가 아파요.
Hand	손	손이 아파요.
Foot	발	발이 아파요.
Knee	무릎	무릎이 아파요.
Shoulder	어깨	어깨가 아파요.
Chest	가슴	가슴이 아파요.

Important: Some symptoms, especially chest pain, breathing difficulty, severe sudden pain, or rapidly worsening symptoms, can require urgent medical assessment.

Real-Life 아파요 Examples

1. A Headache

어디가 아프세요?
Where does it hurt?

머리가 아파요.
My head hurts.

2. A Sore Throat

목이 아파요.
My throat hurts.

기침도 나요.
I also have a cough.

3. A Stomachache

배가 아파요.
My stomach hurts.

소화가 안 돼요.
I have indigestion.

4. A Toothache

이가 아파요.
My tooth hurts.

How to Say “It Hurts Here”

If you do not know the Korean word for the body part, point to the painful area and say:

여기가 아파요.
It hurts here.

You can also say:

여기요.
Here.

How to Say It Hurts a Lot or a Little

Korean	Meaning
많이 아파요.	It hurts a lot.
조금 아파요.	It hurts a little.
너무 아파요.	It hurts so much.
계속 아파요.	It keeps hurting.
갑자기 아파요.	It suddenly hurts.

What Koreans May Ask You Next

Korean	Meaning	Simple Answer
어디가 아프세요?	Where does it hurt?	머리가 아파요.
언제부터 아팠어요?	Since when has it hurt?	오늘부터요.
많이 아파요?	Does it hurt a lot?	네, 많이 아파요.
계속 아파요?	Does it hurt continuously?	네. / 아니요.
열이 있어요?	Do you have a fever?	네. / 아니요.

Useful time answers:

오늘부터요. — Since today.
어제부터요. — Since yesterday.
이틀 전부터요. — Since two days ago.
일주일 전부터요. — Since a week ago.

Using 아파요 at a Pharmacy

At a Korean pharmacy, start with the symptom.

머리가 많이 아파요.
My head hurts a lot.

Real Pharmacy Conversation

Pharmacist: 어디가 아프세요?
Where does it hurt?

Traveler: 목이 아파요.
My throat hurts.

Pharmacist: 기침도 하세요?
Do you also have a cough?

Traveler: 네, 기침도 나요.
Yes, I also have a cough.

Pharmacist: 열은 없으세요?
You do not have a fever?

Traveler: 네, 열은 없어요.
Right, I do not have a fever.

Using 아파요 at a Clinic or Hospital

You may hear:

어디가 불편하세요?
What is bothering you?

or:

어디가 아프세요?
Where does it hurt?

You can answer:

허리가 아파요.
My back hurts.

무릎이 아파요.
My knee hurts.

눈이 아파요.
My eye hurts.

If you do not understand:

다시 말씀해 주세요.
Please say that again.

천천히 말씀해 주세요.
Please speak slowly.

아파요 Does Not Always Mean Physical Pain

오늘 아파요.
I am sick today.

친구가 아파요.
My friend is sick.

When a body part comes before 아파요, the meaning is usually physical pain in that area.

Common Beginner Mistakes

Mistake 1: Saying Only 아파요

Better: 머리가 아파요., 배가 아파요., or 목이 아파요.

Mistake 2: Translating “My” Directly

Natural: 머리가 아파요.

Mistake 3: Confusing 아파요 and 아프세요

아파요 is a statement. 아프세요? is a polite question.

Mistake 4: Using Difficult Medical Vocabulary When a Simple Phrase Is Better

배가 아파요 is simple, clear, and natural.

Mistake 5: Pretending You Understand Follow-Up Questions

Use 다시 말씀해 주세요 or 천천히 말씀해 주세요.

Quick Practice

1. My head hurts.

머리가 아파요.

2. My stomach hurts.

배가 아파요.

3. My throat hurts a lot.

목이 많이 아파요.

4. It hurts here.

여기가 아파요.

5. It has hurt since yesterday.

어제부터 아파요.

6. It hurts a little.

조금 아파요.

Quick Review

[Body part] + 이/가 + 아파요

Korean	English
머리가 아파요.	My head hurts.
목이 아파요.	My throat hurts.
배가 아파요.	My stomach hurts.
여기가 아파요.	It hurts here.
많이 아파요.	It hurts a lot.
조금 아파요.	It hurts a little.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you say “it hurts” in Korean?

You can say 아파요. To explain where it hurts, use a body part before it, such as 머리가 아파요.

What does 아파요 mean?

아파요 means “it hurts,” “I am in pain,” or “I am sick,” depending on the context.

How do I say “my stomach hurts” in Korean?

Say 배가 아파요.

How do I say “my head hurts” in Korean?

Say 머리가 아파요.

How do I say “it hurts here” in Korean?

Say 여기가 아파요.

What is the difference between 아파요 and 아프세요?

아파요 is a polite statement. 아프세요? is a polite question.

How do I say “it hurts a lot” in Korean?

Say 많이 아파요 or 너무 아파요.

Can I use 아파요 at a pharmacy in Korea?

Yes. A phrase such as 목이 아파요 or 배가 아파요 can help start a conversation with a pharmacist.

Final Thoughts

아파요 is one of the most useful Korean words you can learn for real life.

You do not need advanced medical vocabulary to explain a simple problem.

Start with:

[Body part] + 이/가 + 아파요

Then add simple details such as 많이, 조금, 오늘부터, or 어제부터.

Real Korean becomes easier when you learn a phrase you can actually use in a real situation.