How to Order Coffee in Korean
Written and reviewed by Jun and Jin, native Korean speakers
Published · Updated · How we write & review
After this page, you can order coffee in Korean from start to finish — including 아아 (a-a) and 뜨아 (tteu-a).
10-second answer
How do you say how to order coffee in Korean?
Ordering coffee in Korean follows a short, predictable script: name the drink, specify hot or iced (Koreans drink iced coffee even in winter — 아아 (a-a) is a whole cultural phenomenon), choose for here or to go, and pay. A handful of phrases cover the entire café interaction.
Quick check — did that land?
1. What does 아아 mean?
아메리카노, 카페라떼, 아이스커피, 따뜻한 커피, 디카페인, 시럽 추가, 포장, 매장 이용, 사이즈 업, 주문.
Full Dialogue Walkthrough
A basic order, then customizing your drink. Try "Practice as You" and answer each line before checking.
주문 도와드릴까요?
jumun dowadeurilkkayo?
May I help you order?
아이스 아메리카노 한 잔이요.
aiseu amerikano han janiyo.
One iced Americano, please.
드시고 가세요, 포장이세요?
deusigo gaseyo, pojangiseyo?
For here or to go?
포장이요.
pojangiyo.
To go, please.
얼음 적게 주세요.
eoreum jeokge juseyo.
Less ice, please.
네, 알겠습니다.
ne, algetseumnida.
Sure, got it.
시럽 빼 주세요.
sireop ppae juseyo.
No syrup, please.
See also: Ordering Food in Korean
Ordering the Drink
First, the words on the sign and the menu: a café is 카페 (kape), coffee is 커피 (keopi), and a latte is 라떼 (latte) or 카페라떼 (kape latte). The Americano is 아메리카노 (amerikano) — by far the most-ordered drink in Korea.
아메리카노 한 잔 주세요.
amerikano han jan juseyo.
One Americano, please.
잔 (jan) — counter word for a cup/glass.
아이스로 주세요.
aiseuro juseyo.
Iced, please.
따뜻한 걸로 주세요.
ttatteutan geollo juseyo.
A hot one, please.
아아 and 뜨아: The Famous Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Full form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 아아 (a-a) | 아이스 아메리카노 | Iced Americano |
| 뜨아 (tteu-a) | 따뜻한 아메리카노 | Hot Americano |
아아 is genuinely a cultural symbol — Korea's love of iced Americanos even in freezing winter is a running joke and a real, well-documented habit. Ordering "아아" alone at most cafés will be understood instantly.
For Here or To Go
먹고 갈게요.
meokgo galgeyo.
I'll have it here.
Literally: I'll eat/drink and go.
테이크아웃 할게요.
teikeuaut halgeyo.
I'll take it to go.
테이크아웃 — a direct English loanword, "takeout."
Size and Extras
라지 사이즈로 주세요.
raji saijeuro juseyo.
Large size, please.
샷 추가해 주세요.
syat chugahae juseyo.
Please add an extra shot.
얼음 적게 주세요.
eoreum jeokge juseyo.
Less ice, please.
Reading the Menu Board and Ordering at a Kiosk
Two things trip people up on Korean café menus. First, many boards write prices in thousands: 1.2 is 1,200 won and 4.8 is 4,800 won. Second, sizes aren't always tall/grande — this chain uses S, M and L, and some drinks only come in one or two sizes, so a blank space means that size isn't sold.
More and more cafés — and fast-food places — take orders at a 키오스크 (kiosk) instead of the counter. The screens look busy, but they follow the same steps almost everywhere:
| On the screen | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 화면을 터치하면 주문하실 수 있습니다 | hwamyeoneul teochihamyeon jumunhasil su itseumnida | Touch the screen to order |
| 매장 / 포장 | maejang / pojang | For here / To go |
| 주문 방법을 선택해 주세요 | jumun bangbeobeul seontaekae juseyo | Please choose how you'll order |
| 디카페인 · 논커피 | dikapein · nonkeopi | Decaf · Non-coffee |
| 카드 · 간편결제 | kadeu · ganpyeon-gyeolje | Card · Mobile payment |
| 전체삭제 | jeonche sakje | Clear everything |
| 직원호출 | jigwon hochul | Call a staff member |
If the kiosk defeats you, the 직원호출 button — or simply walking to the counter — works fine. Staff are used to helping, and 도와주세요 ("please help me") or 이거 어떻게 해요? ("how do I do this?") is all you need.
In many Korean cafés you don't wait at the counter — you get a 진동벨 (jindongbel), a pager that buzzes and lights up when your drink is ready. At some cafés, paying at the kiosk makes the dispenser push a pager out on its own: wait for it to slide out, take it, and go sit down. When it buzzes, pick up your order at the counter and hand the pager back.
Other cafés skip the pager and just give you an order number instead, shown on a small table-side display. There's no buzz — staff call the number out loud, or an automated voice announces it over the café's speakers (몇 번 고객님, "customer number ___"). You watch or listen for your number, then go get the drink yourself at the counter; staff don't bring it to your table. (The one common exception is McDonald's, which does deliver to your table.)
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Not knowing 아아/뜨아
These shortcuts are extremely common in real ordering — worth memorizing even though the full forms also work fine.
Mistake #2 — Forgetting to specify hot/iced
Unlike some countries where "coffee" defaults to hot, Korean cafés generally expect you to specify — staff will often ask if you don't.
Mini Quiz
2 short questions — about 1 minute
2. How do you say "I'll take it to go"?
3. What does 뜨아 stand for?
Part of Korean Phrases for Travelers
Related Knowledge
Learn Next
How to Ask for Directions in Korean
Coffee in hand — now the phrases for finding your way to the next stop.
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