Korean Dictionary
How to say "Elevator" in Korean
“Elevator” in Korean is 엘리베이터 (pronounced "Elribeeiteo").
엘리베이터
Elribeeiteo
Usage & Context
Mechanical device for vertical transportation. Essential in multi-story buildings.
Example Sentence
엘리베이터가 고장났어요.
The elevator is broken.
How to use 엘리베이터 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Elevator” is 엘리베이터, romanized as Elribeeiteo.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 엘리베이터.
Pronunciation Guide
The pronunciation for '엘리베이터' is 'El-lee-bay-tuh'. '엘' sounds like 'ell' in 'bell'. '리' sounds like 'lee' in 'flea'. '베이' sounds like 'bay' in 'bay'. '터' sounds like 'tuh' in 'butter'. The stress is fairly even, with a slight emphasis on '베이'.
More Example Sentences
Giving directions in a multi-story building.
엘리베이터 타고 5층으로 가세요.
Please take the elevator to the 5th floor.
Describing a living situation in an older building.
저희 집은 엘리베이터가 없어서 계단으로 올라가야 해요.
My house doesn't have an elevator, so I have to go up the stairs.
An everyday encounter with a neighbor.
엘리베이터 안에서 옆집 아주머니를 만났어요.
I met the ajumma from next door in the elevator.
Cultural Context
Elevators are an indispensable part of modern Korean life, especially in the ubiquitous high-rise apartment complexes (아파트) and commercial buildings. It's common to exchange brief greetings or small talk with neighbors or strangers in an elevator. You'll often see people impatiently pressing the '닫힘' (close) button, and many elevators feature voice announcements for the floor numbers.
Editorial note
We review entries like 엘리베이터 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
엘리베이터 타다
To take the elevator
엘리베이터 기다리다
To wait for the elevator
엘리베이터 고장
Elevator breakdown
Related Expressions
계단
gyedan
stairs
에스컬레이터
eseukeolleiteo
escalator
승강기
seungganggi
lift, hoist (more formal/technical term for elevator)
수직 이동
sujik idong
vertical movement
More Architecture Words
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