Korean Dictionary
How to say "Elevator" in Korean
“Elevator” in Korean is 엘리베이터 (pronounced "Elribeeiteo").
엘리베이터
Elribeeiteo
Usage & Context
Essential in Korea's many high-rise buildings. 엘베 is the common abbreviation. Korean elevator etiquette involves giving priority to elders and holding the door for others. In older apartment buildings, elevators may only stop at certain floors, and stairs (계단) must be used for others.
Example Sentence
엘리베이터가 고장났어요. 계단으로 올라가야 해요.
The elevator is broken. We need to take the stairs.
How to use 엘리베이터 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Elevator” is 엘리베이터, romanized as Elribeeiteo.
Usage tip
Practice this word inside a full daily-life sentence, because particles and sentence endings make the Korean sound natural.
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
'El' (엘) sounds like the letter 'L'. 'Li' (리) is like 'ree' in 'tree'. 'Be' (베) is like 'beh' in 'bet'. 'I' (이) is like 'ee' in 'see'. 'Teo' (터) is like 'toe' but with a 't' sound, similar to 'tur' in 'turn'.
More Example Sentences
Waiting for an elevator in a crowded building.
엘리베이터가 만원이라 다음 걸 기다려야겠어요.
The elevator is full, so I'll have to wait for the next one.
Explaining one's living situation in an older building.
저희 집은 엘리베이터 없는 5층이에요.
My house is on the 5th floor without an elevator.
Asking someone to hold the elevator door.
엘리베이터 문 좀 잡아주세요.
Please hold the elevator door for me.
Cultural Context
Given Korea's many high-rise buildings, '엘리베이터' (ellibeiteo) is an essential part of daily life. The common abbreviation '엘베' (elbe) is frequently used in casual conversation. Korean elevator etiquette often involves giving priority to elders, holding the door for others, and standing quietly. In some older apartment buildings, elevators might only stop at specific floors (e.g., odd or even), requiring residents to use stairs (계단, gyedan) for other floors.
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
엘리베이터를 타다
to take the elevator
엘리베이터를 기다리다
to wait for the elevator
엘리베이터 버튼
elevator button
Related Expressions
엘베
elbe
elevator (abbreviation)
계단
gyedan
stairs
에스컬레이터
eseukolleiteo
escalator
승강기
seungganggi
elevator (more formal/technical term)
More Daily Life Words
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