Korean Dictionary
How to say "Supermarket" in Korean
“Supermarket” in Korean is 마트 (pronounced "Mateu").
마트
Mateu
Usage & Context
Large retail stores for groceries and household goods. Major chains include 이마트 (E-mart), 홈플러스 (Homeplus), and 롯데마트 (Lotte Mart). Korean supermarkets often have excellent ready-made food sections and free samples. The basement food halls of department stores are also famous.
Example Sentence
마트에서 장을 보고 요리할 재료를 샀어요.
I bought ingredients to cook after grocery shopping at the supermarket.
How to use 마트 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Supermarket” is 마트, romanized as Mateu.
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 마트.
Pronunciation Guide
'Ma' (마) is pronounced like 'ma' in 'mama'. 'Teu' (트) sounds like 'too' but with a 't' sound at the beginning, similar to the 't' in 'truck'. It's a shortened form of 'supermarket'.
More Example Sentences
Planning an errand after work.
퇴근하고 마트에 들러서 저녁 장을 봐야겠어요.
I should stop by the supermarket after work to do grocery shopping for dinner.
Recommending a specific supermarket to a friend.
이 마트에는 신선한 해산물이 많아요.
This supermarket has a lot of fresh seafood.
Looking for good deals while shopping.
마트에서 세일하는 품목이 뭐가 있을까요?
What items are on sale at the supermarket?
Cultural Context
In Korea, '마트' (mateu) refers to large supermarkets like E-mart, Homeplus, and Lotte Mart, which are ubiquitous. They are known for their vast selection of groceries, household goods, and often feature excellent ready-made food sections (반찬 코너, banchan koneo) and free samples. Many Koreans also frequent the impressive food halls in the basements of department stores (백화점, baekhwajeom) for high-quality or specialty ingredients.
Editorial note
We review entries like 마트 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
마트에 가다
to go to the supermarket
마트에서 장을 보다
to do grocery shopping at the supermarket
마트 할인
supermarket discount
Related Expressions
슈퍼마켓
syupeomaket
supermarket (full word, less common in daily speech)
백화점
baekhwajeom
department store
편의점
pyeonuijeom
convenience store
시장
sijang
traditional market
More Daily Life Words
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