How Do You Say Bus and Taxi in Korean?
10-Second Answer
Bus is 버스 (beoseu) and taxi is 택시 (taeksi) in Korean. Both are short, everyday examples of the same rule: a bare final "s" sound isn't a legal way to end a Korean syllable, so a vowel gets added right after it — 으 for bus, 이 for taxi.
버스 (Bus)
버스 타고 가요.
beoseu tago gayo.
I go by bus.
타다 (to ride) is the standard verb for buses, taxis, and most vehicles.
버스 정류장이 어디예요?
beoseu jeongnyujang-i eodiyeyo?
Where is the bus stop?
택시 (Taxi)
The English "x" sound is really two sounds squeezed together ("ks") — Korean splits them apart the same way it splits other consonant clusters, landing on 택 (ending in ㄱ) + 시 (carrying the "s" plus a vowel).
택시 불러 주세요.
taeksi bulleo juseyo.
Please call a taxi for me.
택시비가 얼마예요?
taeksibiga eolmayeyo?
How much is the taxi fare?
택시비 (taxi fare) — 비 (bi) means cost/fee, attached to many expense-related words.
Same Rule, Two Short Examples
| Word | English ending | Korean fix |
|---|---|---|
| 버스 (bus) | Bare "-s" | Add 으 after it → -스 |
| 택시 (taxi) | "-x" (="ks") | Split into ㄱ batchim + 시 (si) |
Both words show up constantly in the taxi and travel phrases pages on this site — worth having down cold before you need them on the street.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Dropping the extra vowel sound
Saying something closer to English "bus" without the trailing 으 can be harder for Korean speakers to catch — 버스 needs that final syllable.
Mistake #2 — Forgetting 타다 for "to ride"
버스를 타요 / 택시를 타요 — 타다 is the go-to verb for getting on transportation, not 가다 (go) alone.
Mini Quiz
1. How do you say "bus" in Korean?
2. Why does "taxi" split into 택 + 시 in Korean?
3. What verb do you use with 버스/택시 for "to ride"?
Related Knowledge
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Taxi Korean Phrases You'll Actually Need
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Start today's study →Last updated: 2026-08-10 · Written and reviewed by a native Korean speaker.