Short Introduction

You wake up before your shift and your body feels heavy. Your throat hurts, you may have a fever, and your workplace opens soon. You need to contact your manager in Korean.

In this situation, saying only 아파요 can be too vague for work. Your manager needs to know whether you will be late, absent, leave early, visit a clinic, or contact them again after treatment.

This lesson teaches Korean sick leave phrases for foreign workers in restaurants, hotels, factories, stores, cleaning jobs, and other workplaces in Korea.

The goal is not to explain your whole medical condition. The goal is to give your workplace enough information to protect the shift, check the schedule, and decide what should happen next.

Key Vocabulary

Situation Briefing

Absence and sick leave Korean is important because work schedules depend on clear reporting. If you are late or absent, the manager may need to adjust the 근무표, find 대체 근무, or tell another worker to cover your position.

A good message has three parts: the reason, the work problem, and the follow-up. For example, 몸이 안 좋아서 오늘 출근이 어렵습니다 gives both the reason and the work problem.

Use polite and direct language. You do not need a long explanation. A short message with 결근, 지각, 조퇴, 병가, 병원, 진료, 연락, and 확인 is usually enough.

In a service job, one missing worker can affect opening, cleaning, delivery, checkout, or customer service. In a field or factory job, absence can affect safety, machine operation, packing, inspection, loading, or handover. This is why Korean workplace sick leave messages should be short, early, and specific.

A safe reporting formula is: condition + work impact + next action. For example: 몸이 안 좋습니다. 오늘 출근이 어렵습니다. 진료 받고 연락드리겠습니다. This sounds polite, clear, and useful for a manager.

Common Expressions

Usage Notes

결근 means you do not come to work on a scheduled workday. It sounds more formal than simply saying 못 가요, so it is useful when talking to a manager.

지각 means being late. If you know you will be late, report before the start time. 지각할 것 같습니다 is safer than waiting until after the shift begins.

조퇴 means leaving early after you already came to work. 병가 is leave because of sickness, while 연차 is planned annual leave. Do not use 연차 when you suddenly cannot work because you are sick unless your workplace tells you to use annual leave.

진료 받고 연락드리겠습니다 is a useful follow-up phrase. It tells the manager that you will see a doctor and contact them again.

관리자에게 보고했습니다 is useful when you already told the responsible person. If a coworker asks why you are not on the floor, you can say 관리자에게 보고했습니다 instead of repeating private health details.

대체 근무 is an advanced workplace phrase. You may hear it when a manager says another person needs to cover your shift. You do not need to use it in every message, but you should understand it when the workplace discusses schedule changes.

사유 is a formal word for reason. In a casual chat, people may ask 왜요? But on a form, in a manager message, or in a schedule record, you may see 결근 사유, 지각 사유, or 조퇴 사유.

Mini Dialogue

Worker: 몸이 안 좋아서 오늘 출근이 어렵습니다.
I do not feel well, so I cannot come to work today.

Manager: 병원에 가야 하나요?
Do you need to go to the hospital or clinic?

Worker: 네, 진료 받고 연락드리겠습니다.
Yes, I will contact you after seeing the doctor.

Manager: 알겠습니다. 근무표 확인하겠습니다.
Understood. I will check the work schedule.

Worker: 내일 정상 출근하겠습니다.
I will come to work normally tomorrow.

Common Mistakes

1. Saying only 아파요
   아파요 means “I am sick” or “it hurts,” but it does not tell the manager what will happen to your shift. Add 오늘 출근이 어렵습니다, 지각할 것 같습니다, or 조퇴해도 될까요.
2. Reporting too late
   In many Korean workplaces, late reporting creates schedule problems. Send a message as early as possible so the manager can adjust the 근무표.
3. Confusing 병가 and 연차
   병가 is sick leave. 연차 is annual leave. The rules depend on the workplace, so use the correct word and follow the manager’s instruction.
4. Using casual language with a supervisor
   괜찮으면 오늘 못 가요 can sound too casual. Use polite workplace Korean such as 오늘 출근이 어렵습니다 or 진료 받고 연락드리겠습니다.
5. Forgetting the follow-up
   If you go to a clinic, tell the manager what you will do next. 진료 받고 연락드리겠습니다 gives a clear next step and reduces confusion.

Practice Sentences

1. 몸이 안 좋습니다.
   mom-i an jotseumnida.
   I do not feel well.
2. 오늘 출근이 어렵습니다.
   oneul chulgeun-i eoryeopseumnida.
   I cannot come to work today.
3. 지각할 것 같습니다.
   jigak-hal geot gatseumnida.
   I think I will be late.
4. 조퇴해도 될까요?
   jotoe-haedo doelkkayo?
   May I leave early?
5. 병원에 다녀오겠습니다.
   byeongwon-e danyeoogetseumnida.
   I will go to the hospital or clinic and come back.
6. 진료 받고 연락드리겠습니다.
   jillyo batgo yeollak deurigetseumnida.
   I will contact you after seeing the doctor.
7. 근무표 확인 부탁드립니다.
   geunmupyo hwagin butakdeurimnida.
   Please check the work schedule.
8. 대체 근무가 필요합니다.
   daeche geunmu-ga piryo-hamnida.
   A replacement shift is needed.

Quick Quiz

1. Question 1. Which word means absence from work?
   Answer: 결근 means absence from work.
2. Question 2. What does 지각할 것 같습니다 mean?
   Answer: It means “I think I will be late.”
3. Question 3. Which phrase should you use if you need to leave early?
   Answer: 조퇴해도 될까요?
4. Question 4. What is the difference between 병가 and 연차?
   Answer: 병가 is sick leave. 연차 is annual leave.
5. Question 5. Why should you say 진료 받고 연락드리겠습니다?
   Answer: It tells the manager that you will see a doctor and follow up later.

Related Lessons

• Korean Workplace Problem Report Phrases
• Korean Convenience Store Shift Handover Phrases
• Korean Factory Packing and Labeling Phrases

Practice More

Practice this word list in Korean Learn Korean or in the upcoming BSKorean app.

Quick Review

Korean workplace absence phrases become easier when you report the situation in three steps: reason, work problem, and follow-up. Use 몸이 안 좋습니다, 오늘 출근이 어렵습니다, 지각할 것 같습니다, or 조퇴해도 될까요. Then mention 병원, 진료, 연락, and 근무표 if needed.