예약 vs 약속
Korean word comparison
Listen to 예약
Listen to 약속
| 예약 | 약속 |
|---|---|
ye-YAK noun | yak-sok noun |
| reservation; a booking made in advance for a service, seat, or accommodation | an appointment or promise to meet; an arrangement between people to meet at a set time |
How they differ
약속 emphasizes a mutual, interpersonal agreement or promise to meet (social or personal appointment), whereas 예약 is used for formal bookings with businesses or services and lacks the promise/conpersonal nuance.
When to use each
When to use 예약: Prefer 예약 for formal or commercial bookings (hotel, restaurant, doctor's appointment, service reservations).
When to use 약속: Prefer 약속 for personal meetings, casual appointments, or when emphasizing a mutual promise to meet someone.
Side-by-side examples
- 저는 식당을 예약했어요.
(I reserved a table at the restaurant.) - 오늘 친구와 저녁 약속이 있어요.
(I have a dinner appointment with a friend today.)
Register & nuance: 약속 is everyday and conversational, frequently used in spoken Korean for interpersonal arrangements; it is less suitable for commercial/ticket bookings.
- See the full Word of the Day entry for 예약
- See the Word of the Day entry for 약속
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