First Day at Work — Starting a conversation · checking you understood · fixing what you said

Starting a conversation · checking you understood · fixing what you said — 안녕하세요. / 실례합니다. / 잠깐만요. — 20 phrases

안녕하세요.

annyeonghaseyo. · [ɐn.njʌŋ.ɦɐ.se.jo]

Hello.

The all-purpose greeting — for people you are meeting for the first time and people you already know.

• 안녕하세요.
• Hello. How can I help you?

실례합니다.

sillyehamnida. · [sil.ɾje.ɦɐm.ni.dɐ]

Excuse me.

When you speak to a stranger, or need to get past someone.

• 실례합니다.
• Yes, go ahead.

잠깐만요.

jamkkanmanyo. · [tɕɐm.k͈ɐn.mɐ.njo]

Just a moment.

To stop someone for a second, or ask them to wait for you.

• 잠깐만요.
• Sure, take your time.

한국어를 잘 못해요.

hangugeoreul jal motaeyo. · [hɐn.ɡu.ɡʌ.ɾɯl tɕɐl mo.tʰɛ.jo]

I don't speak Korean well.

Say it early in a conversation and the other person will slow down for you.

• 한국어를 잘 못해요.
• That's okay. I'll speak slowly.

천천히 말해 주세요.

cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo. · [tɕʰʌn.tɕʰʌn.ɦi mɐl.ɦɛ tɕu.se.jo]

Please speak slowly.

When someone speaks too quickly for you to catch it.

• 천천히 말해 주세요.
• Oh, sorry. I'll say it slowly again.

다시 말해 주세요.

dasi malhae juseyo. · [tɐ.si mɐl.ɦɛ tɕu.se.jo]

Please say that again.

To ask for one more repeat when you didn't hear or you lost the thread.

• 다시 말해 주세요.
• Sure. The meeting is on the third floor.

한 번만 더 말씀해 주세요.

han beonman deo malsseumhae juseyo. · [hɐn pʌn.mɐn tʌ mɐl.s͈ɯm.ɦɛ tɕu.se.jo]

Could you say that one more time, please?

More polite than #6 — for a senior colleague or a formal setting.

• 한 번만 더 말씀해 주세요.
• Certainly — by ten o'clock tomorrow morning.

무슨 뜻이에요?

museun tteusieyo? · [mu.sɯn t͈ɯ.si.e.jo]

What does that mean?

When you don't know what a word or expression means.

• 무슨 뜻이에요?
• Ah, that one means 'deadline'.

이 말은 한국어로 뭐라고 해요?

i mareun hangugeoro mworago haeyo? · [i mɐ.ɾɯn hɐn.ɡu.ɡʌ.ɾo mwʌ.ɾɐ.ɡo hɛ.jo]

How do you say this in Korean?

When you know the thing itself but not what it's called in Korean.

• 이 말은 한국어로 뭐라고 해요?
• That's called 'beureosi' — brush.

이거 맞아요?

igeo majayo? · [i.ɡʌ mɐ.dʑɐ.jo]

Is this right?

A quick check that your choice or your understanding is correct.

• 이거 맞아요?
• Yes, that's right. Nicely done.

제가 이해한 게 맞는지 확인할게요.

jega ihaehan ge manneunji hwaginhalgeyo. · [tɕe.ɡɐ i.ɦɛ.ɦɐn ke mɐn.nɯn.dʑi hwɐ.ɡin.ɦɐl.ɡe.jo]

Let me check whether I understood correctly.

When you want to restate what you heard and have it confirmed.

• 제가 이해한 게 맞는지 확인할게요.
• Sure, go ahead.

___라는 뜻이에요?

___ raneun tteusieyo? · [ɾɐ.nɯn t͈ɯ.si.e.jo]

Do you mean ___?

To put the other person's words into your own and check you've got it.

• ___라는 뜻이에요?
• Yes, exactly. That's what it means.

• 취소해도 된다는 뜻이에요? — Do you mean it's okay to cancel?
• 오늘까지 내야 한다는 뜻이에요? — Do you mean it's due today?
• 지금은 안 된다는 뜻이에요? — Do you mean it isn't possible right now?

여기에 적어 주세요.

yeogie jeogeo juseyo. · [jʌ.ɡi.e tɕʌ.ɡʌ tɕu.se.jo]

Please write it down here.

When information is hard to catch by ear and you want it in writing.

• 여기에 적어 주세요.
• Sure, I'll write it down for you here.

화면으로 보여 주세요.

hwamyeoneuro boyeo juseyo. · [hwɐ.mjʌ.nɯ.ɾo po.jʌ tɕu.se.jo]

Please show me on the screen.

When something has to be seen rather than described.

• 화면으로 보여 주세요.
• Okay, I'll put it up on screen now.

발음이 어떻게 돼요?

bareumi eotteoke dwaeyo? · [pɐ.ɾɯ.mi ʌ.t͈ʌ.kʰe twɛ.jo]

How is it pronounced?

When you can read the letters but don't know how to say them.

• 발음이 어떻게 돼요?
• It's read 'Gaon'.

제가 잘못 들은 것 같아요.

jega jalmot deureun geot gatayo. · [tɕe.ɡɐ tɕɐl.mot̚ tɯ.ɾɯn kʌt̚ kɐ.tʰɐ.jo]

I think I misheard you.

Puts the fault on yourself, so asking for a correction feels gentle.

• 제가 잘못 들은 것 같아요.
• Not at all. I spoke too fast.

조금 더 쉽게 설명해 주실 수 있어요?

jogeum deo swipge seolmyeonghae jusil su isseoyo? · [tɕo.ɡɯm tʌ swip̚.ke sʌl.mjʌŋ.ɦɛ tɕu.sil su i.s͈ʌ.jo]

Could you explain that a little more simply?

When an explanation is too difficult and you need plainer words.

• 조금 더 쉽게 설명해 주실 수 있어요?
• Sure — put simply, it changes the color.

중요한 부분만 다시 말씀해 주세요.

jungyohan bubunman dasi malsseumhae juseyo. · [tɕuŋ.jo.ɦɐn pu.bun.mɐn tɐ.si mɐl.s͈ɯm.ɦɛ tɕu.se.jo]

Please repeat just the important part.

When an explanation drags on and you only need the key point again.

• 중요한 부분만 다시 말씀해 주세요.
• Right — just send me the file by end of day.

제가 말한 뜻은 ___예요.

jega malhan tteuseun ___ yeyo. · [tɕe.ɡɐ mɐl.ɦɐn t͈ɯ.sɯn … je.jo]

What I meant was ___.

To set the record straight when your words came out wrong.

• 제가 말한 뜻은 ___예요.
• Ah, so that's what you meant. I had it wrong.

• 제가 말한 뜻은 내일 아침이에요. — What I meant was tomorrow morning.
• 제가 말한 뜻은 색이 아니라 크기예요. — What I meant was the color, not the size.
• 제가 말한 뜻은 취소가 아니라 연기예요. — What I meant was postponing it, not canceling it.

잘 모르겠으면 다시 물어봐도 되죠?

jal moreugesseumyeon dasi mureobwado doejyo? · [tɕɐl mo.ɾɯ.ɡe.s͈ɯ.mjʌn tɐ.si mu.ɾʌ.bwɐ.do twe.dʑjo]

If I'm not sure, can I ask you again?

Creates room to come back with more questions later on.

• 잘 모르겠으면 다시 물어봐도 되죠?
• Of course. Ask me anytime.