Korean · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 3 of 12
At the doctor's
병원에서Byeongwoneseo
Tell a Korean doctor what hurts and since when, understand advice with -(으)세요 and -지 마세요, and give reasons with -아서 / -어서.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Say what hurts and since when
- Understand polite requests and questions with -(으)세요 and -지 마세요
- Give a reason with -아서 / -어서
- Tell 못 (can't) from 안 (don't)
Listen
In Incheon, Kwon Nari sees Dr Baek at a local clinic, then picks up her medicine at the pharmacy next door. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Dr Baek
안녕하세요. 어디가 아프세요?
Annyeonghaseyo. Eodiga apeuseyo?
Hello. What seems to be the problem?
Nari
목이 아프고 머리도 아파요.
Mogi apeugo meorido apayo.
I have a sore throat, and my head hurts too.
Dr Baek
언제부터요?
Eonjebuteoyo?
Since when?
Nari
어제 저녁부터요. 목이 아파서 잘 못 잤어요.
Eoje jeonyeokbuteoyo. Mogi apaseo jal mot jasseoyo.
Since yesterday evening. My throat hurt, so I couldn't sleep well.
Dr Baek
열도 있으세요?
Yeoldo isseuseyo?
Do you have a temperature too?
Nari
네, 조금 있어요. 그리고 기침도 해요.
Ne, jogeum isseoyo. Geurigo gichimdo haeyo.
Yes, a slight one. And I've got a cough too.
Dr Baek
감기예요. 오늘은 집에서 푹 쉬세요.
Gamgiyeyo. Oneureun jibeseo puk swiseyo.
It's a cold. Stay at home today and get plenty of rest.
Nari
하지만 이번 주에 회사가 좀 바빠요.
Hajiman ibeon jue hoesaga jom bappayo.
But it's a busy week at work.
Dr Baek
오늘 하루는 쉬세요. 그리고 커피는 마시지 마세요. 따뜻한 물을 자주 드세요.
Oneul haruneun swiseyo. Geurigo keopineun masiji maseyo. Ttatteutan mureul jaju deuseyo.
Just rest today. And don't drink coffee. Drink warm water often.
Pharmacist
권나리 씨, 이 약은 하루에 세 번, 식후에 드세요.
Kwon Nari ssi, i yageun harue se beon, sikhue deuseyo.
Ms Kwon? Take this medicine three times a day, after meals.
Nari
네, 감사합니다.
Ne, gamsahamnida.
All right, thank you.
Pharmacist
빨리 나으세요.
Ppalli naeuseyo.
Get well soon.
Understand
Where does it hurt? 아파요
To say something hurts, name the body part, mark it with the subject particle 이 / 가 and add (apayo): (mogi apayo), my throat hurts; (meoriga apayo), I have a headache. on its own means “it hurts” or “I'm ill”.
(apeuda) is a ㅡ verb: the ㅡ drops before -아요 / -어요, and the vowel of the syllable before it decides which ending you use. → (apayo); (bappeuda, to be busy) → (bappayo). A one-syllable stem takes -어요, as in → (keoyo). The past works the same way: (apasseoyo), (bappasseoyo).
| Korean | Meaning | Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| (meori) | head | (mok) | throat, neck |
| (bae) | stomach | (heori) | lower back |
| (nun) | eye | (gwi) | ear |
| (i) | tooth | (dari) | leg |
| (pal) | arm | (son) | hand |
Please… and don't…: -(으)세요, -지 마세요
(swiseyo) is a polite request: please rest. After a stem ending in a vowel, add -세요; after a consonant, add -으세요: (swida) → (swiseyo), (anda, to sit) → (anjeuseyo). A ㄹ stem drops its ㄹ: → (mandeuseyo). and use a special polite verb instead: (deuseyo), please eat, please drink.
The same form also asks a polite question about the other person, as the doctor does: (eodiga apeuseyo?), where does it hurt?; (yeoldo isseuseyo?), do you have a temperature too? It shows respect, so never use it about yourself: say , not .
For “don't”, add -지 마세요 (-ji maseyo) to any stem: (keopineun masiji maseyo), don't drink coffee; (gaji maseyo), don't go.
- 여기 앉으세요.Yeogi anjeuseyo.Please sit here.
- 집에서 푹 쉬세요.Jibeseo puk swiseyo.Get plenty of rest at home.
- 커피는 마시지 마세요.Keopineun masiji maseyo.Don't drink coffee.
Because: -아서 / -어서, and 못 or 안
To give a reason, put -아서 / -어서 on the first verb. Take the present form, drop 요 and add 서: → (apaseo), → (bappaseo), → (pigonhaeseo). (mogi apaseo jal mot jasseoyo), my throat hurt, so I couldn't sleep well.
Two rules: the verb with -아서 never takes the past, even about yesterday (the last verb shows the tense), and -아서 can't come before a request or a suggestion.
(mot) before a verb means you couldn't or can't, even though you wanted to: (mot jasseoyo), I couldn't sleep. (an) simply means you didn't or don't: (an jasseoyo), I didn't sleep. For how often, use 에 for “per”, as with prices: (harue se beon), three times a day.
- 머리가 아파서 회사에 못 갔어요.Meoriga apaseo hoesae mot gasseoyo.I had a headache, so I couldn't go to work.
- 바빠서 점심을 못 먹었어요.Bappaseo jeomsimeul mot meogeosseoyo.I was busy, so I couldn't have lunch.
- 이 약은 하루에 두 번 드세요.I yageun harue du beon deuseyo.Take this medicine twice a day.
More in the grammar: Negation: 안, 못, -지 않다, -지 못하다 · 은/는 and 이/가: topic and subject · Honorifics: -(으)시-, 께서, 드리다 · Irregular verbs: ㅂ, ㄷ, ㅅ, 르, ㅎ (and ㅡ, ㄹ stems) · Reasons: -아서/-어서, -(으)니까, -기 때문에 · Requests and suggestions: -(으)세요, -아/어 주세요, -(으)ㄹ까요?
New words
- 어디가 아프세요?Eodiga apeuseyo?where does it hurt? what's the problem? · the doctor's first question; (apeuda), to hurt, to be ill
- 목mokthroat; neck · (mogi apayo), I have a sore throat
- 머리meorihead · (meoriga apayo), I have a headache
- 언제부터eonjebuteosince when · (eonje), when, + (buteo), from; answer with
- 열yeolfever, temperature · (yeori isseoyo), I have a temperature. Also the number ten.
- 기침gichimcough · (gichimeul haeyo), I cough, I have a cough
- 감기gamgicold (illness) · (gamgie geollyeosseoyo), I've caught a cold
- 푹puk(rest, sleep) well, deeply · (puk swiseyo), get plenty of rest
- 쉬다swidato rest · (swieoyo), (swieosseoyo), (swiseyo)
- 물mulwater · (ttatteutan mul), warm water
- 약yakmedicine · (yageul meogeoyo), I take medicine; (yakguk), pharmacy
- 하루에haruea day, per day · (haru), one day, + 에 (per): (harue se beon), three times a day
- 식후sikhuafter meals · (sikjeon), before meals
- 빨리 나으세요ppalli naeuseyoget well soon · (ppalli), fast, soon; (natda), to get better, drops its ㅅ before a vowel: (naayo)
Practise
1.Match the parts of the body.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
2.Tell the doctor that your stomach hurts.
3.The doctor tells you not to drink coffee. What does she say?
4.Put the words in order: say you couldn't sleep well because of your sore throat.
Tap the words below in the right order.My throat hurt, so I couldn't sleep well.
5.You were ill yesterday and couldn't go to work. Which sentence is correct?
6.The pharmacist explains how to take the medicine. Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.Take this medicine three times a day.
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
목이 아파요.
Mogi apayo.
I have a sore throat.
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.