Korean · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 7 of 12
Clothes and shopping
옷 가게에서Ot gageeseo
Exchange clothes in a Korean shop: ask to try things on with -아 / -어 봐도 돼요?, say what's happening now with -고 있어요, and name colours.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Exchange something or ask for a refund
- Ask to try something on: 입어 봐도 돼요?
- Say what is happening right now with -고 있어요
- Talk about colours and sizes, with 다른 (other) and 만 (only)
Listen
In Seomyeon, a shopping area in Busan, Shin Boram takes back a shirt that is too small. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Assistant
어서 오세요. 뭐 찾으세요?
Eoseo oseyo. Mwo chajeuseyo?
Hello. Can I help you?
Boram
지난주에 이 셔츠를 샀지만 좀 작아요. 환불할 수 있어요?
Jinanjue i syeocheureul satjiman jom jagayo. Hwanbulhal su isseoyo?
I bought this shirt last week, but it's a bit small. Can I get a refund?
Assistant
죄송해요. 환불은 안 되고 교환만 돼요.
Joesonghaeyo. Hwanbureun an doego gyohwanman dwaeyo.
I'm sorry. We don't give refunds, only exchanges.
Boram
네, 괜찮아요. 큰 사이즈로 바꿀 수 있어요?
Ne, gwaenchanayo. Keun saijeuro bakkul su isseoyo?
OK, that's fine. Can I change it for a bigger size?
Assistant
잠깐만요, 지금 확인하고 있어요. … 파란색은 큰 사이즈가 없어요.
Jamkkanmanyo, jigeum hwaginhago isseoyo. … Paransaegeun keun saijeuga eopseoyo.
Just a moment, I'm checking now. … We don't have a bigger size in blue.
Boram
다른 색은 뭐 있어요?
Dareun saegeun mwo isseoyo?
What other colours do you have?
Assistant
까만색도 있고 하얀색도 있어요.
Kkamansaekdo itgo hayansaekdo isseoyo.
We have it in black and in white.
Boram
까만색을 입어 봐도 돼요?
Kkamansaegeul ibeo bwado dwaeyo?
May I try on the black one?
Assistant
네, 입어 보세요. 탈의실은 저쪽이에요.
Ne, ibeo boseyo. Taruisireun jeojjogieyo.
Yes, go ahead. The fitting room is over there.
Boram
사이즈는 괜찮아요. 까만색도 잘 어울려요?
Saijeuneun gwaenchanayo. Kkamansaekdo jal eoullyeoyo?
(Coming out) The size is fine. Does black suit me too?
Assistant
네, 아주 잘 어울리세요.
Ne, aju jal eoulliseyo.
Yes, it really suits you.
Boram
좋아요. 이 셔츠로 바꿔 주세요.
Joayo. I syeocheuro bakkwo juseyo.
Good. I'll exchange it for this one, please.
Understand
Right now: -고 있어요
To stress that something is happening right now, add -고 있어요 to the stem: → (hwaginhago isseoyo), I'm checking; → (chatgo isseoyo), I'm looking for it; → (meokgo isseoyo), I'm eating. The ordinary present () can also mean “now”, but -고 있어요 makes it clear that the action is in progress. It often comes with (jigeum), now: (jigeum hwaginhago isseoyo), I'm checking it now.
For the past, change to : (geuttae syeocheureul chatgo isseosseoyo), I was looking for a shirt then. In a shop you'll hear (mwo chajeuseyo?), what are you looking for?; you can answer (syeocheureul chatgo isseoyo), I'm looking for a shirt.
- 셔츠를 찾고 있어요.Syeocheureul chatgo isseoyo.I'm looking for a shirt.
- 지금 확인하고 있어요.Jigeum hwaginhago isseoyo.I'm checking now.
- 지금 점심을 먹고 있어요.Jigeum jeomsimeul meokgo isseoyo.I'm having lunch right now.
Try it and may I: -아 / -어 보다, -아 / -어도 돼요?
-아 / -어 보다 means “try doing”, to see what it's like. Take the present form, drop 요 and add : → (ibeo bwayo), I'll try it on; → (meogeo bwayo), I'll try it. As a request: (ibeo boseyo), try it on.
To ask for permission, drop 요 from the present form and add (do dwaeyo?): (ibeo bwado dwaeyo?), may I try it on?; (anjado dwaeyo?), may I sit down? The answer is (ne, dwaeyo) or . “No” is (an dwaeyo), that's not possible, as in , no refunds.
| Verb | Try it | May I? |
|---|---|---|
| (ipda), to put on, wear | (ibeo bwayo) | (ibeo bwado dwaeyo?) |
| (meokda), to eat | (meogeo bwayo) | (meogeo bwado dwaeyo?) |
| (masida), to drink | (masyeo bwayo) | (masyeo bwado dwaeyo?) |
| (hada), to do | (hae bwayo) | (hae bwado dwaeyo?) |
Colours, 다른 and 만
Most colour words are adjectives with an ㅎ stem, and the ㅎ disappears in most forms: (ppalgata), to be red → (ppalgaeyo), it's red; before a noun, (ppalgan): (ppalgan syeocheu), a red shirt. Add (saek), colour, and you get the name of the colour: (ppalgansaek), red. works the same way, which is why it's (eottaeyo?).
(dareun) means other, another: (dareun saek), another colour; (dareun saijeu), another size. (man) after a noun means only: (gyohwanman dwaeyo), only exchanges are possible; (kkamansaengman isseoyo), there's only black.
| Colour | It's… | Before a noun | The colour |
|---|---|---|---|
| red: (ppalgata) | (ppalgaeyo) | (ppalgan) | (ppalgansaek) |
| blue: (parata) | (paraeyo) | (paran) | (paransaek) |
| white: (hayata) | (hayaeyo) | (hayan) | (hayansaek) |
| black: (kkamata) | (kkamaeyo) | (kkaman) | (kkamansaek) |
| yellow: (norata) | (noraeyo) | (noran) | (noransaek) |
More in the grammar: Can and can't: -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 / 없다 · -고 있다: doing now, and wearing · Irregular verbs: ㅂ, ㄷ, ㅅ, 르, ㅎ (and ㅡ, ㄹ stems) · Must, may and must not
New words
- 뭐 찾으세요?Mwo chajeuseyo?what are you looking for? can I help you? · what shop staff say when you come in
- 찾다chatdato look for; to find · (chajayo), (chatgo isseoyo)
- 셔츠syeocheushirt
- 환불hwanbulrefund · (hwanbulhal su isseoyo?), can I get a refund?
- 교환gyohwanexchange · (gyohwanhago sipeoyo), I'd like to exchange it
- 만manonly · after a noun: (gyohwanman), only exchanges
- 사이즈saijeusize · (keun saijeu), a bigger size; (jageun saijeu), a smaller size
- 다른dareunother, another, different · always before a noun: (dareun saek)
- 색saekcolour
- 까만색kkamansaekblack · (geomeunsaek) also means black.
- 입다ipdato put on, to wear (clothes) · (ibeoyo), (ibeosseoyo)
- 입어 보다ibeo bodato try on · (ibeo bwado dwaeyo?), may I try it on?
- 탈의실taruisilfitting room
- 어울리다eoullidato suit, to look good on · (jal eoullyeoyo), it suits you
Practise
1.Ask the shop assistant if you may try the shirt on.
2.Match the shopping words with their meanings.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
3.Put the words in order: tell the assistant you're looking for a shirt.
Tap the words below in the right order.I'm looking for a shirt.
4.How do you say “It's red”?
5.The assistant says (gyohwanman dwaeyo). What does she mean?
6.Put the words in order: ask what other colours they have.
Tap the words below in the right order.What other colours do you have?
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
이거 입어 봐도 돼요?
Igeo ibeo bwado dwaeyo?
May I try this on?
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.