Korean · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 11 of 12
Phone calls and messages
전화와 메시지Jeonhwawa mesiji
Make a phone call in Korean: ask for someone, leave a message, promise to call back with -(으)ㄹ게요, and say who you do things for with 한테, 께 and 드리다.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Ask for someone on the phone and leave a message
- Promise and offer with -(으)ㄹ게요: 다시 전화할게요
- Say who you send or give something to: 한테, 에게, 께
- Do things politely for others with -아 / -어 드리다
Listen
In Changwon, Jung Taemin phones a travel agency to book a trip to Jeju and asks for Ms Oh Jieun. Later she sends him a text. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Receptionist
감사합니다. 바다여행사입니다.
Gamsahamnida. Badayeohaengsaimnida.
Thank you for calling Bada Travel.
Taemin
여보세요? 오지은 씨 계세요?
Yeoboseyo? Oh Jieun ssi gyeseyo?
Hello? Is Ms Oh Jieun there?
Receptionist
네, 잠깐만 기다리세요.
Ne, jamkkanman gidariseyo.
Yes, one moment, please.
Receptionist
죄송합니다. 오지은 씨는 지금 회의하고 계세요.
Joesonghamnida. Oh Jieun ssineun jigeum hoeuihago gyeseyo.
I'm sorry. Ms Oh is in a meeting right now.
Taemin
아, 네. 그럼 메시지 좀 전해 주세요.
A, ne. Geureom mesiji jom jeonhae juseyo.
Oh, I see. Then could you pass on a message?
Receptionist
네. 성함이 어떻게 되세요?
Ne. Seonghami eotteoke doeseyo?
Of course. May I have your name?
Taemin
정태민이에요. 다음 달에 제주도 여행을 예약하고 싶어요.
Jung Taeminieyo. Daeum dare Jejudo yeohaengeul yeyakhago sipeoyo.
It's Jung Taemin. I'd like to book a trip to Jeju next month.
Receptionist
알겠습니다. 오지은 씨한테 전해 드릴게요.
Algetseumnida. Oh Jieun ssihante jeonhae deurilgeyo.
Certainly. I'll pass it on to Ms Oh.
Taemin
감사합니다. 제가 이따가 다시 전화할게요.
Gamsahamnida. Jega ittaga dasi jeonhwahalgeyo.
Thank you. I'll call again later.
Receptionist
네, 문자를 보내셔도 됩니다.
Ne, munjareul bonaesyeodo doemnida.
Yes, or you can also send a text.
Ms Oh (text)
정태민 고객님, 오지은입니다. 회의 끝나고 두 시에 전화 드릴게요.
Jung Taemin gogaengnim, Oh Jieunimnida. Hoeui kkeunnago du sie jeonhwa deurilgeyo.
(Later, a text message) Mr Jung, this is Oh Jieun. I'll call you at two, after my meeting.
Taemin (text)
네, 기다릴게요. 감사합니다.
Ne, gidarilgeyo. Gamsahamnida.
OK, I'll wait for your call. Thank you.
Understand
On the phone
(yeoboseyo) is “hello?” on the phone, for the caller and for the person answering. Companies answer with their name in the formal style: (Badayeohaengsaimnida), Bada Travel. (yeohaengsa) is a travel agency, from (yeohaeng), trip, travel.
To ask for someone, use their name with (ssi) or their title and the honorific (gyeseyo?), from (gyesida), the respectful “to be (somewhere)”. The staff answer with respectful forms too: (seonghami eotteoke doeseyo?) is the polite way to ask for a name, with (seongham), the honorific word for name.
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| (yeoboseyo?) | Hello? (on the phone) |
| (Oh Jieun ssi gyeseyo?) | Is Oh Jieun there? |
| (Oh Jieun ssi jom bakkwo juseyo) | Can I speak to Oh Jieun, please? |
| (jamkkanman gidariseyo) | One moment, please. |
| (jigeum hoeui jungieyo) | She's in a meeting now. |
| (mesiji namgisigesseoyo?) | Would you like to leave a message? |
| (seonghami eotteoke doeseyo?) | May I have your name? |
I'll do it: -(으)ㄹ게요
-(으)ㄹ게요 means “I'll…” when you promise something or offer to do it for the person you're talking to. Add ㄹ게요 after a vowel and 을게요 after a consonant: → (jeonhwahalgeyo), I'll call; → (gidarilgeyo), I'll wait; → (meogeulgeyo), I'll eat it. A stem ending in ㄹ just adds 게요: (mandeulgeyo), I'll make it.
It's only for “I” (or “we”) and never a question. Compare -(으)ㄹ 거예요 from chapter 6, which states a plan or a guess: (naeil Busane gal geoyeyo), I'm going to Busan tomorrow. With -(으)ㄹ게요 you respond to the other person: (dasi jeonhwahalgeyo), I'll call again. In 반말, drop 요: (jeonhwahalge).
- 이따가 다시 전화할게요.Ittaga dasi jeonhwahalgeyo.I'll call again later.
- 문자 보낼게요.Munja bonaelgeyo.I'll send you a text.
- 여기에서 기다릴게요.Yeogieseo gidarilgeyo.I'll wait here.
To someone: 한테, 에게, 께 and 드리다
To say who you give, send or say something to, add 한테 (hante) in speech or 에게 (ege) in writing: (chinguhante munjareul bonaesseoyo), I sent my friend a text. For someone you respect, use the honorific 께 (kke) and the humble verb (deurida), to give (to someone above you): (seonsaengnimkke jeonhwa deurilgeyo), I'll call my teacher.
In the same way, -아 / -어 주다 (do for someone) becomes -아 / -어 드리다 when you do something for a customer or an older person: (jeonhae juseyo), please pass it on (for me); (jeonhae deurilgeyo), I'll pass it on (for you).
-고 있어요 (be doing) becomes -고 계세요 (-go gyeseyo) for people you respect: (jigeum hoeuihago gyeseyo), she's in a meeting now.
- 동생한테 메시지를 남겼어요.Dongsaenghante mesijireul namgyeosseoyo.I left a message for my younger brother.
- 어머니께 전화 드렸어요.Eomeonikke jeonhwa deuryeosseoyo.I called my mother.
- 제가 도와 드릴게요.Jega dowa deurilgeyo.I'll help you.
More in the grammar: More particles: 도, 만, 의, 하고, 보다, 부터/까지, 한테 · -고 있다: doing now, and wearing · Honorifics: -(으)시-, 께서, 드리다 · The future: -(으)ㄹ 거예요, -겠-, -(으)ㄹ게요
New words
- 여보세요yeoboseyohello? (on the phone)
- 계시다gyesidato be (somewhere), honorific · (sajangnim gyeseyo?), is the boss there?
- 바꾸다bakkudato change; to put (someone) on the phone · (… ssi jom bakkwo juseyo), can I speak to …?
- 회의 중hoeui jungin a meeting · (jung) means in the middle of: (tonghwa jung), on the phone. When it's over: (hoeuiga kkeunnayo), the meeting ends, from (kkeunnada), to end.
- 메시지mesijimessage
- 남기다namgidato leave (a message) · (mesijireul namgyeosseoyo), I left a message
- 전하다jeonhadato pass on, to tell · (jeonhae juseyo), please pass it on
- 성함seonghamname (honorific) · the everyday word is (ireum)
- 다시dasiagain · (dasi jeonhwahalgeyo), I'll call again
- 문자munjatext message · many people also say (katok), a message on the KakaoTalk app
- 보내다bonaedato send · (munjareul bonaesseoyo), I sent a text
- 한테hanteto (someone) · (ege) in writing, (kke) for people you respect
- 기다리다gidaridato wait · (jamkkanman gidariseyo), one moment, please
- 연락yeollakcontact, getting in touch · (yeollakhalgeyo), I'll be in touch; (yeollak juseyo), get in touch
Practise
1.You call a company and want to know if Mr Kim is there. What do you ask?
2.Match the phone words with their meanings.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
3.Put the words in order: promise to call again later.
Tap the words below in the right order.I'll call again later.
4.A shop assistant offers to help an older customer. What does she say?
5.How do you say “I sent my friend a text”?
6.Put the words in order: ask someone to pass on a message.
Tap the words below in the right order.Could you pass on a message, please?
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
여보세요? 오지은 씨 계세요?
Yeoboseyo? Oh Jieun ssi gyeseyo?
Hello? Is Oh Jieun there?
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.