Korean · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 8 of 12
Plans and invitations
약속 잡기Yaksok japgi
Make, accept and change plans with a close friend in casual Korean (반말): let's with -자, shall we with -(으)ㄹ까?, and saying no with -아서.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Speak casually (반말) with a close friend, and know when not to
- Suggest something with -자 (let's) and -(으)ㄹ까? (shall we?)
- Say no and give a reason: 약속이 있어서 못 가
- Change a time and agree on a new plan
Listen
In Jeonju, old school friends Yoo Sangmin and Jeon Mirae, both 28, make plans to see a film. On Saturday, Sangmin sends a message. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Mirae
상민아, 뭐 해? 토요일에 시간 있어?
Sangmina, mwo hae? Toyoire sigan isseo?
Sangmin, what are you up to? Are you free on Saturday?
Sangmin
응, 시간 있어. 뭐 할 거야?
Eung, sigan isseo. Mwo hal geoya?
Yes, I'm free. What have you got in mind?
Mirae
영화 보자. 영화관에 가고 싶어.
Yeonghwa boja. Yeonghwagwane gago sipeo.
Let's see a film. I feel like going to the cinema.
Sangmin
좋아. 몇 시에 볼까?
Joa. Myeot sie bolkka?
Sounds good. What time shall we meet?
Mirae
오후 두 시 어때?
Ohu du si eottae?
How about 2 pm?
Sangmin
미안해, 두 시에는 약속이 있어서 못 가. 네 시는 어때?
Mianhae, du sieneun yaksogi isseoseo mot ga. Ne sineun eottae?
Sorry, I've got plans at two, so I can't. How about four?
Mirae
네 시? 괜찮아. 그럼 표는 내가 예매할까?
Ne si? Gwaenchana. Geureom pyoneun naega yemaehalkka?
Four? That's fine. Shall I book the tickets, then?
Sangmin
응, 부탁해.
Eung, butakhae.
Yes, please.
Sangmin
미래야, 진짜 미안해. 회사에 일이 많아서 네 시에 못 가. 일곱 시는 어때?
Miraeya, jinjja mianhae. Hoesae iri manaseo ne sie mot ga. Ilgop sineun eottae?
(On Saturday, in a message) Mirae, I'm really sorry. I've got a lot of work, so I can't make it at four. How about seven?
Mirae
괜찮아. 그럼 일곱 시 영화 보자. 나는 여섯 시부터 영화관 앞 카페에 있을 거야.
Gwaenchana. Geureom ilgop si yeonghwa boja. Naneun yeoseot sibuteo yeonghwagwan ap kapee isseul geoya.
That's OK. Let's see the seven o'clock film, then. I'll be at the café in front of the cinema from six.
Sangmin
고마워. 영화 보고 저녁도 같이 먹자.
Gomawo. Yeonghwa bogo jeonyeokdo gachi meokja.
Thanks. Let's have dinner together after the film too.
Mirae
좋아. 그럼 이따가 보자.
Joa. Geureom ittaga boja.
Great. See you later, then.
Understand
반말: talking to close friends
(banmal), literally “half speech”, is the casual style Koreans use with close friends of their own age, with younger people they are close to, and in the family. The rule for learners: use it only with close friends your age or younger, or when someone suggests it. Never use it with strangers or with older people.
It's easy to form: drop 요 from the polite style. → (isseo), → (joa), → (mianhae), → (haesseo), → (gal geoya). / become / : (haksaengiya), (chinguya). “Yes” is (eung) and “no” is (ani).
Instead of (jeo), say (na), I; becomes (naega) and becomes (nae), my. Close friends call each other by their given name + 아 after a consonant or 야 after a vowel: (Sangmina), (Miraeya). For “you” they may say (neo).
| Polite style | (banmal) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| (ne) | (eung) | yes |
| (aniyo) | (ani) | no |
| (jeo), (jega) | (na), (naega) | I |
| (sigan isseoyo?) | (sigan isseo?) | are you free? |
| (chinguyeyo.) | (chinguya.) | it's a friend |
| (gomawoyo.) | (gomawo.) | thanks |
| (gal geoyeyo.) | (gal geoya.) | I'm going to go |
Let's and shall we: -자, -(으)ㄹ까?
In 반말, “let's” is the stem + -자 (-ja): (boja), let's watch; (meokja), let's eat; (gaja), let's go. In the polite style, the ordinary present does the job: (gachi gayo), let's go together.
To ask “shall we?” or “shall I?”, add -ㄹ까? after a vowel and -을까? after a consonant; in the polite style, add 요. (bolkka?), (bolkkayo?), shall we watch?; (meogeulkkayo?), shall we eat?; (naega yemaehalkka?), shall I book? To suggest a time, use / , how about…?: (ne si eottae?).
| Polite style | (banmal) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| (gachi gayo.) | (gachi gaja.) | Let's go together. |
| (myeot sie bolkkayo?) | (myeot sie bolkka?) | What time shall we meet? |
| (mwo meogeulkkayo?) | (mwo meogeulkka?) | What shall we eat? |
| (ittaga bwayo.) | (ittaga boja.) | See you later. |
Saying no and changing plans
To say no kindly, start with (mianhae) or (mianhaeyo), sorry, give a reason with -아서 / -어서 and use (mot): (yaksogi isseoseo mot ga), I've got plans, so I can't come. Then suggest something else: (daeume gachi gaja), let's go together next time.
Plans use -(으)ㄹ 거야 in 반말, just like -(으)ㄹ 거예요 in the polite style: (yeoseot sibuteo kapee isseul geoya), I'll be at the café from six. (geureom), then, in that case, links your answer to what your friend just said.
- 미안해, 약속이 있어서 못 가.Mianhae, yaksogi isseoseo mot ga.Sorry, I've got plans, so I can't come.
- 미안해요, 일이 많아서 못 가요.Mianhaeyo, iri manaseo mot gayo.Sorry, I've got a lot of work, so I can't come. (polite)
- 그럼 다음 주에 보자.Geureom daeum jue boja.See you next week, then.
- 토요일에 뭐 할 거야?Toyoire mwo hal geoya?What are you going to do on Saturday?
More in the grammar: Speech levels: 해요, 합니다, 반말 and 한다 · 이다 and 아니다: to be · Requests and suggestions: -(으)세요, -아/어 주세요, -(으)ㄹ까요? · The future: -(으)ㄹ 거예요, -겠-, -(으)ㄹ게요
New words
- 뭐 해?Mwo hae?what are you doing? what are you up to? · a casual way to start a call or a chat
- 시간 있어?Sigan isseo?are you free? (casual) · (sigan), time; polite: (sigan isseoyo?)
- 보자bojalet's watch; let's meet · (boda) + -자; (ittaga boja), see you later
- 영화관yeonghwagwancinema, movie theater
- 어때?Eottae?how about…? how is it? (casual) · polite: (eottaeyo?)
- 미안해mianhaesorry (casual) · polite: (mianhaeyo); formal: (joesonghamnida)
- 약속yaksokplans, an appointment (to meet someone); a promise · (yaksogi isseoyo), I've got plans
- 그럼geureomthen, in that case · at the start of a reply
- 표pyoticket
- 예매하다yemaehadato book (tickets) in advance · for tickets; for hotels and restaurants, (yeyakhada)
- 진짜jinjjareally · more casual than (jeongmal)
- 괜찮아gwaenchanait's OK, that's fine (casual) · polite: (gwaenchanayo)
- 고마워gomawothanks (casual) · polite: (gomawoyo); formal: (gomapseumnida)
- 이따가ittagalater (today) · (ittaga boja), see you later
Practise
1.Your close friend asks (sigan isseo?). Which answer is in 반말?
2.Say “Let's eat together” to a close friend.
3.Match the words with their meanings.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
4.Put the words in order: tell your friend you can't come because you've got plans.
Tap the words below in the right order.I've got plans, so I can't come.
5.Who can you speak 반말 to?
6.Put the words in order: ask your friend what time you should meet.
Tap the words below in the right order.What time shall we meet?
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
토요일에 시간 있어?
Toyoire sigan isseo?
Are you free on Saturday?
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.