How to Ask for Clarification

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Lesson Transcript

Welcome to Can-Do Korean by KoreanClass101.com.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to ask for clarification in Korean.

For example, "Please say it one more time. Please say it slowly." is

한 번 더 말해 주세요. 천천히 말해 주세요. (Han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo. Cheon-cheon-hi mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

Ju-ri Yu meets her neighbor, Do-jun Jo, for the first time in the lobby of their building.

Do-jun introduces himself but Ju-ri doesn’t catch his name and asks for clarification.

Before you hear the conversation, let's preview some of its key components,

한 번 더 (han beon deo)

"one more time"

한 번 더 (enunciated)

한 번 더

천천히 (cheon-cheon-hi)

"slowly"

천천히 (enunciated)

천천히

Note, Ju-ri uses informal-polite Korean.

안녕하세요. 저는 조도준이에요. (An-nyeong-ha-se-yo. Jeo-neun Jo-do-jun-i-e-yo.)

죄송하지만 한 번 더 말해 주세요. 천천히 말해 주세요. (Joe-song-ha-ji-man han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo. Cheon-cheon-hi mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

저는 조도준이에요. (Jeo-neun Jo-do-jun-i-e-yo.)

Once more with the English translation.

안녕하세요. 저는 조도준이에요. (An-nyeong-ha-se-yo. Jeo-neun Jo-do-jun-i-e-yo.)

"Hello, I'm Do-jun Jo."

죄송하지만 한 번 더 말해 주세요. 천천히 말해 주세요. (Joe-song-ha-ji-man han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo. Cheon-cheon-hi mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

"Sorry, but please say it one more time. Please say it slowly."

저는 조도준이에요. (Jeo-neun Jo-do-jun-i-e-yo.)

"I'm Do-jun Jo."

Let's take a closer look at the conversation.

Do you remember how Do-jun introduces himself?

"Hello, I'm Do-jun Jo."

안녕하세요. 저는 조도준이에요. (An-nyeong-ha-se-yo. Jeo-neun Jo-do-jun-i-e-yo.)

First is 안녕하세요 (an-nyeong-ha-se-yo). "Hello." 안녕하세요 (enunciated). 안녕하세요.

Next is 저는 조도준이에요. (Jeo-neun Jo-do-jun-i-e-yo.)

First is 저(jeo), meaning "I." 저 (enunciated). 저.

This is the humble word for "I."

Next is 는(neun), the topic-marking particle. 는 (enunciated). 는.

It marks "I" as the topic of the sentence. Think of it like "as for" in the expression "as for me…."

Note: there are two forms of the topic-marking particle.

는(neun) follows words that end in a vowel, such as 저(jeo).

Together, it’s 저는(jeo-neun). "As for me...." 저는.

Next is Do-jun Jo’s full name. Notice the name order.

First is his family name, 조 (Jo), Jo. 조 (Jo) (enunciated). 조 (Jo), followed by his first name, 도준 (Do-jun), Do-jun, 도준 (Do-jun) (enunciated). 도준 (Do-jun).

Together, 조도준 (Jo-do-jun).

In Korean, the order is family name first followed by given names.

And last is 이에요 (i-e-yo). Here it’s like the "am" in "I am." 이에요 (enunciated). 이에요.

이에요 is from 이다 (i-da) meaning "to be." 이다.

이다 acts like a verb, but is technically a particle.

Note: 이에요 follows words that end in a consonant like 도준 (Do-jun).

All together it’s 안녕하세요. 저는 조도준이에요. (An-nyeong-ha-se-yo. Jeo-neun Jo-do-jun-i-e-yo.) Literally, "Hello. As for me Jo Do-jun I am." but it translates as "Hello, I'm Do-jun Jo."

안녕하세요. 저는 조도준이에요. (An-nyeong-ha-se-yo. Jeo-neun Jo-do-jun-i-e-yo.)

Do you remember how Ju-ri says,

"Sorry, but please say it one more time. Please say it slowly."

죄송하지만 한 번 더 말해 주세요. 천천히 말해 주세요. (Joe-song-ha-ji-man han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo. Cheon-cheon-hi mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

First is 죄송하지만 (joe-song-ha-ji-man), literally, "sorry, but...," and can translate as "I’m sorry." 죄송하지만 (enunciated). 죄송하지만.

죄송하지만 is from the adjective 죄송하다 (jeo-song-ha-da), meaning "sorry," in a polite and honorific way, in this case. 죄송하다 (jeo-song-ha-da)

Here, Ju-ri intends to ask Do-Jun to say his name again, so she starts with 죄송하지만 (joe-song-ha-ji-man), "sorry, but," or "I’m sorry," before asking him to do so.

Next is 한 번 더 말해 주세요 (han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo) meaning "Please, say it one more time." 한 번 더 말해 주세요 (enunciated). 한 번 더 말해 주세요.

This expression has several parts.

First is 한 번 (han beon), meaning, "one time" in this context. 한 번.

한 (han), "one." 한 (enunciated). 한 (han)

And 번 (beon), "time." 번 (enunciated). 번 (beon)

After this is 더 (deo), "more." 더 (enunciated). 더.

Together, 한 번 더, literally "one time more," but it translates as "one more time." 한 번 더.

Last is the phrase 말해 주세요 (mal-hae ju-se-yo), "Please say it." 말해 주세요 (enunciated). 말해 주세요.

말해 주세요 (mal-hae ju-se-yo) is from the verb 말하다 (mal-ha-da), meaning "to say." 말하다 (mal-ha-da).

All together, it's 한 번 더 말해 주세요 (han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo) literally meaning "one time more, say please" but it translates as "Please say it one more time."

한 번 더 말해 주세요 (Han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo)

The next sentence is 천천히 말해 주세요. (Cheon-cheon-hi mal-hae ju-se-yo.) "Please say it slowly."

First, 천천히 (cheon-cheon-hi) "slowly." 천천히 (enunciated). 천천히.

Next is 말해 주세요 (mal-hae ju-se-yo), "please say it." 말해 주세요.

Together, it’s 천천히 말해 주세요. (Cheon-cheon-hi mal-hae ju-se-yo.) literally meaning "slowly, say (it) please", but it translates as "Please say it slowly."

천천히 말해 주세요. (Cheon-cheon-hi mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

Finally, do you remember how Do-jun repeats,

"I'm Do-jun Jo."

Hint, you’ve heard it before.

저는 조도준이에요. (Jeo-neun Jo-do-jun-i-e-yo.) "I'm Do-jun Jo."

저는 조도준이에요. (Jeo-neun jo-do-jun-i-e-yo.)

Let’s look at the expressions once more.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

죄송하지만 (Joe-song-ha-ji-man)

"Sorry."

죄송하지만 (Joe-song-ha-ji-man)

한 번 더 말해 주세요. (han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

"Please say it one more time."

한 번 더 말해 주세요. (han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

죄송하지만 한 번 더 말해 주세요. (Joe-song-ha-ji-man han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

"Sorry, but please say it one more time."

죄송하지만 한 번 더 말해 주세요. (Joe-song-ha-ji-man han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

죄송하지만 천천히 말해 주세요. (Joe-song-ha-ji-man cheon-cheon-hi mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

"Sorry, but please say it slowly."

죄송하지만 천천히 말해 주세요. (Joe-song-ha-ji-man cheon-cheon-hi mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

죄송하지만 한 번 더 말해 주세요. 천천히 말해 주세요. (Joe-song-ha-ji-man han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo. Cheon-cheon-hi mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

"Sorry, but please say it one more time. Please say it slowly."

죄송하지만 한 번 더 말해 주세요. 천천히 말해 주세요. (Joe-song-ha-ji-man han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo. Cheon-cheon-hi mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

적어 주세요. (Jeog-eo ju-se-yo.)

"Please write it down."

적어 주세요. (Jeog-eo ju-se-yo.)

잘 모르겠어요. (Jal mo-reu-gess-eo-yo.)

"I don't understand."

잘 모르겠어요. (Jal mo-reu-gess-eo-yo.)

Did you notice the new expressions we used?

적어 주세요. (Jeog-eo ju-se-yo.)

"Please write it down." 적어 주세요. (enunciated). 적어 주세요.

적어 주세요. is from the verb 적다 (jeok-da) meaning, "to write down". 적다 (jeok-da) "write down."

Next is 잘 모르겠어요. (Jal mo-reu-gess-eo-yo.) literally, "Well I don’t know," but translates as

"I don’t understand." 잘 모르겠어요. (enunciated) 잘 모르겠어요.

First is 잘(jal) meaning, "well." 잘

Next is 모르겠어요(mo-reu-gess-eo-yo) from the verb 모르다(mo-reu-da) meaning, "to not know." 모르다

For now, please remember 적어 주세요. and 잘 모르겠어요. as a set phrases.

Let's review the key vocabulary.

적어 주세요. (Jeog-eo ju-se-yo.) "Please write it down." 적어 주세요 (enunciated). 적어 주세요.

잘 모르겠어요. (Jal mo-reu-gess-eo-yo.) "I don’t understand." 잘 모르겠어요 (enunciated). 잘 모르겠어요.

Let's review.

Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then repeat after the native speaker, focusing on pronunciation.

Ready?

Do you remember how to say,

"Please say it."

말해 주세요 (Mal-hae ju-se-yo)

And how to say,

"One more time."

한 번 더 (han beon deo)

Do you remember how to say,

"Sorry, but..."

죄송하지만 (Joe-song-ha-ji-man)

Do you remember how Ju-ri Yu says,

"Sorry, but please say it one more time."

죄송하지만 한 번 더 말해 주세요. (Joe-song-ha-ji-man han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

Do you remember how to say, "slowly?"

천천히 (cheon-cheon-hi)

Do you remember how Ju-ri Yu says,

"Please say it slowly."

천천히 말해 주세요. (Cheon-cheon-hi mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

Do you remember how to say "Hello?"

안녕하세요. (An-nyeong-ha-se-yo.)

And how Do-jun Jo introduces himself?

안녕하세요. 저는 조도준이에요. (An-nyeong-ha-se-yo. Jeo-neun Jo-do-jun-i-e-yo.)

Do you remember how to say,

"Please write it down."

적어 주세요. (Jeog-eo ju-se-yo.)

Let's practice.

Imagine you're No-a Yu. Do-jun Jo introduces himself, but you can’t catch his name. Start with "Sorry, but" and ask him to say it one more time.

Ready?

안녕하세요. 저는 조도준이에요. (An-nyeong-ha-se-yo. Jeo-neun Jo-do-jun-i-e-yo.)

죄송하지만 한 번 더 말해 주세요. (Joe-song-ha-ji-man han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

Listen again and repeat.

죄송하지만 한 번 더 말해 주세요. (Joe-song-ha-ji-man han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

Let’s try another.

Imagine you're Do-jun Jo. Politely ask Yeon-a Yu to say it one more time, and say it slowly.

Ready?

안녕하세요. 저는 조도준이에요. (An-nyeong-ha-se-yo. Jeo-neun jo-do-jun-i-e-yo.)

죄송하지만 한 번 더 말해 주세요. 천천히 말해 주세요. (Joe-song-ha-ji-man han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo. Cheon-cheon-hi mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

Listen again and repeat.

죄송하지만 한 번 더 말해 주세요. 천천히 말해 주세요. (Joe-song-ha-ji-man han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo. Cheon-cheon-hi mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

Let’s try one more.

Imagine you're Do-jun Jo. Start with "Sorry," and ask Ju-ri Yu to "please write it down."

Ready?

죄송하지만 한 번 더 말해 주세요. 천천히 말해 주세요. (Joe-song-ha-ji-man han beon deo mal-hae ju-se-yo. Cheon-cheon-hi mal-hae ju-se-yo.)

죄송하지만 적어 주세요. (Joe-song-ha-ji-man Jeog-eo ju-se-yo.)

Listen again and repeat.

죄송하지만 적어 주세요. (Joe-song-ha-ji-man Jeog-eo ju-se-yo.)

Well done! This is the end of this lesson.

In this lesson, you learned how to ask for clarification in Korean. This plays an essential role in the larger skill of getting clarification on things when you're speaking Korean.

Remember, these Can Do lessons are about learning practical language skills.

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