How to Ask If a Store Has a Specific Item

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Lesson Transcript

Welcome to Can-Do Korean by KoreanClass101.com.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to ask if a store has something in Korean.

For example, "Excuse me, do you have any salt?" is

저기요, 소금 있어요? (Jeo-gi-yo, so-geum iss-eo-yo?)

Ju-ri Yu is at a small grocery store and wants to buy some salt.

She gets the clerk's attention and asks if the store has some salt.

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

소금 (so-geum)

"salt"

소금

여기 (yeo-gi)

"here"

여기

저기요, 소금 있어요? (Jeo-gi-yo, so-geum iss-eo-yo?)

네, 여기 있어요. (Ne, yeo-gi iss-eo-yo.)

Once more with the English translation.

저기요, 소금 있어요? (Jeo-gi-yo, so-geum iss-eo-yo?)

"Excuse me, do you have any salt?"

네, 여기 있어요. (Ne, yeo-gi iss-eo-yo.)

"Yes, it's here."

Let's break down the conversation.

Do you remember how Ju-ri Yu says,

"Excuse me, do you have any salt?"

저기요, 소금 있어요? (Jeo-gi-yo, so-geum iss-eo-yo?)

This starts with 저기요 (Jeo-gi-yo), "Excuse me." 저기요 (Jeo-gi-yo).

저기 (jeo-gi), literally, "over there." It refers to a place that is a bit away from both the speaker and the listener. It can be used to call a person as in the dialogue. 저기 (enunciated). 저기.

Next is 요 (yo), a polite, informal sentence ending. 요 (enunciated) 요.

Note, adding 요 (yo) at the end of a sentence makes it more polite.

All together 저기요 (Jeo-gi-yo), literally means "over there", but it translates as "excuse me."

저기요 (enunciated).

Next is 소금 (so-geum), "salt." 소금 (enunciated). 소금.

Note: the subject-marking particle 이(i), in this case, which would mark 소금 (so-geum), "salt," as the subject of the sentence, is omitted. In spoken Korean, speakers tend to omit particles when it’s clear which particle would be used.

After this is 있어요? (iss-eo-yo?), which translates as "Do you have…?" in this context. 있어요? (enunciated). 있어요?

Translation note: 있어요 could also translate as "Is there," as in "Is there any salt?"

있어요 is the informal-polite form of 있다 (it-da), meaning "to exist, to be, or to have." 있다.

Together, it’s 소금 있어요? (So-geum iss-eo-yo?) This literally means "Salt you have?" but it translates as "Do have you salt?"

소금 있어요?

Note the rising intonation that indicates this is a question. Listen again.

소금 있어요?

Let’s take a closer look at the response.

Do you remember how the clerk says,

"Yes, it's here."

네, 여기 있어요. (Ne, yeo-gi iss-eo-yo.)

First is 네 (ne), "yes." 네 (enunciated). 네.

The shop clerk responds with 네, "yes," to answer Ju-ri's question.

After this the clerk says, 여기 있어요 (yeo-gi iss-eo-yo), translating as, "It's here." 여기 있어요 (yeo-gi iss-eo-yo).

Note, the clerk is pointing while saying this.

First is 여기 (yeo-gi), meaning "here." 여기 (enunciated). 여기.

Next is 있어요 (iss-eo-yo), translating as, "It’s," in this context. 있어요.

Recall, 있어요 is the informal-polite form of 있다 (it-da), meaning "to exist, to be, or to have," in this context. 있다.

Note the intonation. Without the rising intonation, the statement is declarative.

All together, it’s 네, 여기 있어요. (Ne, yeo-gi iss-eo-yo.) This literally means, "Yes, here is." but translates as "Yes, it’s here."

네, 여기 있어요.

The pattern is

{ITEM} 있어요? (iss-eo-yo?)

Do you have {ITEM}?

{ITEM} 있어요? (iss-eo-yo?)

To use this pattern, simply replace the {ITEM} placeholder with the thing you’re looking for.

Imagine you’re looking for milk.

우유 (u-yu). 우유 (enunciated). 우유.

Say

"Do you have milk?"

Ready?

우유 있어요? (U-yu iss-eo-yo?)

"Do you have milk?"

우유 있어요? (U-yu iss-eo-yo?)

In most cases, Korean doesn't make a distinction between singular and plural nouns. You'll use the same pattern when you're looking for salt, an apple, or a dozen apples.

For example, 사과 있어요? (Sa-gwa iss-eo-yo?) can translate as "Are there any apples?" Or "Is there an apple?" depending on the number of apples.

The English translation may alternate between singular and plural, but the Korean pattern remains the same.

Again, the key pattern is

{ITEM} 있어요? (iss-eo-yo?)

Do you have {ITEM}?

{ITEM} 있어요? (iss-eo-yo?)

Let's look at some examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

저기요, 소금 있어요? (Jeo-gi-yo, so-geum iss-eo-yo?)

"Excuse me, do you have any salt?"

저기요, 소금 있어요? (Jeo-gi-yo, so-geum iss-eo-yo?)

우유 있어요? (U-yu iss-eo-yo?)

"Do you have milk?"

우유 있어요? (U-yu iss-eo-yo?)

사과 있어요? (Sa-gwa iss-eo-yo?)

"Do you have apples?"

사과 있어요? (Sa-gwa iss-eo-yo?)

후추 있어요? (Hu-chu iss-eo-yo?)

"Do you have pepper?"

후추 있어요? (Hu-chu iss-eo-yo?)

설탕은 어디에 있어요? (Seol-tang-eun eo-di-e iss-eo-yo?)

"Where is the sugar?"

설탕은 어디에 있어요? (Seol-tang-eun eo-di-e iss-eo-yo?)

Did you notice how the last speaker used a different pattern?

설탕은 어디에 있어요? (Seol-tang-eun eo-di-e iss-eo-yo?)

"Where is the sugar?"

First is 설탕(seol-tang), "sugar. 설탕 (enunciated). 설탕.

Next is 은(eun), the topic-marking particle. 은 (enunciated). 은.

It marks "sugar" as the topic of the sentence. Think of it like "as for" in the expression "as for sugar..."

Next is 어디(eo-di), "Where." 어-디-(enunciated). 어디.

After this is the particle 에(e), the location marking particle. 에. 에.

In this sentence, think of it as the "on" or "at". In spoken Korean, it’s often omitted, as speakers tend to omit particles when it’s clear which particle would be used.

After this is 있어요? (iss-eo-yo?), translating as "is," as in "Where is the sugar?" in this context. 있어요?

있어요 is the informal-polite form of 있다 (it-da), meaning "to be," in this context. 있다.

Together, it’s 설탕은 어디에 있어요? (Seol-tang-eun eo-di-e iss-eo-yo?) literally, "As for sugar, where is it?" but it translates as "Where is the sugar? 설탕은 어디에 있어요?

Note the rising intonation that indicates this is a question. Listen again.

설탕은 어디에 있어요? (Seol-tang-eun eo-di-e iss-eo-yo?)

You should be aware of this pattern, but you won’t need it for this lesson.

Let’s review the key words.

우유 (u-yu)

"milk"

우유 (enunciated)

우유

사과 (sa-gwa)

"apple."

사과 (enunciated)

사과

후추 (hu-chu)

"pepper."

후추 (enunciated)

후추

설탕 (seol-tang)

"sugar"

설탕 (enunciated)

설탕

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 "salt"?

소금. (so-geum.)

And how to say "Excuse me"?

저기요. (Jeo-gi-yo.)

Do you remember how Ju-ri Yu asks, "Excuse me, do you have any salt?"

저기요, 소금 있어요? (Jeo-gi-yo, so-geum iss-eo-yo?)

Do you remember how to say "yes"?

네. (ne.)

And how to say "here"?

여기. (yeo-gi.)

Do you remember how the clerk says, "Yes, it's here."

네, 여기 있어요. (Ne, yeo-gi iss-eo-yo.)

Do you remember how to say "apple?"

사과. (sa-gwa.)

And how to say "sugar?"

설탕. (seol-tang.)

Do you remember how to say "milk?"

우유. (u-yu.)

Let's practice.

Imagine you're Ju-ri Yu, and you’re at the grocery store. Get the shopkeeper’s attention, and ask if they have sugar, or 설탕(seol-tang) in Korean.

Ready?

저기요, 설탕 있어요? (Jeo-gi-yo, seol-tang iss-eo-yo?)

네, 여기 있어요. (Ne, yeo-gi iss-eo-yo.)

Listen again and repeat.

저기요, 설탕 있어요? (Jeo-gi-yo, seol-tang iss-eo-yo?)

Let's try another.

Imagine Sang-hun Song, and you’re looking for the apples, or 사과(sa-gwa) in Korean. Ask if they have any.

Ready?

저기요, 사과 있어요? (Jeo-gi-yo, sa-gwa iss-eo-yo?)

네, 여기 있어요. (Ne, yeo-gi iss-eo-yo.)

Listen again and repeat.

저기요, 사과 있어요? (Jeo-gi-yo, sa-gwa iss-eo-yo?)

Let’s try one more.

Imagine you’re Yun-seok Yu and you’re at the grocery store to buy milk, or 우유(u-yu) in Korean.

Ready?

저기요, 우유 있어요? (Jeo-gi-yo, u-yu iss-eo-yo?)

네, 여기 있어요. (Ne, yeo-gi iss-eo-yo.)

Listen again and repeat.

저기요, 우유 있어요? (Jeo-gi-yo, u-yu iss-eo-yo?)

When asking for something, Koreans often use the adverb: 혹시 (hok-si), meaning "by any chance." 혹시 (hok-si).

For example, 혹시 소금 있어요? (Hok-si so-geum iss-eo-yo?) "Do you have salt, by any chance?" 혹시 소금 있어요? (Hok-si so-geum iss-eo-yo?)

This adverb could also translate as "Could it be (that)...?’, and it’s used when making assumptions or speaking of possibilities.

In this lesson, you learned how to ask if a store has something. This plays an essential role in the larger skill of shopping at a grocery store. Let’s review.

Do you remember how to say "(give) please?"

주세요 (ju-se-yo)

And how to say "that?"

그거 (geu-geo)

Do you remember how to say, "That, please?"

그거 주세요. (Geu-geo ju-se-yo.)

Imagine you're Jack Jones, and you're at a grocery store, and you'd like to buy water.

Do you remember how to say "water" in Korean?

물 (mul)

Ask the clerk for water.

물 주세요. (Mul ju-se-yo.)

여기 있습니다. (Yeo-gi it-seum-ni-da.)

Listen again and repeat.

물 주세요. (Mul ju-se-yo.)

You remembered that you also wanted to buy milk

Do you remember how to say "milk" in Korean?

우유 (u-yu)

Now ask the clerk if the store has milk.

Ready?

우유 있어요? (U-yu iss-eo-yo?)

네, 여기 있어요. (Ne, yeo-gi iss-eo-yo.)

Listen again and repeat.

우유 있어요? (U-yu iss-eo-yo?)

Well done! This is the end of this lesson.

In this lesson, you learned how to ask if a store has something, an essential skill for shopping at a grocery store.

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

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