Cleaning a Small Stain | Learn Korean in English

Korean lesson set in a contemporary Seoul everyday setting: At a table, two adults clean a small stain with a sponge and a little soap..

EN → KO / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Cleaning a Small Stain to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

테이블 위에 얼룩이 있어요.

TAY-buhl wee-eh uhl-LOO-gee ee-SUH-yoh There is a stain on the table.
B

컵 근처에 얼룩이 보여요.

kuhp geun-CHUH-eh uhl-LOO-gee BOH-yoh I can see it near the cup.
A

깨끗한 스펀지가 있어요?

KKEH-kkeun-han suh-PEUN-jee-ga ee-SUH-yoh Do we have a clean sponge?
B

스펀지는 싱크대 옆에 있어요.

SHEENG-keu-deh yuh-peh ee-SUH-yoh The sponge is by the sink.
A

비누를 조금 쓸까요?

bee-NOO-reul joh-GEUM sseul-KKAH-yoh Should I use some soap?
B

스펀지에 비누를 조금 묻히세요.

suh-PEUN-jee-eh bee-NOO-reul joh-GEUM moot-hee-SEH-yoh Put a little soap on the sponge.
A

얼룩이 거의 없어졌어요.

uhl-LOO-gee guh-EE uhp-SUH-jyuh-SUH-yoh The stain is almost gone.
B

테이블이 깨끗해 보여요.

TAY-buhl-ee KKEH-kkeun-heh BOH-yoh The table looks clean.

Word by Word

테이블 테이블 means “table” here, referring to the table with the stain. It is used as a noun for a table in a home or other everyday setting, as in 테이블 위에 얼룩이 있어요. Use it when identifying or discussing a table.
위에 위에 means “on top of” here and shows where the stain is located: 테이블 위에 얼룩이 있어요. It is used after a place or object to describe something positioned on it. A common reuse pattern is “place 위에 있어요” for saying that something is on a place.
얼룩이 얼룩이 means “a stain” here, and 이 marks 얼룩 as the thing that exists or is visible. In 테이블 위에 얼룩이 있어요, it identifies the stain on the table; in 컵 근처에 얼룩이 보여요, it identifies the visible stain. Use it when pointing out a mark or dirty spot.
있어요 있어요 indicates that something exists or is present, so 테이블 위에 얼룩이 있어요 means “There is a stain on the table.” It commonly follows a subject marked as the thing that exists and can also describe where something is. Use it when reporting that an item is available or located somewhere.
컵 컵 means “cup” here, referring to the cup near the stain. It is used as a noun for a cup in an everyday setting, as in 컵 근처에 얼룩이 보여요. Use it when identifying a cup or describing something near it.
근처에 근처에 means “near” here and marks the area around the cup where the stain can be seen: 컵 근처에 얼룩이 보여요. It is used after a place or object to describe something located nearby. A common reuse pattern is “place 근처에 있어요” for saying that something is near a place.
보여요 In 컵 근처에 얼룩이 보여요, 보여요 indicates that the stain is visible to the speaker. In 테이블이 깨끗해 보여요, it indicates how the table appears, so the whole expression means “The table looks clean.” Use it when reporting that something can be seen or describing its visible appearance.
깨끗한 깨끗한 means “clean” here and describes the sponge in 깨끗한 스펀지가 있어요? It is placed before a noun to describe an item that is clean. Use it when asking for or identifying a clean object, such as a clean sponge.
스펀지가 스펀지가 means “a sponge” here, with 이 marking 스펀지 as the thing whose existence is being asked about in 깨끗한 스펀지가 있어요? It presents the sponge as a possible available item. Use this form when asking whether a sponge or another item is present or available.
스펀지는 스펀지는 refers to “the sponge” here, with 는 making the sponge the topic in 스펀지는 싱크대 옆에 있어요. The sentence then gives the sponge’s location beside the sink. Use it when shifting attention to a known item and describing it.
싱크대 싱크대 means “sink” here, referring to the place beside which the sponge is located. It is used as a noun for a kitchen sink, as in 스펀지는 싱크대 옆에 있어요. Use it when describing where a cleaning item is kept.
옆에 옆에 means “beside” or “next to” here and shows the sponge’s position relative to the sink: 스펀지는 싱크대 옆에 있어요. It is used after an object to describe something located next to it. A common reuse pattern is “object 옆에 있어요” for saying that something is beside an object.
비누를 비누를 means “soap” here, with 를 marking the soap as the object of the action in 비누를 조금 쓸까요? The sentence asks whether the speaker should use a little soap. Use it when referring to soap as something being used or applied.
조금 조금 means “a little” here and indicates a small amount of soap in 비누를 조금 쓸까요? It is placed before the action to describe using a small amount. Use it when requesting or describing a small quantity of something.
쓸까요 쓸까요 asks “Should I use it?” here, as part of 비누를 조금 쓸까요? It is used to ask whether the speaker should carry out an action, often when seeking guidance or offering to do it. Here the action is using a little soap.
스펀지에 스펀지에 means “onto the sponge” here and marks the sponge as the surface or place receiving the soap in 스펀지에 비누를 조금 묻히세요. It is used when something is put or applied to a surface or object. Use it when giving instructions about where to apply something.
묻히세요 묻히세요 tells the listener to put or apply something onto a surface, here in 스펀지에 비누를 조금 묻히세요. The whole sentence means “Put a little soap on the sponge,” while 묻히세요 gives the instruction to apply it. Use it when telling someone to apply a substance to an object or surface.
거의 거의 means “almost” here and shows that the stain has nearly disappeared in 얼룩이 거의 없어졌어요. It is placed before a state or change to indicate that the result is close but not complete. Use it when reporting that something is nearly finished or nearly gone.
없어졌어요 없어졌어요 means “has gone away” or “has disappeared” here, describing the stain after cleaning in 얼룩이 거의 없어졌어요. It describes a change in which something that was present is no longer there or visible. Use it when reporting that a mark, object, or problem has disappeared.
테이블이 테이블이 means “the table” here, with 이 marking the table as the thing being evaluated in 테이블이 깨끗해 보여요. It identifies the table as the subject whose appearance is being described. Use it when saying what object looks a certain way.
깨끗해 깨끗해 means “clean” here and connects the description of the table to 보여요 in 테이블이 깨끗해 보여요. The whole expression means “The table looks clean,” while 깨끗해 supplies the clean appearance. Use this form before the verb meaning “looks” when describing how something appears.

Grammar Points

N 위에 있어요

얼룩은 테이블 위에 있어요.

uhl-LOO-geun TAY-buhl wee-eh ee-SUH-yoh

The stain is on the table.

Korean places the location phrase before 있어요. 위에 means “on top of,” and the topic can be marked with 은/는.

A-아/어 보여요

깨끗해 보여요.

KKEH-kkeun-heh BOH-yoh

It looks clean.

Attach 보여요 to an adjective to say something appears a certain way. This differs from simply stating that it is that way.

Korean Vocabulary

근처에 phrase
geun-CHUH-eh near
깨끗한 adj
KKEH-kkeun-han clean
보여요 verb
BOH-yoh is visible; can be seen
비누 noun
bee-NOO soap
스펀지 noun
suh-PEUN-jee sponge
싱크대 noun
SHEENG-keu-deh sink
얼룩 noun
uhl-LOOK stain
옆에 phrase
yuh-peh next to; beside
위에 phrase
wee-eh on top of
있어요 verb
ee-SUH-yoh there is; exists
컵 noun
kuhp cup
테이블 noun
TAY-buhl table

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

There is a stain on the table.

Show Answer테이블 위에 얼룩이 있어요.

I can see it near the cup.

Show Answer컵 근처에 얼룩이 보여요.

Do we have a clean sponge?

Show Answer깨끗한 스펀지가 있어요?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

table

Show Answer테이블

there is; exists

Show Answer있어요

is visible; can be seen

Show Answer보여요

clean

Show Answer깨끗한