Talking about a sore throat | Learn Korean in English

Korean lesson set in a contemporary Seoul everyday setting: At home, one adult has a sore throat while another makes warm tea and suggests resting the voice..

EN → KO / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Talking about a sore throat to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

목이 조금 아파요.

moh-GEE joh-GUHM ah-PAH-yoh My throat feels a little sore.
B

따뜻한 것을 마셔 보세요.

ttah-TTEU-tahn guh-SUHL MAH-shuh boh-SEH-yoh Try drinking something warm.
A

차를 좀 만들어 줄 수 있어요?

chah-reul johm MAN-deu-ruh jool-ssu ee-SSUH-yoh Could you make me some tea?
B

지금 만들게요.

jee-GUHM MAN-deul-KKEH-yoh I'll make some now.
A

오늘은 제 목소리가 이상해요.

oh-NEU-reun jeh mohk-SSOH-ree-gah ee-sahng-HAE-yoh My voice sounds strange today.
B

지금은 말을 조금만 해 보세요.

jee-GU-meun MAH-reul joh-GUHM-mahn hae boh-SEH-yoh Try to speak less for now.
A

그걸 마시고 쉴게요.

guh-GUHL MAH-shee-goh SHWEEL-KKEH-yoh I'll rest after I drink it.
B

그러면 목에 도움이 될 거예요.

guh-ruh-MYUN moh-GEH doh-OO-mee dwel-KKUH-yeh-yoh That should help your throat.

Word by Word

목 “목” means “throat” here, as in “목이 조금 아파요.” It is used for the body part that feels sore. A new example is “목이 아파요” for saying that your throat hurts.
이 In “목이 조금 아파요,” “이” marks “목” as the thing being described. It connects the throat with the statement that it hurts. A reliable pattern is noun + “이” + description when the noun ends in a consonant.
조금 “조금” means “a little” in “목이 조금 아파요,” so the throat is only slightly sore. It can be placed before a description to reduce its degree. A new example is “조금 피곤해요” for saying that you are a little tired.
아파요 “아파요” means “hurts” or “is sore” in “목이 조금 아파요.” Here it describes the speaker’s throat as painful. You can use it after a body part when explaining a health problem.
따뜻한 “따뜻한” means “warm” in “따뜻한 것을 마셔 보세요.” It describes the thing the listener is encouraged to drink. A reliable pattern is “따뜻한” before a noun when recommending something warm.
것 “것” means “thing” in “따뜻한 것을 마셔 보세요,” referring to something warm to drink. Together with the description before it, “따뜻한 것” means “a warm thing” or “something warm.” This pattern lets you refer to an unspecified thing described by an adjective.
을 In “따뜻한 것을 마셔 보세요,” “을” marks “따뜻한 것” as the object of drinking. It shows what the listener should drink. A reliable pattern is noun + “을” before an action when the noun ends in a consonant.
마셔 “마셔” means “drink” in the suggestion “마셔 보세요.” It is the action the listener is encouraged to try. A reliable pattern is an action form followed by “보세요” when suggesting that someone try the action.
보세요 In “마셔 보세요,” “보세요” helps make a polite suggestion to try the preceding action. The whole expression means “try drinking it,” rather than simply naming an action. You can use it after an action when giving gentle advice.
차 “차” means “tea” in “차를 좀 만들어 줄 수 있어요?” It is the drink that A asks B to prepare. A new example is “차를 마셔요” for saying that someone drinks tea.
를 In “차를 좀 만들어 줄 수 있어요?” “를” marks “차” as the object being made. It shows what B is being asked to prepare. A reliable pattern is noun + “를” before an action when the noun ends in a vowel.
좀 “좀” means “some” or “a little” in “차를 좀 만들어 줄 수 있어요?” It softens the request and refers to some tea. It is commonly placed before the requested action in a polite request.
만들어 “만들어” means “make” in “차를 좀 만들어 줄 수 있어요?” It names the action B is being asked to do for A. A reliable pattern is “무엇을 만들어” when asking someone to make something.
줄 In “만들어 줄 수 있어요?” “줄” shows that the making is done for the speaker. The whole request means “Could you make me some tea?” This pattern is useful when asking whether someone can do an action for you.
수 In “만들어 줄 수 있어요?” “수” expresses possibility or ability. Together with “있어요,” it helps form the polite question “can you make it for me?” A reliable pattern is an action followed by “수 있어요?” when asking whether someone can do it.
있어요 In “만들어 줄 수 있어요?” “있어요” completes the expression for being able to do something. Here it helps ask whether B can make tea for A. Use it after “수” in a polite question about possibility or ability.
지금 “지금” means “now” in “지금 만들게요.” It tells the listener that the speaker will make the tea immediately. A new example is “지금 가요” for saying that someone is going now.
만들게요 “만들게요” means “I’ll make it” in “지금 만들게요.” The tea is understood from the previous request, and the speaker is committing to make it now. This form is useful when responding to a request with your intention to do the action.
오늘 “오늘” means “today” in “오늘은 제 목소리가 이상해요.” It sets today as the time being discussed. A new example is “오늘 쉬어요” for saying that someone rests today.
은 In “오늘은 제 목소리가 이상해요,” “은” marks “오늘” as the topic or time frame. It means that, as for today, the speaker’s voice is strange. A reliable pattern is time expression + “은” before a comment about that time.
제 “제” means “my” in “제 목소리가 이상해요.” It identifies the voice as belonging to the speaker. It is placed directly before the noun it describes, as in “제 목소리.”
목소리 “목소리” means “voice” in “오늘은 제 목소리가 이상해요.” It refers to the sound produced when the speaker talks. A new example is “목소리가 좋아요” for saying that someone’s voice is good.
가 In “제 목소리가 이상해요,” “가” marks “제 목소리” as the thing being described. It connects the voice with the statement that it is strange. A reliable pattern is noun + “가” before a description when the noun ends in a vowel.
이상해요 “이상해요” means “is strange” in “오늘은 제 목소리가 이상해요.” With “목소리” as the subject, it means that the voice sounds strange today. You can use it after something that seems unusual or not normal.
말 “말” means “speech” or “words” in “말을 조금만 해 보세요.” In this dialogue, it refers to speaking, which B advises A to limit. A reliable pattern is “말을 하다” when referring to speaking or talking.
만 In “말을 조금만 해 보세요,” “만” means “only” or “just” and limits the amount of speaking. It makes the advice mean “speak just a little.” It can follow an amount or noun phrase when restricting it to that amount.
해 “해” means “speak” in the expression “말을 조금만 해 보세요.” Its meaning comes from the combination “말을 해,” where the action is speaking. This pattern is used when telling someone to speak or talk.
그걸 “그걸” means “that” or “it” in “그걸 마시고 쉴게요.” Here it refers to the tea mentioned earlier, and it is the thing the speaker will drink. A reliable pattern is using “그걸” to refer to an already mentioned object.
마시고 “마시고” means “drink and then” in “그걸 마시고 쉴게요.” It links drinking the tea with resting afterward. This form is useful for showing that one action happens before the next action.
쉴게요 “쉴게요” means “I’ll rest” in “그걸 마시고 쉴게요.” The speaker is stating an intention to rest after drinking the tea. This form is useful when telling someone what you will do in response to the situation.
그러면 “그러면” means “then” or “in that case” in “그러면 목에 도움이 될 거예요.” It connects the previous plan of drinking and resting with the expected result. A reliable pattern is “그러면” followed by a consequence or response.
에 In “목에 도움이 될 거예요,” “에” marks the throat as the body part that will receive help. The expression means that something will be helpful for the throat. This use is common when indicating the person or body part that benefits from help.
도움 “도움” means “help” or “benefit” in “목에 도움이 될 거예요.” It is part of the expression describing something as helpful for the throat. A reliable pattern is using “도움” with a body part or person that benefits.
될 “될” contributes the meaning “will be” in “목에 도움이 될 거예요.” It presents the help as an expected result of drinking the tea and resting the voice. The form appears before “거예요” when describing what something is expected to be.
거예요 In “도움이 될 거예요,” “거예요” helps express an expectation or prediction: “it will be helpful.” Here B is saying that the suggested actions should help A’s throat. A reliable pattern is placing it after a future or expected action or state.

Grammar Points

-아/어 보다

따뜻한 차를 마셔 보세요.

ttah-TTEU-tahn chah-reul MAH-shuh boh-SEH-yoh

Please try drinking warm tea.

Attach -아/어 보다 to a verb to express trying an action; 보세요 makes it a polite suggestion.

-고

그걸 마시고 쉴게요.

guh-GUHL MAH-shee-goh SHWEEL-KKEH-yoh

I’ll drink it and rest.

Use -고 to connect two actions in sequence: do the first action, then the second.

Korean Vocabulary

것 noun
GUHT thing; something 것을

따뜻한 것을 마셔 보세요.

따뜻하다 adj
TTAH-tteu-TAH-dah to be warm 따뜻한

따뜻한 것을 마셔 보세요.

마셔 보다 phrase
MAH-shuh BOH-dah to try drinking 마셔 보세요

따뜻한 것을 마셔 보세요.

만들게요 verb
MAN-deul-KKEH-yoh I will make it

지금 만들게요.

목 noun
mohk throat 목이

목이 조금 아파요.

목소리 noun
mohk-SSOH-ree voice 목소리가

오늘은 제 목소리가 이상해요.

아프다 adj
ah-PEU-dah to hurt; to be sore 아파요

목이 조금 아파요.

제 pron
jeh my

오늘은 제 목소리가 이상해요.

조금 adv
joh-GUHM a little

목이 조금 아파요.

좀 adv
johm some; a little

차를 좀 만들어 줄 수 있어요?

지금 adv
jee-GUHM now

지금 만들게요.

차 noun
chah tea 차를

차를 좀 만들어 줄 수 있어요?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

My throat feels a little sore.

Show Answer목이 조금 아파요.

Try drinking something warm.

Show Answer따뜻한 것을 마셔 보세요.

Could you make me some tea?

Show Answer차를 좀 만들어 줄 수 있어요?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

I will make it

Show Answer만들게요

voice

Show Answer목소리가

throat

Show Answer목이

thing; something

Show Answer것을