Cooking Dinner Together | Learn Korean in English

Korean lesson set in a contemporary Seoul everyday setting: At home, two adults cook soup together, follow a simple recipe, and taste it before adding more seasoning..

EN → KO / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Cooking Dinner Together to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

이 레시피는 저녁으로 만들기에 충분히 간단해 보여.

ee REH-shee-pee-nun juh-NYUH-guh-ro man-DEUL-gee-eh choong-boon-hee gan-DAHN-hae BOY-yuh. This recipe looks simple enough for dinner.
B

네가 물을 끓이는 동안 내가 채소를 썰게.

neh-gah MOO-reul kkuh-REE-neun dong-AHN nae-gah CHAE-soh-reul ssool-GEH. I can chop the vegetables while you boil water.
A

수프를 얼마나 오래 끓여야 해?

SOO-peu-reul uhl-MAH-nah oh-REH kkuh-RYUH-ya hae? How long should the soup cook?
B

채소가 부드러워질 때까지 끓여.

CHAE-soh-gah boo-DEUH-ruh-wuhl ttae-KKAH-jee kkuh-YUH. Let it cook until the vegetables are soft.
A

소금을 더 넣기 전에 맛을 볼까?

SOH-geum-eul duh NUHK-kee juh-neh MAH-seul BOOL-kkah? Should we taste it before we add more salt?
B

먼저 맛을 봐.

MUHN-juh MAH-seul BWAH. Taste it first.
B

그다음에 우리가 조심해서 간을 맞출 수 있어.

kuh-dah-uhm-eh oo-REE-gah joh-SHEEM-hae-suh GAN-eul mat-CHOOL soo ISS-uh. Then we can season it carefully.
A

이제 수프 맛이 더 좋아.

EE-jeh SOO-peu MAH-shee duh JOH-ah. The soup tastes better now.
B

다음에는 허브를 더 넣을 수 있어.

dah-uhm-eh-nun HUH-beu-reul duh NUH-eul soo ISS-uh. Next time we can add more herbs.

Word by Word

이 “이” means “this” and points to the recipe being discussed. It appears before the noun to identify one nearby or contextually selected thing. This pattern is useful when introducing or referring to a specific item.
레시피는 “레시피는” means “as for the recipe” and sets the recipe as the topic of the sentence. “는” marks the topic, while “레시피” names the recipe. This topic form commonly comes before a description or opinion about something.
저녁으로 “저녁으로” means “for dinner” in this sentence and identifies the meal for which the recipe will be made. “으로” marks the intended use or purpose here. It can be used after a meal name when describing what something is for.
만들기에 “만들기에” means “for making” and connects making the recipe with the judgment that follows. In “만들기에 충분히 간단해 보여,” it describes the activity for which the recipe is simple enough. This form is useful before an evaluation of whether something is suitable for an action.
충분히 “충분히” means “sufficiently” or “enough,” showing that the recipe meets the needed level of simplicity. Here it modifies “간단해 보여,” so the recipe looks simple enough for the purpose mentioned. It commonly comes before the quality or action that reaches a sufficient degree.
간단해 “간단해” means “is simple” in the description of the recipe. Together with “보여,” it forms “간단해 보여,” meaning that the recipe looks simple. This casual descriptive form is useful when giving an informal opinion about something.
보여 “보여” means “looks” or “seems” in “간단해 보여,” so the speaker is describing an impression rather than stating a confirmed fact. It completes the expression that something appears a certain way. This pattern is useful for commenting on how something seems from what you can observe.
네가 “네가” means “you” as the subject of the action “물을 끓이는.” The ending “가” marks the person who performs that action. This subject form is useful when distinguishing who is responsible for an action.
물을 “물을” means “water” as the object being boiled. “을” marks the thing that receives the action in “물을 끓이는.” This object-marking pattern is used before an action verb when naming what someone acts on.
끓이는 “끓이는” means “boiling” in the clause “네가 물을 끓이는 동안.” It describes the action that you are doing while the speaker chops vegetables. A verb form before “동안” commonly identifies the action occurring during another action.
동안 “동안” means “while” or “during” and marks the time in which the other action takes place. In “끓이는 동안,” it connects boiling water with chopping vegetables. It is useful after a time period or an action clause to show duration or simultaneity.
내가 “내가” means “I” as the subject of the action “채소를 썰게.” The ending “가” marks the person who will perform the action. This form is useful when offering to take responsibility for a particular task.
채소를 “채소를” means “vegetables” as the object to be chopped. “를” marks the thing receiving the action in “채소를 썰게.” This pattern is useful when stating which food or object someone will prepare.
썰게 “썰게” means “I’ll chop” in this dialogue and expresses the speaker’s offer or decision to do the chopping. The object “채소를” comes before it to specify what will be chopped. This form is useful when volunteering for a task in a shared activity.
수프를 “수프를” means “soup” as the object of the cooking action. “를” marks the soup as what is being cooked in “수프를 얼마나 오래 끓여야 해?” The same object pattern is useful when asking how long a particular food should be cooked.
얼마나 “얼마나” asks about degree or amount; with “오래,” it helps ask “how long.” In “얼마나 오래,” the two words together ask about the duration of cooking. This combination is useful when asking for the length of an activity.
오래 “오래” means “for a long time” and refers to duration here. Together with “얼마나,” it forms “얼마나 오래,” meaning “how long.” It is commonly used with actions such as cooking when asking or describing how much time they take.
끓여야 “끓여야” marks boiling or cooking as the action that needs to be done in “끓여야 해.” The full expression “끓여야 해” asks how long the soup must cook. This form is useful when placing a required action before a sentence-final expression of necessity.
해 “해” completes “끓여야 해,” which means that the soup should or has to be cooked for the stated amount of time. In this sentence it does not mean “do” by itself; it helps express necessity. This casual sentence ending is useful when asking or stating what needs to happen.
채소가 “채소가” means “the vegetables” as the subject of becoming soft. The ending “가” marks the vegetables as the thing whose condition changes. This subject form is useful before a condition or result that describes the vegetables.
부드러워질 “부드러워질” means “become soft” and identifies the condition that the vegetables are expected to reach. In “부드러워질 때까지,” it marks the point up to which the soup should cook. This form is useful before a time expression when an action continues until a change of state occurs.
때까지 “때까지” means “until the time when” and sets the endpoint of cooking. In “부드러워질 때까지,” the cooking continues until the vegetables become soft. It is useful after a clause describing the event or condition that ends an activity.
끓여 “끓여” means “boil” or “cook” and gives the casual instruction to keep cooking the soup. The phrase “부드러워질 때까지 끓여” tells the listener what to do until the vegetables reach the desired condition. This form is useful for direct, informal instructions about cooking.
소금을 “소금을” means “salt” as the object of adding in the phrase “소금을 더 넣기 전에.” “을” marks the salt as what will be put in. This object form is useful when specifying an ingredient to add or adjust.
더 “더” means “more” and shows that an additional amount of salt may be added. It modifies “넣기,” so the action is adding more rather than adding salt for the first time. It is commonly placed before an action or quantity that is increasing.
넣기 “넣기” means “adding” or “putting in” and presents the action as something that happens before another action. In “더 넣기 전에,” it means before adding more salt. This noun-like verb form is useful before “전에” when marking an action that has not yet happened.
전에 “전에” means “before” and places tasting earlier than adding more salt. It follows “더 넣기” in “더 넣기 전에,” meaning before adding more. This form is useful after an action or time expression when setting an earlier point in a sequence.
맛을 “맛을” means “the taste” as the object in “맛을 볼까” and “맛을 봐.” Together with “보다,” it refers to tasting the food. This object pattern is useful when talking about checking the flavor of a dish.
볼까 “볼까” makes “맛을 볼까?” a suggestion meaning “shall we taste it?” In this dialogue, it proposes tasting before adding more salt. This casual form is useful when suggesting a shared action or asking whether to do something together.
먼저 “먼저” means “first” and tells the listener to taste before the next seasoning step. It marks the order of actions in “먼저 맛을 봐.” This adverb is useful at the beginning of an instruction when one action should happen before another.
봐 “봐” means “taste” in “맛을 봐,” where it is a casual instruction to try the soup. Its meaning here comes from the expression with “맛을,” not from the word alone. This form is useful for a direct informal instruction to check a food’s flavor.
그다음에 “그다음에” means “then” or “after that” and introduces the seasoning step after tasting. It connects the actions in their intended order. This expression is useful at the start of a sentence when explaining the next step in a process.
우리가 “우리가” means “we” as the subject of the action in “우리가 조심해서 간을 맞출 수 있어.” The ending “가” marks the group performing the action. This form is useful when describing something that the speaker and listener can do together.
조심해서 “조심해서” means “carefully” and describes how the seasoning should be adjusted. It comes before “간을 맞출” to show that the action needs attention and care. This adverbial form is useful when explaining the manner in which an action should be performed.
간을 “간을” refers to the seasoning level of the soup as the object in “간을 맞출.” Together, “간을 맞추다” means to adjust or balance the seasoning. This expression is useful when describing the process of making a dish’s flavor suitably seasoned.
맞출 “맞출” means “adjust” or “balance” in the expression “간을 맞출 수 있어.” It describes bringing the soup’s seasoning level to the desired point. This form is useful before “수 있어” when saying that an adjustment can be made.
수 “수” marks possibility or ability in “맞출 수 있어,” which means “can adjust.” Its meaning here comes from the full construction with the preceding verb and “있어.” The pattern verb form + “수 있어” is useful for saying that an action is possible.
있어 “있어” completes “맞출 수 있어” and expresses that the speaker and listener can adjust the seasoning. In this construction it contributes the meaning “can” rather than simply “exist.” This casual form is useful at the end of a sentence about an action being possible.
이제 “이제” means “now” and points to the soup’s current taste after the earlier tasting and seasoning. It marks a change from the previous state. This time adverb is useful at the beginning of a sentence when commenting on the present result.
수프 “수프” means “soup” and names the dish being cooked and tasted. In “수프 맛이 좋아,” it comes before “맛이” to specify whose taste is being described. This noun can be placed before a taste-related noun to identify the food.
맛이 “맛이” means “the taste” as the subject of the evaluation “좋아.” In “수프 맛이 좋아,” the sentence says that the soup’s taste is good. This subject form is useful when describing the quality of a food’s flavor.
좋아 “좋아” means “is good” in “수프 맛이 좋아,” describing the soup’s flavor positively. Here it is a predicate about taste, not the separate meaning “I like.” This casual form is useful for giving an informal positive evaluation.
다음에는 “다음에는” means “next time” and sets the time of a future cooking occasion. “는” gives this time expression a topic-like contrast with the current occasion. It is useful when suggesting a change or addition for a later attempt.
허브를 “허브를” means “herbs” as the object of adding in the next cooking attempt. “를” marks the ingredient that will be put into the soup. This object form is useful when naming an ingredient to add to a dish.
넣을 “넣을” means “add” or “put in” in “넣을 수 있어,” describing the possible action of adding more herbs. It appears before “수 있어” to say that the addition is possible. This form is useful when discussing an ingredient that can be added in a future preparation.

Grammar Points

동사-아/어야 해

수프를 얼마나 오래 끓여야 해?

SOO-peu-reul uhl-MAH-nah oh-REH kkuh-YUH-ya hae?

How long should I boil the soup?

‘-아/어야 해’는 해야 하는 일이나 필요한 일을 나타냅니다.

동사-(으)ㄹ까?

수프 맛을 볼까?

SOO-peu MAH-seul BOHL-kkah?

Shall we taste the soup?

‘-(으)ㄹ까?’는 함께 무엇을 하자고 제안하거나 의견을 물을 때 사용합니다.

Korean Vocabulary

간단하다 adj
gan-DAHN-ha-dah to be simple 간단해
끓여야 해 phrase
kkuh-YUH-ya hae should cook; should boil
끓이다 verb
kkuh-REE-dah to boil; to cook 끓이는
레시피 noun
REH-shee-pee recipe 레시피는
맛을 보다 phrase
MAH-seul BOH-dah to taste 맛을 볼까
보이다 verb
boh-EE-dah to look; to seem 보여
부드럽다 adj
boo-DEUH-ruh-dah to be soft 부드러워질
수프 noun
SOO-peu soup 수프를
썰다 verb
ssohl-dah to chop; to slice 썰게
얼마나 오래 phrase
uhl-MAH-nah oh-REH how long
저녁 noun
juh-NYUHk dinner 저녁으로
채소 noun
CHAE-soh vegetables 채소가

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

How long should the soup cook?

Show Answer수프를 얼마나 오래 끓여야 해?

Let it cook until the vegetables are soft.

Show Answer채소가 부드러워질 때까지 끓여.

Should we taste it before we add more salt?

Show Answer소금을 더 넣기 전에 맛을 볼까?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

recipe

Show Answer레시피는

dinner

Show Answer저녁으로

to be soft

Show Answer부드러워질

to boil; to cook

Show Answer끓이는