Cleaning Up Spilled Coffee | Learn Korean in English

Korean lesson set in a contemporary Seoul everyday setting: In a daily life situation, two adults handle coffee spilled on documents and decide how to dry or replace the damaged page..

EN → KO / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Cleaning Up Spilled Coffee to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

이 서류에 커피를 쏟았어요.

ee suh-RYOO-eh KUH-pee-rul ssot-AHSS-uh-yoh I spilled coffee on these documents.
B

얼룩이 번지기 전에 서류를 컵에서 멀리 옮기세요.

uhl-ROO-gee buhn-JEE-gee juh-NEH suh-RYOO-rul KUH-beh-suh MUHL-lee ohm-gee-SEH-yoh Move them away from the cup before the stain spreads.
A

맨 위 페이지는 이미 흠뻑 젖었어요.

men wee peh-EE-jee-nuhn ee-MEE huhm-PPUHK juh-JUH-ssuh-yoh The top page is already soaked.
B

그 페이지를 만지기 전에 평평하게 펴서 말리세요.

guh peh-EE-jee-rul mahn-JEE-gee juh-NEH PYUHNG-PYUHNG-hah-geh PYUH-suh mahl-lee-SEH-yoh Let it dry flat before you handle it.
A

그 페이지를 새로 출력할까요?

guh peh-EE-jee-rul SEH-roh CHOOL-lyuhk-hal-KKAH-yoh Should I print a clean copy of that page?
B

글자가 번질 수 있어서 그렇게 하는 게 더 안전해요.

guhl-JJAH-gah buhn-JEEL soo ee-SSUH-suh guh-ruh-KEH hah-nuhn geh duh ahn-JUHN-heh-yoh That would be safer because the text may blur.
A

이 페이지가 마르는 동안 마른 페이지들은 따로 둘게요.

ee peh-EE-jee-gah mah-ruh-nuhn dohng-AHN mah-ruhn peh-EE-jee-duh-ruhn TTAH-roh dool-GEH-yoh I will separate the dry pages while this one dries.
B

다음에는 음료를 다른 테이블에 두세요.

DAH-uhm-eh-nuhn uhm-NYOH-rul DAH-ruhn TEH-ee-buhl-eh doo-SEH-yoh Keep the drinks on another table next time.

Word by Word

이 “이” means “this” and points to the documents being discussed in “이 서류에”. It is placed before a noun to identify something near the speaker or already in focus.
서류에 “서류에” means “on the documents” in “이 서류에 커피를 쏟았어요”, identifying the surface affected by the spilled coffee. “에” marks the place or surface where something happens; a reusable pattern is “명사에 동작”.
커피를 “커피를” means “coffee” as the thing that was spilled in “커피를 쏟았어요”. “를” marks the object of the action, as in “명사를 동사”.
쏟았어요 “쏟았어요” says that coffee was spilled in the past in “이 서류에 커피를 쏟았어요”. It is the polite form of 쏟다 used to report the accident, and it can be reused with the spilled object before it.
얼룩이 “얼룩이” means “the stain” and presents the stain as the thing that may spread in “얼룩이 번지기 전에”. “이” marks the subject of the clause.
번지기 “번지기” refers to the stain spreading in “얼룩이 번지기 전에”. The form turns the action of spreading into the event used before “전에”, creating the pattern “번지기 전에” for “before spreading”.
전에 “전에” means “before” and places the moving action before the stain spreads in “얼룩이 번지기 전에”. It commonly follows an event or action to set a time limit.
서류를 “서류를” means “the documents” as the object being moved in “서류를 컵에서 멀리 옮기세요”. “를” marks what the listener should move.
컵에서 “컵에서” means “from the cup” and identifies the place or object away from which the documents should be moved. “에서” marks the starting point in “컵에서 멀리 옮기세요”.
멀리 “멀리” means “far away” and describes how far the documents should be moved in “컵에서 멀리 옮기세요”. It is an adverb that commonly modifies a movement verb.
옮기세요 “옮기세요” is a polite request to move something, referring here to the documents in “서류를 컵에서 멀리 옮기세요”. It comes from 옮기다 and is useful when politely telling someone to move an object to another place.
맨 “맨” adds the meaning “very” or “at the extreme end” in “맨 위 페이지”, so “맨 위” means “the very top”. It is commonly placed directly before a position word such as “위”.
위 “위” means “top” in “맨 위 페이지”, identifying the page at the highest position in the stack. It can be used with a noun after it to describe something located above or at the top.
페이지는 “페이지는” means “the page” as the topic in “맨 위 페이지는 이미 흠뻑 젖었어요”. “는” sets this page as the thing being described.
이미 “이미” means “already” and shows that the top page was soaked before the speaker makes this statement. It is commonly placed before the verb or descriptive expression that reports the completed condition.
흠뻑 “흠뻑” means “thoroughly” or “completely” and emphasizes how wet the page is in “흠뻑 젖었어요”. It is used as an adverb before an expression describing being soaked or fully covered.
젖었어요 “젖었어요” says that the page is wet or soaked in “맨 위 페이지는 이미 흠뻑 젖었어요”. It comes from 젖다 and is the polite form used to report the page’s wet condition.
그 “그” means “that” and points to the page already under discussion in “그 페이지를 만지기 전에”. It is placed before a noun to refer back to a specific item.
페이지를 “페이지를” means “the page” as the object that should be handled and dried in “그 페이지를 만지기 전에”. “를” marks the page as the object of the action.
만지기 “만지기” refers to touching or handling the page in “그 페이지를 만지기 전에”. The action is treated as an event before “전에”, giving the reusable pattern “만지기 전에” for “before touching or handling”.
평평하게 “평평하게” means “flat” or “so that it is flat” and describes how the page should be spread before drying in “평평하게 펴서 말리세요”. It is an adverb that describes the manner of the following action.
펴서 “펴서” means “spread it out and then” in “평평하게 펴서 말리세요”. It connects spreading the page with the next action, drying it, and is useful when one action leads directly to another.
말리세요 “말리세요” is a polite request to dry the page in “펴서 말리세요”. It comes from 말리다 and is used when telling someone to dry an object.
새로 “새로” means “anew” or “afresh” in “새로 출력할까요”, referring to making a fresh replacement copy. It commonly comes before an action that is being done again in a new form.
출력할까요 “출력할까요” asks politely, “Shall I print it?” in “그 페이지를 새로 출력할까요?”. It comes from 출력하다 with the proposal ending “-할까요”, useful when offering to do something.
글자가 “글자가” means “the text” or “the letters” and is the thing that may blur in “글자가 번질 수 있어서”. “가” marks the text as the subject of the possibility.
번질 “번질” means “blur or spread” as a possible result for the text in “글자가 번질 수 있어서”. It comes from 번지다 and appears before “수 있다” to describe a possible event.
수 “수” expresses possibility in “번질 수 있어서”, meaning that the text may blur or spread. It works with “있다” in the pattern “동사 수 있다” to say that something can happen.
있어서 “있어서” links the possibility in “번질 수 있어서” to its reason, giving the meaning “because it may blur”. It connects a reason to the following conclusion, here the judgment that printing a new page is safer.
그렇게 “그렇게” means “that way” and refers to printing a clean page in “그렇게 하는 게 더 안전해요”. It is used to describe doing something in the manner just mentioned.
하는 “하는” means “doing” in “그렇게 하는 게 더 안전해요”, describing the choice of carrying out that action. It comes from 하다 and modifies “게” to form “the act of doing so”.
게 “게” makes the action in “그렇게 하는 게 더 안전해요” the subject of the sentence. Here it refers to the choice of printing a new page, which is judged to be safer.
더 “더” means “more” and creates the comparison in “더 안전해요”, meaning “safer”. It is placed before the descriptive expression whose degree is being compared.
안전해요 “안전해요” means “is safer” in “그렇게 하는 게 더 안전해요”, giving the reason for choosing a clean copy. It is the polite form of 안전하다 and can describe a safer choice or action.
페이지가 “페이지가” means “the page” as the subject of drying in “이 페이지가 마르는 동안”. “가” marks the page as the thing whose drying provides the time reference.
마르는 “마르는” means “drying” in “이 페이지가 마르는 동안”, describing the page while it becomes dry. It comes from 마르다 and modifies “동안” to express an ongoing time period.
동안 “동안” means “while” or “during the time that” in “페이지가 마르는 동안”. It follows a period or event and introduces another action that happens during it.
마른 “마른” means “dry” in “마른 페이지들은”, describing the pages that are already dry. It comes from 마르다 and is placed before the noun it describes.
페이지들은 “페이지들은” means “the pages” as the topic in “마른 페이지들은 따로 둘게요”. “들” shows more than one page, and “는” sets those pages as the topic.
따로 “따로” means “separately” and says that the dry pages will be kept apart in “따로 둘게요”. It is commonly used before a verb to show that something is handled separately from other things.
둘게요 “둘게요” means “I will put or keep them” in “마른 페이지들은 따로 둘게요”. It comes from 두다 with “-ㄹ게요”, which expresses the speaker’s intention or commitment to do something.
다음에는 “다음에는” means “next time” and sets a future occasion in “다음에는 음료를 다른 테이블에 두세요”. “에는” highlights that occasion as the time for the advice.
음료를 “음료를” means “the drinks” as the object to be placed on another table in “음료를 다른 테이블에 두세요”. “를” marks what should be put somewhere.
다른 “다른” means “another” or “different” in “다른 테이블”, indicating a table that is not the current one. It is placed before a noun to distinguish it from something already mentioned.
테이블에 “테이블에” means “on the table” and marks the place where the drinks should be kept in “다른 테이블에 두세요”. “에” commonly marks the destination or location of an object being placed.
두세요 “두세요” is a polite request to put or keep something in a place, here the drinks on another table in “다른 테이블에 두세요”. It comes from 두다 and is useful for polite instructions about where to leave an object.

Grammar Points

V-기 전에

얼룩이 번지기 전에 컵을 옮기세요.

uhl-ROO-gee buhn-JEE-gee juh-NEH KUH-buhl ohm-gee-SEH-yoh

Move the cup before the stain spreads.

기 전에 means “before doing something.” The verb comes before 전에 in its noun-like form.

V-(으)ㄹ 수 있어서

글자가 번질 수 있어서 새로 출력할까요?

guhl-JJAH-gah buhn-JEEL soo ee-SSUH-suh SEH-roh CHOOL-lyuhk-hal-KKAH-yoh

Since the text may blur, should I print it anew?

-(으)ㄹ 수 있다 expresses possibility. 수 있어서 connects that possibility to a reason or result.

Korean Vocabulary

맨 위 phrase
men wee top

맨 위 페이지는 이미 흠뻑 젖었어요.

번지기 전에 phrase
buhn-JEE-gee juh-NEH before it spreads

얼룩이 번지기 전에 서류를 컵에서 멀리 옮기세요.

서류 noun
suh-RYOO documents

이 서류에 커피를 쏟았어요.

쏟았어요 verb
ssot-AHSS-uh-yoh spilled

이 서류에 커피를 쏟았어요.

얼룩 noun
uhl-LOOK stain

얼룩이 번지기 전에 서류를 컵에서 멀리 옮기세요.

옮기세요 verb
ohm-gee-SEH-yoh move

얼룩이 번지기 전에 서류를 컵에서 멀리 옮기세요.

이미 adv
ee-MEE already

맨 위 페이지는 이미 흠뻑 젖었어요.

젖었어요 verb
juh-JUH-ssuh-yoh is soaked

맨 위 페이지는 이미 흠뻑 젖었어요.

커피 noun
KUH-pee coffee

이 서류에 커피를 쏟았어요.

컵 noun
KUHP cup

얼룩이 번지기 전에 서류를 컵에서 멀리 옮기세요.

페이지 noun
peh-EE-jee page

그 페이지를 만지기 전에 평평하게 펴서 말리세요.

흠뻑 adv
huhm-PPUHK completely; thoroughly

맨 위 페이지는 이미 흠뻑 젖었어요.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I spilled coffee on these documents.

Show Answer이 서류에 커피를 쏟았어요.

The top page is already soaked.

Show Answer맨 위 페이지는 이미 흠뻑 젖었어요.

Should I print a clean copy of that page?

Show Answer그 페이지를 새로 출력할까요?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

move

Show Answer옮기세요

spilled

Show Answer쏟았어요

is soaked

Show Answer젖었어요

documents

Show Answer서류