Politely Responding When Someone Cuts in Line | Learn Korean in English

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Use Politely Responding When Someone Cuts in Line to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

실례합니다. 줄의 맨 끝은 우리 뒤에 있는 것 같아요.

shil-LYEH-ham-nee-dah. joo-reh maen KKEU-teun oo-ree DWEE-eh in-neun gut GAH-tah-yoh. Excuse me, I think the end of the line is behind us.

죄송해요. 줄이 어디서 끝나는지 몰랐어요.

jweh-SONG-hae-yoh. joo-ree uh-dee-SUH kkeun-NA-neun-jee mol-LA-suh-yoh. Sorry, I did not notice where it ended.

여기서는 표지판이 잘 안 보여요.

yuh-gee-SUH-neun pyo-jee-PAN-ee jal an BOY-yuh-yoh. The signs are hard to see from here.

회색 코트를 입은 사람 뒤로 가면 될까요?

hwae-SAEK koh-teu-reul EE-beun sa-ram DWEE-ro gah-MYUN dwel-KKAH-yoh? Should I move behind the person in the gray coat?

네, 그렇게 해 주세요. 다들 오래 기다리고 있었어요.

neh, guh-ruh-KEH hae joo-SEH-yoh. dah-DEUL oh-RAE gee-dah-REE-goh ee-SUH-SUH-yoh. Please do; everyone has been waiting a while.

새치기하려던 건 아니었어요.

sae-chee-GEE-ha-ryuh-dun gun ah-nee-UH-suh-yoh. I did not mean to cut in.

이렇게 붐비면 이런 일이 생겨요.

ee-ruh-KEH boom-BEE-myun EE-run ee-REE saeng-GYUH-yoh. It happens when the area gets this crowded.

이제 맨 뒤로 갈게요.

ee-JEH maen DWEE-ro gal-GEH-yoh. I'll head to the back now.

Word by Word

실례합니다 실례합니다 means “excuse me” and politely gets someone’s attention before speaking. It is useful when addressing an unfamiliar person in a public place, especially before a correction or request.

줄의 줄의 means “of the line” and links the line to the noun that follows in 줄의 맨 끝. A reusable pattern is [noun]의 [noun] for showing a relationship such as possession or connection.

맨 맨 adds the meaning “very farthest” or “outermost” in 맨 끝, referring to the farthest end of the line. It commonly comes before a location or position word to identify the extreme point.

끝은 끝은 means “the end” and presents the end as the topic in 줄의 맨 끝은. The form combines 끝 with 은 to contrast or focus on that part of the line.

우리 우리 means “we” or “us” here, referring to the people speaking together in 우리 뒤에. It can also identify something associated with the speaker and others as a group.

뒤에 뒤에 means “behind” or “at the back” and locates the end of the line behind the speakers in 우리 뒤에. The location pattern [place] 뒤에 identifies what is behind that place or person.

있는 있는 says that something is located or exists in a particular place; here it describes the end as being behind the speakers in 있는 것 같아요. It appears before a noun-like expression in this construction.

것 것 refers to the situation or fact described by the preceding clause in 있는 것 같아요. Together with 같아요, it lets the speaker present that situation as an impression rather than a completely certain statement.

같아요 같아요 means “seems” or “I think” in 있는 것 같아요, making the statement softer and less direct. A reusable pattern is [clause] 것 같아요 when giving an impression or cautious opinion.

죄송해요 죄송해요 means “sorry” and politely apologizes for not noticing the end of the line. It is suitable when acknowledging a mistake or inconvenience caused to another person.

줄이 줄이 means “the line” and marks the line as the subject of the embedded question in 줄이 어디서 끝나는지. The subject marker 이 shows what ends or has an endpoint.

어디서 어디서 asks “where” an action or event takes place; here it asks where the line ends in 어디서 끝나는지. It is used before an action to ask for the location connected with that action.

끝나는지 끝나는지 expresses the embedded question of where or whether something ends, as in 줄이 어디서 끝나는지. It is useful when asking about information indirectly rather than asking a direct standalone question.

몰랐어요 몰랐어요 means “I did not know” or “I did not realize” here, referring to not realizing where the line ended. It is used to explain that the speaker lacked the relevant information at that time.

여기서는 여기서는 means “here” or “from here,” setting this place as the viewpoint in 여기서는 표지판이 잘 안 보여요. It is useful when explaining what can or cannot be seen from a particular location.

표지판이 표지판이 means “the signs” and marks the signs as the subject of what is or is not visible in 표지판이 잘 안 보여요. It identifies the thing whose visibility is being discussed.

잘 잘 means “well” or “clearly” in 잘 안 보여요, describing how clearly the signs can be seen. With visibility expressions, it helps indicate whether something is easy or difficult to see.

안 안 negates 보여요, so 안 보여요 means that the signs are not visible or cannot be seen clearly. It is placed directly before the verb or descriptive expression it negates.

보여요 보여요 means “is visible” or “can be seen” in 표지판이 잘 안 보여요. With 잘 or 안, it describes the degree or absence of visibility, and it can be used when reporting what is visible from a location.

회색 회색 means “gray” and identifies the color of the coat in 회색 코트를 입은 사람. A color word commonly comes directly before the noun it describes.

코트를 코트를 means “the coat” as the object of 입은 in 코트를 입은 사람. The ending 를 marks the coat as the thing being worn.

입은 입은 describes the person as wearing the coat in 코트를 입은 사람. It is placed before 사람 to identify someone by the clothing they have on.

사람 사람 means “person” and refers to the individual wearing the gray coat in 회색 코트를 입은 사람. It can follow a description to identify a person by clothing, appearance, or another feature.

뒤로 뒤로 means “to the back” or “behind” and shows the direction of movement in 사람 뒤로 가면 될까요. It is used when someone moves toward a position behind another person or object.

가면 가면 means “if I go” or “when I go,” connecting the movement to the permission question in 가면 될까요. The pattern [place]로 가면 될까요 asks whether going to that place would be acceptable.

될까요 될까요 asks whether something would be okay or acceptable; in 가면 될까요, the speaker asks whether going behind that person is the right action. It is a polite way to ask for permission or confirmation.

네 네 means “yes” and confirms the proposed action in response to 가면 될까요. It is commonly used to agree with or acknowledge what another person has said.

그렇게 그렇게 means “that way” or “as you suggested” in 그렇게 해 주세요. It refers back to the action just proposed rather than introducing a new action.

해 해 means “do” in 그렇게 해 주세요 and names the action the listener is being asked to carry out. In this expression, it is followed by 주세요 to make the request polite.

주세요 주세요 makes the request polite in 그렇게 해 주세요, meaning “please do so.” After an action form such as 해, it asks the listener to perform that action.

다들 다들 means “everyone” or “all the people present” in 다들 오래 기다리고 있었어요. It refers collectively to the people waiting in the line.

오래 오래 means “for a long time” and describes the duration of the waiting in 오래 기다리고 있었어요. It commonly comes before an action or state when emphasizing how long it continues.

기다리고 기다리고 means “waiting” and connects 기다리다 with 있었어요 in 기다리고 있었어요. Together, the expression describes an ongoing state of waiting.

있었어요 있었어요 indicates that the waiting state existed in the past in 기다리고 있었어요. With 기다리고, it helps describe that everyone was already waiting for some time.

새치기하려던 새치기하려던 means “intending to cut in line” and describes the intention being denied in 새치기하려던 건 아니었어요. It identifies what the speaker did not mean to do, rather than simply describing the result.

건 건 refers to the matter described by 새치기하려던 in 새치기하려던 건 아니었어요. The expression presents that matter as the topic of the denial.

아니었어요 아니었어요 means “was not” or “wasn’t” and denies the idea that the speaker intended to cut in line in 새치기하려던 건 아니었어요. It is useful for politely correcting another person’s interpretation of an action or intention.

이렇게 이렇게 means “like this” or “to this extent” in 이렇게 붐비면, describing how crowded the area is. It can point to the manner or degree of a situation that is visible or already understood.

붐비면 붐비면 means “when it gets crowded” or “if it is crowded” and sets the condition for the event in 이런 일이 생겨요. The pattern [condition]면 explains what happens when a situation occurs.

이런 이런 means “this kind of” and describes the type of event in 이런 일이 생겨요. It comes before a noun when referring to a situation like the one currently being discussed.

일이 일이 means “an event” or “a thing” and marks that event as the subject of 생겨요 in 이런 일이 생겨요. Here it refers to an incident such as someone entering the line in the wrong place.

생겨요 생겨요 means “happens,” “occurs,” or “arises” in 이런 일이 생겨요. It is useful for saying that an event or problem comes about under a particular condition.

이제 이제 means “now” or “from this point,” marking a change in the speaker’s next action in 이제 맨 뒤로 갈게요. It is often used when beginning a new action after a decision or change in circumstances.

갈게요 갈게요 means “I’ll go” or “I’ll head there” and presents the speaker’s decision to move to the back in 맨 뒤로 갈게요. It is a polite way to state an action the speaker is now going to take, often in response to the listener.

Grammar Points

-면

붐비면 이런 일 생겨요.

boom-BEE-myun EE-run eel saeng-GYUH-yoh.

When it gets crowded, this kind of thing happens.

-면 attaches to a verb or adjective to express a condition or “when” situation.

-고 있었어요

다들 오래 기다리고 있었어요.

dah-DEUL oh-RAE gee-dah-REE-goh ee-SUH-SUH-yoh.

Everyone had been waiting for a long time.

-고 있었어요 describes an action that was in progress at a past time.

Korean Vocabulary

것 같아요 phrase

gut GAH-tah-yoh seem; I think

뒤 noun

dwee back; behind

맨 끝 phrase

maen KKEUT very end

몰랐어요 verb

mol-LA-suh-yoh did not know

실례합니다 phrase

shil-LYEH-ham-nee-dah Excuse me

여기서는 adv

yuh-gee-SUH-neun from here; here

잘 안 보여요 phrase

jal an BOY-yuh-yoh are hard to see

죄송해요 phrase

jweh-SONG-hae-yoh Sorry

줄 noun

jool line; queue

코트 noun

koh-teu coat

표지판 noun

pyo-jee-pan sign

회색 adj

hwae-SAEK gray

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Sorry, I did not notice where it ended.

Show Answer

죄송해요. 줄이 어디서 끝나는지 몰랐어요.

The signs are hard to see from here.

Show Answer

여기서는 표지판이 잘 안 보여요.

I did not mean to cut in.

Show Answer

새치기하려던 건 아니었어요.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

Excuse me

Show Answer

실례합니다

did not know

Show Answer

몰랐어요

Sorry

Show Answer

죄송해요

from here; here

Show Answer

여기서는