Politely discussing a disappointing restaurant dish | Learn Korean in English

Korean lesson set in a contemporary Seoul everyday setting: At a restaurant, a customer politely tells a server that a fish dish is dry and asks for a light sauce..

EN → KO / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Politely discussing a disappointing restaurant dish to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

실례합니다, 생선에 대해 여쭤봐도 될까요? 조금 퍽퍽해요.

shil-lyeh-HAM-nee-dah, SAENG-sun-eh dae-HAE yuh-jjwuh-BWA-do dwael-KKAH-yo? JOH-geum PUHK-puh-kae-yo. Excuse me, could I ask about the fish? It is a bit dry.
B

죄송합니다. 주방에 확인해 보겠습니다.

jweh-song-HAM-nee-dah. JOO-bang-eh hwah-GIN-hae boh-GET-seum-nee-dah. I'm sorry about that. I'll check with the kitchen.
A

맛은 좋은데, 식감이 제가 기대했던 것과 달라요.

MAH-seun JOH-eun-deh, SHIK-kkah-mee jeh-GAH gee-dae-HAET-teon guht-kkwah dal-LAH-yo. The flavor is nice, but the texture is not what I expected.
B

곁들일 소스가 조금 있으면 도움이 될 수도 있어요.

gyuh-deu-REEL SOH-seu-gah JOH-geum ee-sseu-myun doh-OO-mee doel SOO-do ee-SSUH-yo. A little sauce on the side might help.
B

제가 조금 가져다드릴까요?

jeh-GAH JOH-geum ga-juh-dah-DEU-reel-KKAH-yo? Would you like me to bring some?
A

그렇게 해 주시면 도움이 될 것 같아요. 너무 느끼하지만 않으면요.

geu-ROH-keh hae joo-SHYUH-myun doh-OO-mee doel GUT gah-TAH-yo. NUH-KKEE-ha-jee-mahn-ah-neu-myun-yo. That would help, as long as it is not too heavy.
B

소스를 작은 접시에 담아 가져다드리고 주방에도 말씀드리겠습니다.

SOH-seu-reul JAH-geun JUHP-shee-eh DAH-mah ga-juh-dah-DEU-ree-go JOO-bang-eh-do mal-sseum-deu-ree-GET-seum-nee-dah. I can bring a small dish of sauce and let the kitchen know.
A

더 먹기 전에 말씀드리고 싶었어요.

DUH MUHK-kkee juh-neh mal-sseum-deu-ree-go SHEEP-puh-ssuh-yo. I wanted to mention it before I ate more of it.
B

소스를 드셔 보신 후에도 여전히 퍽퍽하면 말씀해 주세요.

SOH-seu-reul DUH-shyuh bo-SHEEN hoo-eh-do yuh-JEEN-hee PUHK-puh-ka-myun mal-sseum-hae JOO-seh-yo. Please tell me if it is still dry after you try the sauce.
B

다른 방법을 찾아보겠습니다.

DAH-reun bang-BUB-eul cha-ja-boh-GET-seum-nee-dah. We can find another solution.

Word by Word

실례합니다 “실례합니다” politely means “excuse me” when opening a request or interruption. It is useful when addressing a staff member or another person respectfully before asking something.
생선에 “생선에” points to the fish as the topic of the question in “생선에 대해”. The ending 에 combines with 대해 to identify what the speaker is asking about.
대해 “대해” means “about” or “regarding” in “생선에 대해”. The pattern noun plus 대해 is commonly used to introduce the subject being discussed.
여쭤봐도 “여쭤봐도” means “ask” politely and humbly in the permission question “여쭤봐도 될까요?”. It presents the question as a respectful request for permission to ask.
될까요 “될까요” asks whether something would be acceptable or possible, completing the polite permission question “여쭤봐도 될까요?”. This ending is useful for making a tentative, respectful request.
조금 “조금” means “a little” and softens the complaint about the fish being dry. It can be placed before an adjective or another quantity to express a small degree or amount.
퍽퍽해요 “퍽퍽해요” says that the food is dry or tough in texture, here describing the fish. It is useful when politely describing an unpleasant texture in food.
죄송합니다 “죄송합니다” means “I am sorry” and is the server’s polite response to the customer’s complaint. It is appropriate when acknowledging inconvenience or a problem.
주방에 “주방에” means “to the kitchen” in “주방에 확인해 보겠습니다”. The ending 에 marks the destination or place toward which the checking is directed.
확인해 “확인해” means “check” or “confirm” and links to “보겠습니다” in the expression meaning “I will check”. It is used before a following verb to describe checking something directly.
보겠습니다 “보겠습니다” expresses the server’s intention to check or take a look, together with “확인해”. In this context it politely promises an action that the speaker will undertake.
맛은 “맛은” means “the flavor” with the topic marked as “as for the flavor”. It sets up the flavor as one aspect to compare with the texture.
좋은데 “좋은데” says that the flavor is nice while setting up the following contrasting point. In this dialogue, it connects the positive comment about flavor with the complaint about texture.
식감이 “식감이” means “the texture” and marks texture as the subject of the statement. It refers specifically to how the fish feels when eaten, rather than to its flavor.
제가 “제가” means “I” as the subject of what was expected. It identifies the speaker as the person whose expectation is being discussed.
기대했던 “기대했던” means “expected” and describes the expectation in “제가 기대했던 것”. It is the past form used before “것” to identify what the speaker had expected.
것과 “것과” refers to “what” was expected and marks the comparison with the actual texture. In “제가 기대했던 것과 달라요”, it means “different from what I expected”.
달라요 “달라요” means “is different” in the statement that the texture differs from the speaker’s expectation. A noun followed by “과” can be compared with something using this form.
곁들일 “곁들일” describes sauce that will accompany the dish in “곁들일 소스”. It is useful before a food or item when explaining what will be served alongside it.
소스가 “소스가” means “the sauce” as the subject of the possible helpful action. The ending 가 marks the sauce as the thing whose presence might help.
있으면 “있으면” means “if there is” or “if it is available” in “소스가 조금 있으면”. It introduces a condition involving the presence or availability of something.
도움이 “도움이” means “help” or “assistance” and is the subject in the expression saying that the sauce might help. It is commonly used when describing something as beneficial.
될 “될” means “will be” or “become” in “도움이 될 수도 있어요”, where the sauce might be helpful. It links the idea of help to the following possibility expression.
수도 “수도” contributes the meaning “might” or “could” in “될 수도 있어요”. It presents the sauce’s helpfulness as a possibility rather than a certainty.
있어요 “있어요” completes the possibility expression “될 수도 있어요”, meaning that something may be the case. Here it does not mean simply that an object exists.
가져다드릴까요 “가져다드릴까요” politely offers to bring something to the customer. It is useful when a server offers to deliver an item directly to a guest.
그렇게 “그렇게” means “that way” or “so” and refers to the proposed action of bringing the sauce. It points back to an action already mentioned rather than naming the action again.
해 “해” means “do” in “그렇게 해 주시면”, referring to carrying out the proposed action. It connects the action to “주시면”, which adds the meaning of doing it for the customer.
주시면 “주시면” means “if you do it for me” in “그렇게 해 주시면”. It presents the other person’s helpful action as the condition for the speaker’s response.
것 “것” means “thing” or “fact” and turns the preceding idea into something that can be assessed in “도움이 될 것 같아요”. This pattern is useful for expressing an impression or cautious opinion.
같아요 “같아요” means “seems” or “I think” and softens the statement about the sauce being helpful. It presents the speaker’s view without making it sound completely certain.
너무 “너무” means “too” or “overly” and intensifies the concern about the sauce being rich. It is placed before the description of the quality that should not exceed a desired level.
느끼하지만 “느끼하지만” describes something as rich or greasy and forms part of the condition “느끼하지만 않으면요”. Together with the following negative condition, it means “as long as it is not too rich”.
않으면요 “않으면요” means “if it is not” and completes the condition about the sauce not being too rich. The final 요 keeps the unfinished condition polite and conversational.
소스를 “소스를” means “the sauce” as the object being brought and served. The ending 를 marks the sauce as the item affected by the action.
작은 “작은” means “small” and describes the dish in which the sauce will be served. It is placed before a noun to specify a small size.
접시에 “접시에” means “in or on a dish” in “작은 접시에 담아”. The ending 에 marks the dish as the place or container used for serving the sauce.
담아 “담아” means “put or serve in” and describes placing the sauce in the dish before bringing it. It connects this preparation action to the following action.
가져다드리고 “가져다드리고” means “bring and give it to you politely” and connects the serving action with informing the kitchen. The ending 고 links the two actions performed by the server.
주방에도 “주방에도” means “to the kitchen too” in the promise to inform the kitchen as well. The ending 도 adds “also” to the destination marked by 에.
말씀드리겠습니다 “말씀드리겠습니다” means “I will tell or inform you politely”, here referring to informing the kitchen. It expresses a formal intention to pass on information respectfully.
더 “더” means “more” and modifies eating in “더 먹기 전에”. It indicates an additional amount beyond what has already been eaten.
먹기 “먹기” means “eating” or “to eat” and is used before “전에” to express “before eating more”. It turns the action of eating into the event that serves as the time reference.
전에 “전에” means “before” and places the speaker’s mention before the next eating event. It commonly follows an action form to establish what should happen earlier.
말씀드리고 “말씀드리고” means “tell or mention politely, and” in “말씀드리고 싶었어요”. It connects the respectful act of mentioning the problem with the speaker’s past desire.
싶었어요 “싶었어요” means “wanted to” and expresses the speaker’s past wish to mention the issue. It follows “말씀드리고” to describe the action the speaker wanted to carry out.
드셔 “드셔” is the polite or honorific form used for the customer’s eating or trying the sauce in “드셔 보신”. It connects the eating action to the idea of trying it and checking the result.
보신 “보신” means “having tried” in the expression “드셔 보신 후에도”. Together with the preceding eating form, it describes the customer’s experience of trying the sauce.
후에도 “후에도” means “even after” and sets the time after the customer has tried the sauce. The ending 도 adds the meaning that the condition may continue even at that point.
여전히 “여전히” means “still” and shows that the dryness may remain after the sauce is tried. It is useful for describing a condition that has not changed.
퍽퍽하면 “퍽퍽하면” means “if it is dry or tough” and introduces the condition for contacting the server again. It applies the food-texture description to the situation after trying the sauce.
말씀해 “말씀해” means “tell me” politely in “말씀해 주세요”. It connects the respectful telling action to “주세요” to form a request for the customer to report the result.
주세요 “주세요” means “please do” or “please tell” and makes “말씀해” into a polite request. It is commonly placed after an action to ask someone respectfully to carry it out.
다른 “다른” means “another” or “different” and describes a solution other than the one already being tried. It is placed before a noun to distinguish it from the current option.
방법을 “방법을” means “method” or “solution” as the object of finding. The ending 을 marks the solution that the server promises to look for.
찾아보겠습니다 “찾아보겠습니다” means “I will look for” or “I will find” a solution. It combines the idea of searching or trying to find something with a formal statement of intention.

Grammar Points

V-(으)ㄹ까요?

소스를 가져다드릴까요?

SOH-seu-reul ga-juh-dah-DEU-reel-KKAH-yo?

Shall I bring the sauce to you?

A polite way to suggest an action or ask whether the listener would like you to do it.

V-기 전에

먹기 전에 말씀드리겠습니다.

MUHK-kkee juh-neh mal-sseum-deu-ree-GET-seum-nee-dah.

I’ll tell you before eating.

Attach -기 전에 to a verb to mean “before doing something.”

Korean Vocabulary

맛 noun
MAHT flavor; taste
생선 noun
SAENG-sun fish
생선에 대해 phrase
SAENG-sun-eh dae-HAE about the fish
식감 noun
SHIK-kkahm texture
실례합니다 intj
shil-lyeh-HAM-nee-dah Excuse me
여쭤봐도 될까요 phrase
yuh-jjwuh-BWA-do dwael-KKAH-yo May I ask?
조금 adv
JOH-geum a little; slightly
좋은데 adj
JOH-eun-deh is nice, but
죄송합니다 adj
jweh-song-HAM-nee-dah I'm sorry
주방 noun
JOO-bang kitchen
퍽퍽해요 adj
PUHK-puh-kae-yo is dry in texture
확인해 보겠습니다 phrase
hwah-GIN-hae boh-GET-seum-nee-dah I'll check; I'll find out

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I'm sorry about that. I'll check with the kitchen.

Show Answer죄송합니다. 주방에 확인해 보겠습니다.

Would you like me to bring some?

Show Answer제가 조금 가져다드릴까요?

I wanted to mention it before I ate more of it.

Show Answer더 먹기 전에 말씀드리고 싶었어요.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

Excuse me

Show Answer실례합니다

I'm sorry

Show Answer죄송합니다

is dry in texture

Show Answer퍽퍽해요

fish

Show Answer생선