Responding politely when someone cuts in line | Learn Korean in English

Korean lesson set in a contemporary Seoul everyday setting: In a public line, one person politely explains where the line starts so another person can move to the back..

EN → KO / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Responding politely when someone cuts in line to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

실례합니다, 줄은 저 여성분 뒤에서 시작하는 것 같아요.

shil-LYEH-ham-nee-DAH, joo-reun juh yuh-SUHNG-boon dwee-eh-SUH shee-JAH-kah-neun guht KAH-tah-yoh Excuse me, I think the line starts behind that woman.
B

모두 줄을 서서 기다리고 있는 줄 몰랐어요.

MOH-doo joo-reul SUH-suh kee-dah-REE-goh een-neun jool MOH-lah-ssuh-yoh I did not realize everyone was waiting in line.
A

사람들이 서로 떨어져 서 있어서 조금 헷갈려요.

sah-rahm-deul-ee suh-ROH TTUH-ruh-JYUH suh ee-uh-SUH JOO-geum HET-kkahl-lyuh-yoh It is a bit unclear because people are standing apart.
B

그럼 제가 줄 맨 뒤로 가야 하나요?

guh-reum JAY-gah jool mahn DWEE-roh GAH-yah hah-NAH-yoh Should I go to the back, then?
A

네, 그렇게 해 주세요. 모두 자기 차례를 기다리고 있어요.

neh, guh-ruh-KEH heh JOO-seh-yoh. MOH-doo JAH-gee chah-RYEH-reul kee-dah-REE-goh ee-SUH-yoh Please do. Everyone has been waiting for their turn.
B

줄 맨 뒤로 갈게요. 줄이 시작하는 곳을 그냥 못 봤어요.

jool mahn DWEE-roh gal-GEH-yoh. joo-ree shee-JAH-kah-neun goh-seul guh-NYAHNG moht PPWAH-ssuh-yoh I will move back. I just missed where the line began.
A

줄의 맨 끝은 저 사람들 바로 지나서예요.

joo-reh mahn KKEUT-eun juh SAH-rahm-deul BAH-roh jee-NAH-suh-eh-yoh The end of the line is just past those people.
B

이제 보이네요. 거기서 기다릴게요.

ee-JEH boh-EE-neh-yoh. guh-gee-SUH kee-dah-REEL-GEH-yoh I see it now. I will wait there.
A

그러면 순서가 분명해지겠네요.

guh-ruh-MYUN SOON-suh-gah boon-MYUHNG-heh-jee-GEN-neh-yoh That should keep the order clear.
B

상황을 잘못 이해했지만, 제가 바로잡을 수 있어요.

sahng-HWANG-eul jahl-MOHT ee-heh-HET-jjee-mahn, JAY-gah bah-roh-JAH-beul soo EET-ssuh-yoh I misunderstood the situation, but I can fix it.

Word by Word

실례합니다 실례합니다 means excuse me and is used here to get someone’s attention politely. Use it when addressing an unfamiliar person before asking or explaining something.
줄은 줄은 means the line as the topic of the sentence. 은 marks the line as what is being discussed, and the sentence then says where it starts. A common pattern is 줄은 followed by a description of the line.
저 저 means that over there and points to the woman at a distance from the speaker. It commonly comes before a noun, as in 저 사람 or 저 여성분.
여성분 여성분 means woman and is a polite way to refer to a female person. Here it identifies the woman behind whom the line starts. Use 여성분 when referring respectfully to an unfamiliar woman.
뒤에서 뒤에서 means behind someone or something, with the location marked as the place where an action begins. Here the line starts behind the woman. A reusable pattern is 사람 뒤에서 시작하다, meaning to start behind a person.
시작하는 시작하는 means starting and describes something that begins. In 시작하는 것, it describes the situation that the speaker thinks is beginning. It can be used before a noun to identify what is starting.
것 것 turns the preceding idea 시작하는 into a noun-like situation in 시작하는 것 같아요. It refers to the fact or impression that something is starting. Here it helps form a tentative statement rather than naming a physical thing.
같아요 같아요 means seems or appears in this sentence. With 시작하는 것, it expresses the speaker’s cautious impression that the line starts there. Use 것 같아요 when giving an opinion without stating it as absolute certainty.
모두 모두 means everyone or all of them. Here it refers to all the people who are waiting in line. It commonly comes before the verb describing what everyone does.
줄을 줄을 means the line with the object marker 을. In 줄을 서서, it is part of the expression for standing in line, so it is not simply an ordinary object. A common reusable expression is 줄을 서다.
서서 서서 means standing and then or while standing. Here it connects standing in line with waiting in 모두 줄을 서서 기다리고 있는. It is useful for linking one action or state to the next.
기다리고 기다리고 means waiting and connects 기다리다 to the following form in 기다리고 있는. Together with 있다, it describes an ongoing action. A common pattern is 기다리고 있다 for being in the process of waiting.
있는 있는 means being in a state and modifies the following 줄 in 기다리고 있는 줄. Here it helps express that everyone is currently waiting. It commonly appears after an action form to describe an ongoing situation.
줄 줄 here means the fact or assumption that everyone is waiting, not the physical line. In 기다리고 있는 줄 몰랐어요, it packages the preceding situation as what the speaker did not realize. This use is different from 줄 meaning a line in 줄은 or 줄을.
몰랐어요 몰랐어요 means did not know or did not realize, in a polite past form. Here the speaker says they were unaware of the situation. The pattern V-(는) 줄 몰랐어요 is useful for saying that you did not know something was happening.
사람들이 사람들이 means people with the subject marker 이. Here it identifies the people who are standing apart. It commonly comes before the action or state that the people perform.
서로 서로 means each other or mutually. Here it shows that the people are separated from one another, not merely separated from one fixed object. It commonly comes before an action or state involving two or more people.
떨어져 떨어져 means being separated or apart and connects to the following action or state. Here it describes the people as apart before 서 있어서. It commonly combines with 서로 when describing people or things that are not close together.
서 서 means standing in this sentence. It follows 떨어져 and contributes the idea that the people are standing apart. Here it is part of the description of how the people are positioned.
있어서 있어서 means because they are in that state and gives the reason for the speaker’s confusion. In 떨어져 서 있어서, the people’s separated standing is the cause. It is useful for connecting a state to its reason or result.
조금 조금 means a little or somewhat. Here it softens the statement that the situation is confusing. It commonly comes before an adjective or description to express a small degree.
헷갈려요 헷갈려요 means I am confused or it is confusing in this situation. The speaker finds the line difficult to understand because people are standing apart. Use it when details or choices are difficult to distinguish.
그럼 그럼 means then or in that case. Here it connects the explanation about the line with the speaker’s next question. It commonly appears at the beginning of a question about what to do next.
제가 제가 means I with the subject marker 가. Here the speaker identifies themself as the person who may move to the back. It commonly comes before the action that the speaker is asking about or offering to do.
맨 맨 means very or at the very end in 맨 뒤로. It emphasizes the furthest position rather than an ordinary back position. It also appears in the dialogue’s 맨 끝 for the very end of the line.
뒤로 뒤로 means to the back and marks the direction of movement. Here it describes where the speaker should go in 맨 뒤로 가야 하나요. A reusable pattern is a place followed by 로 with 가다 to show movement toward that place.
가야 가야 means have to go or should go and sets up the question about a required action. In 가야 하나요, the speaker asks whether going to the back is necessary. It is useful when checking what action is expected.
하나요 하나요 forms a polite question asking whether an action should or needs to be done. Here it completes 가야 하나요 and asks for guidance about going to the back. The pattern 가야 하나요 is useful when confirming what you are supposed to do.
네 네 means yes or okay. Here it confirms the other person’s proposed action before giving the instruction. It is commonly used as a polite affirmative response.
그렇게 그렇게 means that way or like that. Here it refers back to going to the back as just suggested. It commonly comes before a verb when referring to an action already mentioned.
해 해 means do in 그렇게 해 주세요. It refers to carrying out the action that the other person has just proposed. This form is commonly used before 주세요 to request that someone do something.
주세요 주세요 makes the request polite in 해 주세요, meaning please do so. It follows the action form and asks the listener to carry out the requested action. A common reusable pattern is a verb followed by 아 or 어 주세요.
자기 자기 means one’s own in 자기 차례. Here it refers to each person’s own turn in the line. It commonly comes before a noun that belongs to or concerns the person being discussed.
차례를 차례를 means turn with the object marker 를. Here it is the turn that everyone is waiting for. The reusable expression 차례를 기다리다 means to wait for one’s turn.
있어요 있어요 means are in the ongoing expression 기다리고 있어요. Here it indicates that everyone is currently waiting. It commonly follows a connected action form to describe an action in progress.
갈게요 갈게요 means I will go and expresses the speaker’s intention or commitment to move to the back. Here the speaker accepts the correction and says they will move. It is useful when promising to carry out an action relevant to the listener.
줄이 줄이 means the line with the subject marker 이. Here the line is the thing that starts in a particular place. It commonly comes before a predicate describing the line’s location or condition.
곳을 곳을 means place with the object marker 을. Here it is the place where the line starts, which the speaker failed to notice. A common pattern is an action description followed by 곳 to mean the place where that action occurs.
그냥 그냥 means just or simply. Here it presents missing the beginning of the line as a straightforward oversight. It commonly softens an explanation by showing that there was no more complicated reason.
못 못 means could not or failed to and comes before 봤어요. Here it shows that the speaker was unable to notice the place where the line began. It commonly comes before a verb to express inability or an unsuccessful action.
봤어요 봤어요 means saw or noticed in 못 봤어요. Together with 못, it means the speaker did not manage to see the place. It is a polite past form used to report what was or was not seen.
줄의 줄의 means of the line and marks the line as the owner or reference for the following noun. Here it introduces the end belonging to the line in 줄의 맨 끝. It commonly connects a noun with a related part or feature.
끝은 끝은 means the end with the topic marker 은. Here it makes the end of the line the topic of the location description. A common pattern is 줄의 끝 for the end of a line.
사람들 사람들 means people as a group. Here it refers to the people near the end of the line. The form can be used when talking about more than one person as a group.
바로 바로 means just or directly in 바로 지나서예요. Here it indicates that the end is immediately beyond those people. It commonly emphasizes a direct position or a short distance.
지나서예요 지나서예요 means is past or is just beyond in this location description. Here the end of the line is located after passing those people. It is useful when pointing out a place in relation to a visible landmark.
이제 이제 means now or at this point. Here it marks the moment when the speaker can finally see the end of the line. It commonly introduces a new situation or action that is true from now on.
보이네요 보이네요 means it is visible or I can see it, with the speaker noticing the end of the line now. Here it expresses recognition after the location has been explained. It is useful when something becomes visible or noticeable to the speaker.
거기서 거기서 means there, at that place, and marks the location of the next action. Here it refers to the end of the line just pointed out. The reusable expression 거기서 기다리다 means to wait there.
기다릴게요 기다릴게요 means I will wait and expresses the speaker’s commitment to wait at the indicated place. Here it confirms that the speaker will follow the line order. It is useful when telling someone what you will do in response to the conversation.
순서가 순서가 means the order or sequence with the subject marker 가. Here it refers to the order of people in the line. It commonly comes before a description of whether the order is clear or maintained.
분명해지겠네요 분명해지겠네요 means will become clear in this situation. It expresses the speaker’s expectation that moving to the correct place will make the order clear. It is useful for commenting on an expected result of an action.
상황을 상황을 means the situation with the object marker 을. Here it is the situation that the speaker misunderstood. It commonly appears with verbs such as 이해하다 when describing how someone understood circumstances.
잘못 잘못 means incorrectly or wrongly. Here it modifies 이해했지만 and shows that the speaker’s understanding was not correct. It commonly comes before an action or understanding that was done incorrectly.
이해했지만 이해했지만 means understood, but and connects the admission of misunderstanding with a contrasting statement. Here the speaker admits the mistake and then says it can be corrected. It is useful when acknowledging one point before presenting a different or positive point.
바로잡을 바로잡을 means to correct or fix and describes the action that the speaker can carry out. Here it refers to correcting the mistaken position in the line. It commonly appears before 수 in a statement about ability or possibility.
수 수 expresses ability or possibility in 바로잡을 수 있어요. Together with the preceding form, it means that correcting the situation is possible. The reusable pattern is a verb form followed by 수 있어요 for saying that someone can do something.

Grammar Points

-고 있다

모두 서서 기다리고 있어요.

MOH-doo SUH-suh kee-dah-REE-goh ee-SUH-yoh

Everyone is standing and waiting.

-고 있다 expresses an action that is currently in progress; it follows the verb stem.

-아/어야 하나요?

맨 뒤로 가야 하나요?

mahn DWEE-roh GAH-yah hah-NAH-yoh

Do I have to go to the very back?

-아/어야 하나요? asks whether something must be done or is required.

Korean Vocabulary

같다 adj
gaht-TTAH to seem; to be like 같아요
기다리다 verb
kee-dah-REE-dah to wait 기다리고 있어요
뒤 noun
dwee behind; back 뒤에서
모두 pron
MOH-doo everyone; all
모르다 verb
MOH-ruh-dah to not know; to not realize 몰랐어요
서다 verb
suh-DAH to stand 서서
서로 adv
suh-ROH each other; mutually
시작하다 verb
shee-JAH-kah-dah to start; to begin 시작하는
실례합니다 phrase
shil-LYEH-ham-nee-DAH Excuse me

A polite way to get someone's attention

여성분 noun
yuh-SUHNG-boon woman; lady
저 det
juh that; that over there
줄 noun
jool line; queue

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I see it now. I will wait there.

Show Answer이제 보이네요. 거기서 기다릴게요.

That should keep the order clear.

Show Answer그러면 순서가 분명해지겠네요.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

Excuse me

Show Answer실례합니다

to start; to begin

Show Answer시작하는

to not know; to not realize

Show Answer몰랐어요

woman; lady

Show Answer여성분