Checking a Restaurant Order | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 저희 주문을 음식이 나오기 전에 다시 확인해 볼 수 있을까요?

   Could we review our order before the food comes out?

   저희

   our (humble/polite)

   주문

   order

   음식

   food

   나오기 전에

   before coming out

   다시

   again

   확인해 볼 수 있을까요?

   could we check?

   More detail

   저희 means “our” here in a humble or polite first-person plural form. It is the honorific-style counterpart of 우리 (“our/we”); the choice shows respect toward the listener rather than specifying a different number of people. In this sentence, it refers to the speaker’s group’s order, as confirmed by the translation. 주문 means “order,” especially a food order in this setting. With the object marker 을, 주문을 marks the order as what is being checked. A reusable pattern is 명사 + 을/를 확인하다 (“check/confirm a noun”). 음식 means “food.” Here it is followed by the subject marker 이, forming 음식이, “the food” as the thing that comes out. Korean 음식이 나오다 can naturally describe food being brought out or served; 나오다 itself is the base form meaning “come out” or “come forth,” rather than a special verb meaning only “be served.” 나오기 전에 expresses “before coming out.” It is built from 나오다 (“come out”) plus -기 전에 (“before doing [something]”): 동사 어간 + 기 전에. The verb’s -기 form turns the action into the event that the time expression refers to. The subject of 나오기 is 음식이, so the clause means “before the food comes out.” For example, 출발하기 전에 전화해요. means “Let’s call before leaving.” 다시 means “again.” It modifies the checking action, so the request is to check the order one more time, not simply to check it for the first time. 확인해 볼 수 있을까요? is a polite possibility/request pattern. 확인하다 is the base verb “to check” or “to confirm”; 확인해 보다 adds -아/어 보다, “try doing,” and in this context presents checking as an action the speakers would like to undertake. -ㄹ 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility, and the question ending -을까요? makes the request tentative and polite. Together, 확인해 볼 수 있을까요? asks, “Could we check?” The subject is understood from the context and translation as the speaker’s group; Korean commonly omits such a recoverable subject. The sentence is assembled as 저희 주문을 (“our order,” object) + 음식이 나오기 전에 (“before the food comes out”) + 다시 (“again”) + 확인해 볼 수 있을까요? (“could we check?”). Thus the complete meaning is: “Could we review our order before the food comes out?”

2. 어떤 내용을 확인하고 싶으세요?

   What would you like to confirm?

   어떤

   what kind of; which

   내용

   content; matter

   확인하고

   confirm and…

   싶으세요?

   would you like to?

   More detail

   어떤 appears before 내용 and asks which kind or what specific matter is intended. In this sentence, the fixed translation supports the question-word reading “what kind of/which,” not a separate meaning such as “some.” A reusable pattern is 어떤 + noun: 어떤 영화를 좋아하세요? means “What kind of movies do you like?” 내용 is a noun meaning the content or matter of something. Here it is the object of 확인하다, so 어떤 내용 means “what matter/content.” Its plural is not required in Korean when the context does not specify multiple items. 확인하고 contains 확인하다, “to confirm” or “to check,” followed by the connective ending -고. The -고 form links this verb to what follows; here it creates 확인하고 싶다, literally a structure like “want to confirm.” The useful base-form chain is 확인하다 → 확인하고 when another expression follows. For example, 예약을 확인하고 싶어요. means “I want to check the reservation.” 싶으세요? comes from 싶다, expressing a desire, with the polite honorific question ending -(으)세요. In 확인하고 싶으세요?, it asks politely about the addressee’s desire: “would you like to…?” The honorific marking is in -시- within the ending, and the form is appropriate when addressing the listener respectfully. A less honorific polite version can be 확인하고 싶어요?, though the exact social effect differs. Together, 어떤 내용 supplies the thing being asked about, while 확인하고 싶으세요? asks whether the listener would like to confirm it. The complete utterance is therefore “What would you like to confirm?”

3. 저는 매운맛이 아니라 순한 맛으로 주문했어요.

   I asked for the mild version, not the spicy one.

   저는

   I / as for me

   매운맛

   spicy flavor

   아니라

   not being

   순한

   mild

   맛

   flavor

   주문했어요

   ordered / asked for

   More detail

   저는 marks 저 (“I”) as the topic with 는. 저 is the humble first-person pronoun, contrasting with the more casual 나; it is not simply a polite subject form. The speech level of this sentence is also shown by the polite ending later in the sentence. 매운맛 is a noun meaning “spicy flavor” or, in this context, “the spicy option.” It combines the attributive form 매운 of 맵다 (“to be spicy”) with 맛 (“flavor”). The ㅂ in 맵다 changes in this form: 맵다 → 매운. Here, 매운맛 is the option being excluded. 아니라 is a connective form of 아니다, meaning “not being” or “not.” After a noun, the pattern N이/가 아니라 ... means “not N, but/rather ...” The noun 매운맛 ends in a consonant, so this sentence has 매운맛이 아니라. This construction links the rejected option to the alternative that follows. 순한 means “mild” here and describes the following noun. It is the attributive form of 순하다 (“to be mild”): 순하다 → 순한 맛, “mild flavor.” The ending -ㄴ is part of this adjective’s form before a noun; it is not an inflection of 맛. 맛 means “flavor” or “taste.” In 순한 맛, it is the noun described by 순한. With 으로, the phrase 순한 맛으로 identifies the mild flavor as the form or option used for the order. 주문했어요 means “ordered” or “asked for” in this context. Its base form is 주문하다 (“to order/request”); 주문했어요 is its polite past-tense form. For example, 커피를 주문했어요 means “I ordered coffee.” Together, 매운맛이 아니라 rejects the spicy option, 순한 맛으로 identifies the mild option instead, and 주문했어요 presents that choice as a completed order or request. With 저는 framing the statement around the speaker, the whole utterance means: “I asked for the mild version, not the spicy one.”

4. 주방에 확인해 볼게요.

   Let me check that with the kitchen.

   주방

   kitchen

   확인해 볼게요

   I’ll check

   More detail

   주방 means “kitchen.” It is a noun and can refer to the kitchen area or, in a service context like this, the kitchen staff or kitchen department. In 주방에, the particle 에 marks the target connected with the checking: “with/to the kitchen.” 확인해 볼게요 means “I’ll check.” It is built from 확인하다 (“to check/confirm”) plus 보다 (“to try doing something”) in the auxiliary pattern -아/어 보다: 확인해 보다, “try checking.” Here, 보다 is written as 볼 before -게요. The ending -ㄹ게요 presents the speaker’s intention or commitment to do something, often in response to the listener’s situation: 확인해 볼게요, “I’ll check.” It is different from a neutral prediction about the future. The polite ending is suitable for this service interaction. Together, 주방에 확인해 볼게요 means “I’ll check with the kitchen.” The sentence presents checking with the kitchen as the speaker’s intended next action.

5. 제가 가장 걱정하는 건 반찬이에요.

   The side dish is the part I am most worried about.

   제가

   I

   가장

   most

   걱정하는

   worrying about

   건

   the thing

   반찬

   side dish

   이에요

   is

   More detail

   제가 is the contracted form of 저 (humble “I”) plus the subject marker 가: 저 + 가 → 제가. It marks the person who worries in this sentence. The topic/subject marker is not the same as the topic marker 는; for example, 제가 확인해요 means “I check [it].” 가장 means “most” and forms the highest degree of comparison. It comes before the word or phrase being graded: 가장 걱정하는 means “worry about the most.” A less strong comparison is 더 걱정하는, “worry about more.” 걱정하는 comes from the verb 걱정하다, “to worry” or “to be concerned about.” The observed form is the present attributive form: 걱정하다 → 걱정하는. It describes the action or state before the noun-like 것, so 제가 걱정하는 것 means “the thing I worry about.” 건 is a contraction of 것은: 것 (“thing”) plus the topic marker 은. In this pattern, 제가 가장 걱정하는 건 ... means “As for the thing I worry about most, ...” or more naturally “The thing I am most worried about is ...”. The contraction is common in speech and informal writing; the uncontracted form 것은 is more explicit. 반찬 means a side dish served with a meal. In this sentence, it is the noun identified as the thing causing the speaker the most concern. A useful related meal word is 음식, “food,” but 반찬 specifically refers to a side dish or side dishes rather than food in general. 이에요 is the polite present form of the copula “to be” after a noun ending in a consonant. Thus 반찬 + 이에요 means “is a side dish” or, in this sentence’s identification pattern, “is the side dish.” After a vowel-final noun, the corresponding form is 예요, as in 커피예요, “It is coffee.” Together, 제가 가장 걱정하는 건 sets up the topic as “the thing I worry about most,” and 반찬이에요 identifies that thing as 반찬, “the side dish.” The complete meaning is: “The side dish is the part I am most worried about.”

6. 주문을 정확히 준비할 수 있도록 메모를 분명하게 남길 수 있어요.

   I can add a clear note so the order is prepared correctly.

   주문을

   the order

   정확히

   correctly

   준비할

   prepare

   수 있도록

   so that ... can

   메모

   note

   분명하게

   clearly

   남길

   leave; add

   수 있어요

   can

   More detail

   주문을 means “the order” here. 주문 is a noun, and -을 marks it as the object of 준비하다: the thing being prepared. This object marking differs from -은/는, which presents a topic or contrast. 정확히 means “correctly” here. It is an adverb describing how the preparation is carried out. For example, 정확히 입력하다 means “to enter something accurately.” 준비할 comes from 준비하다, “to prepare.” The ending -ㄹ makes the verb modify the following noun 수; 준비할 수 is the reusable pattern “can prepare.” This is not a past-tense form: its time and modality come from the larger construction. 수 있도록 combines with a preceding -(으)ㄹ 수 expression to mean “so that someone can …” or “so that … is possible.” Thus 준비할 수 있도록 means “so that the order can be prepared.” The person who can prepare it is not stated. 메모 means “note.” In 메모를, the particle -를 marks the note as the object of 남기다. The full combination 메모를 남기다 means “to leave or add a note.” 분명하게 means “clearly.” It is the adverbial form of 분명하다, “to be clear.” Compare 분명한 메모, “a clear note,” where 분명한 directly modifies a noun, with 분명하게 남기다, “to leave it clearly,” where 분명하게 describes the action. 남길 comes from 남기다, “to leave” or “to add” something for later reference. Like 준비할, its -ㄹ form modifies the following 수: 남길 수 means “can leave/add.” The sense “add” is suitable here because the object is a note; 남기다 can also mean “leave behind” in other contexts. 수 있어요 is the polite form of 수 있다, the pattern for expressing ability or possibility. -을/ㄹ 수 있다 means “can …,” while -을/ㄹ 수 없다 means “cannot ….” Here 남길 수 있어요 means “can leave/add a note.” Putting the parts together, 주문을 정확히 준비할 수 있도록 gives the purpose “so that the order can be prepared correctly,” and 메모를 분명하게 남길 수 있어요 gives “I can leave/add a clear note.” The complete utterance therefore means: “I can add a clear note so the order is prepared correctly.”

7. 도움이 되네요. 저희는 그냥 음식이 주문한 대로 나오기를 바라요.

   That helps. We just want the meal to match our order.

   도움이 되네요

   That helps.

   저희는

   we

   그냥

   just

   음식

   food; meal

   주문한 대로

   as ordered

   나오기를

   to come out

   바라요

   want; hope

   More detail

   도움이 되네요 means “That helps.” 도움 is “help,” and 도움이 되다 literally describes something becoming helpful or being of help. 되네요 uses the polite present form 되다 with -네요, a sentence ending that presents the speaker’s noticed or recognized situation. The 이 marks 도움 as the subject of 되다. 저희는 means “we” here. 저희 is the humble first-person plural pronoun; it refers to the speaker’s group and does not itself specify the group’s exact size. 는 marks this group as the topic. The related pronoun 우리 also means “we/our,” but 저희 is the deferential choice when referring to one’s own group toward another person. 그냥 means “just” in this sentence. It limits the request in a simple, non-elaborated way. Its exact effect comes from combining with the following wish rather than from 그냥 alone. 음식 means “food” or, in this context, “the meal.” It is a noun. For a more specific item, Korean can use a noun such as 요리 for a dish or prepared menu item, but 음식 here refers generally to the food being served. 주문한 대로 means “as ordered.” 주문하다 is the base verb “to order,” and 주문한 is its form used before a noun-like expression, with the completed-action meaning “ordered.” 대로 expresses following the manner, content, or result specified by something: 말한 대로 means “as said.” In this sentence, the fixed translation identifies the intended content as matching the speakers’ order; the phrase does not by itself state who placed the order. 나오기를 means “to come out” or, for food, “to be served.” The base verb is 나오다, “to come out.” The ending -기 turns the verb clause into a noun-like unit, and 를 marks that unit as the object of the following verb 바라요: the speakers want the food to be served in that way. The form 나오기를 does not itself mark the food as the agent of a deliberate action; it describes the food’s appearing or being served. 바라요 means “want” or “hope.” Its base verb is 바라다, and this polite present form expresses the speakers’ wish. A useful pattern is -기를 바라다, “to hope/want that …”: 안전하기를 바라요 means “I hope it is safe.” Here the subject of 바라요 is 저희, while the desired event is expressed by 음식이 주문한 대로 나오기를. Together, 저희는 sets the speakers as the topic, and 그냥 makes the wish straightforward. 음식이 marks the food as the subject of 나오다; 주문한 대로 says that its serving should match the order; 나오기를 packages that event as the object of the wish; and 바라요 states the wish politely. Thus the whole utterance means, “That helps. We just want the meal to match our order.”

8. 이해해요. 음식이 나오기 전에 확인하는 게 더 좋아요.

   I understand. It is better to check before the food arrives.

   이해해요

   I understand

   음식

   food

   나오기 전에

   before coming out

   확인하는 게

   checking is

   더 좋아요

   is better

   More detail

   이해해요 comes from 이해하다, “to understand.” The -해요 ending gives a polite present form, so here it means “I understand.” The same ending is used for a polite statement about a current situation: 알아요 means “I know.” 음식 means “food” or “a meal.” It is a noun and does not itself indicate whether the food is one item or several items. In this sentence, the fixed translation supports the meaning “the food” as the thing that will be served. 나오기 전에 is 나오다 (“to come out,” and in this context “to be served”) plus -기 전에 (“before doing”). 나오기 turns the action into the reference point for 전에, producing “before [the food] comes out/is served.” The pattern 동사-기 전에 is reusable: 자기 전에 means “before sleeping.” 확인하는 게 is 확인하다 (“to check” or “to confirm”) plus -는 것, which presents the ongoing or general action as a thing; 것이 is contracted here to 게. Thus, 확인하는 게 means “checking” as the topic being evaluated. Example: 출발하기 전에 예약을 확인하는 게 좋아요. — “It is good to check the reservation before leaving.” 더 좋아요 uses 좋다 (“to be good”) in its polite -아요 form, 좋아요, with 더 (“more”) to express a comparison: “is better” or “is preferable.” The comparison is carried by 더, while 좋아요 is the form of 좋다; 더 is not part of the adjective’s base form. Example: 미리 확인하는 게 더 좋아요. — “It is better to check in advance.” Together, 음식이 나오기 전에 sets the time—before the food is served—and 확인하는 게 더 좋아요 evaluates the action of checking as preferable. The complete utterance is: “I understand. It is better to check before the food arrives.”

9. 음식이 나오기 전에 주문을 확인해 주실 수 있을까요?

   Could you confirm the order before the food is served?

   음식

   food

   나오기 전에

   before it comes out; before it is served

   주문

   order

   확인해

   check; confirm

   주실 수 있을까요?

   could you ...?

   More detail

   음식 means “food.” In this sentence it is the thing that comes out or is served. The attached subject marker 이 marks it as the subject of the following clause. 음식 is a noun; a useful related noun is 메뉴 (“menu”), but they are not interchangeable: the menu is the list, while 음식 is what is served. 나오기 전에 means “before coming out” and, in this restaurant context, “before being served.” Its base verb is 나오다 (“to come out”), and 나오기 uses -기 to turn the verb into the action “coming out.” 전에 means “before.” The pattern V-기 전에 is reusable: 자기 전에 means “before going to bed.” 주문 means “order,” as in the food or drinks requested. The attached object marker 을 shows that the order is what is checked. 주문하다 means “to place an order,” while 주문 by itself is the order as a noun; these forms should not be treated as the same grammatical form. Example: 주문을 바꿨어요. — “I changed the order.” 확인해 comes from 확인하다, “to check” or “to confirm.” The ending -해 is the connective form of 하다, allowing this verb to connect to the following construction. Here, it introduces the action the listener is being asked to do. Example: 주소를 확인해 주세요. — “Please check the address.” 주실 수 있을까요? is a polite request pattern meaning “could you do it?” In this sentence, 주다 is used after another verb to show that someone performs the action as a favor for the speaker; 주시- also contains the honorific marker -시-. 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility, and -을까요? makes the question tentative and polite. The reusable pattern is V-아/어 주실 수 있을까요?, as in 도와주실 수 있을까요? — “Could you help me?” Together, 주문을 확인해 means “check the order,” and 확인해 주실 수 있을까요? politely asks whether the listener could do that for the speaker. The opening 음식이 나오기 전에 sets the time as “before the food is served.” Thus the whole utterance means, “Could you confirm the order before the food is served?”

10. 지금 확인해 보고 바꿔야 할 게 있으면 말씀드릴게요.

    Let me check now and tell you if anything needs changing.

    지금

    now

    확인해 보고

    check and then

    바꿔야 할 게

    something that needs changing

    있으면

    if there is/are

    말씀드릴게요

    I’ll tell you

    More detail

    지금 means “now.” It is an adverb and places the checking in the present situation. Example: 지금 시작해요. — “We start now.” 확인해 보고 is built from 확인하다 (“to check/confirm”) and the pattern -아/어 보다 (“try doing”) followed by -고 (“and”). In this sentence, 확인해 보다 presents checking as the action the speaker will carry out, and 보고 connects it to the next action: “check and then.” Example: 다시 확인해 보고 연락할게요. — “I’ll check again and contact you.” 바꿔야 할 게 means “something that needs changing.” 바꾸다 is “to change,” and -아/어야 하다 expresses necessity: 바꿔야 하다 means “have to change” or “need to change.” Here 바꿔야 할 modifies a following noun, while 게 is the contracted form of 것이, meaning “the thing that.” The changeable item is not specified. Example: 고쳐야 할 부분이 있어요. — “There is a part that needs fixing.” 있으면 is 있다 (“to exist; to be present”) with -(으)면, the conditional ending “if.” It introduces the condition “if there is [such a thing].” In this sentence, the omitted subject of 있다 is the thing that needs changing, not a stated numerical quantity. Example: 문제가 있으면 알려 주세요. — “If there is a problem, please let me know.” 말씀드릴게요 is a polite, humble way to say “I’ll tell you.” 말씀드리다 is used when the speaker respectfully tells someone something; 말씀 is the honorific form related to “speech/words,” and 드리다 presents the action respectfully toward the listener. -(으)ㄹ게요 marks the speaker’s willingness or commitment to do something, so it suits “I’ll tell you” here. Example: 확인 후에 말씀드릴게요. — “I’ll let you know after checking.” Together, 지금 확인해 보고 says “check now and then,” 바꿔야 할 게 있으면 says “if there is anything that needs changing,” and 말씀드릴게요 says “I’ll tell you.” The whole utterance therefore means: “Let me check now and tell you if anything needs changing.”