Conversation 8: Anna meets Jinho, another student at the University of London
Jinho takes the same Korean Politics class as Anna. He starts a conversation in class with her for the first time.
진호: 헤이, 하우 두 유 두?
안나: 네? 아, 예. 안녕하세요?
진호: 아이구! 한국말을 하시는군요! 한국에 처음 오셨어요?
안나: 네, 그런데 사실은, 작년에 왔어요. 신촌에서 살아요.
진호: 그러세요? 무슨 일로 오셨어요?
안나: 공부 때문에 왔어요. 교환학생으로 고대에 왔어요.
진호: 그러면 얼마 동안 계세요?
안나: 글쎄요. 아직 잘 모르겠어요.
진호: 혹시 미국분이세요?
안나: 아닌데요. 영국사람이에요.
진호: 아, 그러세요? 죄송합니다. 저도 방금 런던에서 도착했어요.
안나: 아, 예. 거기서 뭐 하셨어요?
진호: 저도 교환학생으로 런던에 다녀왔어요. 런던대학교에서 정치학을 공부했어요.
안나: 그래요? 사실 저도 런던대학교 학생이에요!
진호: 정말 반갑네요! 자, 여기 제 연락처 받으세요. 언제 커피 한 잔 같이 해요.
Jinho: Hi, how do you do?
Anna: Yes? Oh, yes. How are you?
Jinho: Wow! You speak Korean! Is it your first time in Korea? (lit. “Have you come to Korea for the first time?”)
Anna: Yes, but in fact I arrived last year. I’m living in Shinchon.
Jinho: Really? What brought you here? (lit. Because of which thing did you come?)
Anna: I came because of my studies. I came as an exchange student to Korea University.
Jinho: So, how long are you going to be here?
Anna: Mm. I’m not sure. (lit. “I wouldn’t know well yet.”)
Jinho: Are you an American by any chance?
Anna: No; I’m British.
Jinho: Oh, really? I’m sorry. I’ve also just arrived from London.
Anna: Oh, yes. What did you do there?
Jinho: I also went to London as an exchange student. I studied politics at the University of London.
Anna: Really? In fact I’m also a student at the University of London!
Jinho: I’m really pleased to meet you. In that case, here are (lit. “please receive”) my contact details. Let’s have a coffee together sometime.
Vocabulary and notes
아이구 wow; oh dear
하시는군요 = 하다 do + 시 (honorific) + 는군 (realization) + 요 (polite)
To express that you’ve realized something for the first time, remove 다 from the Dictionary Form (see Verb styles) column 1) and add 는군요 for processive verbs or just 군요 for descriptive verbs.
오셨어요 = 오다 come + 시 (honorific) + 었 (past) + 어 (plain) + 요 (polite)
Make the past tense of the Polite Form (see Verb styles) column 2) by inserting 었어 before the 요 of the present Polite Form in column 2 of the table (so 먹어요 -> 먹었어요, 받아요 -> 받았어요, 줘요-> 줬어요, etc.).
Note what happens with honorific verbs ending in 시: 셨어요.
사실은 “in fact”. On its own 사실 means “a fact”, although further down you will also see it without 은 still meaning “in fact”.
작년 last year
그러세요 = 그렇다 = “be/say so” + 시 (honorific) + ㅓ (plain) + 요 (polite)
무슨 일로 = 무슨 which + 일 thing + 로 (particle indicating means, reason, as)
~때문에 because of ~. Follows a noun.
고대. Abbreviation of 고려 대학교 Korea University. 고려 is usually Goryeo, one of the kingdoms of old Korea.
얼마 동안 계세요. 얼마 동안 how long” Note how 계세요 is used as the polite honorific of 있다 when people are the subject, rather than 있으세요, as you might expect. Several other common verbs have similar special forms. For example, 주무세요 (자요 sleep), 잡수세요 or 드세요 (먹어요 eat), and 말씀하세요 (말해요 say).
글쎄요 mm, let me see (indicates thinking)
모르겠어요. 겠 usually is a formal way of expressing the future. However with verbs of knowing (for example, 모르다 not to know), it just adds a note of politeness. Cf. “I wouldn’t know”.
아닌데요. ㄴ데요 literally means “is the case” or “but …”, but hear it is used to make a softer way of saying 안이에요 no.
죄송합니다 I’m sorry. Similar to 실례했읍니다 here.
방금 just (now)
도착하다 to arrive
다녀오다 go (and come back) = 다니다 go (frequently), commute + ㅓ (plain connective) + 오다 come
반갑네요 = 반갑다 glad (to meet you) + 네 (exclamation) + 요 (polite). Note how 네 is used for mild exclamations. To use it in the present tense, replace the 다 of the Dictionary Form (see Verb styles column 1) with 네.
연락처 contact details. Pronounced /열락처/. = 연락 “contact” + 처 “place” (Sino-korean element that can't be used on its own)
언제 커피 한 잔 같이 해요. “Let’s have a coffee together sometime.” 언제 means “sometime” as well as “when”. Note that the Polite Form (ending in ㅓ요, etc.) may be used for statements, questions or, as here, “let’s”.