Phone Calls

Korean Basic Conversation 2

Chapter 10 · Phone Calls & Making Appointments

📞 Phone Calls & Making Appointments — 전화와 예약

A phone call is one of the hardest things to do in a new language: no gestures, no faces, and a speaker on the other end who expects a particular kind of politeness. This chapter gives you the opening and closing phrases, the words for booking, changing and cancelling, and a first look at the formal business register (-ㅂ니다/-습니다 plus honorific and humble verbs). It ends with KakaoTalk, where most Korean communication actually happens. Dialogs carry a Hard words note, and the tables keep the "Say it" column.

eo = ㅓ (short, open "uh") eu = ㅡ (unrounded "oo") kk, tt, pp, ss, jj = tense (tight, unaspirated) consonants [ ] = how the word is actually said, where it differs from the spelling

① Answering — 김민수 씨 계세요?

A: 여보세요? Hello?

B: 안녕하세요. 김민수 씨 계세요? Hello. Is Kim Minsu there?

A: 전데요. 누구세요? Speaking. Who's calling?

B: 저는 박지은입니다. 내일 회의 때문에 전화드렸어요. I'm Park Jieun. I'm calling about tomorrow's meeting.

Hard words: 여보세요 yeo-bo-se-yo · 계세요 gye-se-yo · 전데요 jeon-de-yo · 누구세요 nu-gu-se-yo · 때문에 ttae-mu-ne ("because of; about") · 전화드렸어요 jeon-hwa-deu-ryeo-sseo-yo

② Not at His Desk — 지금 안 계세요

A: 여보세요? 이 부장님 계세요? Hello? Is Department Head Lee there?

B: 지금 자리에 안 계세요. 전해 드릴까요? He's not at his desk right now. Shall I pass on a message?

A: 아니에요. 제가 나중에 다시 전화드리겠습니다. No, that's all right. I'll call again later.

B: 네, 알겠습니다. 안녕히 계세요. Yes, understood. Goodbye.

Hard words: 부장님 bu-jang-nim · 자리 ja-ri · 전해 드릴까요 jeon-hae deu-ril-kka-yo · 다시 da-si · 전화드리겠습니다 jeon-hwa-deu-ri-get-sseum-ni-da

③ A Bad Line — 잘 안 들려요

A: 여보세요? 잘 안 들려요. Hello? I can't hear you well.

B: 죄송해요. 지금 지하철이에요. Sorry. I'm on the subway right now.

A: 다시 한번 말씀해 주세요. Please say that once more.

B: 잠시 후에 다시 전화할게요. I'll call you back in a moment.

Hard words: 들려요 deul-lyeo-yo · 다시 한번 da-si han-beon · 말씀 mal-sseum · 잠시 후 jam-si hu · 전화할게요 jeon-hwa-hal-ge-yo

④ Booking an Appointment — 예약하고 싶어요

A: 네, 한빛병원입니다. Hanbit Hospital, hello.

B: 안녕하세요. 진료 예약하고 싶어요. Hello. I'd like to book an appointment.

A: 성함이 어떻게 되세요? 언제가 가능하세요? What is your name? When would suit you?

B: 김민수예요. 이번 주 금요일 오후 세 시에 가능해요? Kim Minsu. Is Friday at three this week possible?

A: 네, 가능합니다. 연락처도 말씀해 주세요. Yes, that's possible. Please also give me your contact number.

B: 공일공 일이삼사 오육칠팔이에요. 010-1234-5678.

A: 확인했습니다. 금요일 세 시에 뵙겠습니다. Confirmed. See you on Friday at three.

Hard words: 한빛병원 han-bit-byeong-won · 진료 jil-lyo · 성함 seong-ham · 가능 ga-neung · 연락처 yeol-lak-cheo · 뵙겠습니다 boep-get-sseum-ni-da

⑤ Changing a Booking — 예약을 변경하고 싶어요

A: 안녕하세요. 토요일 예약을 변경하고 싶어요. Hello. I'd like to change my Saturday booking.

B: 성함이 어떻게 되세요? What is your name?

A: 박지은이에요. Park Jieun.

B: 네, 토요일 두 시에 예약이 있으시네요. 언제로 변경해 드릴까요? Yes, you have a booking on Saturday at two. When shall I change it to?

A: 일요일 오전 열한 시에 가능해요? Is Sunday at eleven in the morning possible?

B: 잠시만 기다려 주세요. 네, 가능합니다. Please wait a moment. Yes, that's possible.

Hard words: 변경 byeon-gyeong · 있으시네요 i-sseu-si-ne-yo · 언제로 eon-je-ro ("to when") · 잠시만 jam-si-man · 가능합니다 ga-neung-ham-ni-da

⑥ Two Friends on KakaoTalk (casual) — 카톡 봤어?

A: 오늘 저녁에 시간 돼? Are you free tonight?

B: 응, 돼! 어디서 볼까? Yeah! Where shall we meet?

A: 강남역에서 보자. 도착하면 카톡해! Let's meet at Gangnam Station. Message me when you arrive!

B: ㅇㅋ! 이따 봐! OK! See you later!

Hard words: 시간 돼 si-gan dwae · 강남역 gang-nam-yeok · 도착하면 do-cha-ka-myeon ("when you arrive") · 카톡 ka-tok · ㅇㅋ "o-kei" · 이따 i-tta ("later")

🗝️ Key Phrases — 중요한 표현

Situation	Polite	Formal (business)
Is Mr Kim there?	김 선생님 계세요? gim seon-saeng-nim gye-se-yo?	김 선생님 계십니까? gim seon-saeng-nim gye-sim-ni-kka?
Who is calling?	누구세요? nu-gu-se-yo?	실례지만 누구십니까? sil-lye-ji-man nu-gu-sim-ni-kka?
Please wait a moment.	잠깐만 기다려 주세요. jam-kkan-man gi-da-ryeo ju-se-yo.	잠시만 기다려 주십시오. jam-si-man gi-da-ryeo ju-sip-si-o.
I'll call back.	다시 전화할게요. da-si jeon-hwa-hal-ge-yo.	다시 전화드리겠습니다. da-si jeon-hwa-deu-ri-get-sseum-ni-da.
I'd like to book.	예약하고 싶어요. ye-ya-ka-go si-peo-yo.	예약하고 싶습니다. ye-ya-ka-go sip-sseum-ni-da.
Understood.	알겠어요. al-ge-sseo-yo.	알겠습니다. al-get-sseum-ni-da.

🔤 Three Verbs for the Phone — 동사

Verb	Everyday polite (-요)	Formal (-ㅂ니다)	Casual
to phone (전화하다)	전화해요 jeon-hwa-hae-yo	전화합니다 jeon-hwa-ham-ni-da	전화해 jeon-hwa-hae
to receive; to answer (받다)	받아요 ba-da-yo	받습니다 bat-sseum-ni-da	받아 ba-da
to hang up; to cut off (끊다)	끊어요 kkeu-neo-yo	끊습니다 kkeun-sseum-ni-da	끊어 kkeu-neo

Common phone collocations: 전화를 걸다 (to make a call), 전화를 받다 (to answer), 전화를 끊다 (to hang up), 통화 중이에요 (the line is busy; "in a call"), 전화가 끊겼어요 (the call dropped).

🧱 Five Tools for the Phone

1. Opening, middle and closing a call

Moment	Korean	Say it	Meaning
Answering	여보세요?	yeo-bo-se-yo	Hello? (phone only)
Business answer	네, 한빛병원입니다.	ne, han-bit-byeong-wo-nim-ni-da	Hanbit Hospital, hello.
Asking for someone	…씨 계세요?	…ssi gye-se-yo	Is … there?
"That's me"	접니다. / 전데요.	jeom-ni-da / jeon-de-yo	Speaking.
Not there	지금 안 계세요.	ji-geum an gye-se-yo	He/she isn't here right now.
Wrong number	전화 잘못 거셨어요.	jeon-hwa jal-mot geo-syeo-sseo-yo	You have the wrong number.
Can't hear	잘 안 들려요.	jal an deul-lyeo-yo	I can't hear well.
Repeat	다시 말씀해 주세요.	da-si mal-sseum-hae ju-se-yo	Please say it again.
Slower	천천히 말씀해 주세요.	cheon-cheon-hi mal-sseum-hae ju-se-yo	Please speak slowly.
Closing	안녕히 계세요.	an-nyeong-hi gye-se-yo	Goodbye.

2. Booking, changing and cancelling

To book, use the wish from Chapter 3, -고 싶어요: 예약하고 싶어요 ("I'd like to book"). To change or cancel, name the thing and the wish: 예약을 변경하고 싶어요, 예약을 취소하고 싶어요. The person on the line will ask for your name and phone number and ask what time suits you: 성함이 어떻게 되세요?, 연락처가 어떻게 되세요?, 언제가 가능하세요?. Answer with …에 가능해요? ("is … possible?") or …에 괜찮으세요? ("is … all right?").

Phone numbers use Sino-Korean digits, with 공 for 0: 010-1234-5678 is said 공일공 일이삼사 오육칠팔 (Korean Basic Conversation 1, Chapter 3).

3. The formal business register

Business and official calls use the formal endings -ㅂ니다/-습니다 (statements), -ㅂ니까/-습니까? (questions) and -(으)십시오 (requests): 가능합니다, 가능합니까?, 기다려 주십시오. They also use honorific and humble words that show respect to the other person. You do not need to produce all of them yet, but you should recognise them:

Plain	Respectful form	Say it	Used for
있다 to be (a person)	계시다	gye-si-da	the other person is somewhere
먹다 to eat	드시다	deu-si-da	the other person eats
말하다 to say	말씀하시다	mal-sseum-ha-si-da	the other person speaks
주다 to give	드리다 (humble)	deu-ri-da	I give or do something for them
보다 to see (a person)	뵙다 (humble)	boep-tta	I meet them
이름 name	성함	seong-ham	the other person's name

The honorific -(으)시- is also built into endings like 계세요, 가능하세요, 오셨어요. Use these about other people, never about yourself.

4. Typing on KakaoTalk — 카카오톡

Many Koreans prefer to text than to call. 카톡 (KakaoTalk) is the main messaging app, and a message is 카톡 or 문자 (SMS): 카톡 보낼게요 ("I'll message you"), 카톡해! ("message me"), 답장 주세요 ("please reply"). Chat is casual, so friends shorten words to consonants:

Typed	Stands for	Meaning
ㅋㅋ	the sound of laughing	haha
ㅎㅎ	a soft laugh	hehe
ㅠㅠ	tears	crying; sad
ㅇㅇ	응응	yes
ㅇㅋ	오케이	OK
ㄱㅅ	감사	thanks
ㅈㅅ	죄송	sorry

Use these only with friends, never in business messages. In a message to a colleague or someone older, use full polite sentences.

5. Making the call itself: -(으)면 and 이따

Dialog 6 uses -(으)면 in its ordinary meaning "if / when": 도착하면 카톡해! ("message me when you arrive"). You already know the pattern from -(으)면 안 돼요 (Chapter 8): stem + -면 after a vowel and -으면 after a consonant. 이따 means "later (today)": 이따 봐! ("see you in a bit!").

📖 Vocabulary — 어휘

#	Korean	Say it	English	Type
1	전화	jeon-hwa	phone; phone call	noun
2	전화번호	jeon-hwa-beon-ho	phone number	noun
3	휴대폰	hyu-dae-pon	mobile phone	noun
4	문자	mun-ja	text message (SMS); character	noun
5	카톡	ka-tok	KakaoTalk (message)	noun
6	예약	ye-yak	booking; reservation	noun
7	진료	jil-lyo	medical consultation	noun
8	성함	seong-ham	name (respectful)	noun
9	연락처	yeol-lak-cheo	contact details	noun
10	변경	byeon-gyeong	change; alteration	noun
11	취소	chwi-so	cancellation	noun
12	확인	hwa-gin	confirmation; check	noun
13	잠시	jam-si	a moment	adverb
14	받다	bat-tta	to receive; to answer	verb
15	끊다	kkeun-ta	to hang up; to cut off	verb
16	걸다	geol-da	to make (a call); to hang	verb
17	가능하다	ga-neung-ha-da	to be possible	adjective
18	계시다	gye-si-da	to be (somewhere) (respectful)	verb
19	드리다	deu-ri-da	to give (humble)	verb
20	여보세요	yeo-bo-se-yo	hello (on the phone)	phrase

여보세요 Is for Phones Only 여보세요 is how you answer or start a phone call, never how you greet someone in person (that is 안녕하세요). Businesses and offices usually answer with a name and 입니다 (네, 한빛병원입니다) rather than just 여보세요. Callers often begin with 안녕하세요, …입니다 before saying why they are calling.

End the Call Properly The usual way to end a call is 안녕히 계세요 (the person who stays), often repeated by both sides. Also common: 들어가세요 ("go in", a warm goodbye), and between friends 끊을게 ("I'll hang up now"). Cutting a call off with no goodbye sounds rude or angry.

카톡 Culture Most group planning happens in a 단톡방 (group chat room) on KakaoTalk, and people often prefer to message rather than call. If someone reads your message and does not answer, Korean has a slang word for it: 읽씹 (읽고 씹다, "read and ignore"). In work chats, keep to the polite register and avoid the consonant abbreviations.

As Heard in Dramas — 드라마에서 A drama call often starts with a tense 여보세요? and no answer. A character who is angry hangs up with no goodbye, and the phone-in-the-hand moment before a confession is a standard scene. Listen for 전화 받아! ("pick up!") and 연락해! ("get in touch!").

Grammar Pointer The wish ending -고 싶어요 is from Chapter 3; the honorific -(으)세요 is from Chapters 6 and 8 and the past tense from Chapter 9. The formal endings were first met in Korean Basic Conversation 1 (감사합니다, 처음 뵙겠습니다), and the numbers for phone numbers are in Korean Basic Conversation 1, Chapter 3. Chapter 11 turns to opinions.

✍️ Try It Yourself — 연습

Say each answer out loud first, then click to check.

1. You phone an office. Say "Hello? Is Mr Kim there?"

Show answer

여보세요? 김 선생님 계세요?

2. Someone phones you by mistake. Say "I'm sorry, you have the wrong number."

Show answer

죄송합니다. 전화 잘못 거셨어요.

3. Say "I'd like to book an appointment for Friday afternoon."

Show answer

금요일 오후에 예약하고 싶어요.

4. The line is bad. Say "I can't hear well. Please say it again."

Show answer

잘 안 들려요. 다시 말씀해 주세요.

5. In formal business Korean, say "I will call again later."

Show answer

나중에 다시 전화드리겠습니다.

6. Text a friend: "Are you free tonight? Message me when you arrive!"

Show answer

오늘 저녁에 시간 돼? 도착하면 카톡해!