When Things Go Wrong

Korean Basic Conversation 2

Chapter 12 · When Things Go Wrong: Delays, Lost Items & Emergencies

🚨 When Things Go Wrong — 문제가 생겼을 때

Every trip has a day when something goes wrong: the train is late, the wallet vanishes, or worse. This last chapter of Korean Basic Conversation 2 gives you the language for exactly those moments: explaining a problem, asking for help, reporting a loss or a theft, and calling for emergency help. Two new patterns carry it all: -아/어야 해요 ("I have to…") and -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 ("I can…"). Dialogs carry a Hard words note, and the tables keep the "Say it" column. A Course Complete recap closes the chapter.

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 A Delayed Train — 기차가 지연됐어요

A: 안내 방송 들었어요? 기차가 삼십 분 지연됐어요. Did you hear the announcement? The train is delayed by thirty minutes.

B: 정말요? 그럼 약속에 늦을 것 같아요. Really? Then I think I'll be late for my appointment.

A: 친구한테 연락해야 해요. You have to contact your friend.

B: 네, 지금 카톡할게요. Yes, I'll message them now.

Hard words: 안내 방송 an-nae bang-song · 지연됐어요 ji-yeon-dwae-sseo-yo · 늦을 것 같아요 neu-jeul geot ga-ta-yo · 연락해야 해요 yeol-la-kae-ya hae-yo · 친구한테 chin-gu-han-te

② Lost — 길을 잃었어요

A: 죄송합니다. 길을 잃었어요. 여기가 어디예요? Excuse me. I'm lost. Where is this?

B: 강남역 근처예요. 어디에 가세요? It's near Gangnam Station. Where are you going?

A: 호텔에 가야 해요. 지도 좀 봐 주세요. I have to get to my hotel. Please look at the map for me.

B: 저쪽으로 쭉 가세요. 오 분쯤 걸려요. Go straight that way. It takes about five minutes.

Hard words: 길을 잃었어요 gi-reul i-reo-sseo-yo · 가야 해요 ga-ya hae-yo · 지도 ji-do · 봐 주세요 bwa ju-se-yo · 저쪽 jeo-jjok · 쭉 jjuk

③ Lost and Found — 지갑을 잃어버렸어요

A: 지갑을 잃어버렸어요. I've lost my wallet.

B: 어디에서 잃어버렸어요? Where did you lose it?

A: 지하철에서요. 오늘 아침에 두고 내렸어요. On the subway. I left it behind this morning when I got off.

B: 어떻게 생겼어요? What does it look like?

A: 검은색이고 작아요. 안에 여권도 있어요. It's black and small. My passport is inside too.

B: 찾으면 연락드릴게요. 연락처를 써 주세요. If we find it, I'll contact you. Please write down your contact details.

Hard words: 잃어버렸어요 i-reo-beo-ryeo-sseo-yo · 두고 내렸어요 du-go nae-ryeo-sseo-yo · 어떻게 생겼어요 eo-tteo-ke saeng-gyeo-sseo-yo · 여권 yeo-kkwon · 찾으면 cha-jeu-myeon · 연락드릴게요 yeol-lak-deu-ril-ge-yo

④ Theft — 가방을 도둑맞았어요

A: 도와주세요! 가방을 도둑맞았어요! Help! My bag has been stolen!

B: 진정하세요. 언제 도둑맞았어요? Please calm down. When was it stolen?

A: 방금요. 지하철에서 소매치기를 당했어요. Just now. I was pickpocketed on the subway.

B: 경찰서에 신고해야 해요. 카드도 정지해야 해요. You have to report it to the police. You also have to suspend your cards.

Hard words: 도둑맞았어요 do-dung-ma-ja-sseo-yo · 진정하세요 jin-jeong-ha-se-yo · 방금 bang-geum · 소매치기 so-mae-chi-gi · 신고 sin-go · 정지 jeong-ji

⑤ An Emergency Call — 119입니다

A: 119입니다. 무슨 일이세요? 119. What's the emergency?

B: 사고가 났어요! 사람이 다쳤어요! There's been an accident! Someone is hurt!

A: 위치가 어디예요? Where are you?

B: 강남역 앞이에요. 의식은 있어요. 그런데 다리가 많이 아파요. In front of Gangnam Station. They are conscious. But their leg hurts a lot.

A: 구급차가 곧 갑니다. 거기에서 기다려 주세요. An ambulance is on its way. Please wait there.

Hard words: 사고가 났어요 sa-go-ga na-sseo-yo · 다쳤어요 da-chyeo-sseo-yo · 위치 wi-chi · 의식 ui-sik · 구급차 gu-geup-cha · 곧 got

⑥ Two Friends (casual) — 어떡해!

A: 어떡해! 휴대폰을 잃어버렸어! Oh no! I've lost my phone!

B: 진짜? 걱정하지 마. 같이 찾아 보자. Really? Don't worry. Let's look for it together.

A: 마지막으로 카페에서 봤어. I last saw it at the café.

B: 카페에 두고 왔을 수도 있어. 전화해 볼게! You might have left it there. I'll try calling!

Hard words: 어떡해 eo-tteo-kae · 걱정 geok-jjeong · 찾아 보자 cha-ja bo-ja · 마지막으로 ma-ji-ma-geu-ro · 두고 왔을 수도 있어 du-go wa-sseul su-do i-sseo · 전화해 볼게 jeon-hwa-hae bol-ge

🗝️ Key Phrases — 중요한 표현

Situation	Polite	Casual
Help!	도와주세요! do-wa-ju-se-yo!	도와줘! do-wa-jwo!
I'm lost.	길을 잃었어요. gi-reul i-reo-sseo-yo.	길을 잃었어. gi-reul i-reo-sseo.
I've lost my …	…을/를 잃어버렸어요. …eul/reul i-reo-beo-ryeo-sseo-yo.	…을/를 잃어버렸어. …eul/reul i-reo-beo-ryeo-sseo.
My … was stolen.	…을/를 도둑맞았어요. …eul/reul do-dung-ma-ja-sseo-yo.	…을/를 도둑맞았어. …eul/reul do-dung-ma-ja-sseo.
Can you speak English?	영어 할 수 있어요? yeong-eo hal su i-sseo-yo?	영어 할 수 있어? yeong-eo hal su i-sseo?
What should I do?	어떻게 해야 해요? eo-tteo-ke hae-ya hae-yo?	어떡해? eo-tteo-kae?

🔤 Three Verbs for Trouble — 동사

Verb	Everyday polite (-요)	Formal (-ㅂ니다)	Casual
to miss (a bus); to let slip (놓치다)	놓쳐요 no-chyeo-yo	놓칩니다 no-chim-ni-da	놓쳐 no-chyeo
to look for; to find (찾다)	찾아요 cha-ja-yo	찾습니다 chat-sseum-ni-da	찾아 cha-ja
to report (신고하다)	신고해요 sin-go-hae-yo	신고합니다 sin-go-ham-ni-da	신고해 sin-go-hae

🧱 Five Tools for Trouble

1. "I have to…" — -아/어야 해요

Take the same -아/어 stem you use for the polite ending, add -야 해요: 가요 → 가야 해요 ("I have to go"), 먹어요 → 먹어야 해요, 해요 → 해야 해요, 찾아요 → 찾아야 해요. The question 어떻게 해야 해요? ("what should I do?") is the most useful sentence in this chapter.

English	Korean	Say it
I have to go to the police station.	경찰서에 가야 해요.	gyeong-chal-sseo-e ga-ya hae-yo
I have to call the bank.	은행에 전화해야 해요.	eun-haeng-e jeon-hwa-hae-ya hae-yo
I have to get off here.	여기에서 내려야 해요.	yeo-gi-e-seo nae-ryeo-ya hae-yo
You have to report it.	신고해야 해요.	sin-go-hae-ya hae-yo

2. "I can / I can't" — -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 / 없어요

After a vowel stem add -ㄹ 수 있어요; after a consonant stem add -을 수 있어요. The negative is 수 없어요: 영어 할 수 있어요? ("can you speak English?"), 도와주실 수 있어요? ("could you help me?"), 갈 수 없어요 ("I can't go", the same idea as 못 가요 from Chapter 9). The "maybe" version, -(으)ㄹ 수도 있어요, expresses possibility: 두고 왔을 수도 있어요 ("I might have left it behind").

3. What went wrong? — 문제 표현

English	Korean	Say it
I'm late.	늦었어요.	neu-jeo-sseo-yo
I missed the bus.	버스를 놓쳤어요.	beo-seu-reul no-chyeo-sseo-yo
The train is delayed.	기차가 지연됐어요.	gi-cha-ga ji-yeon-dwae-sseo-yo
The flight was cancelled.	비행기가 취소됐어요.	bi-haeng-gi-ga chwi-so-dwae-sseo-yo
It's broken.	고장 났어요.	go-jang na-sseo-yo
I lost my wallet.	지갑을 잃어버렸어요.	ji-ga-beul i-reo-beo-ryeo-sseo-yo
I left it behind.	두고 왔어요. / 두고 내렸어요.	du-go wa-sseo-yo / du-go nae-ryeo-sseo-yo
It was stolen.	도둑맞았어요.	do-dung-ma-ja-sseo-yo
There's been an accident.	사고가 났어요.	sa-go-ga na-sseo-yo
There's a fire.	불이 났어요.	bu-ri na-sseo-yo

Words ending in -되다 (지연되다, 취소되다) describe things that "get done" to the subject: 취소됐어요 ("it was cancelled"). 도둑맞다 and 소매치기를 당하다 both mean you suffered a theft.

4. Things you might lose — 물건

English	Korean	Say it	English	Korean	Say it
wallet	지갑	ji-gap	mobile phone	휴대폰	hyu-dae-pon
passport	여권	yeo-kkwon	bag	가방	ga-bang
card	카드	ka-deu	key	열쇠	yeol-soe
ID card	신분증	sin-bun-jjeung	umbrella	우산	u-san

The staff will ask 어디에서 잃어버렸어요? (where), 언제 잃어버렸어요? (when) and 어떻게 생겼어요? ("what does it look like?"). Your answer: colour (검은색이에요), size (작아요), contents (안에 …이/가 있어요).

5. Emergency numbers and places — 긴급 전화

Number or place	For	Say it
119 (일일구)	fire and ambulance	i-ril-gu
112 (일일이)	police	i-ri-ri
1330 (일삼삼공)	Korea Travel Helpline, for visitors	il-sam-sam-gong
경찰서	police station	gyeong-chal-sseo
응급실	emergency room	eung-geup-sil
분실물 센터	lost-property office	bun-sil-mul sen-teo
영국 대사관	the British embassy (your own country's embassy: 대사관)	yeong-guk dae-sa-gwan

On the phone, say what happened, where you are, and who is hurt: 사고가 났어요. 강남역 앞이에요. 한 명이 다쳤어요. If you cannot explain, say 저는 외국인이에요. 한국어를 잘 못해요. ("I'm a foreigner. I don't speak Korean well.") and 영어 하는 사람 있어요? ("is there someone who speaks English?"). Check the current numbers and the helpline before you travel.

📖 Vocabulary — 어휘

#	Korean	Say it	English	Type
1	지갑	ji-gap	wallet	noun
2	여권	yeo-kkwon	passport	noun
3	열쇠	yeol-soe	key	noun
4	분실물	bun-sil-mul	lost property	noun
5	경찰서	gyeong-chal-sseo	police station	noun
6	대사관	dae-sa-gwan	embassy	noun
7	응급실	eung-geup-sil	emergency room	noun
8	구급차	gu-geup-cha	ambulance	noun
9	사고	sa-go	accident	noun
10	소매치기	so-mae-chi-gi	pickpocket; pickpocketing	noun
11	지연	ji-yeon	delay	noun
12	신고	sin-go	report (to the authorities)	noun
13	잃어버리다	i-reo-beo-ri-da	to lose (an item)	verb
14	놓치다	no-chi-da	to miss (a bus, a chance)	verb
15	찾다	chat-tta	to look for; to find	verb
16	다치다	da-chi-da	to get hurt	verb
17	도와주다	do-wa-ju-da	to help	verb
18	늦다	neut-tta	to be late	verb
19	걱정하다	geok-jjeong-ha-da	to worry	verb
20	어떡해	eo-tteo-kae	what do I do?! (exclamation)	phrase

Numbers Worth Memorising 119 for fire and ambulance, 112 for the police, and 1330 for the Korea Travel Helpline, which is set up to help visitors. Put them in your phone before you travel. At a station, the quickest help for a lost item is the station staff or the 분실물 센터. Keep a photo of your passport and a note of your embassy's number (대사관) in a separate place.

어떡해 vs 어떻게 These are easy to mix up. 어떻게 means "how" (어떻게 가요?, "how do I get there?"), while 어떡해 is a contraction of 어떻게 해 and means "what do I do?!", a cry of panic: 어떡해! Spelling matters: ㅎ+ㅐ is "hae", but the ㅋ sound in 어떡해 comes from the ㄱ in 떡 meeting the ㅎ.

Stay Calm, Stay Polite Even in trouble, use polite speech to strangers: 죄송합니다만… ("I'm sorry to trouble you, but…"), 도와주실 수 있어요? ("could you help me?"). If someone tells you 진정하세요 ("please calm down"), take a breath and say the key facts again: what, where, who. Say 천천히 말씀해 주세요 (Chapter 10) if you need them to slow down.

As Heard in Dramas — 드라마에서 Crisis scenes have their own phrases: 큰일 났다! ("we're in big trouble!"), 정신 차려! ("pull yourself together!", "come to!"), 괜찮아? 어디 다쳤어? ("are you OK? are you hurt anywhere?") and the unforgettable 어떡해, 어떡해…. Knowing these makes the most dramatic moments in a K-drama easy to follow.

Grammar Pointer The -아/어 stem is the same one used for the polite ending and the past (Chapter 9). -(으)면 ("if") is from Chapter 10, -지 마세요 ("don't") from Chapter 8, and -아/어 주세요 and 못 from Chapters 7 and 9. The new patterns here, -아/어야 해요 ("must") and -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 ("can"), return in Korean Basic Conversation 3.

🏁 Course Complete — Korean Basic Conversation 2

Congratulations. You have finished all twelve chapters of Korean Basic Conversation 2. In Course 1 you learned phrases for situations; now you can talk about your own life: your day, your hobbies, your plans, your home, the weather, the past, and what you think, and you can cope when things go wrong.

Chapter	You can now…
1 · Your Daily Routine	describe your day with times, frequency words and -고
2 · Hobbies & Free Time	say what you like, how often you do it and how well
3 · Making Plans & Invitations	suggest, invite, accept and decline with -(으)ㄹ까요, -(으)ㄹ래요 and -(으)ㄹ 거예요
4 · Describing People & Things	describe appearance, character and colours, and join descriptions with -지만
5 · Your Home & Neighbourhood	describe your home, floors, rent and what is nearby
6 · Weather & Seasons	talk about the weather and seasons, using the ㅂ-irregular pattern
7 · Eating Out	order, explain what you cannot eat, complain politely and pay
8 · At the Doctor & the Pharmacy	say where it hurts and follow a doctor's or pharmacist's instructions
9 · Talking About the Past	use the full past tense and 안 / 못, and tell a story in order
10 · Phone Calls & Making Appointments	make calls, book, change and cancel, and message on KakaoTalk
11 · Giving Opinions & Preferences	ask for and give opinions, compare, and agree or disagree politely
12 · When Things Go Wrong	explain a problem, report a loss, and call for help

What Comes Next — Korean Basic Conversation 3 Korean Basic Conversation 3 builds on this course with longer conversations and more complex situations. Until then, the best practice is to watch Korean dramas with Korean subtitles, to message a friend in Korean, and to say aloud what you did today using the past tense.

✍️ Try It Yourself — 연습

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

1. Say "I missed the bus, so I'm late."

Show answer

버스를 놓쳤어요. 그래서 늦었어요.

2. Say "I've lost my wallet. My passport was inside."

Show answer

지갑을 잃어버렸어요. 안에 여권이 있었어요.

3. Say "I have to go to the police station."

Show answer

경찰서에 가야 해요.

4. Ask someone "Can you speak English?"

Show answer

영어 할 수 있어요?

5. Shout for help and ask someone to call 119.

Show answer

도와주세요! 119에 전화해 주세요!

6. Tell a friend casually, "What do I do?! I've lost my phone!"

Show answer

어떡해! 휴대폰을 잃어버렸어!