Buying Clothes

Korean Basic Conversation 3

Chapter 1 · Buying Clothes: Sizes, Fit & Returns

👕 Buying Clothes — 옷 사기

Course 3 moves from short exchanges to longer, more independent conversation, and a clothes shop is a good first test: you must ask to try things on (-아/어 봐도 돼요?), describe the fit, and sound polite while disagreeing or asking for a change (-(는)데요). Dialogs now have 5–7 lines with a Hard words note (no romanization under each line), the key-phrase and grammar tables show Hangul and English only, and the vocabulary table keeps the "Say it" column. A short reading text with true/false questions closes the chapter.

eo = ㅓ (short, open "uh") eu = ㅡ (unrounded "oo") kk, tt, pp, ss, jj = tense (tight, unaspirated) consonants

① Looking Around — 뭐 찾으세요?

A:어서 오세요. 뭐 찾으세요?Welcome. What are you looking for?

B:겨울에 입을 코트를 찾고 있어요.I'm looking for a coat to wear in winter.

A:이 검은색 코트는 어떠세요? 이번에 새로 나왔어요.How about this black coat? It just came out.

B:예쁘네요. 입어 봐도 돼요?It's pretty. May I try it on?

A:그럼요. 탈의실은 저쪽에 있어요.Of course. The fitting room is over there.

B:네, 감사합니다. 한번 입어 볼게요.Thank you. I'll give it a try.

Hard words: 찾고 있어요 chat-go i-sseo-yo · 검은색 geo-meun-saek · 입어 봐도 i-beo bwa-do · 그럼요 geu-reom-nyo · 탈의실 ta-rui-sil · 볼게요 bol-ge-yo

② The Size — 사이즈가 어떻게 되세요?

A:사이즈가 어떻게 되세요?What size are you?

B:보통 66 입는데요. 이 옷은 좀 작아 보여요.I usually wear a 66. This one looks a bit small.

A:그럼 한 사이즈 큰 걸로 가져다 드릴게요.Then I'll bring you one size bigger.

B:네. 소매도 좀 길어서 걱정이에요.Yes. I'm also worried because the sleeves are a bit long.

A:그건 수선해 드릴 수 있어요. 이삼 일 걸려요.We can alter that for you. It takes two or three days.

Hard words: 입는데요 im-neun-de-yo · 작아 보여요 ja-ga bo-yeo-yo · 가져다 드릴게요 ga-jyeo-da deu-ril-ge-yo · 소매 so-mae · 걱정 geok-jjeong · 수선해 드릴 수 su-seon-hae deu-ril su

③ In the Fitting Room — 잘 맞아요?

A:잘 맞아요?Does it fit well?

B:어깨는 괜찮은데 허리가 너무 꽉 껴요.The shoulders are fine, but the waist is too tight.

A:그럼 이 회색은 어떠세요? 좀 더 넉넉해요.Then how about this grey one? It's a bit roomier.

B:입어 보니까 이게 더 편하네요.Having tried it on, this one is more comfortable.

A:거울 한번 보세요. 잘 어울리세요.Have a look in the mirror. It suits you well.

Hard words: 맞아요 ma-ja-yo · 어깨 eo-kkae · 허리 heo-ri · 꽉 껴요 kkwak kkyeo-yo · 넉넉해요 neong-neo-kae-yo · 어울리세요 eo-ul-li-se-yo

④ Price and Paying — 할인돼요?

A:이 코트는 얼마예요?How much is this coat?

B:십팔만 구천 원인데, 지금 세일 중이라서 이십 퍼센트 할인돼요.It's 189,000 won, but it's on sale now, so there's 20 percent off.

A:그럼 얼마예요?Then how much is it?

B:십오만 천이백 원이에요. 일시불로 하시겠어요?151,200 won. Will you pay in one payment?

A:네, 카드로 일시불이요. 영수증도 주세요.Yes, one payment by card. And a receipt, please.

Hard words: 십팔만 구천 원 sip-pal-man gu-cheon won · 할인돼요 ha-rin-dwae-yo · 십오만 천이백 si-bo-man cheon-i-baek · 일시불 il-si-bul · 영수증 yeong-su-jjeung

⑤ Exchange or Refund — 교환하고 싶은데요

A:저, 어제 산 바지를 교환하고 싶은데요.Um, I'd like to exchange the trousers I bought yesterday.

B:무슨 문제가 있으세요?Is there a problem?

A:집에서 입어 봤는데 너무 작아요. 입지는 않았어요.I tried them on at home and they're too small. I haven't worn them out.

B:영수증 가지고 계세요?Do you have the receipt?

A:네, 여기 있어요. 다른 사이즈로 바꿀 수 있어요?Yes, here it is. Can I change it for another size?

B:네, 한 사이즈 큰 게 있는지 확인해 볼게요.Yes, I'll check whether we have one size bigger.

Hard words: 교환하고 gyo-hwan-ha-go · 입지는 않았어요 ip-jji-neun a-na-sseo-yo · 영수증 yeong-su-jjeung · 바꿀 수 ba-kkul su · 있는지 in-neun-ji · 확인해 볼게요 hwa-gin-hae bol-ge-yo

⑥ Two Friends (casual) — 이거 어때?

A:이 원피스 어때? 한번 입어 볼까?What do you think of this dress? Shall I try it on?

B:응, 입어 봐. 색깔은 예쁜데 좀 비싸다.Yeah, try it. The colour is pretty but it's a bit pricey.

A:그래도 세일이잖아. 근데 사이즈가 좀 작은 것 같아.It's on sale, though. But I think the size is a bit small.

B:그럼 인터넷으로 주문하자. 사이즈 교환도 되잖아.Then let's order online. You can swap sizes too.

A:좋은 생각이야! 오늘은 구경만 하자.Good idea! Let's just browse today.

Hard words: 원피스 won-pi-seu · 색깔 saek-kkal · 비싸다 bi-ssa-da · 세일이잖아 se-i-ri-ja-na · 주문하자 ju-mun-ha-ja · 구경만 gu-gyeong-man

🗝️ Key Phrases — 중요한 표현

Situation	Polite	Casual
May I try this on?	이거 입어 봐도 돼요?	이거 입어 봐도 돼?
Do you have a bigger size?	더 큰 사이즈 있어요?	더 큰 거 있어?
Do you have another colour?	다른 색 있어요?	다른 색 있어?
It's too small / too big.	너무 작아요 / 너무 커요.	너무 작아 / 너무 커.
It suits you.	잘 어울려요.	잘 어울려.
I'd like to exchange this.	교환하고 싶은데요.	교환하고 싶어.

🔤 Three Verbs for Shopping — 동사

Verb	Everyday polite (-요)	Formal (-ㅂ니다)	Casual
to wear; to put on (입다)	입어요	입습니다	입어
to fit; to be right (맞다)	맞아요	맞습니다	맞아
to change; to exchange (바꾸다)	바꿔요	바꿉니다	바꿔

🧱 Three Tools for the Shop

1. "Try doing" — -아/어 보다

Attach -아 보다 (after stems whose last vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ) or -어 보다 (all others; 하다 gives 해 보다). It means "to try doing" or "to do and see": 입어 봐요 (try it on), 먹어 봐요 (try eating it), 확인해 볼게요 ("I'll check and see"). With -(으)ㄹ게요 it makes a polite promise; with -(으)세요 it becomes an invitation: 드셔 보세요 ("please try it"). In the past, 입어 봤어요 means both "I tried it on" and, more broadly, "I have worn it".

2. "May I…?" — -아/어도 되다

Add -아/어도 돼요 (same vowel rule) to ask or give permission: 입어 봐도 돼요? ("May I try it on?"), 사진 찍어도 돼요? ("May I take a photo?"). The answer is 네, 돼요 or 그럼요. To refuse politely, use 안 돼요 (or -(으)면 안 돼요, "you must not").

Pattern	Meaning	Example
-아/어 보다	try doing	이 신발 신어 보세요. Please try these shoes on.
-아/어도 되다	may; it's all right to	카드로 계산해도 돼요? May I pay by card?
-(으)면 안 되다	must not	여기서 입으면 안 돼요. You mustn't put it on here.

3. The softener — -(는)데요

Ending a sentence with -(으)ㄴ데요 / -는데요 leaves it open: it is polite, gentle and invites a reply. Customers use it to make requests or complaints without sounding blunt: 교환하고 싶은데요 ("I'd like to exchange this…"), 보통 66 입는데요 ("I usually wear a 66…"). Verbs in the present take -는데요; adjectives take -(으)ㄴ데요; the past uses -았/었는데요. In the middle of a sentence the same ending means "but" or "and": 어깨는 괜찮은데 허리가 꽉 껴요. You met the ending -지만 in Korean Basic Conversation 2; -(는)데 is softer and more conversational.

📏 Sizes — 사이즈

Label	Meaning
S / M / L / XL	Letter sizes, said as English letters; common for T-shirts and online
44, 55, 66, 77	Traditional women's sizes. 55 and 66 are the most common, and they run smaller than many Western sizes
95, 100, 105	Common men's top sizes (roughly chest in cm; check the shop's chart). Trousers are often sold by waist size
프리 사이즈	"Free size": one size supposedly for everyone. Reports say it is roughly a 55 to a slim 66, so it can be too small

📖 Reading — 읽기: 수진 씨의 쇼핑

수진 씨의 쇼핑 수진 씨는 토요일에 친구와 옷 가게에 갔어요. 겨울 코트를 사려고 했어요. 수진 씨는 코트를 입어 봤는데 좀 작았어요. 그래서 한 사이즈 큰 코트를 입어 봤어요. 그 코트는 잘 맞았어요. 지금은 세일 중이라서 가격이 이십 퍼센트 싸요. 수진 씨는 그 코트를 샀어요. 그런데 집에 와서 다시 입어 보니까 소매가 너무 길었어요. 다음 날 수진 씨는 가게에 가서 영수증을 보여 주고 수선을 부탁했어요.
Word list: 다시 (again) · 보여 주다 (to show) · 부탁하다 (to ask a favour) · 수선 (alteration)

True or false? (맞으면 O, 틀리면 X)

1. 수진 씨는 친구와 옷 가게에 갔어요.
2. 첫 번째 코트가 잘 맞았어요.
3. 수진 씨는 세일 가격으로 코트를 샀어요.
4. 수진 씨는 영수증 없이 가게에 갔어요.

Show answers

1. O · 2. X (the first coat was a bit small; the bigger one fitted) · 3. O (20 percent off) · 4. X (she showed the receipt)

📖 Vocabulary — 어휘

#	Korean	Say it	English	Type
1	옷	ot	clothes	noun
2	코트	ko-teu	coat	noun
3	바지	ba-ji	trousers	noun
4	치마	chi-ma	skirt	noun
5	신발	sin-bal	shoes	noun
6	사이즈	sa-i-jeu	size	noun
7	탈의실	ta-rui-sil	fitting room	noun
8	소매	so-mae	sleeve	noun
9	허리	heo-ri	waist	noun
10	영수증	yeong-su-jjeung	receipt	noun
11	세일	se-il	sale	noun
12	교환	gyo-hwan	exchange	noun
13	환불	hwan-bul	refund	noun
14	입다	ip-tta	to wear; to put on (clothes)	verb
15	신다	sin-da	to wear (shoes, socks)	verb
16	어울리다	eo-ul-li-da	to suit; to go well with	verb
17	바꾸다	ba-kku-da	to change; to exchange	verb
18	꽉 끼다	kkwak kki-da	to be tight (fit)	verb
19	넉넉하다	neong-neo-ka-da	to be roomy; ample	adj
20	편하다	pyeon-ha-da	to be comfortable	adj

Free Size and the Numbers 프리 사이즈 ("free size") is common in Korean fashion, but it is not "one size fits all": reports describe it as roughly a 55 to a slim 66, and it can be small for many people. Online, trust the measurements in centimetres on the product page more than the label. Sizes also differ between brands, so the fitting room is worth the time.

Exchanges, Refunds and Receipts (verify the shop's own rules) Keep your 영수증 (receipt): shops almost always ask for it, and they usually want the item unworn with its tags. Rules differ between shops and sale items are sometimes final, so ask 교환이나 환불 돼요? before paying. For online orders, one guide says Korean e-commerce law gives a buyer 7 days from receiving the goods to cancel, even if the seller's own policy says otherwise, with the buyer normally paying the return postage for a change of mind. This comes from a secondary source, so check the seller's page or the statute. Foreign visitors may also be able to get an immediate tax refund on larger purchases at shops that offer it (the threshold was reported as about 30,000 won; unconfirmed, so ask).

As Heard in Dramas — 드라마에서 Shopping scenes often show someone pulling a friend into a shop: 이거 한번 입어 봐! ("Try this on!") followed by 잘 어울린다! ("It really suits you!"). A shop assistant is almost always called 사장님 ("boss") or 언니 / 이모 in markets, and a polite 깎아 주세요 ("please give me a discount") is heard in street markets but rarely in department stores with fixed prices.

Grammar Pointer The numbers in prices are Sino-Korean (만, 천, 백). The adjective forms like 작아요 and 커요 follow the stem rules from Korean Basic Conversation 2, Chapter 4 (Describing), and the plan-making forms -(으)ㄹ게요 and -(으)ㄹ까요 from Chapter 3 (Plans).

✍️ Try It Yourself — 연습

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

1. Ask "May I try this on?"

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이거 입어 봐도 돼요?

2. Say "This is a bit small. Do you have one size bigger?"

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이거 좀 작아요. 한 사이즈 큰 거 있어요?

3. Say "The shoulders are fine, but the waist is too tight."

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어깨는 괜찮은데 허리가 너무 꽉 껴요.

4. Say politely "I'd like to exchange the trousers I bought yesterday…"

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어제 산 바지를 교환하고 싶은데요.

5. Ask whether there is a 20 percent discount and ask for the receipt.

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이십 퍼센트 할인돼요? 영수증도 주세요.

6. Tell a friend casually "Try it on! It suits you."

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입어 봐! 잘 어울려.