Make it easy for the staff to help

You can say that something is wrong, but can you explain where, ask for a specific action, and understand what will happen next? Those are separate parts of a useful hotel conversation.

This intermediate lesson follows an original practice scenario: a guest checks in, finds that the hot water is not running, and contacts reception. The room numbers, timing and replies are invented for language practice. They are not the policies of a particular hotel.

You should already be comfortable reading Hangul and using short polite requests. The goal is to connect those pieces into an exchange. For broader travel planning, visit the separate Korea From a Local travel blog; here we will concentrate on what to say and listen for.

Begin with the reservation you already have

예약했는데요 literally starts from having made a reservation. At reception, “I have a reservation” is a natural English translation. The ending presents the background and invites the staff member’s response. It does not necessarily signal a complaint.

성함 is a respectful word for someone’s name. In your answer, give the name used for the booking. If spelling or name order is unclear, show the confirmation rather than trying to invent a different Korean version of it. The document request here is a practice line; follow the actual property’s instructions.

Give the location, the problem and the request

삼백이 호인데요. 온수가 안 나와요. 확인해 주시겠어요? — “I am in room 302. There is no hot water running. Could you check it?” The English makes the room reference explicit because you are calling reception about your room.

온수 means hot water supplied for use. 나오다 means “come out” here; 안 나와요 describes it not coming out. “There is no hot water” is natural English, but do not turn the sentence into a technical diagnosis of a broken boiler.

Read 302호 as 삼백이 호 in this example. The room number uses Sino-Korean numbers, not native counting forms. Keep the key card or written number in view when confirming it. Review the number systems if room numbers are difficult.

Describe what you can observe

The first column keeps the report concrete. 고장 났어요 means that something is broken; use it when that is actually what you mean. If you only know that the air conditioner is not operating, 작동하지 않아요 stays closer to your observation.

수건 uses the counter 장 here: 수건 두 장. The room-change question asks whether a move is possible. It does not claim that another room is available or included at no extra cost. If the staff propose a different room, you can ask 추가 요금이 있나요? — “Is there an additional charge?”

Connect the background to what you want

In 안 나오는데, the action verb 나오다 takes -는데. 시끄럽다 becomes 시끄러운데, with its ㅂ irregular change. 예약했는데요 contains the past form 했- before 는데요. Learn these checked chunks first rather than adding 는데 to every word you see.

-는데 does not have one fixed English translation. Here it prepares the listener for a request or response. The request can also be a separate sentence; speaking clearly in two sentences is better than losing the message while trying to make one long sentence.

확인해 주시겠어요? respectfully asks someone to check. 좀, as in 확인 좀 해 주시겠어요?, can soften a request, but adding it does not make an impatient tone automatically polite. The important information is still what you want checked.

Listen for the action and the time

Listen to the whole reply before choosing your next line. A promised check is different from a confirmed room change. 지금은 limits the availability statement to now, while 정도 makes the timing approximate.

If you missed the time, ask 십 분 정도요? — “About ten minutes?” If you did not understand the reply more generally, use 죄송하지만 다시 말씀해 주시겠어요? — “Sorry, could you say that again?” Repeating the detail you need to confirm gives the staff something specific to correct.

Confirm where you will wait

In our practice conversation, reception says a staff member will come to the room in about ten minutes. The guest answers:

네, 방에서 기다릴게요. — “Okay, I will wait in the room.”

방에서 identifies where the waiting happens. 기다릴게요 tells the listener what you will do in response to the arrangement. Compare this with the lesson on agreeing and confirming plans.

If you cannot stay, say so before ending the conversation: 지금 나가야 하는데 어떻게 하면 될까요? — “I need to go out now; what should I do?” This asks for instructions. Do not assume staff may enter an unoccupied room merely because you reported a problem.

To practise with a partner, change one detail at a time: room 302 to another number, hot water to towels, or ten minutes to a later call. The listener should repeat the room, the requested action and the agreed next step. Then swap roles.

Choose a useful next line

Now try the exchange without reading the guest column. Ask your partner to change one reply. If they say they will call after checking, your answer should respond to that arrangement rather than repeating “I will wait in the room” automatically.

A small listening check

Language references

• National Institute of Korean Language: 온수 — Meaning and use of the word for hot water.
• How to Study Korean: connecting background with -는데 — Further explanation of connected clauses and forms. The hotel scenario above is original.

Reviewed September 3, 2026. Found a mistake? Send a correction.