Ask for the missing piece

You heard most of the sentence, but not the time. Saying “I do not understand” is possible; asking “Did you say two o’clock?” gives the other person a much clearer way to help.

This intermediate lesson is about repairing a conversation while it is still happening. You will choose between asking for repetition, slower speech, a word’s meaning, and confirmation of a detail. The examples use polite Korean suitable for a teacher, staff member or someone you do not know well.

You should be able to read Hangul and follow short polite sentences. Some phrases are useful earlier too. Choose two to use now, then work through the longer dialogues when you are ready. The goal is a correct shared understanding, not the longest possible sentence.

Match your request to the difficulty

다시 asks for another attempt; 천천히 asks for a slower pace. Repeating the same sentence at the same speed may not solve your problem, so choose the word that describes what you need.

조금 makes the speed request less abrupt. It does not tell the speaker a precise percentage. In these lessons, you can choose Slow · 0.8× or Very slow · 0.6× beside a speaker. In a real conversation, ask for a comfortable pace and then check the detail you need.

적어 주실 수 있을까요? is useful for a name, address or unfamiliar term. You can point to paper or a screen. It is a request for help, so allow the other person time to respond.

Use a short three-part repair

시간을 잘 못 들었어요. means “I did not catch the time clearly.” It refers to that listening moment; it does not label your entire Korean ability.

The confirmation question 두 시에 만나요? means “Are we meeting at two?” Your intonation and the question ending matter. You are checking, not announcing a new arrangement.

After the correction, 아, 세 시요. 알겠어요. means “Ah, three o’clock. Got it.” Repeating the corrected number helps both speakers notice whether the repair worked. 알겠어요 alone gives less evidence of what you understood.

Follow a correction all the way to the end

Keep listening after 아니라. The correction contains two numbers, but only the second is the agreed time. If you stop listening at 두 시, you may remember the very detail the speaker is rejecting.

In 만나는 거죠?, you present your understanding for confirmation. This is useful when you have a reasonable idea of the meaning. If you have no idea what was said, ask for repetition or an explanation first.

The final confirmation keeps both time and place. “Three” by itself could leave another detail unresolved. For more practice arranging an appointment, continue with making and confirming plans.

Separate the word from the whole message

Imagine that a staff member says 매표소에서 표를 사세요. — “Buy a ticket at the ticket office.” You understand 표를 사세요, but 매표소 is new.

The explanation answers a vocabulary question; it does not yet tell you the location. Your next question should ask for the remaining information. Understanding a word and knowing what to do next are different steps.

When someone uses another unfamiliar word in the explanation, try 쉬운 말로 설명해 주시겠어요? — “Could you explain it in simpler words?” An example can also help: 예를 들어 주실 수 있을까요? — “Could you give an example?”

If you want the spelling, ask 그 단어를 어떻게 써요? — “How do you write that word?” Keep the written word with a short example in your notes. A bare English translation may not show the situation where you will use it.

Keep the request polite and direct

말씀하다 is an honorific way to refer to speaking. In 말씀해 주세요 or 말씀해 주시겠어요?, you are asking the other person to speak. The ending makes the request polite; the longer question is a useful courteous option.

다시 말해 주세요. — “Please say it again” — is also polite. You do not need to force the most elaborate expression into every exchange. Speak clearly and give the listener a specific task.

Do not learn 뭐? as your only repair phrase. It can be ordinary between close friends with an appropriate tone, but it may sound abrupt in the situations practised here. 죄송하지만 다시 말씀해 주시겠어요? gives a new learner a more explicit request.

A brief apology can open the request, but you do not need a long apology for every unfamiliar word. Ask, listen to the answer and confirm what changed. That keeps the conversation focused on the message.

Practise with a changing detail

Use the library dialogue with a partner. In round one, the speaker changes only the time. In round two, keep the time and change the meeting place. The listener must ask about the changed detail and repeat the corrected arrangement.

If you are practising alone, play one example without looking, pause and write the information you heard. Then reveal the text. Name the part you missed: a number, a place or an unfamiliar word. Choose one clarification phrase that would have helped.

Finish by saying the repaired message, not just the question. This small extra step turns “I asked again” into “I now know when and where to meet.” You can use the same process with the hotel problem dialogue to check a waiting time or the promised action.

Choose a useful repair and explain why

Pick the two phrases most useful for your next conversation. Practise saying them without reading. When you use one, stay ready to listen to the reply; clarification is a short exchange, not a phrase to deliver and forget.

A small listening check

Language references and further practice

• NIKL Korean-English dictionary: 말씀하다 — The honorific speaking verb, pronunciation and usage.
• How to Study Korean: honorific forms — Further background on 말씀하다 and respectful speaking forms; apply them to the relationship and context.

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