What You’ll Actually Get from Day17
American Learns Korean Day17 Today is not about long sentences. It’s about not freezing mid-conversation.
Most beginners get stuck in exactly three moments:
- When you need to politely refuse something
- When you didn’t catch what the staff said
- When you want to ask for a little extra (napkins, water, etc.)
If you can say just three “soft” phrases automatically, your Korean instantly sounds more natural and your order feels smoother. That’s the goal of American Learns Korean Day17.
American Learns Korean Day17 Today’s 3 Core Phrases
1) “괜찮아요.”
This can mean two things depending on context:
- Refusal: “No, thanks / I’m okay”
- Acceptance: “It’s fine / No problem”
For today, we’ll lock it in as a gentle refusal.
Examples
- Staff: “Do you need a bag?” → You: “괜찮아요.”
- Staff: “Would you like a receipt?” → You: “괜찮아요.”
- Staff: “Would you like to size up?” → You: “괜찮아요.”
Pronunciation tip
- If “괜” feels hard, don’t panic. The important part is ending clearly with “요” to keep it polite.
2) “잠깐만요.”
This is your best “time saver.” You can use it when you need a second to think, change your order, or ask again.
Examples
- “잠깐만요. I’ll look at the menu again.”
- “잠깐만요. I want to change my order.”
- “잠깐만요. Please say that again.”
Related expression
- “잠시만요.” (slightly more formal/standard)
- “잠깐만요.” (most common in daily speech)
3) “조금만 더 주세요.”
This makes “Give me more” sound gentle instead of demanding.
The key is 조금만 (“just a little”).
Examples
- “Water 조금만 더 주세요.”
- “Napkins 조금만 더 주세요.”
- “A straw 조금만 더 주세요.”
- “Ice 조금만 더 주세요.”
Pattern formula (memorize this)
- (Noun) + 조금만 더 주세요.
Class Script (Real Lesson Style)
Follow this exactly.
Teacher (me): Today, no long sentences. Short, soft, automatic.
Teacher: Repeat within 0.5 seconds.
Teacher: 괜찮아요.
You: 괜찮아요.
Teacher: 잠깐만요.
You: 잠깐만요.
Teacher: 조금만 더 주세요.
You: 조금만 더 주세요.
Teacher: Good. Now café mode. I’m the staff, you’re the customer.
Staff (Teacher): 봉투 필요하세요? (Do you need a bag?)
You: 괜찮아요.
Staff: 영수증 드릴까요? (Would you like a receipt?)
You: 괜찮아요.
Staff: 빨대 드릴까요? (Do you want a straw?)
You: 잠깐만요. 빨대 조금만 더 주세요.
Three Mini Dialogues (One Set per Situation)
Dialogue A: Clean “No thanks”
Staff: 포인트 적립할까요? (Want to earn points?)
You: 괜찮아요.
Staff: 영수증 필요하세요? (Need a receipt?)
You: 괜찮아요.
Dialogue B: Time + Ask again
Staff: 사이즈 업 하실까요? (Would you like to size up?)
You: 잠깐만요. 다시 말해 주세요. (One moment—please say that again.)
Staff: 사이즈 크게 해드릴까요? (Should I make it a bigger size?)
You: 아, 네. 네, 해 주세요. (Ah, yes—please do.)
Dialogue C: Small extra request
Staff: 더 필요한 거 있으세요? (Anything else you need?)
You: 아, 냅킨 조금만 더 주세요. (Ah—just a little more napkins, please.)
Staff: 네. (Sure.)
You: 감사합니다. (Thank you.)
Drill 1: “괜찮아요” Reflex Drill (40 seconds)
Rule: Answer only with 괜찮아요.
- 봉투 필요하세요? → 괜찮아요.
- 영수증 드릴까요? → 괜찮아요.
- 사이즈 업 하실까요? → 괜찮아요.
- 포인트 적립할까요? → 괜찮아요.
- 빨대 드릴까요? → 괜찮아요.
Speed goal
- Round 1: slow and clear
- Round 2: real speed
- Round 3: respond within 0.5 sec
Drill 2: Build Rhythm with “잠깐만요” (40 seconds)
Rule: Start every line with 잠깐만요.
- 잠깐만요. 메뉴 다시 볼게요. (One moment—I’ll look again.)
- 잠깐만요. 주문 바꿀게요. (One moment—I’ll change my order.)
- 잠깐만요. 다시 말해 주세요. (One moment—please say that again.)
- 잠깐만요. 결제가 안 됐어요. (One moment—payment didn’t go through.)
Drill 3: Substitution Drill (40 seconds)
Swap only the noun. Say each line once (or twice if you can).
물 / 얼음 / 소스 / 냅킨 / 빨대 / 컵 / 티슈 / 포크
→ “(noun) 조금만 더 주세요.”
Tip: Keep “조금만” soft, and pronounce 주세요 clearly.
3 Common Mistakes (Fix These Fast)
- Saying “괜찮아요” too sharp/flat
- Fix: soften the tone and finish 요 clearly
- “잠깐만요” sounding rude
- Fix: lower your voice slightly and say it smoothly, not like a command
- Saying only “더 주세요” (too direct)
- Fix: always add 조금만 for a gentle feel
Homework (5 minutes)
- 30-sec recording: Answer 5 staff questions using only “괜찮아요.”
- 30-sec recording: Say 4 sentences starting with “잠깐만요.”
- Real-life mission: Use “괜찮아요” once at a café or convenience store tomorrow.