Lesson 5: Shopping and Clothing 🛍️👕

Introduction

Welcome to Lesson 5! You've already mastered greetings, numbers, food, and daily routines. Now it's time to go shopping! 🎉 In this lesson, you'll learn how to navigate Korean stores, talk about clothing and accessories, describe colors and sizes, and make purchases confidently. Whether you're browsing at 명동 (Myeong-dong) or shopping in 이태원 (Itaewon), these essential phrases will help you become a savvy shopper in Korea.

Why This Matters: Shopping is one of the most practical situations where you'll use Korean. From trying on clothes to asking prices and negotiating, these skills will make your Korean experience much more enjoyable and authentic! 💪

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Core Concepts

🏪 Shopping Vocabulary Essentials

Let's start with the fundamental vocabulary you'll need in any Korean store:

Store Types:

• 가게 (ga-ge) = store/shop
• 옷가게 (ot-ga-ge) = clothing store (옷 = clothes + 가게 = store)
• 백화점 (baek-hwa-jeom) = department store
• 시장 (si-jang) = market
• 편의점 (pyeon-ui-jeom) = convenience store

Basic Shopping Terms:

• 물건 (mul-geon) = item/thing
• 돈 (don) = money
• 가격 (ga-gyeok) = price
• 계산 (gye-san) = calculation/payment
• 영수증 (yeong-su-jeung) = receipt

💡 Memory Tip: Think of 가게 (ga-ge) like "go-get" - you GO GET things at a store!

👔 Clothing Items (옷)

Here are the essential clothing words you'll use constantly:

+------------------+------------------------+
| Korean           | English                |
+------------------+------------------------+
| 옷 (ot)          | clothes                |
| 셔츠 (syeo-cheu) | shirt                  |
| 바지 (ba-ji)     | pants/trousers         |
| 치마 (chi-ma)    | skirt                  |
| 신발 (sin-bal)   | shoes                  |
| 구두 (gu-du)     | dress shoes            |
| 운동화 (un-dong-hwa) | sneakers           |
| 모자 (mo-ja)     | hat                    |
| 가방 (ga-bang)   | bag                    |
| 시계 (si-gye)    | watch/clock            |
| 안경 (an-gyeong) | glasses                |
+------------------+------------------------+

🔤 Etymology Connection: Notice how 셔츠 (syeo-cheu) sounds like "shirts"? It's a loanword from English! Korean has many fashion loanwords.

🎨 Colors (색깔)

색깔 (saek-kkal) or 색 (saek) means "color." Here are the essential colors:

+------------------+------------------------+
| Korean           | Color                  |
+------------------+------------------------+
| 빨간색 (ppal-gan-saek)  | red           |
| 파란색 (pa-ran-saek)    | blue          |
| 노란색 (no-ran-saek)    | yellow        |
| 검은색 (geo-meun-saek)  | black         |
| 하얀색 (ha-yan-saek)    | white         |
| 초록색 (cho-rok-saek)   | green         |
| 갈색 (gal-saek)         | brown         |
| 회색 (hoe-saek)         | gray          |
+------------------+------------------------+

💡 Pattern Recognition: Notice the pattern? Most colors end in -색 (saek)! The first part describes the color quality (빨간 = redness, 파란 = blueness).

Shortened Forms: In casual conversation, Koreans often drop the 색:

• 빨간색 → 빨강 (ppal-gang)
• 파란색 → 파랑 (pa-rang)
• 노란색 → 노랑 (no-rang)

📏 Sizes and Descriptions

Sizes (사이즈):

• 크다 (keu-da) = to be big
• 작다 (jak-da) = to be small
• 큰 (keun) = big (adjective form)
• 작은 (ja-geun) = small (adjective form)
• 크기 (keu-gi) = size (noun)

Standard Size Terms:

• 에스 (e-seu) = S (small)
• 엠 (em) = M (medium)
• 엘 (el) = L (large)
• 엑스엘 (ek-seu-el) = XL (extra large)

Descriptive Adjectives:

+------------------+------------------------+
| Korean           | English                |
+------------------+------------------------+
| 예쁘다 (ye-ppeu-da)     | to be pretty   |
| 멋있다 (meo-sit-da)     | to be cool/stylish |
| 비싸다 (bi-ssa-da)      | to be expensive |
| 싸다 (ssa-da)           | to be cheap    |
| 새롭다 (sae-rop-da)     | to be new      |
| 길다 (gil-da)           | to be long     |
| 짧다 (jjal-da)          | to be short    |
+------------------+------------------------+

⚠️ Important Grammar Note: Korean adjectives are actually verbs! That's why they end in -다. When describing something, you change the ending:

• 예쁘다 → 예쁜 옷 (pretty clothes)
• 비싸다 → 비싼 가격 (expensive price)

💬 Essential Shopping Phrases

Asking Questions:

1. 얼마예요? (eol-ma-ye-yo?) = "How much is it?"

   • This is THE most important shopping phrase! 💰
   • You learned 얼마 in Lesson 2 with age - same word!

2. 이거 뭐예요? (i-geo mwo-ye-yo?) = "What is this?"

   • 이거 (i-geo) = this thing
   • 뭐 (mwo) = what

3. 있어요? (i-sseo-yo?) = "Do you have...?"

   • Example: 작은 사이즈 있어요? (Do you have a small size?)

Making Requests:

1. 보여 주세요 (bo-yeo ju-se-yo) = "Please show me"

   • Very polite way to ask to see something
   • Example: 이거 보여 주세요 (Please show me this)

2. 입어 봐도 돼요? (i-beo bwa-do dwae-yo?) = "May I try it on?"

   • 입다 (ip-da) = to wear (clothes)
   • Essential phrase for clothing shopping!

3. 주세요 (ju-se-yo) = "Please give me / I'll take it"

   • Used when you've decided to buy something
   • Example: 이거 주세요 (I'll take this)

Store Staff Phrases You'll Hear:

1. 뭘 찾으세요? (mwol cha-jeu-se-yo?) = "What are you looking for?"

   • Common greeting from store clerks

2. 어때요? (eo-ttae-yo?) = "How is it? / What do you think?"

   • Asked after you try something on

3. 잘 어울려요 (jal eo-ul-lyeo-yo) = "It suits you well"

   • You'll hear this a LOT from enthusiastic salespeople! 😊

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🎭 Real-World Examples

Example 1: At a Clothing Store

Scenario: You're at a trendy clothing store in Hongdae. You see a nice blue shirt and want to try it on.

🏪 Store Layout:
   [Entrance] → [Display] → [Fitting Rooms] → [Counter]
        ↓           ↓             ↓              ↓
    Welcome!   Browse here   Try on here    Pay here

Dialogue:

점원 (Clerk): 안녕하세요! 뭘 찾으세요? (An-nyeong-ha-se-yo! Mwol cha-jeu-se-yo?) "Hello! What are you looking for?"

You: 저... 저 파란색 셔츠 보여 주세요. (Jeo... jeo pa-ran-saek syeo-cheu bo-yeo ju-se-yo.) "Um... please show me that blue shirt."

점원: 네, 여기 있어요. 사이즈가 어떻게 되세요? (Ne, yeo-gi i-sseo-yo. Sa-i-jeu-ga eo-tteo-ke doe-se-yo?) "Yes, here it is. What size are you?"

You: 엠 사이즈요. 입어 봐도 돼요? (Em sa-i-jeu-yo. I-beo bwa-do dwae-yo?) "Medium size. May I try it on?"

점원: 물론이죠! 탈의실이 저기 있어요. (Mul-lon-i-jo! Tal-ui-si-ri jeo-gi i-sseo-yo.) "Of course! The fitting room is over there."

(After trying it on)

점원: 어때요? 잘 어울려요! (Eo-ttae-yo? Jal eo-ul-lyeo-yo!) "How is it? It suits you well!"

You: 좋아요! 얼마예요? (Jo-a-yo! Eol-ma-ye-yo?) "It's good! How much is it?"

점원: 삼만 오천 원이에요. (Sam-man o-cheon won-i-e-yo.) "It's 35,000 won."

You: 네, 이거 주세요. (Ne, i-geo ju-se-yo.) "Okay, I'll take it."

💡 Cultural Note: Korean store clerks are generally very attentive and helpful. Don't be surprised if they follow you around - it's considered good service, not intrusive!

Example 2: Asking About Colors and Sizes

Scenario: You like a jacket but want to see it in a different color and size.

You: 저기요, 이 가방 다른 색 있어요? (Jeo-gi-yo, i ga-bang da-reun saek i-sseo-yo?) "Excuse me, do you have this bag in other colors?"

점원: 네, 검은색하고 갈색 있어요. (Ne, geo-meun-saek-ha-go gal-saek i-sseo-yo.) "Yes, we have black and brown."

You: 검은색 보여 주세요. 그리고 더 큰 사이즈 있어요? (Geo-meun-saek bo-yeo ju-se-yo. Geu-ri-go deo keun sa-i-jeu i-sseo-yo?) "Please show me the black one. And do you have a bigger size?"

점원: 아, 죄송해요. 이게 제일 큰 사이즈예요. (A, joe-song-hae-yo. I-ge je-il keun sa-i-jeu-ye-yo.) "Ah, sorry. This is the biggest size."

🔤 Vocabulary Breakdown:

• 저기요 (jeo-gi-yo) = "Excuse me" (to get attention)
• 다른 (da-reun) = other/different
• 하고 (-ha-go) = and (connects nouns)
• 더 (deo) = more
• 제일 (je-il) = the most

Example 3: Price Negotiation at a Market

Scenario: You're at 동대문 시장 (Dongdaemun Market) looking at shoes. Markets often allow some negotiation!

You: 이 운동화 얼마예요? (I un-dong-hwa eol-ma-ye-yo?) "How much are these sneakers?"

상인 (Vendor): 오만 원이에요. (O-man won-i-e-yo.) "50,000 won."

You: 비싸요! 좀 깎아 주세요. (Bi-ssa-yo! Jom kkak-ka ju-se-yo.) "That's expensive! Please give me a discount."

상인: 그럼... 사만 오천 원! (Geu-reom... sa-man o-cheon won!) "Then... 45,000 won!"

You: 사만 원에 주세요. (Sa-man won-e ju-se-yo.) "Please give it to me for 40,000 won."

상인: 알았어요. 사만 원이요. (A-ra-sseo-yo. Sa-man won-i-yo.) "Okay. 40,000 won."

🎭 Cultural Insight: While bargaining is common at traditional markets (시장), it's NOT appropriate at regular stores, department stores, or chain shops. Know your venue!

Useful Negotiation Phrases:

• 비싸요 (bi-ssa-yo) = "It's expensive"
• 깎아 주세요 (kkak-ka ju-se-yo) = "Please give me a discount" (literally: please cut)
• 좀 (jom) = a little bit (softens requests)

Example 4: Describing What You Want

Scenario: You're looking for something specific but don't see it on display.

You: 저기요, 하얀색 긴 치마 있어요? (Jeo-gi-yo, ha-yan-saek gin chi-ma i-sseo-yo?) "Excuse me, do you have a white long skirt?"

점원: 네, 잠깐만요. 여기 있어요. 예쁘죠? (Ne, jam-kkan-man-yo. Yeo-gi i-sseo-yo. Ye-ppeu-jo?) "Yes, just a moment. Here it is. It's pretty, right?"

You: 네, 예뻐요. 근데 좀 길어요. 더 짧은 거 있어요? (Ne, ye-ppeo-yo. Geun-de jom gi-reo-yo. Deo jjal-beun geo i-sseo-yo?) "Yes, it's pretty. But it's a bit long. Do you have a shorter one?"

점원: 아, 죄송해요. 이게 다예요. (A, joe-song-hae-yo. I-ge da-ye-yo.) "Ah, sorry. This is all we have."

📊 Adjective Forms Chart:

+------------+----------------+------------------+
| Dictionary | Present        | Describing Form  |
+------------+----------------+------------------+
| 길다       | 길어요         | 긴 (gin)         |
| (to be long)| (it's long)   | (long __)        |
+------------+----------------+------------------+
| 짧다       | 짧아요         | 짧은 (jjal-beun) |
| (to be short)| (it's short) | (short __)       |
+------------+----------------+------------------+
| 크다       | 커요           | 큰 (keun)        |
| (to be big) | (it's big)    | (big __)         |
+------------+----------------+------------------+
| 작다       | 작아요         | 작은 (ja-geun)   |
| (to be small)| (it's small) | (small __)       |
+------------+----------------+------------------+

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⚠️ Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Confusing 이거/저거/그거

The Problem: Many learners mix up the demonstratives.

     👤 You              📦 Item            👤 Other Person
     
     이거 (i-geo)  →   📦 (close to you)
     "this"
     
     그거 (geu-geo) →      📦 (close to listener)
     "that"
     
     저거 (jeo-geo) →           📦 (far from both)
     "that over there"

Examples:

• ✅ (pointing at shirt in your hand) 이거 얼마예요? "How much is this?"
• ✅ (pointing at shirt near clerk) 그거 보여 주세요 "Please show me that"
• ✅ (pointing at shirt across the store) 저거 예뻐요 "That over there is pretty"

Mistake 2: Wrong Size Words

❌ WRONG: 나는 big 사이즈요. (mixing English and Korean) ✅ CORRECT: 나는 큰 사이즈요. or 나는 엘 사이즈요.

Remember:

• Use Korean adjectives: 큰/작은 (keun/ja-geun)
• OR use letter sizes: 에스/엠/엘 (S/M/L)
• Don't mix English words into Korean sentences!

Mistake 3: Color Placement

❌ WRONG: 셔츠 빨간색 (shirt red - noun + color) ✅ CORRECT: 빨간색 셔츠 (red shirt - color + noun)

In Korean, descriptors come BEFORE the noun, just like English!

Mistake 4: Forgetting -이에요 vs -예요

The Rule: After a consonant, use -이에요. After a vowel, use -예요.

+------------------+-----------------+
| Ends in Vowel    | Ends in Consonant|
+------------------+-----------------+
| 모자예요         | 옷이에요         |
| (mo-ja-ye-yo)    | (o-si-e-yo)      |
| "It's a hat"     | "It's clothes"   |
+------------------+-----------------+
| 가방이에요       | 신발이에요       |
| (ga-bang-i-e-yo) | (sin-bal-i-e-yo) |
| "It's a bag"     | "It's shoes"     |
+------------------+-----------------+

Mistake 5: Using 있어요? Incorrectly

있어요 has two meanings:

1. "There is/are" (existence)
2. "Do you have?" (possession)

Context matters!

• ✅ 큰 사이즈 있어요? "Do you have a large size?"
• ✅ 탈의실이 여기 있어요 "The fitting room is here"

❌ Don't use it for "Are you...?" That's a different verb!

Mistake 6: Pronunciation Pitfalls

🗣️ Common mispronunciations:

1. 옷 (ot) - The final ㅅ sounds like 't', NOT 's'!

   • Say: "ot" (rhymes with "bought")
   • NOT: "os"

2. 있어요 (i-sseo-yo) - Double ㅆ is a tense 's' sound

   • Say: "ISS-eo-yo" (emphasize the 's')
   • NOT: "i-seo-yo"

3. 예쁘다 (ye-ppeu-da) - Double ㅃ is a strong 'p' sound

   • Say: "ye-PPEU-da"
   • NOT: "ye-peu-da"

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📖 Mini-Story: Shopping Day

Let's see all our vocabulary in action! 🎬

지수의 쇼핑 (Jisu's Shopping)

오늘은 토요일이에요. 지수는 옷가게에 가요. 지수는 새로운 옷이 필요해요.

(Today is Saturday. Jisu goes to a clothing store. Jisu needs new clothes.)

지수: 안녕하세요! 점원: 안녕하세요! 뭘 찾으세요? 지수: 파란색 바지 있어요?

(Jisu: Hello! / Clerk: Hello! What are you looking for? / Jisu: Do you have blue pants?)

점원: 네, 여기 있어요. 이 파란색 바지 어때요? 지수: 예뻐요! 근데 좀 작아요. 더 큰 사이즈 있어요?

(Clerk: Yes, here they are. How about these blue pants? / Jisu: They're pretty! But they're a bit small. Do you have a bigger size?)

점원: 네, 엘 사이즈 있어요. 입어 봐도 돼요. 지수: 감사합니다!

(Clerk: Yes, we have size L. You can try them on. / Jisu: Thank you!)

(지수는 바지를 입어 봐요. 잘 맞아요!) [(Jisu tries on the pants. They fit well!)]

지수: 좋아요! 이 바지 얼마예요? 점원: 사만 원이에요. 지수: 좋아요. 그리고 저 하얀색 셔츠도 보여 주세요.

(Jisu: Good! How much are these pants? / Clerk: They're 40,000 won. / Jisu: Okay. And please show me that white shirt too.)

점원: 네, 여기 있어요. 이 셔츠는 멋있어요! 지수: 네, 멋있어요. 두 개 다 주세요.

(Clerk: Yes, here it is. This shirt is cool! / Jisu: Yes, it's cool. I'll take both.)

점원: 네, 감사합니다. 계산은 저기예요. 지수: 네, 감사합니다!

(Clerk: Yes, thank you. The register is over there. / Jisu: Yes, thank you!)

지수는 새로운 파란색 바지하고 하얀색 셔츠를 사요. 지수는 행복해요! 😊

(Jisu buys new blue pants and a white shirt. Jisu is happy!)

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🧠 Memory Devices

Mnemonic for Colors

🌈 Rainbow Rhyme:

• 빨강 (red) - Think "PPAL" like "pal" who's blushing red!
• 파랑 (blue) - "PA-rang" sounds like "PER-iwinkle" (blue color)
• 노랑 (yellow) - "NO-rang" - "NO, that banana's not ripe!" (yellow)
• 초록 (green) - "CHO-rok" - "CHOcolate ROCKS" grow on green trees

Mnemonic for This/That/That Over There

이거 (i-geo) - "EEE-geo" - EEE! Right here! (close to me)
그거 (geu-geo) - "Guh-geo" - "Go get that" (near you)
저거 (jeo-geo) - "Juh-geo" - "Juh see that?" (far away)

Size Associations

• 크다 (keu-da = big) - "CREW-da" - A CREW is a BIG group!
• 작다 (jak-da = small) - "JACK-da" - A car JACK is SMALL and portable!

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🤔 Did You Know?

Korean Fashion Culture: 🇰🇷👗

South Korea is one of the world's fashion capitals! Here are some interesting facts:

1. Dongdaemun Market (동대문 시장) operates 24/7 and is one of the largest fashion markets in Asia. Many K-pop stars' stylists shop there!

2. "Free size" (프리사이즈) is common in Korea, usually equivalent to US size Small/Medium. Korean sizing tends to run smaller than Western sizing.

3. Shopping hours: Most Korean stores open around 10-11 AM but stay open until 9-10 PM, much later than in Western countries.

4. "인터넷 쇼핑몰" (internet shopping mall) - Online shopping is HUGE in Korea. Sites like 무신사 (Musinsa) are incredibly popular!

5. Tax refund: As a tourist, you can get tax refunds at participating stores. Look for the "Tax Free" sign! 💰

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📋 Quick Reference Card

🛍️ Essential Shopping Phrases

+---------------------------+---------------------------+
| Korean                    | English                   |
+---------------------------+---------------------------+
| 얼마예요?                 | How much is it?           |
| 이거 뭐예요?              | What is this?             |
| 있어요?                   | Do you have...?           |
| 보여 주세요               | Please show me            |
| 입어 봐도 돼요?           | May I try it on?          |
| 주세요                    | I'll take it              |
| 비싸요                    | It's expensive            |
| 깎아 주세요               | Please give me a discount |
+---------------------------+---------------------------+

👕 Core Vocabulary

Clothing: 옷 (clothes), 셔츠 (shirt), 바지 (pants), 치마 (skirt), 신발 (shoes)

Colors: 빨간색 (red), 파란색 (blue), 하얀색 (white), 검은색 (black)

Sizes: 큰 (big), 작은 (small), 에스/엠/엘 (S/M/L)

Descriptions: 예쁘다 (pretty), 멋있다 (cool), 비싸다 (expensive), 싸다 (cheap)

Demonstratives: 이거 (this), 그거 (that), 저거 (that over there)

🎯 Grammar Points

• Colors + 색 = 빨간색, 파란색
• Adjective + Noun = 큰 가방, 예쁜 옷
• -이에요/-예요 (depending on final sound)
• Question particle: ~요?

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📚 Further Study

1. Talk To Me In Korean - Shopping in Korean (Level 2) https://talktomeinkorean.com/ Comprehensive shopping dialogues with native speaker audio

2. How to Study Korean - Lesson 22: Colors and Describing https://www.howtostudykorean.com/unit1/unit-1-lessons-17-25/lesson-22/ Detailed grammar explanations for describing things

3. Korean Fashion & Shopping Culture (Visit Korea) https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/ Official tourism site with shopping guides and cultural information

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Great work! 수고했어요! 🎉 You now have the tools to shop confidently in Korean! Practice these phrases before your next shopping trip, and remember - store clerks in Korea are usually very patient with language learners. Don't be afraid to make mistakes! The more you practice, the more natural it will become. 화이팅! (Fighting! = You can do it!) 💪