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Korean · TOPIK Band 1 · Chapter 21

물건 사기Shopping

Mulgeon sagi

Buying things at a shop. Words: 돈, 사다, 팔다, 가게, 시장, 백화점, 물건, 손님, 점원, 봉투. Key grammar: to say what you want to do, attach "-고 싶어요" to the verb stem — 사다 → 사고 싶어요, 먹다 → 먹고 싶어요. Unlike English, you do not use a separate "want"; it attaches straight to the verb. English speakers often drop the "-고" — "사 싶어요" ✗ → "사고 싶어요" ✓. Pronunciation corner: the aspiration in 백화점 and the liaison in "싶어요".

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사 싶어요? 사고 싶어요?

  1. Jieun마ma이i클keul씨ssi,백baek화hwa점jeom에e서seo뭐mwo사sa고go싶sip어eo요yo?Michael, what do you want to buy at the department store?
  2. Michael저jeo는neun봉bong투tu를reul사sa싶sip어eo요yo.I want to buy a bag. (slip: attach -고 to the verb stem → 사고 싶어요, not 사 싶어요)
  3. Jieun"-고go싶sip어eo요yo"예ye요yo:동dong사sa에e"-고go"를reul붙but여yeo요yo.사sa고go싶sip어eo요yo.It is "-고 싶어요": attach "-고" to the verb. 사고 싶어요.
  4. Michael아a,저jeo는neun봉bong투tu를reul사sa고go싶sip어eo요yo.그geu리ri고go물mur을eul마ma시si고go싶sip어eo요yo.Ah, I want to buy a bag. And I want to drink water.

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시장에서— At the Market

  1. Michael안an녕nyeong하ha세se요yo.저jeo는neun과gwa일ir을eul사sa고go싶sip어eo요yo.Hello. I want to buy fruit.
  2. 점원네ne,과gwa일il여yeo기gi있iss어eo요yo.뭐mwo사sa고go싶sip어eo요yo?Yes, the fruit is here. What do you want to buy?
  3. Michael사sa과gwa를reul사sa고go싶sip어eo요yo.이i가ga게ge에e서seo야ya채chae도do팔par아a요yo?I want to buy apples. Do you sell vegetables at this shop too?
  4. 점원네ne,야ya채chae도do있iss어eo요yo.사sa과gwa여yeo기gi요yo.감gam사sa합ham니ni다da.Yes, we have vegetables too. Here are the apples. Thank you.

Vocabulary

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돈don

nounmoney

사sa다da

verbto buy (→ 사요)

팔pal다da

verbto sell (→ 팔아요)

가ga게ge

nounshop, store

시si장jang

nounmarket

백baek화hwa점jeom

noundepartment store

물mul건geon

nounthing, goods

손son님nim

nouncustomer, guest

점jeom원won

nounshop assistant, clerk

봉bong투tu

nounbag (paper/plastic)

Grammar

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What you want to do: verb + "-고 싶어요"

Explanation

"~하고 싶다" means "want to ~". Making it is very simple: drop "-다" from the verb and attach "-고 싶어요" to the stem. 사다 → 사 + 고 싶어요 = 사고 싶어요, 먹다 → 먹고 싶어요, 마시다 → 마시고 싶어요. Whether or not there is a final consonant, the form is the same — always "-고 싶어요". Unlike English, there is no separate word for "want"; it attaches straight to the verb you want to do. To ask what someone wants to buy: "뭐 사고 싶어요?". English speakers often drop the "-고" and say "사 싶어요" — always attach the "-고".

Examples

  • 저는 이거 사고 싶어요.I want to buy this.
  • 뭐 사고 싶어요?What do you want to buy?
  • 저는 물을 마시고 싶어요.I want to drink water.
  • 저는 시장에서 과일을 사고 싶어요.I want to buy fruit at the market.

Hangul

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한글: "백화점"의 격음화, "싶어요"의 연음— Hangul: aspiration in "백화점", liaison in "싶어요"

Use the romanization and read aloud:

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