Your goal
Explain the current situation, then make a request
A situation alone may not tell the listener what you need. Pair one background sentence with a clear request.
Before you start
- 빌리다
- borrow something and return it
- 글씨
- written letters or text
- 크게
- in a larger size
- 천천히
- slowly
- 부탁
- a request for someone to do something
- 다시
- again
- 칠판
- a classroom board
- 크게 쓸게요.
- The other person agrees to write larger; an input-only model response
Explore the situation
| Current situation | Needed help | Two sentences |
|---|---|---|
| 펜이 없어요. | 펜 빌리기 | 펜이 없는데요. 펜 좀 빌려 주세요. |
| 글씨가 작아요. | 더 크게 쓰기 | 글씨가 작은데요. 크게 써 주세요. |
| 한국어 수업이 처음이에요. | 도움 받기 | 한국어 수업이 처음인데요. 도와주세요. |
The request should address the situation: borrow a pen when none is available, and ask for larger writing when the text is small.
Learn the expressions
Here -는데요 presents background and invites a response. It does not always mean “but.” Follow it with the specific action you need.
| Starting expression | Background form | Request |
|---|---|---|
| 배우다 | 한국어를 배우는데요. | 천천히 말해 주세요. |
| 없다 | 펜이 없는데요. | 펜 좀 빌려 주세요. |
| 작다 | 글씨가 작은데요. | 크게 써 주세요. |
| 처음이다 | 처음인데요. | 도와주세요. |
| Action | Request |
|---|---|
| 말하다 | 말해 주세요. |
| 쓰다 | 써 주세요. |
| 빌리다 | 빌려 주세요. |
| 돕다 | 도와주세요. |
좀 can soften a request. Check the reply to find out whether the other person can help. Writing a request does not mean it has been carried out.
Read the conversation
Borrowing a pen
펜이 없는데요. 펜 좀 빌려 주세요.
Show meaning
I don’t have a pen. Could you lend me one?
네, 여기 있어요.
Show meaning
Yes, here you are.
Readable writing
글씨가 작은데요. 크게 써 주세요.
Show meaning
The writing is small. Please write it larger.
네, 크게 쓸게요.
Show meaning
Yes, I’ll write it larger.
Build a sentence
Check the details shown on the cards and try a sentence before revealing the example. Then assemble the sentence pieces.
Change the facts and express them
No pen
- Situation
- 펜이 없어요.
- Help needed
- 펜을 빌리고 싶어요.
Example and explanation
펜이 없는데요. 펜 좀 빌려 주세요.
State the situation, then the action needed.
Small text
- Situation
- 글씨가 작아요.
- Help needed
- 큰 글씨로 다시 쓰기
Example and explanation
글씨가 작은데요. 크게 써 주세요.
The request addresses text size.
First time
- Situation
- 수업이 처음이에요.
- Help needed
- 시작할 때 도움 받기
Example and explanation
수업이 처음인데요. 도와주세요.
Being new does not prove inability; ask for the help needed.
Sentence-piece practice
1. Connect the missing pen with a borrowing request.
Sentence pieces
- 이
- 펜
- 빌려 주세요.
- 펜
- 없는데요.
- 좀
2. Build a request about small text.
Sentence pieces
- 가
- 크게
- 글씨
- 작은데요.
- 써 주세요.
Practice
Choose a response that fits the situation using the expressions you learned.
1. Complete the background for borrowing a pen.
- 없은데요
- 없인데요
- 없는데요
2. The text is small. Which request addresses it?
- 크게 써 주세요.
- 펜을 찾아 주세요.
- 시간을 바꿔 주세요.
3. Turn 처음이다 into the background form.
- 처음는데요
- 처음인데요
- 처음은데요
4. You need slower speech. Which request fits?
- 빠르게 말해 주세요.
- 어제 말했어요.
- 천천히 말해 주세요.
Try a new situation
Use the new role information. Write the required details in Korean and try saying them.
Tasks
Try the tasks first, then compare with the answers and examples in step 10.
1. You have no pen. State the background with -는데요 and ask to borrow one.
Show a hint
Use the pattern and keep the supplied information.
2. The board writing is small. Use 작은데요 and 크게 써 주세요.
Show a hint
Use the pattern and keep the supplied information.
3. You are learning Korean. Use 배우는데요 and 천천히 말해 주세요.
Show a hint
Use the pattern and keep the supplied information.
4. This is your first class. Use 처음인데요 and 도와주세요.
Show a hint
Use the pattern and keep the supplied information.
Check your learning
Read the new conditions and distinguish the key information.
1. Choose the correct background form of 작다.
- 작은데요
- 작는데요
- 작인데요
2. After stating you have no pen, which tells the listener what you need?
- 펜은 책상 위에 있어요.
- 펜 좀 빌려 주세요.
- 펜이 없어요.
3. What is the role of -는데요 in this lesson?
- always mean only “but”
- confirm the request has been accepted
- present context and invite a response
4. You do not know the meeting time clearly. Choose the pair.
- 시간을 잘 모르는데요. 다시 말해 주세요.
- 시간을 잘 모르는데요. 물 한 병 주세요.
- 시간을 알아요. 다시 묻지 마세요.
5. Which sentence fits someone new to this Hangul class?
- 처음 때문에 문을 닫아요.
- 처음인데요. 도와주세요.
- 처음이었어요. 다 끝났어요.
6. You requested a pen but have no reply yet. What is established?
- the pen has already been received
- the listener refused
- a request to borrow a pen was made
Reflect on your reading
Tick only what you actually checked. Feedback from another person is optional and is not required to finish the lesson.
Answers and explanations
Show answers and explanations
Practice questions
1. Complete the background for borrowing a pen.
Answer: 없는데요
없다 takes -는데요.
- 없은데요 — 없다 does not use 은데요 here.
- 없인데요 — This is not a noun-plus-이다 form.
2. The text is small. Which request addresses it?
Answer: 크게 써 주세요.
Writing larger addresses the problem.
- 펜을 찾아 주세요. — The problem is not finding a pen.
- 시간을 바꿔 주세요. — This is not a scheduling problem.
3. Turn 처음이다 into the background form.
Answer: 처음인데요
처음 plus 이다 becomes 처음인데요.
- 처음는데요 — The 이 from 이다 is needed.
- 처음은데요 — Do not apply the 작다 pattern to this noun.
4. You need slower speech. Which request fits?
Answer: 천천히 말해 주세요.
천천히 expresses the needed pace.
- 빠르게 말해 주세요. — This asks for the opposite pace.
- 어제 말했어요. — This is a past statement, not a request.
Learning check
1. Choose the correct background form of 작다.
Answer: 작은데요
Descriptive 작다 becomes 작은데요.
- 작는데요 — Distinguish it from the action-verb pattern.
- 작인데요 — This is not a noun-plus-이다 form.
2. After stating you have no pen, which tells the listener what you need?
Answer: 펜 좀 빌려 주세요.
Add a specific request.
- 펜은 책상 위에 있어요. — This invents a location for the missing pen.
- 펜이 없어요. — This only repeats the situation.
3. What is the role of -는데요 in this lesson?
Answer: present context and invite a response
It introduces the situation before the request.
- always mean only “but” — This use is not limited to contrast.
- confirm the request has been accepted — Agreement requires a separate reply.
4. You do not know the meeting time clearly. Choose the pair.
Answer: 시간을 잘 모르는데요. 다시 말해 주세요.
The request addresses the unclear time.
- 시간을 잘 모르는데요. 물 한 병 주세요. — A water request does not clarify the time.
- 시간을 알아요. 다시 묻지 마세요. — The statement and request contradict the situation.
5. Which sentence fits someone new to this Hangul class?
Answer: 처음인데요. 도와주세요.
It states the current first-time situation and asks for help.
- 처음 때문에 문을 닫아요. — This misuses the noun-reason pattern here.
- 처음이었어요. 다 끝났어요. — Past completion is not given.
6. You requested a pen but have no reply yet. What is established?
Answer: a request to borrow a pen was made
Only the request is known.
- the pen has already been received — Fulfilment is not stated.
- the listener refused — No refusal was received.
Example answers
Written responses are examples. Other wording can also meet the same conditions.
1. You have no pen. State the background with -는데요 and ask to borrow one.
펜이 없는데요. 펜 좀 빌려 주세요.
펜이 없는데요. 좀 빌려 주세요.
펜이 없는데요. 펜을 빌려 주세요.
Follow 없는데요 with the request.
2. The board writing is small. Use 작은데요 and 크게 써 주세요.
글씨가 작은데요. 크게 써 주세요.
칠판의 글씨가 작은데요. 크게 써 주세요.
글씨가 작은데요. 좀 크게 써 주세요.
This request addresses small writing.
3. You are learning Korean. Use 배우는데요 and 천천히 말해 주세요.
한국어를 배우는데요. 천천히 말해 주세요.
저는 한국어를 배우는데요. 천천히 말해 주세요.
한국어를 배우는데요. 좀 천천히 말해 주세요.
Use 배우는데요 from the action verb 배우다.
4. This is your first class. Use 처음인데요 and 도와주세요.
처음인데요. 도와주세요.
수업이 처음인데요. 도와주세요.
한국어 수업이 처음인데요. 도와주세요.
Use 인데요 after the noun 처음.
Sentence-piece practice
1. Connect the missing pen with a borrowing request.
펜이 없는데요. 펜 좀 빌려 주세요.
State the situation before the borrowing request.
2. Build a request about small text.
글씨가 작은데요. 크게 써 주세요.
Use 작다 → 작은데요 and 쓰다 → 써 주세요.
Review and continue
Come back to these
Recall with the example closed
Explain the current situation, then make a request
Change one detail
Change a person, action or time and make two sentences.
Combine with earlier expressions
Make a short exchange with a question and response.
Review what felt difficult
Review this expressionConnect a situation to a request →Earlier learningReconnect the foundation →Look separately at activity completion and core learning results.