집에서 요리해요
Cooking at home · a free Korean immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
오늘 저녁에 된장찌개를 만들 거예요.
I'm going to make doenjang jjigae for dinner tonight.
Literal Today evening-at doenjang-jjigae-object make will.
Uses the near-future form '-ㄹ 거예요' to express a plan or intention.
- -ㄹ 거예요: future tense expressing intention or plan
- 에: time particle ('at', 'on')
- 를: object particle marking what will be made
지금 채소를 씻고 있어요.
I'm washing the vegetables right now.
Literal Now vegetables-object washing am.
'-고 있어요' is the present progressive form, showing an action currently in progress.
- -고 있어요: present progressive ('am -ing')
- 를: object particle after 채소
- 지금: adverb meaning 'now / right now'
양파를 잘게 썰어 주세요.
Please chop the onions finely.
Literal Onion-object finely chop please.
'-어 주세요' is a polite request form meaning 'please do (this) for me'.
- -어 주세요: polite request form
- 잘게: adverb meaning 'finely / into small pieces'
- 를: object particle after 양파
고기는 냉장고에서 꺼냈어요.
I took the meat out of the refrigerator.
Literal Meat-topic refrigerator-from took out.
'-았/었어요' marks a completed past action. '에서' indicates the source location ('from').
- -았/었어요: past tense for completed actions
- 에서: location particle meaning 'from'
- 는: topic particle contrasting with other items
이 김치는 정말 맵고 맛있어요.
This kimchi is really spicy and delicious.
Literal This kimchi-topic really spicy-and delicious.
'-고' links two descriptive verbs (adjectives), meaning 'and'. '맵다' and '맛있다' are taste descriptors.
- -고: conjunction linking descriptive verbs ('and')
- 정말: adverb meaning 'really / truly'
- 맵다 / 맛있다: descriptive verbs for taste
마늘을 다져서 넣어 주세요.
Please mince the garlic and add it in.
Literal Garlic-object mince-and-then put-in please.
'-어서' connects two sequential actions: first mince, then add. It shows causal or step-by-step order.
- -어서: sequential connector ('and then'), showing order of steps
- -어 주세요: polite request form
- 을: object particle after 마늘
불을 낮춰서 20분 동안 끓이세요.
Lower the heat and boil it for 20 minutes.
Literal Heat-object lower-and-then 20 minutes during boil.
'-세요' is a polite imperative used for instructions. '동안' expresses duration ('for a period of time').
- -세요: polite imperative for instructions
- 동안: duration marker ('for [time]')
- -어서: sequential connector between actions
국이 너무 짜면 물을 조금 더 넣으세요.
If the soup is too salty, add a little more water.
Literal Soup-subject too salty-if water-object a-little more add.
'-면' creates a conditional clause ('if'). '너무' means 'too / excessively' with a descriptive verb.
- -면: conditional form meaning 'if'
- 너무: adverb meaning 'too / excessively'
- 조금 더: phrase meaning 'a little more'
밥이 다 됐어요, 이제 상 차려요!
The rice is done, let's set the table now!
Literal Rice-subject all done, now table set!
'다 됐어요' uses '다' (completely) plus the past tense of 되다 (to be done). '상 차리다' is an idiomatic phrase for setting the table.
- 다 됐어요: 'all done'; 다 (all) + 되다 past tense
- 상 차리다: idiomatic phrase for 'to set the table'
- -아요: informal polite form used as a soft imperative
우리 같이 요리하면 더 재미있어요.
It's more fun when we cook together.
Literal We together cook-if more fun.
'-면' here expresses a general habitual condition ('when / if we cook together'). '더' means 'more' for comparisons.
- -면: conditional / habitual 'when / if'
- 더: adverb meaning 'more', used in comparisons
- 같이: adverb meaning 'together'
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
요리하다 (yorihada)
to cook
어머니가 부엌에서 요리하고 있어요. (Eomeoniga bueokeseo yorihago isseoyo.)
Mom is cooking in the kitchen.
요리 (noun: cooking) + 하다 (to do)
썰다 (sseolda)
to chop, to slice
당근을 얇게 썰어 주세요. (Danggeuneul yalge sseoleo juseyo.)
Please slice the carrots thinly.
잘게 썰다 = chop finely; 얇게 썰다 = slice thinly
냉장고 (naengjanggo)
refrigerator
재료를 냉장고에서 꺼냈어요. (Jaeryoreul naengjanggoeseo kkeonaesseoyo.)
I took the ingredients out of the refrigerator.
채소 (chaeso)
vegetables
신선한 채소를 씻고 있어요. (Sinseonhan chaesoreul ssitgo isseoyo.)
I'm washing fresh vegetables.
짜다 (jjada)
to be salty
이 국이 조금 짜요. (I gugi jogeum jjayo.)
This soup is a little salty.
Descriptive verbs in Korean function like adjectives in English
맵다 (maepda)
to be spicy
이 음식은 많이 매워요. (I eumsigeun mani maewoyo.)
This food is very spicy.
ㅂ-irregular: 맵다 → 매워요 in informal polite speech
마늘 (maneul)
garlic
마늘을 다져서 볶아 주세요. (Maneureul dajyeoseo bokka juseyo.)
Please mince the garlic and stir-fry it.
끓이다 (kkeurida)
to boil (something)
물을 5분 동안 끓이세요. (Mureul o-bun dongan kkeuriseyo.)
Boil the water for 5 minutes.
Transitive: 끓이다 = to boil something. Compare 끓다 (intransitive: the water boils by itself)
된장찌개 (doenjang jjigae)
doenjang jjigae (fermented soybean paste stew)
된장찌개는 한국의 전통 가정 요리예요. (Doenjang jjigaeneun hangugui jeontong gajeong yoriyeyo.)
Doenjang jjigae is a traditional Korean home-cooked dish.
된장 (fermented soybean paste) + 찌개 (stew); a staple of Korean home cooking
다지다 (dajida)
to mince, to finely chop
마늘을 곱게 다져 주세요. (Maneureul gopge dajyeo juseyo.)
Please mince the garlic finely.
More finely chopped than 썰다; typically used for garlic, ginger, onion
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
주말 아침, 민지는 어머니와 함께 부엌에서 요리하고 있어요. 어머니가 된장찌개를 끓이는 동안, 민지는 채소를 씻고 잘게 썰어요. "마늘 좀 다져 줄래?" 어머니가 물었어요. 민지가 웃으며 대답했어요, "네, 금방 할게요!" 얼마 후, 맛있는 냄새가 집 안 가득 퍼졌어요. Jumal achim, Minji-neun eomeoni-wa hamkke bueok-eseo yorihago isseoyo. Eomeoni-ga doenjang-jjigae-reul kkeullineun dongan, Minji-neun chaeso-reul ssitgo jalge sseoreoyo. "Maneul jom dajyeo jullae?" Eomeoni-ga mureosseoyo. Minji-ga useumyeo daedaphaesseoyo, "Ne, geumbang halgeyo!" Eolma hu, mas-inneun naemsae-ga jip an gadeuk peojyeosseoyo.
Sentence by sentence
민지는 어머니와 함께 부엌에서 요리하고 있어요. Minji-neun eomeoni-wa hamkke bueok-eseo yorihago isseoyo.
Minji is cooking in the kitchen with her mother.
'-고 있어요' (go isseoyo) shows the present progressive. '와 함께' (wa hamkke) means 'together with'. '에서' (eseo) marks where the action takes place. Words: 민지 (Minji), 어머니 (eomeoni, mother), 부엌 (bueok, kitchen), 요리하다 (yorihada, to cook).
어머니가 된장찌개를 끓이는 동안 Eomeoni-ga doenjang-jjigae-reul kkeullineun dongan
while her mother boils the doenjang jjigae
'-는 동안' (neun dongan) is a time clause meaning 'while (an action is happening)'. '-는' is the present tense adjectival modifier on 끓이다 (kkeullida, to boil). Words: 어머니 (eomeoni, mother), 된장찌개 (doenjang-jjigae, fermented soybean paste stew), 끓이다 (kkeullida, to boil).
민지는 채소를 씻고 잘게 썰어요. Minji-neun chaeso-reul ssitgo jalge sseoreoyo.
Minji washes the vegetables and chops them finely.
'-고' (go) connects two sequential actions (washing, then chopping). '잘게' (jalge) is an adverb meaning 'finely / into small pieces'. Words: 채소 (chaeso, vegetables), 씻다 (ssitda, to wash), 썰다 (sseolda, to chop/slice).
마늘 좀 다져 줄래? Maneul jom dajyeo jullae?
Can you mince some garlic for me?
'-아/어 줄래?' (a/eo jullae?) is a casual request ('Can you ... for me?'), softer than '-어 주세요'. '좀' (jom) softens the ask ('a bit / please'). Words: 마늘 (maneul, garlic), 다지다 (dajida, to mince finely).
맛있는 냄새가 집 안 가득 퍼졌어요. Mas-inneun naemsae-ga jip an gadeuk peojyeosseoyo.
A delicious aroma spread throughout the house.
'-았/었어요' (ass/eosseoyo) marks a completed past action. '가득' (gadeuk) means 'full / throughout'. '맛있는' (mas-inneun) is the adjectival form of 맛있다 (mas-itda, to be delicious) modifying 냄새 (naemsae, aroma/smell). Words: 집 (jip, house), 안 (an, inside), 퍼지다 (peojida, to spread/diffuse).
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Present Progressive: Verb stem + -고 있어요
Attach '-고 있어요' to the verb stem to describe an action currently in progress. This is the Korean equivalent of the English '-ing' form (e.g., 'I am cooking'). It is one of the most common patterns in everyday conversation and works with almost all action verbs.
[Verb stem] + -고 있어요
지금 밥을 짓고 있어요. (Jigeum babeul jitgo isseoyo.)
I'm making rice right now.
아버지가 고기를 굽고 있어요. (Abeojiga gogireul gubgo isseoyo.)
Dad is grilling the meat.
동생이 상을 차리고 있어요. (Dongsaengi sangeul charigo isseoyo.)
My younger sibling is setting the table.
어머니가 된장찌개를 끓이고 있어요. (Eomeoniga doenjang-jjigaereul kkeulhigo isseoyo.)
Mom is boiling the doenjang jjigae.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to Korean: "I am washing vegetables right now."
Hint Use the present progressive pattern: verb stem + -고 있어요
What does this sentence mean? → 불을 낮춰서 20분 동안 끓이세요.
Hint 불 = fire/heat, 낮추다 = to lower, 끓이다 = to boil
Complete the sentence: 마늘을 _____ 넣어 주세요. (Mince the garlic and add it in.)
Hint The word for 'to mince' is 다지다. Connect actions with -아서/어서.
Which sentence correctly describes something happening right now using -고 있어요?
Rewrite in the present progressive (-고 있어요): 양파를 썰어요. (I cut the onion.)
Hint Remove -어요 from the verb and add -고 있어요 to the stem.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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