휴가를 신청하는 방법
Asking for time off · a free Korean immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
내일 하루 쉬어도 될까요?
May I take tomorrow off?
Literal Tomorrow one day rest-even-if it-would-be-okay?
A natural, polite way to ask permission for a single day off. The -아/어도 될까요 form is the go-to structure for permission requests in professional settings.
- -아/어도 될까요: permission-seeking question (Is it okay if I...?)
- 쉬다: to rest, to take time off
이번 주에 병가를 내고 싶은데요.
I'd like to take sick leave this week.
Literal This week sick-leave submit want-but (softening particle).
-고 싶은데요 is a softer, more tentative version of -고 싶다. The trailing -는데요 signals that you are inviting a response, which feels more natural and less abrupt than a direct statement.
- -고 싶은데요: soft wish form, implies the speaker welcomes input
- 병가: sick leave (병 = illness, 가 = leave)
미리 말씀드리지 못해서 죄송합니다.
I'm sorry I couldn't let you know in advance.
Literal In-advance inform-[honorific] not-able-because sorry.
말씀드리다 is the humble honorific form of 말하다 (to speak), used when addressing a superior. -지 못해서 expresses inability as the cause of regret.
- 말씀드리다: humble honorific of 말하다, used toward superiors
- -지 못해서: because [I] was unable to...
개인적인 사정으로 휴가를 신청하고 싶습니다.
I'd like to apply for time off for personal reasons.
Literal Personal circumstances-due-to vacation apply want.
Using 사정으로 (due to circumstances) keeps the reason professional and appropriately vague. 신청하다 implies a formal process, suitable for submitting a leave request.
- -으로: particle indicating cause or reason (due to)
- 신청하다: to formally apply or request
다음 달에 일주일 휴가를 써도 될까요?
May I take a week's vacation next month?
Literal Next month one-week vacation use-even-if okay-would-it-be?
쓰다 is used here in the sense of 'using' vacation days, a common collocation. This sentence reinforces the -아/어도 될까요 pattern with a longer time-off request.
- -아/어도 될까요: permission form (repeated for reinforcement)
- 다음 달: next month (temporal reference)
몸이 좋지 않아서 오늘 결근하게 될 것 같습니다.
I don't feel well, so it looks like I'll be absent today.
Literal Body not-good-because today absent-become will seems.
-게 될 것 같다 softens the declaration of absence, suggesting it is somewhat unavoidable rather than a choice. This tone is more considerate than simply announcing you will not come in.
- -아서/어서: causal connector (because/so)
- -게 될 것 같다: soft future — 'it seems it will come to be'
가능하다면 재택근무를 할 수 있는지 여쭤봐도 될까요?
If possible, may I ask whether working from home would be an option?
Literal If-possible remote-work do-can-whether ask-even okay?
A layered polite structure: 가능하다면 hedges the whole ask; -ㄹ 수 있는지 embeds the yes/no question about ability; 여쭤봐도 될까요 is the humble permission form of 물어봐도 될까요.
- -다면: conditional (if)
- -ㄹ 수 있는지: embedded question about possibility
- 여쭤보다: humble form of 물어보다, used with superiors
돌아오는 즉시 밀린 업무를 처리하겠습니다.
I'll handle the backlog as soon as I return.
Literal Return-as-soon-as backed-up work handle-will.
-는 즉시 means 'the instant / as soon as.' Using this phrase reassures your manager that work will not be neglected. 밀린 업무 (backed-up work) is a natural workplace phrase.
- -는 즉시: the moment / as soon as (immediate sequence)
- 밀리다: to pile up, to fall behind
제 업무는 미리 정리해 두겠습니다.
I'll organize my work in advance.
Literal My work in-advance organize-keep will.
-아/어 두다 means to do something and leave it in a ready, prepared state. The implication is that you are taking care of things so others are not inconvenienced.
- -아/어 두다: to do something in preparation for later
- 미리: in advance, beforehand (recurring time adverb)
배려해 주셔서 진심으로 감사드립니다.
I sincerely thank you for your consideration.
Literal Consider-give-[honorific]-because sincerely thank-[humble].
감사드리다 is the humble honorific form of 감사하다, used when expressing gratitude to a superior. -아/어 주시다 adds the nuance of the listener doing something kindly for the speaker.
- -아/어 주시다: honorific benefactive (doing something for someone, kindly)
- 감사드리다: humble form of expressing thanks
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
휴가
vacation, time off
이번 주에 휴가를 쓸 수 있을까요?
Would I be able to use vacation time this week?
Pronunciation: hyu-ga. Example: i-beon ju-e hyu-ga-reul sseul su i-sseul-kka-yo? General term for both planned vacation and annual leave.
결근
absence from work
몸이 아파서 오늘 결근합니다.
I'm absent today because I'm sick.
Pronunciation: gyeol-geun. Example: mo-mi a-pa-seo o-neul gyeol-geun-ham-ni-da. 결석 is the equivalent for school absences.
병가
sick leave
병가를 사흘 신청하고 싶습니다.
I'd like to apply for three days of sick leave.
Pronunciation: byeong-ga. Example: byeong-ga-reul sa-heul sin-cheong-ha-go sip-seum-ni-da.
신청하다
to apply, to formally request
휴가를 신청하려면 어떻게 해야 하나요?
What do I need to do to apply for time off?
Pronunciation: sin-cheong-ha-da. Example: hyu-ga-reul sin-cheong-ha-ryeo-myeon eo-tteo-ke hae-ya ha-na-yo? Implies going through an official process; more formal than 요청하다.
배려
consideration, thoughtfulness
팀장님의 배려에 진심으로 감사드립니다.
I sincerely thank you for your consideration, team leader.
Pronunciation: bae-ryeo. Example: tim-jang-ni-me bae-ryeo-e jin-si-meu-ro gam-sa-deu-rim-ni-da. 배려해 주다 means 'to show consideration for someone'.
미리
in advance, beforehand
미리 알려드리겠습니다.
I'll let you know in advance.
Pronunciation: mi-ri. Example: mi-ri al-lyeo-deu-ri-get-seum-ni-da. Signals forethought and consideration; common in polite requests.
사정
circumstances, personal reasons
개인적인 사정이 있어서 자리를 비워야 합니다.
I need to be away due to personal circumstances.
Pronunciation: sa-jeong. Example: gae-in-jeo-gin sa-jeong-i i-sseo-seo ja-ri-reul bi-wo-ya ham-ni-da.
처리하다
to handle, to take care of
복귀 후 바로 밀린 업무를 처리하겠습니다.
I'll handle the backlog right after returning.
Pronunciation: cheo-ri-ha-da. Example: bok-gwi hu ba-ro mil-lin eom-mu-reul cheo-ri-ha-get-seum-ni-da.
여쭤보다
to ask (humbly)
한 가지 여쭤봐도 될까요?
May I ask you one thing?
Pronunciation: yeo-jwo-bo-da. Example: han ga-ji yeo-jwo-bwa-do doel-kka-yo? Humble form of 물어보다; always use this with managers or teachers.
재택근무
remote work, working from home
이번 주는 재택근무를 해도 될까요?
Would it be okay to work from home this week?
Pronunciation: jae-taek-geun-mu. Example: i-beon ju-neun jae-taek-geun-mu-reul hae-do doel-kka-yo?
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
지수는 오늘 팀장님께 휴가 신청에 대해 조심스럽게 말씀드렸습니다. 다음 주에 가족과 여행을 가야 해서 이틀 정도 쉬어도 되는지 여쭤봤습니다. 팀장님께서는 미리 알려줘서 고맙다고 하시면서 기꺼이 허락해 주셨습니다. 지수는 떠나기 전에 모든 업무를 미리 정리해 두겠다고 약속했습니다. 팀장님의 따뜻한 배려에 진심으로 감사했습니다.
Sentence by sentence
조심스럽게 말씀드렸습니다
carefully spoke (humbly)
조심스럽게 (carefully, cautiously) adds a deferential tone that feels natural when approaching a superior with a request. 말씀드리다 is the humble honorific form of 말하다.
이틀 정도 쉬어도 되는지 여쭤봤습니다
asked whether it would be okay to take about two days off
-아/어도 되는지 embeds a permission question ('whether it is okay to...') inside a larger sentence. 여쭤보다 is the humble form of asking, always appropriate with superiors.
미리 알려줘서 고맙다고 하시면서 기꺼이 허락해 주셨습니다
thanked her for letting them know in advance and gladly gave permission
-다고 하시면서 reports speech while describing a simultaneous action. 허락해 주시다 uses the honorific benefactive form -아/어 주시다, indicating the leader did something kind for Jisu.
모든 업무를 미리 정리해 두겠다고 약속했습니다
promised to organize all her work in advance
-해 두다 indicates preparing something in advance for a future purpose. -겠다고 약속하다 is the standard phrasing for 'to promise that one will do something.'
팀장님의 따뜻한 배려에 진심으로 감사했습니다
was truly grateful for her team leader's warm consideration
배려 (consideration/thoughtfulness) is a culturally resonant noun in Korean workplaces. 진심으로 (from the heart, sincerely) deepens the expression of gratitude beyond a formulaic closing.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
-아/어도 될까요? — Asking for Permission Politely
This structure is used to ask 'Is it okay if I...?' or 'May I...?' It combines the verb stem with -아/어도 (even if / even though) and 될까요 (would it be okay?). The result is softer and more considerate than a direct request, making it the natural choice when asking a manager, teacher, or anyone in a position of authority. It acknowledges that the listener has the right to say no.
[Verb stem] + -아/어도 될까요?
내일 하루 쉬어도 될까요?
May I take tomorrow off?
다음 달에 일주일 휴가를 써도 될까요?
May I take a week's vacation next month?
회의실을 사용해도 될까요?
May I use the conference room?
조금 일찍 퇴근해도 될까요?
May I leave work a little early today?
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to Korean: "May I take tomorrow off?"
Hint Use the -아/어도 될까요? pattern with 쉬다.
What does this sentence mean? → 몸이 좋지 않아서 오늘 결근하게 될 것 같습니다.
개인적인 ____으로 휴가를 신청하고 싶습니다. (personal ____ / circumstances)
Hint This word means 'personal circumstances' or 'situation'.
Your colleague needs to ask the manager if working from home is possible. Which is the most polite option?
Rewrite this sentence using -아/어도 될까요? to make it a polite permission request: "다음 달에 일주일 휴가를 쓰다"
Hint 쓰다 (to use) → 써 + 도 될까요?
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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