Hello! I’m Danny, a professional Korean teacher at Podo Korean, here to support your Korean learning journey every step of the way.
One of the hardest parts of learning a foreign language is memorizing different words for similar situations. I remember struggling with this quite a bit when I first started learning English.
For instance, I had to use ‘reservation‘ when grabbing a table at a restaurant, but ‘make an appointment‘ when seeing a doctor. Plus, I had to use the word ‘book‘ when buying plane tickets or scheduling Korean classes.
At first, I made many mistakes because I didn’t know which of these three English expressions to use in which situation. But, my friends, you don’t have to worry about such complexities when learning Korean!
This is because there is one magical word ‘예약하다‘ in Korean that solves all these diverse and complicated situations at once. Through this post, you will fall in love with the convenience and charm of the Korean language.
1. Three Complex English Words, Only One in Korean!
One of the moments native English speakers cheer the most when learning Korean is when they learn words related to making reservations. In English, the form of the noun or verb changes completely depending on the place and purpose, but in Korean, you can express everything with just one word.
That magical word is ‘예약하다‘ (yeyakhada). A significant number of Korean words are composed of Hanja (Chinese characters) influenced by Chinese, and this word is no exception.
If you search the official Korean dictionary link, you can see that this word is a combination of two Chinese characters: ‘예 (豫)’ meaning ‘in advance’ and ‘약 (約)’ meaning ‘promise’. In other words, it literally has the very intuitive meaning of ‘a promise made in advance’.
You can use this word for any action where you secure space or time in advance. Whether you are paying to rent a seat, receiving a free consultation, or setting a time to use a service, this single word is enough.
2. Restaurants, Hospitals, Hotels: A Magical Word for Everything
Let’s take a closer look at how ‘예약하다’ is used in different situations. First, let’s look at a restaurant reservation, the most common situation.
In Korea, especially in big cities like Seoul or Busan, popular restaurants or trendy cafes are crowded every weekend. To get into these hot places without waiting in line, you need to make a reservation by phone or through an app.
At this time, you can call the restaurant staff and say the following. Since you are securing a seat, you naturally use ‘예약하다’.
내일 저녁 7시에 두 명 예약하고 싶어요.
(I would like to make a reservation for two at 7 PM tomorrow.)혹시 창가 자리로 예약할 수 있을까요?
(Is it possible to reserve a window seat?)금요일 저녁 룸으로 예약이 가능한가요?
(Is it possible to book a private room for Friday evening?)
Next is when you need to ‘make an appointment’ at a hospital or hair salon. While the feeling in English is strong about making an appointment with a person to receive professional service, Korean focuses on the concept of promising a specific time for a place in advance.
Korea’s medical system is very fast and efficient, and there are many foreigners looking for hair salons or nail shops due to the K-beauty craze. You don’t need to memorize any new words here either.
오늘 오후 3시에 진료 예약했습니다.
(I made an appointment for a medical consultation at 3 PM today.)내일 머리를 자르려고 하는데 예약되나요?
(I want to get a haircut tomorrow, can I make an appointment?)원장님으로 예약해 주세요.
(Please book my appointment with the director.)
Finally, when you need to book plane tickets, train tickets, hotel rooms, or schedule classes. This applies when preparing for a trip or investing time for self-development.
Whether you are booking a flight to Jeju Island, reserving a nice hotel in front of Haeundae Beach in Busan, or even booking my Korean class on italki, this single word makes perfect communication possible.
제주도 가는 비행기 표를 미리 예약했어요.
(I booked a flight ticket to Jeju Island in advance.)한국어 수업을 예약하려고 합니다.
(I am trying to book a Korean lesson.)다음 주 주말에 더블룸으로 예약할게요.
(I will book a double room for next weekend.)
3. 3 Essential Verbs Used with ‘예약하다’
In life, no matter how carefully you plan, there are times when you have to change your schedule due to unavoidable circumstances. You might suddenly get sick, have an urgent work matter, or have another appointment overlap.
In such cases, not showing up without notice is very rude not only in Korea but everywhere in the world. Therefore, it is good to know three essential related verbs for managing reservations.
The first is ‘예약을 취소하다’ (Cancel a reservation). If you are unable to go, you should call and request a cancellation as soon as possible so the other party can accept other guests.
The second is ‘예약을 변경하다’ (Change a reservation). Use this expression when you need to change the date, time, or the number of people visiting.
The third is ‘예약을 확인하다’ (Confirm a reservation). This is useful when you have an important appointment and want to double-check that your schedule is properly registered in the system.
죄송하지만 예약을 취소하고 싶어요.
(I am sorry, but I want to cancel my reservation.)예약을 오후 4시로 변경할 수 있을까요?
(Is it possible to change the reservation time to 4 PM?)예약 확인 부탁드립니다.
(Please confirm if my reservation is properly made.)
4. Tips for Making Reservations in Korea
I’ll share some tips that will help you when actually making reservations in Korea.
The first is the ‘waiting’ culture. In the case of famous restaurants, beyond just keeping a seat empty, people enter their phone numbers into a tablet PC installed in front of the shop and add their names to the queue. Koreans express this as ‘웨이팅을 걸다‘ (putting oneself on the waiting list). Once you add yourself to the waiting list, you can freely go shopping or walk around, and you will receive a call or KakaoTalk message when it’s your turn.
Also, there are essential applications you must download to fully enjoy life in Korea. Representatives are ‘Naver Map’ and ‘CatchTable’.
Through Naver Map, you can easily make schedules for most hair salons, dermatologists, hospitals, and local restaurants. On the other hand, CatchTable is an essential app when securing seats at trendier, more upscale fine-dining or omakase restaurants.
5. Essential Korean Grammar for Daily Life
Based on the words and culture we have learned so far, now it is your turn to make perfect sentences yourself. I will introduce three key grammar patterns most frequently used with the verb ‘예약하다’.
The most basic pattern is the form combined with ‘-고 싶어요’ (I want to…). Use this to express your intentions softly; it’s the best sentence to start with as soon as you make a call. If you say ‘예약하고 싶어요’, the other person will immediately ask for the date and number of people.
The second pattern is ‘-(으)ㄹ 수 있을까요?’ (Is it possible to…?). This expression has a much more polite and cautious nuance than the previous one. It is useful when requesting a specific time or special seat (e.g., window seat, quiet room).
The third pattern is the past tense ‘-했어요’ (I did…) which explains a situation that has already been completed. Use this when you have arrived at the shop and want to inform the staff that you have already secured a seat. You can just say ‘예약했어요’ and state your name.
안녕하세요, 내일 점심 식사를 예약하고 싶어요.
(Hello, I want to make a reservation for lunch tomorrow.)혹시 오늘 저녁 8시에 3명 예약할 수 있을까요?
(Is it possible to book a table for 3 people at 8 PM tonight?)7시에 데니 이름으로 예약했어요.
(I have a reservation under the name Danny at 7 PM.)
What do you think? Isn’t it truly amazing that while you had to memorize complicated words like reservation, appointment, and book in English for each situation, you can handle all communication in Korean with just one magical word?
Don’t be flustered when you call a restaurant or visit a hair salon in the future; just say this one word you learned today with confidence. Your life in Korea will become much richer and more convenient.
Are you looking to learn more useful and fun Korean expressions you can use right away in daily life? Don’t worry alone, download the Podo Korean app right now. I will be with you so that your Korean skills can grow magically!
