Misplacing personal items like pens is common, even in the workplace. This guide provides essential Korean phrases for politely asking a colleague if they have seen your lost pen, specifically within a break room setting. Knowing how to inquire respectfully is key in maintaining good relationships with your coworkers in Korea.
Table Of Content
Core Question
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Expression: 혹시 제 펜 못 보셨어요?
Pronunciation: hok-si je pen mot bo-syeot-eo-yo?
Meaning: Did you happen to see my pen? (A polite and common way to ask)
Describing the Pen
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Expression: 파란색 펜이에요.
Pronunciation: pa-ran-saek pen-i-e-yo.
Meaning: It’s a blue pen. -
Expression: 검은색 펜인데, 혹시 보셨나요?
Pronunciation: geom-eun-saek pen-in-de, hok-si bo-syeon-na-yo?
Meaning: It’s a black pen, did you happen to see it? -
Expression: 빨간색이고 좀 두꺼운 펜이에요.
Pronunciation: ppal-gan-saek-i-go jom du-kkeo-un pen-i-e-yo.
Meaning: It’s red and a bit thick. -
Expression: 위에 캐릭터가 달려 있었어요.
Pronunciation: wi-e kae-rik-teo-ga dal-lyeo it-eot-eo-yo.
Meaning: It had a character attached to the top. -
Expression: 은색 클립이 있는 펜이에요.
Pronunciation: eun-saek keul-rip-i it-neun pen-i-e-yo.
Meaning: It’s a pen with a silver clip. -
Expression: 회사 로고가 그려진 펜인데요.
Pronunciation: hoe-sa ro-go-ga geu-ryeo-jin pen-in-de-yo.
Meaning: It’s a pen with the company logo drawn on it. -
Expression: 제 이름이 써 있는 펜이에요.
Pronunciation: je i-reum-i sseo it-neun pen-i-e-yo.
Meaning: It’s a pen with my name written on it. -
Expression: 아주 평범하게 생긴 펜이에요.
Pronunciation: a-ju pyeong-beom-ha-ge saeng-gin pen-i-e-yo.
Meaning: It’s a very ordinary-looking pen. -
Expression: 선물 받은 펜이라서 소중해요.
Pronunciation: seon-mul ba-deun pen-i-ra-seo so-jung-hae-yo.
Meaning: It’s precious because it was a gift. -
Expression: 혹시 이런 모양의 펜 못 보셨어요?
Pronunciation: hok-si i-reon mo-yang-ui pen mot bo-syeot-eo-yo?
Meaning: Have you perhaps seen a pen shaped like this?
Asking Where It Might Be
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Expression: 방금 여기 있었는데 없어졌어요.
Pronunciation: bang-geum yeo-gi it-eot-neun-de eop-seo-jyeot-eo-yo.
Meaning: It was just here, but now it’s gone. -
Expression: 혹시 테이블 위에 못 보셨어요?
Pronunciation: hok-si te-i-beul wi-e mot bo-syeot-eo-yo?
Meaning: Did you happen to see it on the table? -
Expression: 제가 잠깐 자리를 비운 사이에 없어진 것 같아요.
Pronunciation: je-ga jam-kkan ja-ri-reul bi-un sa-i-e eop-seo-jin geot ga-ta-yo.
Meaning: I think it disappeared while I stepped away for a moment. -
Expression: 혹시 어디 있는지 짐작 가시는 곳 있으세요?
Pronunciation: hok-si eo-di it-neun-ji jim-jak ga-si-neun got it-eu-se-yo?
Meaning: Do you happen to have any idea where it might be? -
Expression: 제가 어디에 뒀는지 기억이 안 나요.
Pronunciation: je-ga eo-di-e dwot-neun-ji gi-eog-i an na-yo.
Meaning: I can’t remember where I put it. -
Expression: 혹시 다른 사람이 가져갔을까요?
Pronunciation: hok-si da-reun sa-ram-i ga-jyeo-gat-eul-kka-yo?
Meaning: Could someone else have possibly taken it? (Use cautiously) -
Expression: 여기 휴게실 말고는 갈 곳이 없는데…
Pronunciation: yeo-gi hyu-ge-sil mal-go-neun gal got-i eom-neun-de…
Meaning: I haven’t been anywhere else besides this break room… -
Expression: 혹시 바닥에 떨어져 있지 않나요?
Pronunciation: hok-si ba-dag-e tteo-reo-jyeo it-ji an-na-yo?
Meaning: Isn’t it perhaps dropped on the floor? -
Expression: 같이 한번 찾아봐 주실 수 있나요?
Pronunciation: ga-chi han-beon cha-ja-bwa ju-sil su in-na-yo?
Meaning: Could you possibly help me look for it? -
Expression: 아까 여기 두었던 것 같은데…
Pronunciation: a-kka yeo-gi du-eot-deon geot ga-teun-de…
Meaning: I think I put it here earlier…
Responding to Your Teammate
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Expression: 아, 못 보셨군요. 알겠습니다.
Pronunciation: a, mot bo-syeot-gun-yo. al-get-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: Oh, you haven’t seen it. I understand. -
Expression: 찾아주셔서 감사합니다!
Pronunciation: cha-ja-ju-syeo-seo gam-sa-ham-ni-da!
Meaning: Thank you for finding it! -
Expression: 신경 써 주셔서 고맙습니다.
Pronunciation: sin-gyeong sseo ju-syeo-seo go-map-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: Thank you for your concern / for paying attention. -
Expression: 다행이네요. 정말 감사합니다.
Pronunciation: da-haeng-i-ne-yo. jeong-mal gam-sa-ham-ni-da.
Meaning: That’s a relief. Thank you so much. -
Expression: 괜찮습니다. 제가 다시 찾아볼게요.
Pronunciation: gwaen-chan-seum-ni-da. je-ga da-si cha-ja-bol-ge-yo.
Meaning: It’s okay. I’ll look for it again myself. -
Expression: 혹시 보시면 저에게 알려주세요.
Pronunciation: hok-si bo-si-myeon jeo-e-ge al-lyeo-ju-se-yo.
Meaning: If you happen to see it, please let me know. -
Expression: 바쁘신데 죄송합니다.
Pronunciation: ba-ppeu-sin-de joe-song-ham-ni-da.
Meaning: Sorry to bother you when you’re busy. -
Expression: 아, 여기 있었네요! 죄송해요 소란 피워서.
Pronunciation: a, yeo-gi it-eot-ne-yo! joe-song-hae-yo so-ran pi-wo-seo.
Meaning: Ah, here it is! Sorry for making a fuss. -
Expression: 도와주셔서 정말 고마워요.
Pronunciation: do-wa-ju-syeo-seo jeong-mal go-ma-wo-yo.
Meaning: Thank you so much for helping. -
Expression: 네, 그럼 제가 좀 더 찾아보겠습니다.
Pronunciation: ne, geu-reom je-ga jom deo cha-ja-bo-get-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: Okay, then I’ll look a bit more.
Cultural Notes for the Workplace
When asking about lost items in a Korean workplace, politeness is crucial. Always use the standard polite suffix -요 (yo) or the more formal -ㅂ/습니다 (p/seum-ni-da) ending when speaking to colleagues, unless you are very close friends of the same age or younger.
Start your question with 혹시 (hok-si), meaning “by any chance” or “perhaps.” This softens the question and makes it sound less demanding or accusatory.
Avoid phrasing that sounds like you are blaming the other person. Instead of asking “Did you take my pen?”, use indirect questions like “Did you happen to see my pen?”.
Express gratitude regardless of whether the person saw the pen or not. Phrases like 신경 써 주셔서 감사합니다 (sin-gyeong sseo ju-syeo-seo gam-sa-ham-ni-da – Thank you for your concern) show appreciation for their time.
Respect personal space and belongings. While asking if they saw it is fine, avoid searching through their things or implying they might have it without strong reason.
Real Conversation Example
Situation: Minjun realizes his favorite pen is missing after getting coffee in the break room. His colleague, Sora, enters the break room shortly after.
Roles: A: Minjun (Worker looking for the pen), B: Sora (Teammate)
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Expression: A: 아, 내 펜 어디 갔지? 소라 씨, 혹시 제 펜 못 보셨어요?
Pronunciation: a, nae pen eo-di gat-ji? so-ra ssi, hok-si je pen mot bo-syeot-eo-yo?
Meaning: A: Oh, where did my pen go? Sora, did you happen to see my pen? -
Expression: B: 펜이요? 어떤 펜인데요?
Pronunciation: pen-i-yo? eo-tteon pen-in-de-yo?
Meaning: B: A pen? What kind of pen is it? -
Expression: A: 파란색이고, 위에 작은 캐릭터가 달려 있는 펜이에요. 방금 여기 테이블 위에 뒀는데…
Pronunciation: pa-ran-saek-i-go, wi-e ja-geun kae-rik-teo-ga dal-lyeo it-neun pen-i-e-yo. bang-geum yeo-gi te-i-beul wi-e dwot-neun-de…
Meaning: A: It’s blue, and it has a small character attached to the top. I just put it here on the table… -
Expression: B: 아, 그거요? 아까 청소하시는 분이 테이블 닦으면서 옆에 서류 더미 위에 올려놓으시는 것 같던데요? 저기 한번 보세요.
Pronunciation: a, geu-geo-yo? a-kka cheong-so-ha-si-neun bun-i te-i-beul dak-keu-myeon-seo yeop-e seo-ryu deo-mi wi-e ol-lyeo-no-eu-si-neun geot gat-deon-de-yo? jeo-gi han-beon bo-se-yo.
Meaning: B: Oh, that one? I think I saw the cleaning staff put it on top of that pile of documents over there while wiping the table earlier. Take a look over there. -
Expression: A: 아! 여기 있네요! 정말 감사합니다, 소라 씨. 못 찾는 줄 알았어요.
Pronunciation: a! yeo-gi it-ne-yo! jeong-mal gam-sa-ham-ni-da, so-ra ssi. mot chat-neun jul a-rat-eo-yo.
Meaning: A: Ah! Here it is! Thank you so much, Sora. I thought I wouldn’t find it. -
Expression: B: 다행이네요. 찾으셔서요.
Pronunciation: da-haeng-i-ne-yo. cha-jeu-syeo-seo-yo.
Meaning: B: That’s a relief that you found it.
Practice Tips
Losing small items happens! Don’t worry too much, but practice these phrases so you’re ready~ Try describing different pens you own using the descriptive phrases. Role-play the conversation example with a friend or study partner! Remember to always start politely with 혹시 (hok-si) and use the -요 (yo) ending. Being prepared and polite makes potentially awkward situations much easier in the Korean workplace!
