Misplacing personal items like pens is common, especially in shared spaces like conference rooms. This guide provides essential Korean phrases for asking a coworker if they have seen your lost pen, specifically focusing on a workplace scenario within a conference room setting. Learn how to inquire politely and describe your item to increase the chances of finding it.
Table Of Content
Core Expression
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Expression: 혹시 제 펜 못 봤어요?
Pronunciation: hok-si je pen mot bwat-seo-yo?
Meaning: By any chance, have you seen my pen? (A common and polite way to ask)
Basic Vocabulary
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Expression: 펜
Pronunciation: pen
Meaning: Pen -
Expression: 볼펜
Pronunciation: bol-pen
Meaning: Ballpoint pen -
Expression: 만년필
Pronunciation: man-nyeon-pil
Meaning: Fountain pen -
Expression: 회의실
Pronunciation: hoe-ui-sil
Meaning: Conference room -
Expression: 책상
Pronunciation: chaek-sang
Meaning: Desk -
Expression: 잃어버리다
Pronunciation: il-eo-beo-ri-da
Meaning: To lose (an item) -
Expression: 찾다
Pronunciation: chat-da
Meaning: To look for, to find -
Expression: 보다
Pronunciation: bo-da
Meaning: To see -
Expression: 동료
Pronunciation: dong-ryo
Meaning: Colleague, coworker -
Expression: 팀원
Pronunciation: tim-won
Meaning: Teammate -
Expression: 여기
Pronunciation: yeo-gi
Meaning: Here -
Expression: 거기
Pronunciation: geo-gi
Meaning: There
Asking About the Lost Pen
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Expression: 저기요, 제 펜 못 보셨어요?
Pronunciation: jeo-gi-yo, je pen mot bo-syeot-seo-yo?
Meaning: Excuse me, haven’t you seen my pen? (Slightly more formal than 못 봤어요) -
Expression: 회의실에서 제 펜을 잃어버린 것 같아요.
Pronunciation: hoe-ui-sil-e-seo je pen-eul il-eo-beo-rin geot ga-ta-yo.
Meaning: I think I lost my pen in the conference room. -
Expression: 혹시 이 근처에서 제 펜 보셨나요?
Pronunciation: hok-si i geun-cheo-e-seo je pen bo-syeon-na-yo?
Meaning: By any chance, did you see my pen around here? -
Expression: 제가 회의실에 펜을 두고 온 것 같아요.
Pronunciation: je-ga hoe-ui-sil-e pen-eul du-go on geot ga-ta-yo.
Meaning: I think I left my pen in the conference room. -
Expression: 제 펜 어디 있는지 아세요?
Pronunciation: je pen eo-di it-neun-ji a-se-yo?
Meaning: Do you know where my pen is? -
Expression: 아까 회의실에서 사용했던 펜인데, 혹시 보셨어요?
Pronunciation: a-kka hoe-ui-sil-e-seo sa-yong-haet-deon pen-in-de, hok-si bo-syeot-seo-yo?
Meaning: It’s the pen I used in the conference room earlier, have you perhaps seen it? -
Expression: 제 펜 못 찾겠어요. 혹시 가지고 계세요?
Pronunciation: je pen mot chat-get-seo-yo. hok-si ga-ji-go gye-se-yo?
Meaning: I can’t find my pen. Do you happen to have it? -
Expression: 회의 끝나고 나올 때 제 펜 못 봤어요?
Pronunciation: hoe-ui kkeun-na-go na-ol ttae je pen mot bwat-seo-yo?
Meaning: Did you not see my pen when you left after the meeting? -
Expression: 혹시 회의실 책상 위에 펜 하나 있는 거 못 봤어요?
Pronunciation: hok-si hoe-ui-sil chaek-sang wi-e pen ha-na it-neun geo mot bwat-seo-yo?
Meaning: By any chance, did you see a pen on the conference room table? -
Expression: 제 펜 좀 찾아봐 주실 수 있어요?
Pronunciation: je pen jom cha-ja-bwa ju-sil su it-seo-yo?
Meaning: Could you please help me look for my pen? (Use cautiously, depending on relationship)
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 볼펜이었어요.
Pronunciation: geom-eun-saek bol-pen-i-eot-seo-yo.
Meaning: It was a black ballpoint pen. -
Expression: 빨간색 뚜껑이 있는 펜이에요.
Pronunciation: ppal-gan-saek ttu-kkeong-i it-neun pen-i-e-yo.
Meaning: It’s a pen with a red cap. -
Expression: 은색 클립이 달린 펜인데요.
Pronunciation: eun-saek keul-rip-i dal-rin pen-in-de-yo.
Meaning: It’s a pen with a silver clip. -
Expression: 회사 로고가 그려져 있어요.
Pronunciation: hoe-sa ro-go-ga geu-ryeo-jyeo it-seo-yo.
Meaning: It has the company logo on it. -
Expression: 조금 두꺼운 펜이에요.
Pronunciation: jo-geum du-kkeo-un pen-i-e-yo.
Meaning: It’s a slightly thick pen. -
Expression: 제 이름이 써 있어요.
Pronunciation: je i-reum-i sseo it-seo-yo.
Meaning: It has my name written on it. -
Expression: 플라스틱 재질의 펜이에요.
Pronunciation: peul-la-seu-tik jae-jil-ui pen-i-e-yo.
Meaning: It’s a plastic pen. -
Expression: 금속 재질의 만년필이에요.
Pronunciation: geum-sok jae-jil-ui man-nyeon-pil-i-e-yo.
Meaning: It’s a metal fountain 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.
Possible Responses from Teammate
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Expression: 네, 본 것 같아요. 저기 책상 위에 있어요.
Pronunciation: ne, bon geot ga-ta-yo. jeo-gi chaek-sang wi-e it-seo-yo.
Meaning: Yes, I think I saw it. It’s over there on the desk. -
Expression: 아니요, 못 봤는데요.
Pronunciation: a-ni-yo, mot bwan-neun-de-yo.
Meaning: No, I haven’t seen it. -
Expression: 글쎄요, 잘 모르겠어요.
Pronunciation: geul-sse-yo, jal mo-reu-get-seo-yo.
Meaning: Hmm, I’m not sure. -
Expression: 어떤 펜이요? 파란색 펜 말인가요?
Pronunciation: eo-tteon pen-i-yo? pa-ran-saek pen mal-in-ga-yo?
Meaning: Which pen? Are you talking about the blue one? -
Expression: 제가 한번 찾아볼게요.
Pronunciation: je-ga han-beon cha-ja-bol-ge-yo.
Meaning: I’ll have a look for it. -
Expression: 아, 아까 누가 가져간 것 같던데요.
Pronunciation: a, a-kka nu-ga ga-jyeo-gan geot gat-deon-de-yo.
Meaning: Ah, I think someone took it earlier. -
Expression: 회의실 청소하시는 분께 여쭤보세요.
Pronunciation: hoe-ui-sil cheong-so-ha-si-neun bun-kke yeo-jjwo-bo-se-yo.
Meaning: Try asking the person who cleans the conference room. -
Expression: 혹시 다른 곳에 두고 오신 건 아니고요?
Pronunciation: hok-si da-reun got-e du-go o-sin geon a-ni-go-yo?
Meaning: Perhaps you didn’t leave it somewhere else? -
Expression: 여기에는 없는 것 같아요.
Pronunciation: yeo-gi-e-neun eop-neun geot ga-ta-yo.
Meaning: I don’t think it’s here. -
Expression: 찾으면 알려드릴게요.
Pronunciation: cha-jeu-myeon al-lyeo-deu-ril-ge-yo.
Meaning: I’ll let you know if I find it.
Korean Culture Notes
Politeness is Key: When asking a colleague for help or inquiring about a lost item, always use polite language (존댓말 – jon-daen-mal). Starting with 저기요 (jeo-gi-yo – Excuse me) or 혹시 (hok-si – by any chance) softens the question and shows consideration.
Respecting Personal Space: While asking if they’ve seen it is fine, avoid implying your colleague took the pen unless you are very close. Phrases like 혹시 가지고 계세요? (hok-si ga-ji-go gye-se-yo? – Do you happen to have it?) should be used carefully.
Offering Help: In Korean workplaces, colleagues often help each other. If someone asks you about a lost item, it’s common courtesy to take a quick look around or offer a helpful suggestion, like checking a lost and found area if one exists.
Using Company Supplies: While personal pens are common, many offices provide basic stationery. If you frequently lose pens, consider using company-supplied ones for meetings to avoid losing personal items.
Hierarchy Matters: Be mindful of the hierarchy (서열 – seo-yeol) when asking. While asking a teammate (동료 – dong-ryo or 팀원 – tim-won) is generally acceptable, approach seniors (선배 – seon-bae) or superiors with extra politeness.
Real Conversation Example
Situation: Minjun realizes he left his pen in the conference room after a meeting and asks his teammate, Sora, if she has seen it.
Characters:
- A: Minjun (민준)
- B: Sora (소라)
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Expression: A: 소라 씨, 혹시 제 펜 못 봤어요? 아까 회의실에 두고 온 것 같아요.
Pronunciation: so-ra ssi, hok-si je pen mot bwat-seo-yo? a-kka hoe-ui-sil-e du-go on geot ga-ta-yo.
Meaning: Sora, by any chance, have you seen my pen? I think I left it in the conference room earlier. -
Expression: B: 펜이요? 어떤 펜인데요?
Pronunciation: pen-i-yo? eo-tteon pen-in-de-yo?
Meaning: Your pen? What kind of pen is it? -
Expression: A: 검은색이고 클립 부분에 회사 로고가 있는 볼펜이에요.
Pronunciation: geom-eun-saek-i-go keul-rip bu-bun-e hoe-sa ro-go-ga it-neun bol-pen-i-e-yo.
Meaning: It’s a black ballpoint pen with the company logo on the clip part. -
Expression: B: 아, 그거요! 아까 회의실 책상 위에 있는 거 봤어요. 아직 있을지도 몰라요.
Pronunciation: a, geu-geo-yo! a-kka hoe-ui-sil chaek-sang wi-e it-neun geo bwat-seo-yo. a-jik it-eul-ji-do mol-la-yo.
Meaning: Ah, that one! I saw it on the conference room table earlier. It might still be there. -
Expression: A: 정말요? 고마워요! 지금 바로 가봐야겠어요.
Pronunciation: jeong-mal-lyo? go-ma-wo-yo! ji-geum ba-ro ga-bwa-ya-ge-sseo-yo.
Meaning: Really? Thank you! I should go check right now. -
Expression: B: 네, 얼른 가보세요. 찾으면 좋겠네요!
Pronunciation: ne, eol-leun ga-bo-se-yo. cha-jeu-myeon jo-ken-ne-yo!
Meaning: Yes, hurry and check. I hope you find it!
Practice Tips
Practice makes perfect~! Try role-playing this scenario with a language partner or friend. Imagine different types of pens and practice describing them using the phrases above. Pay attention to using polite language (존댓말) suitable for a workplace setting. You can also try leaving your own pen somewhere safe at home and then “asking” a family member about it in Korean to simulate the situation. Good luck finding your pen! 화이팅!
