Reading & Audio

At a Coin Laundry

Read and listen to a short Korean text about going to a coin laundry, using machines, and waiting while doing laundry.

Beginner A1 Teacher audio 5-7 min Daily Life

Lesson Info

Level
Beginner A1
Topic
Coin laundry, clothes, waiting, daily routine
Focus
-았/었어요, -아/어서, -아/어야 하다, -고, -지만, -(으)ㄹ 때
Audio
Recorded by your teacher

Listen First

Listen to the audio first. Then read the Korean text below. Try to listen for familiar words like 빨래방, , 세탁기, and 기다리는 시간.

Reading & Audio
At a Coin Laundry
0:57
 

Korean Reading Text

어제 저녁에 저는 집 근처 코인 빨래방에 갔어요.
이번 주에 옷이 많이 쌓여서 빨래를 해야 했어요.
빨래방에는 세탁기와 건조기가 여러 대 있었어요.

처음에는 사용 방법을 잘 몰라서 조금 당황했어요.
그래서 벽에 있는 설명을 천천히 읽었어요.
세탁이 끝날 때까지 의자에 앉아서 책을 읽었어요.
기다리는 시간은 조금 길었지만 빨래방은 조용하고 깨끗했어요.
집에 돌아왔을 때 옷에서 좋은 냄새가 나서 기분이 좋았어요.

Vocabulary

Korean English
어제 저녁yesterday evening
집 근처near home
코인 빨래방coin laundry, laundromat
이번 주this week
clothes
빨래laundry
세탁기washing machine
건조기dryer
여러 대several machines
처음first, at first
사용 방법how to use, instructions
wall
설명explanation, instructions
천천히slowly
세탁washing, laundry process
의자chair
기다리는 시간waiting time
냄새smell, scent
기분feeling, mood
가다to go
쌓이다to pile up
하다to do
있다to exist, to have
모르다to not know
당황하다to feel flustered
읽다to read
끝나다to finish
앉다to sit
기다리다to wait
길다to be long
조용하다to be quiet
깨끗하다to be clean
돌아오다to come back
나다to come out, to occur
좋다to be good

Sentence Notes

1. 어제 저녁에 저는 집 근처 코인 빨래방에 갔어요.

어제 저녁에 = yesterday evening
저는 = I / topic
집 근처 = near home
코인 빨래방에 갔어요 = went to a coin laundry
This sentence means: Yesterday evening, I went to a coin laundry near my home.

-았/었어요 is used to talk about the past.

2. 이번 주에 옷이 많이 쌓여서 빨래를 해야 했어요.

이번 주에 = this week
옷이 많이 쌓여서 = because a lot of clothes piled up
빨래를 해야 했어요 = had to do laundry
This sentence means: A lot of clothes piled up this week, so I had to do laundry.

-아/어서 can show a reason. -아/어야 하다 means “have to.”

3. 빨래방에는 세탁기와 건조기가 여러 대 있었어요.

빨래방에는 = in the coin laundry / as for the coin laundry
세탁기와 건조기가 = washing machines and dryers / subject
여러 대 있었어요 = there were several machines
This sentence means: There were several washing machines and dryers at the coin laundry.

와/과 connects nouns and means “and.” is used to count machines or vehicles.

4. 처음에는 사용 방법을 잘 몰라서 조금 당황했어요.

처음에는 = at first
사용 방법을 잘 몰라서 = because I did not know how to use it well
조금 당황했어요 = felt a little flustered
This sentence means: At first, I did not know how to use it well, so I felt a little flustered.

사용 방법 means “how to use.” 당황하다 is useful when you feel confused or flustered.

5. 그래서 벽에 있는 설명을 천천히 읽었어요.

그래서 = so, therefore
벽에 있는 설명을 = the instructions on the wall / object
천천히 읽었어요 = read slowly
This sentence means: So I slowly read the instructions on the wall.

그래서 connects a reason and a result.

6. 세탁이 끝날 때까지 의자에 앉아서 책을 읽었어요.

세탁이 끝날 때까지 = until the washing was finished
의자에 앉아서 = sat on a chair and
책을 읽었어요 = read a book
This sentence means: I sat on a chair and read a book until the washing was finished.

-(으)ㄹ 때까지 means “until.” -아/어서 can connect two related actions naturally.

7. 기다리는 시간은 조금 길었지만 빨래방은 조용하고 깨끗했어요.

기다리는 시간은 = the waiting time / topic
조금 길었지만 = was a little long, but
빨래방은 조용하고 깨끗했어요 = the coin laundry was quiet and clean
This sentence means: The waiting time was a little long, but the coin laundry was quiet and clean.

-지만 means “but.” -고 connects two descriptions.

8. 집에 돌아왔을 때 옷에서 좋은 냄새가 나서 기분이 좋았어요.

집에 돌아왔을 때 = when I came back home
옷에서 좋은 냄새가 나서 = because the clothes smelled good
기분이 좋았어요 = I felt good
This sentence means: When I came back home, the clothes smelled good, so I felt good.

냄새가 나다 means “to smell” or “a smell comes from something.” -(으)ㄹ 때 means “when.”

English Translation

Yesterday evening, I went to a coin laundry near my home.
A lot of clothes piled up this week, so I had to do laundry.
There were several washing machines and dryers at the coin laundry.

At first, I did not know how to use it well, so I felt a little flustered.
So I slowly read the instructions on the wall.
I sat on a chair and read a book until the washing was finished.
The waiting time was a little long, but the coin laundry was quiet and clean.
When I came back home, the clothes smelled good, so I felt good.

Practice Questions

Try answering these questions in Korean. You can find all the answers in the reading text above.

  1. 저는 어제 저녁에 어디에 갔어요?
  2. 왜 빨래를 해야 했어요?
  3. 빨래방에는 무엇이 여러 대 있었어요?
  4. 처음에는 왜 조금 당황했어요?
  5. 저는 벽에 있는 무엇을 읽었어요?
  6. 세탁이 끝날 때까지 무엇을 했어요?
  7. 기다리는 시간은 어땠어요?
  8. 빨래방은 어땠어요?
  9. 집에 돌아왔을 때 왜 기분이 좋았어요?