Reading & Audio

Getting a Haircut

Read and listen to a short Korean text about going to a hair salon, asking for a haircut, and talking about how it feels afterward.

Beginner A1 Teacher audio 5-7 min Daily Life

Lesson Info

Level
Beginner A1
Topic
Hair salon, haircut, simple requests
Focus
-았/었어요, -고 싶어요, 지 마세요, -아/어 주세요, -(으)ㄴ 후에, -지만
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 미용실, 머리, 짧게, and 잘라 주세요.

Reading & Audio
Getting a Haircut
0:43
 

Korean Reading Text

어제 오후에 저는 미용실에 갔어요.
머리가 조금 길어서 머리를 자르고 싶었어요.
예약은 없었지만 다행히 자리가 있었어요.

미용사는 친절했어요.
저는 “너무 짧게 자르지 마세요. 조금만 잘라 주세요.”라고 말했어요.
머리를 자른 후에 거울을 봤어요.
처음에는 조금 어색했지만 금방 마음에 들었어요.
오늘 머리가 가볍고 기분이 좋아요.

Vocabulary

Korean English
어제 오후yesterday afternoon
미용실hair salon
머리hair, head
조금a little
예약reservation, appointment
다행히fortunately
자리seat, available spot
미용사hairdresser
친절하다to be kind
너무too, very
짧게short, in a short way
조금만just a little
after
거울mirror
처음first, at first
금방soon, quickly
기분feeling, mood
가다to go
길다to be long
자르다to cut
말하다to say, to speak
보다to see, to look at
어색하다to feel awkward
마음에 들다to like, to be pleased with
가볍다to feel light
좋다to be good

Sentence Notes

1. 어제 오후에 저는 미용실에 갔어요.

어제 오후에 = yesterday afternoon
저는 = I / topic
미용실에 = to a hair salon
갔어요 = went
This sentence means: Yesterday afternoon, I went to a hair salon.

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

2. 머리가 조금 길어서 머리를 자르고 싶었어요.

머리가 조금 길어서 = because my hair was a little long
머리를 = hair / object
자르고 싶었어요 = wanted to cut
This sentence means: My hair was a little long, so I wanted to get it cut.

-아/어서 can show a reason. -고 싶어요 means “want to do something.”

3. 예약은 없었지만 다행히 자리가 있었어요.

예약은 없었지만 = I did not have an appointment, but
다행히 = fortunately
자리가 있었어요 = there was an available spot
This sentence means: I did not have an appointment, but fortunately, there was an available spot.

-지만 means “but.” 다행히 means “fortunately.”

4. 저는 “너무 짧게 자르지 마세요. 조금만 잘라 주세요.”라고 말했어요.

너무 짧게 = too short
자르지 마세요 = please do not cut
조금만 = just a little
잘라 주세요 = please cut
This sentence means: I said, “Please do not cut it too short. Please cut just a little.”

지 마세요 is used to say “please do not.” -아/어 주세요 is used to make a polite request.

5. 머리를 자른 후에 거울을 봤어요.

머리를 자른 후에 = after cutting my hair
거울을 = mirror / object
봤어요 = looked at
This sentence means: After getting my hair cut, I looked in the mirror.

-(으)ㄴ 후에 means “after doing something.”

6. 처음에는 조금 어색했지만 금방 마음에 들었어요.

처음에는 = at first
조금 어색했지만 = felt a little awkward, but
금방 마음에 들었어요 = I liked it soon / it grew on me quickly
This sentence means: At first, it felt a little awkward, but I liked it soon.

마음에 들다 is a natural expression meaning “to like” or “to be pleased with something.”

7. 오늘 머리가 가볍고 기분이 좋아요.

오늘 = today
머리가 가볍고 = my hair feels light, and
기분이 좋아요 = I feel good
This sentence means: Today, my hair feels light, and I feel good.

-고 connects two descriptions naturally.

English Translation

Yesterday afternoon, I went to a hair salon.
My hair was a little long, so I wanted to get it cut.
I did not have an appointment, but fortunately, there was an available spot.

The hairdresser was kind.
I said, “Please do not cut it too short. Please cut just a little.”
After getting my hair cut, I looked in the mirror.
At first, it felt a little awkward, but I liked it soon.
Today, my hair feels light, and I feel good.

Practice Questions

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

  1. 저는 어제 오후에 어디에 갔어요?
  2. 왜 머리를 자르고 싶었어요?
  3. 예약이 있었어요?
  4. 다행히 무엇이 있었어요?
  5. 미용사는 어땠어요?
  6. 저는 미용사에게 뭐라고 말했어요?
  7. 머리를 자른 후에 무엇을 봤어요?
  8. 처음에는 어땠어요?
  9. 오늘 기분이 어때요?