Korean for Ordering: Asking If Decaf Is Available and Choosing an Alternative
Learn to ask politely whether a café has decaf, understand a possible no, and request a low-caffeine recommendation in Korean.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
You are at a café in the evening and want decaf, but you do not know if it is available. In Korean, you can ask directly and politely with a few set patterns. This lesson teaches 디카페인 (decaf), 가능해요? (is it possible?), and a fallback for when the answer is no: 그럼 다른 거 추천해 주세요 (then please recommend something else). You will practice a short exchange that accepts a no without pressure and asks for a low-caffeine alternative. The focus is spoken politeness and clear, reusable questions for staff.
By the end, you can…
- ask whether decaf is available using 디카페인 가능해요?
- accept a no politely and ask for a recommendation with 그럼 다른 거 추천해 주세요.
- ask a follow-up question about caffeine content using 카페인.
- use 저기요 to get a staff member’s attention politely.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
디카페인
decaf
di-ka-pe-in
The standard Korean word for decaffeinated coffee. Use it as a noun when asking about availability.
가능해요?
Is it possible? / Do you have it?
ga-neung-hae-yo?
A polite, general way to ask if something can be done or is available. Attach it after a noun (e.g., 디카페인 가능해요?). It is not attached directly to a verb stem; for verbs, use a nominalized form or a different pattern.
디카페인 가능해요?
Is decaf possible? / Do you have decaf?
di-ka-pe-in ga-neung-hae-yo?
The main question for this situation. It is polite and direct without being demanding.
그럼 다른 거 추천해 주세요
Then please recommend something else
geu-reom da-reun geo chu-cheon-hae ju-se-yo
Use this after hearing that decaf is not available. It politely asks for an alternative.
카페인 적은 거 있어요?
Do you have something low in caffeine?
ka-pe-in jeo-eun geo i-sseo-yo?
A follow-up question if you want a low-caffeine option rather than no caffeine at all.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern [noun] + 가능해요? asks whether something is possible or available. It works with many nouns: 디카페인 가능해요? (Is decaf possible?), 예약 가능해요? (Is a reservation possible?), 카드 가능해요? (Is card payment possible?). The noun comes first, then 가능해요?. Keep the question intonation rising at the end. This pattern is polite because 해요 style is neutral-polite and safe with staff you do not know.
When to use it
Use 디카페인 가능해요? when you are ordering and want to check before choosing. If the staff says no, do not repeat the same question. Instead, accept it and move to a fallback: 그럼 다른 거 추천해 주세요 (Then please recommend something else). If you want to be more specific, add 카페인 적은 거 있어요? (Do you have something low in caffeine?). This keeps the conversation cooperative and gives the staff a clear next step.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
저기요, 디카페인 가능해요?
Excuse me, is decaf possible?jeo-gi-yo, di-ka-pe-in ga-neung-hae-yo?아, 죄송하지만 디카페인은 없어요.
Ah, sorry, but we don’t have decaf.a, joe-song-ha-ji-man di-ka-pe-in-eun eop-seo-yo.그럼 다른 거 추천해 주세요.
Then please recommend something else.geu-reom da-reun geo chu-cheon-hae ju-se-yo.카페인 적은 차는 어때요?
How about a tea that’s low in caffeine?ka-pe-in jeo-eun cha-neun eo-ttae-yo?A little context goes a long way
In Korean cafés, staff are used to polite 해요-style questions. Using 저기요 to get attention is common and not rude when said with a soft tone. Accepting a no with a short acknowledgment like 아, 네 or 그렇군요 before asking for an alternative keeps the exchange smooth. Tipping is not customary in most Korean cafés, and service policies vary by shop, so ask rather than assume.
One thing to watch for
Saying 디카페인 있어요? with a falling tone, which can sound like a statement or a demand rather than a polite question.
Try this instead: Use 디카페인 가능해요? with rising intonation. 디카페인 있어요? is understandable, but 가능해요? is clearer for availability. For a softer request, say 디카페인으로 주세요 (Please give me decaf) only after you know it is available.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask a café staff member if decaf is possible?
Show a sample answer
디카페인 가능해요?
This uses the noun 디카페인 plus 가능해요? to ask about availability politely. 디카페인 있어요? is also acceptable, but 가능해요? is the target pattern here.
2The staff says there is no decaf. What polite fallback asks for another recommendation?
Show a sample answer
그럼 다른 거 추천해 주세요.
그럼 means ‘then’, 다른 거 means ‘something else’, and 추천해 주세요 means ‘please recommend’. This accepts the no and moves forward without pressure.
3How do you ask if they have something low in caffeine?
Show a sample answer
카페인 적은 거 있어요?
카페인 적은 거 means ‘something low in caffeine’, and 있어요? asks if it exists. This is useful when you want less caffeine rather than none.
Ask 디카페인 가능해요? to check for decaf. If the answer is no, say 그럼 다른 거 추천해 주세요 to ask for an alternative, and use 카페인 적은 거 있어요? if you want a low-caffeine option.
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