Korean for Live Cooking Instruction: Guiding Someone Through a Dish Step by Step
Learn to give real-time cooking instructions in Korean using imperative forms, sequencing words, and polite checks. Practice a full recipe dialogue for haemul pajeon.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you cook together in Korean, you don't just read a recipe—you guide someone through actions as they happen. This lesson teaches you the language of live instruction: telling someone to chop, stir, and wait, checking if they're following, and warning them when to stop. You'll learn the imperative forms Koreans actually use in the kitchen, from casual to polite, and how to sequence steps with words like geureogo (and then) and geuda-eum-e (next). By the end, you'll be able to walk a friend through making haemul pajeon (seafood scallion pancake) from start to finish, adjusting your politeness to the situation.
By the end, you can…
- give step-by-step cooking instructions using Korean imperative forms.
- sequence actions with words like geureogo, geuda-eum-e, and mae beon.
- check if someone is following and warn them to stop or wait.
- switch between casual and polite speech depending on who I'm cooking with.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
파를 썰어 주세요.
Please chop the scallions.
pareul sseoreo juseyo
Polite request using -아/어 주세요. Use with someone you're not close to or in a formal cooking class.
파 좀 썰어.
Chop the scallions, will you?
pa jom sseoreo
Casual imperative with jom to soften the command. Use with close friends or family.
그러고 나서 반죽을 부어.
And then pour in the batter.
geureogo naseo banjugeul bueo
Sequencing phrase geureogo naseo means 'after doing that, then'. Followed by casual imperative.
잠깐 기다려 주세요.
Please wait a moment.
jamkkan gidaryeo juseyo
Polite way to tell someone to pause. Useful when timing matters, like letting the pancake set.
이제 뒤집어도 돼요.
Now you can flip it.
ije dwijibeodo dwaeyo
Permission form -아/어도 돼요. Signals that the next step is safe to do.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Korean imperatives change with politeness. For live cooking, the two most useful are the casual -아/어 form and the polite -아/어 주세요 form. Casual: 썰어 (sseoreo, chop), 부어 (bueo, pour), 기다려 (gidaryeo, wait). Polite: 썰어 주세요 (sseoreo juseyo), 부어 주세요 (bueo juseyo), 기다려 주세요 (gidaryeo juseyo). Add jom (좀) before the verb to soften a casual command: 파 좀 썰어 (pa jom sseoreo, chop the scallions a bit). To tell someone not to do something, use -지 마: 뒤집지 마 (dwijipji ma, don't flip it).
When to use it
Use casual imperatives with close friends, younger siblings, or your own children. Use polite -아/어 주세요 with acquaintances, older relatives, or in a cooking class. When giving a sequence, link steps with 그러고 나서 (geureogo naseo, and then) or 그다음에 (geuda-eum-e, next). To check if someone is following, ask 알겠어? (algesseo?, got it?) casually or 알겠어요? (algesseoyo?) politely. If you need to stop them, say 잠깐만! (jamkkanman!, wait a second!) or 하지 마! (haji ma!, don't do that!).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
자, 이제 파를 썰어 볼까?
Okay, now shall we try chopping the scallions?ja, ije pareul sseoreo bolkka?네, 이렇게 썰면 돼요?
Yes, should I chop it like this?ne, ireoke sseoreomyeon dwaeyo?응, 그렇게 썰고 나서 반죽에 넣어.
Yeah, chop it like that and then put it in the batter.eung, geureoke sseolgo naseo banjuge neo-eo.알겠어. 그다음엔 뭐 해?
Got it. What do I do next?algesseo. geuda-eumen mwo hae?A little context goes a long way
In Korean cooking together, age and social distance decide your speech level. If you're guiding someone older or less familiar, use polite -아/어 주세요 and 요 endings. With close friends or younger people, casual imperatives are normal and not rude. Koreans often soften commands with jom (좀) or a rising intonation, and they frequently use 'shall we?' suggestions like -ㄹ까? to make instructions feel collaborative rather than bossy.
One thing to watch for
Using the polite -아/어 주세요 form with a close friend in a casual kitchen setting, which can sound distant or sarcastic.
Try this instead: Match your form to the relationship. With a close friend, say 파 좀 썰어 (pa jom sseoreo) instead of 파를 썰어 주세요 (pareul sseoreo juseyo). Save the polite form for someone older, a guest, or a formal class.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you casually tell a close friend to pour the batter?
Show a sample answer
반죽을 부어.
This uses the casual imperative 부어 from 붓다 (to pour). Adding 좀 (반죽 좀 부어) is also fine and softens the command.
2What polite phrase tells someone to wait a moment before flipping?
Show a sample answer
잠깐 기다려 주세요.
This uses the polite request form -아/어 주세요. You could also say 잠시만 기다려 주세요 for a slightly more formal tone.
3How do you link two steps: chop the scallions, then put them in the batter?
Show a sample answer
파를 썰고 나서 반죽에 넣어.
The pattern -고 나서 means 'after doing [first action], then [second action]'. You can also use 그러고 나서 as a separate phrase between sentences.
In live Korean cooking instruction, choose your imperative form based on who you're talking to: casual -아/어 with close friends, polite -아/어 주세요 with others. Sequence steps with -고 나서 or 그러고 나서, and check in with 알겠어? or 알겠어요? to keep the cooking smooth.
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