Korean for Kiosks: Asking About a Greyed-Out Menu Button
Learn to say 품절, 버튼이 안 눌러요, and ask 이거 오늘 못 먹어요? when a kiosk menu tile is dimmed, so you can ask staff instead of tapping a dead button.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
You are at a self-order kiosk in Korea. One menu tile is dimmed and will not respond. Is it sold out, or is it on another page? Instead of tapping repeatedly, you can ask a staff member. In this lesson you will learn three useful Korean expressions: 품절 (sold out), 버튼이 안 눌러요 (the button does not press), and the question 이거 오늘 못 먹어요? (Can I not eat this today?). These are polite and work in many kiosk situations. You will also practice a short dialogue and avoid a common mistake. The goal is to build the habit of asking a human when the screen does not cooperate.
By the end, you can…
- recognize and say 품절 to mean sold out.
- say 버튼이 안 눌러요 to explain that a button does not press.
- ask 이거 오늘 못 먹어요? to check if an item is unavailable today.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
품절
sold out
pum-jeol
Use this word when an item is no longer available. It often appears on kiosk screens or signs. You can say it alone or in a sentence like 이거 품절이에요? (Is this sold out?).
버튼이 안 눌러요
The button does not press.
beo-teun-i an nul-leo-yo
Use this when you touch a button and nothing happens. It describes the button itself, not the menu item. You can point to the screen while saying it. Note that this is a common, natural way to describe an unresponsive button, even though the verb literally means 'does not get pressed.'
이거 오늘 못 먹어요?
Can I not eat this today? / Is this unavailable today?
i-geo o-neul mot meo-geo-yo?
A polite question to ask if a specific item is unavailable today. Use it when you are not sure if the item is sold out or just not available right now.
이거 주문할 수 있어요?
Can I order this?
i-geo ju-mun-hal su i-sseo-yo?
A general question to check if an item can be ordered. Use it when the button is greyed out and you want to know if ordering is possible.
다른 페이지에 있어요?
Is it on another page?
da-reun pe-i-ji-e i-sseo-yo?
Ask this if you think the item might be on a different screen or category. It helps clarify whether the item is truly unavailable or just hidden.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern '이거 오늘 못 먹어요?' combines 이거 (this), 오늘 (today), 못 (cannot), and 먹어요 (eat) with a rising question intonation. It literally means 'Can I not eat this today?' but functions as 'Is this unavailable today?' You can replace 이거 with a specific item name, for example 김치찌개 오늘 못 먹어요? (Is kimchi stew unavailable today?). The word 못 expresses inability due to circumstances, which fits sold-out situations. For button problems, use 버튼이 안 눌러요. Here 안 negates the verb 눌러요 (press), so it means 'the button does not press.' You can also say 화면이 안 눌러요 (the screen does not press) if the whole screen is unresponsive.
When to use it
Use 품절 when you see a sold-out sign or when a staff member tells you an item is gone. For example, if you ask 이거 주문할 수 있어요? and the staff replies 품절이에요, you know it is sold out. Use 버튼이 안 눌러요 when you tap a button and get no response. Point to the button and say it politely. Use 이거 오늘 못 먹어요? when you are unsure if the item is sold out or just not available on that page. This question is soft and polite. If the staff says 다른 페이지에 있어요, you can look for it elsewhere. If they say 품절이에요, you can choose something else. Always ask a staff member instead of tapping repeatedly.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
저기요, 이거 버튼이 안 눌러요.
Excuse me, this button does not press.jeo-gi-yo, i-geo beo-teun-i an nul-leo-yo.아, 네. 어떤 메뉴예요?
Oh, okay. Which menu item is it?a, ne. eo-tteon me-nyu-ye-yo?이거요. 오늘 못 먹어요?
This one. Can I not eat it today? / Is it unavailable today?i-geo-yo. o-neul mot meo-geo-yo?네, 오늘은 품절이에요. 다른 메뉴를 주문해 주세요.
Yes, it is sold out today. Please order a different menu item.ne, o-neul-eun pum-jeol-i-e-yo. da-reun me-nyu-reul ju-mun-hae ju-se-yo.A little context goes a long way
In Korea, kiosks are common in fast-food restaurants and cafes. Staff are usually nearby and happy to help. It is polite to say 저기요 (excuse me) to get attention before asking a question. Using -요 at the end of sentences keeps your speech polite without being too formal. If you are unsure, you can also show the screen to a staff member and say 이거 안 돼요 (this does not work). Avoid tapping the screen repeatedly; it can seem impatient. A calm question is more effective.
One thing to watch for
Saying 버튼이 안 눌러요 to mean the menu item is sold out.
Try this instead: 버튼이 안 눌러요 means the button does not press, not that the item is sold out. If you want to say the item is sold out, use 품절이에요. For example, if the staff asks which item, you can say 이거 품절이에요? (Is this sold out?).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'sold out' in Korean?
Show a sample answer
품절
품절 is the standard word for sold out. It is used on signs and in speech. You can also say 품절이에요 to make a polite sentence.
2What should you say if a kiosk button does not respond when you press it?
Show a sample answer
버튼이 안 눌러요.
This sentence means 'The button does not press.' It is polite and clear. You can point to the button while saying it.
3How do you ask if a specific menu item is unavailable today?
Show a sample answer
이거 오늘 못 먹어요?
This question asks if you cannot eat this today. It is a polite way to check availability. You can replace 이거 with the item name.
When a kiosk button is greyed out, do not keep tapping. Say 버튼이 안 눌러요 to explain the problem, and ask 이거 오늘 못 먹어요? to check if it is sold out. Use 품절 when you hear or see that an item is gone. A quick polite question to staff saves time and frustration.
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