Korean for Laundry Repairs: Asking About a Tangled Hoodie Drawstring
Learn polite Korean phrases to ask a laundromat or alterations shop to rethread a drawstring that came out in the wash, using 끈, 빠졌어요, 다시 넣을 수 있어요?, and 제가 해 볼게요.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
When a hoodie drawstring slips out of its channel in the wash, you need clear, polite Korean to ask for help. This lesson gives you the exact phrases to point out the problem, ask if it can be rethreaded, and offer to try yourself. You will use 끈 (kkeun, string), 빠졌어요 (ppajyeosseoyo, it came out), 다시 넣을 수 있어요? (dasi neo-eul su isseoyo?, can you put it back in?), and 제가 해 볼게요 (jega hae bolgeyo, I'll try). These work for hoodies, sweatpants, and tote bags with cords. The focus is on polite service interactions, not on prices or policies, so you can adapt the phrases to any neighborhood shop.
By the end, you can…
- point out that a drawstring came out of its channel using 끈 and 빠졌어요.
- ask a staff member if they can rethread it with 다시 넣을 수 있어요?
- offer to try fixing it myself with 제가 해 볼게요.
- describe the item as a hoodie, sweatpants, or a bag with a cord.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
이 후드티 끈이 빠졌어요.
The drawstring on this hoodie came out.
i hudeuti kkeuni ppajyeosseoyo
Point to the hoodie and the empty channel. Use this to state the problem clearly before asking for help.
다시 넣을 수 있어요?
Can you put it back in?
dasi neo-eul su isseoyo?
A polite yes/no question. Use it after showing the string and the channel. It asks about ability, not price.
제가 해 볼게요.
I'll try it myself.
jega hae bolgeyo
Offer to attempt the rethreading if the shop is busy or if you want to try first. It is polite and cooperative.
이 끈 좀 봐 주세요.
Please take a look at this string.
i kkeun jom bwa juseyo
Use this to get a staff member's attention and direct their eyes to the drawstring. 좀 softens the request.
여기 끈이 들어가는 곳이 있어요?
Is there a place here where the string goes in?
yeogi kkeuni deureoganeun gosi isseoyo?
Ask this if you are not sure which opening the string should go back into. It shows you are looking for the channel.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern -이/가 빠졌어요 means 'something came out or fell out.' Attach it to the item that is missing or displaced. For a drawstring, say 끈이 빠졌어요 (the string came out). For a button, 단추가 빠졌어요 (the button came off). For a zipper pull, 지퍼 손잡이가 빠졌어요. To ask for a fix, use 다시 넣을 수 있어요? This literally asks 'can you put it back in?' You can also say 다시 끼울 수 있어요? for something that clicks or slots in. The verb 넣다 (to put in) is the most natural for a string going back into a channel.
When to use it
Use these phrases at a laundromat, a dry cleaner, or a small alterations shop. Start with 이 후드티 끈이 빠졌어요 to state the problem. Then ask 다시 넣을 수 있어요? If the staff member looks unsure or busy, you can say 제가 해 볼게요 and try threading it yourself. If you need to find the opening, ask 여기 끈이 들어가는 곳이 있어요? For sweatpants, replace 후드티 with 츄리닝 바지 (training pants) or 면바지 (cotton pants). For a tote bag, say 에코백 끈이 빠졌어요. Always keep your tone polite and let the staff respond before you offer to do it yourself.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
안녕하세요. 이 후드티 끈이 빠졌어요. 다시 넣을 수 있어요?
Hello. The drawstring on this hoodie came out. Can you put it back in?annyeonghaseyo. i hudeuti kkeuni ppajyeosseoyo. dasi neo-eul su isseoyo?네, 한번 볼게요. 끈이 어디로 들어가는지 아세요?
Yes, let me take a look. Do you know where the string goes in?ne, hanbeon bolgeyo. kkeuni eodiro deureoganeunji aseyo?여기 끈이 들어가는 곳이 있어요? 잘 모르겠어요.
Is there a place here where the string goes in? I'm not sure.yeogi kkeuni deureoganeun gosi isseoyo? jal moreugesseoyo.여기요. 제가 다시 넣어 드릴게요. 잠시만 기다려 주세요.
Here it is. I'll put it back in for you. Please wait a moment.yeogiyo. jega dasi neo-eo deurilgeyo. jamsiman gidaryeo juseyo.A little context goes a long way
In Korean service interactions, it is common to state the problem first and then ask if it can be fixed. Using 제가 해 볼게요 shows willingness to help, but if the staff member offers to do it, accept politely with 네, 감사합니다 (yes, thank you). Avoid insisting on doing it yourself if they have already taken the item. Small neighborhood shops often handle simple repairs like rethreading a drawstring, but policies vary, so ask rather than assume. The word 끈 is general for string or cord; for a hoodie drawstring, you can also say 후드티 끈. For sweatpants, 츄리닝 바지 끈 is clear.
One thing to watch for
Using 나갔어요 (nagasseoyo) to mean the string came out.
Try this instead: 나갔어요 usually means 'went out' or 'left,' not 'came out of a channel.' For a drawstring that slipped out, use 빠졌어요. Say 이 후드티 끈이 빠졌어요, not 끈이 나갔어요. 빠지다 is the correct verb for something falling out or coming loose.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you tell a staff member that the drawstring on your hoodie came out?
Show a sample answer
이 후드티 끈이 빠졌어요.
This uses the item 후드티, the word 끈, and the verb 빠졌어요. You can also say 후드티 끈이 빠졌어요. Both are correct and polite.
2What phrase asks if they can rethread the string?
Show a sample answer
다시 넣을 수 있어요?
This asks about ability to put it back in. If you want to be more specific, say 끈을 다시 넣을 수 있어요? Both are fine.
3How do you offer to try fixing it yourself?
Show a sample answer
제가 해 볼게요.
This means 'I'll try it myself.' It is polite and shows initiative. You can also say 제가 한번 해 볼게요 for a slightly softer tone.
State the problem with 끈이 빠졌어요, ask for help with 다시 넣을 수 있어요?, and offer to try with 제가 해 볼게요. These three phrases cover most drawstring emergencies at a Korean laundromat or alterations shop.
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