예약했어요
yeyakhaesseoyo
In Korean, 'I have a reservation' is expressed as 예약했어요 (yeyakhaesseoyo).
This phrase is used when arriving at a venue to notify staff that you have a pre-arranged booking.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the noun 예약 (reservation) and the verb 하다 (to do) in the past tense.
Which one should you use?
The formal way to say 'I have a reservation' is 예약이 있어요, and the informal way is 예약이 있어.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you want to sound more formal or highly respectful, you should use 예약했습니다.
How does it change in a sentence?
The ending -어요 makes this a polite, standard way to speak to staff at a restaurant or hotel.
How do you pronounce it?
yeyakhaesseoyo
Did you know?
- The root word 예약 is composed of characters meaning 'promise' and 'tie'. It literally suggests tying a knot to seal a promise.
- In Korea, you can often make a 'reservation' for things English speakers don't usually book, such as a specific seat at a hair salon or a timed entry to a popular cafe.
- In many restaurants, rather than just saying 예약했어요, customers often lead with their name followed by 예약한 [Name]입니다. This follows the Korean linguistic preference for identifying oneself through a title or noun rather than using a direct subject-verb sentence.
Examples in context
- 오늘 저녁 7시에 예약했어요.oneul jeonyeok ilgop-sie yeyakaesseoyo.I have a reservation for 7 PM tonight.
- 미리 예약했어요.miri yeyakaesseoyo.I made a reservation in advance.
- 제 이름으로 예약했어요.je ireumeuro yeyakaesseoyo.I have a reservation under my name.
Example conversation
Entering a restaurant.
- 지훈 Ji-hun안녕하세요, 예약했어요.annyeonghaseyo, yeyakhaesseoyo.Hello, I have a reservation.
- 서연 Seo-yeon성함이 어떻게 되세요?seonghami eotteoke doeseyo?What is your name?
- 지훈 Ji-hun지훈이라고 예약했어요.jihunirago yeyakhaesseoyo.I made the reservation as Jihoon.
- 서연 Seo-yeon네, 이쪽으로 오세요.ne, ijjogeuro oseyo.Yes, please come this way.
