Change Your Reservation Like a Pro!

Introduction

Hello! This is [Daily Hangeul], here to upgrade your Korean skills to the next level! 👋

Today, we are going to learn how to request a change for a reservation date.

Nowadays in Korea, visiting “Hot Places” (trendy restaurants, cafes, or pop-up stores) is huge! People even use the word “Picketting” (Blood + Ticketing) to describe the war-like competition to get a reservation at these popular spots. But what if you finally succeeded in making a reservation, but suddenly can’t go? 😱

Don’t worry! With today’s expressions, you can politely ask to change your schedule without losing your chance. Let’s dive in!

Key Expressions

Here are 3 essential expressions to help you navigate this situation smoothly.

1. 예약 날짜를 변경하고 싶어요.

• Pronunciation: [Yeyak naljjareul byeongyeonghago sipeoyo]
• English Meaning: I want to change the reservation date.
• Detail: This is the most standard and polite way to state your purpose. ‘변경하다 (byeongyeonghada)’ means ‘to change’ or ‘to modify’. You can use this at restaurants, hair salons, or clinics.
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip (Linking Sound):
  • Notice how ‘싶어요’ is pronounced [sipeoyo]?
  • This is due to ‘Linking’ (Liason). When a syllable ends with a consonant (batchim) and the next starts with a placeholder vowel ‘ㅇ’, the consonant sound moves over.
  • So, ‘싶’ ends with ‘ㅍ(p)’. It moves to ‘어’ making it sound like ‘시퍼요 (si-peo-yo)’. It flows much smoother than saying “sip-eo-yo” separately!

2. 다음 주로 미룰 수 있을까요?

• Pronunciation: [Daeum juro mirul su isseulkkayo?]
• English Meaning: Is it possible to postpone it to next week?
• Detail: ‘미루다 (miruda)’ means ‘to postpone’ or ‘to delay’. Using ‘-(으)l su isseulkkayo?’ (Is it possible to…?) makes your request sound much softer and more polite than just saying “Change it, please.”
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip (Tensing):
  • ‘수’ is often pronounced strongly as [ssu] here, and ‘을까요’ sounds like [eulkkayo].
  • This is called ‘Tensing’ (Glottalization). In the grammar pattern ‘-(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다’, the ‘수’ naturally hardens after the ‘ㄹ’ sound. It adds a clear, questioning tone to your voice!

3. 갑자기 시간을 바꿔서 죄송합니다.

• Pronunciation: [Gapjagi siganeul bakkwoseo joesonghamnida]
• English Meaning: I am sorry for changing the time suddenly.
• Detail: In Korea, showing consideration for the other person’s trouble is very important. Apologizing for the sudden change (‘갑자기’) shows good manners and might make the staff more willing to help you!
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip (Nasalization):
  • Pay attention to ‘합니다’. It is written as ‘hap-ni-da’ but pronounced [hamnida].
  • This is ‘Nasalization’. When the ending consonant ‘ㅂ(p/b)’ meets the nasal sound ‘ㄴ(n)’, the ‘ㅂ’ changes into an ‘ㅁ(m)’ sound to make it easier to say.
  • Try saying “Hap-ni-da” fast 10 times. Your lips naturally want to say “Ham-ni-da,” right? That’s the Korean rule!

Dialogue Practice

Let’s see how these expressions work in a real situation.
(A: You / B: Restaurant Staff)

B: 전화 주셔서 감사합니다. ‘맛집 식당’입니다.
(Thank you for calling. This is ‘Matjib Restaurant’.)

A: 안녕하세요. 제가 이번 주 금요일로 예약을 했는데요. 예약 날짜를 변경하고 싶어요.
(Hello. I made a reservation for this Friday. I want to change the reservation date.)

B: 아, 그러세요? 언제로 변경 원하시나요?
(Ah, really? When would you like to change it to?)

A: 혹시 다음 주 금요일로 미룰 수 있을까요?
(By any chance, is it possible to postpone it to next Friday?)

B: 잠시만요… 네, 가능합니다.
(One moment… Yes, that is possible.)

A: 정말 다행이네요! 갑자기 시간을 바꿔서 죄송합니다.
(That’s such a relief! I’m sorry for changing the time suddenly.)

Culture Tip & Trend Analysis

📢 Why is rescheduling so important in Korea right now?

As mentioned in the intro, getting a reservation at a hot place in Korea is incredibly difficult. We call this “Picketting” (피켓팅), meaning the ticketing is as intense as a blood battle!

Because of this, “No-Show” (노쇼) is a huge taboo. Many popular apps like Catch Table or Naver Booking require a deposit (예약금). If you don’t call to change or cancel in advance, you might lose your deposit!

Also, Korean Z-generation often uses the phrase “Open Run” (오픈런). This means waiting in line before the store even opens because reservations are full. So, if you have a reservation, you are very lucky! Make sure to use today’s polite expressions to keep that precious spot! 😉

Wrap-up & Quiz

Today we learned how to politely change a reservation date. Remember, being polite (‘죄송합니다’) and asking gently (‘~수 있을까요?’) are the keys to successful communication!

📝 Mini Quiz

Fill in the blanks with the correct words we learned today!

1. I want to change the reservation.
   = 예약을 ( )하고 싶어요.
2. Can I postpone it to tomorrow?
   = 내일로 ( ) 수 있을까요?

(Answer Key: 1. 변경, 2. 미룰)

Did you get them right? Please leave a comment below using these expressions! See you in the next post! 👋