Korean Phrases at a Dry Cleaner in Korea
Korean phrases at a dry cleaner come down to Pattern 03 from the SULSUL workbook — purpose plus 하고 싶어요 (hago sipeoyo), "I would like to…" Walk in with your coat and say 세탁하고 싶어요 (setakhago sipeoyo), "I'd like to dry-clean this," then ask 언제 되나요? (eonje doenayo?), "When will it be ready?" before you leave for the day.
- Request dry cleaning: 세탁하고 싶어요 (setakhago sipeoyo), "I'd like to dry-clean this."
- Ask pickup time: 언제 되나요? (eonje doenayo?), "When will it be ready?"
- Need it today: 오늘 받을 수 있어요? (oneul badeul su isseoyo?), "Can I pick it up today?"
- Check the price: 얼마예요? (eolmayeyo?), "How much is it?"
- Get a receipt: 영수증 주세요 (yeongsujeung juseyo), "Receipt, please."
How do you hand over clothes at the counter?
세탁소 (setakso, dry cleaner) signs appear on side streets near hotels and apartment blocks. Staff tag each item and ask when you need it back — the opening line sets the whole visit.
You: 세탁하고 싶어요. — setakhago sipeoyo. — "I'd like to dry-clean this."
Them: 언제 필요하세요? — eonje piryohaseyo? — "When do you need it?"
You: 오늘 받을 수 있어요? — oneul badeul su isseoyo? — "Can I pick it up today?"
| Situation | Say this |
|---|---|
| Dry-clean this | 세탁하고 싶어요 (setakhago sipeoyo) |
| When ready? | 언제 되나요? (eonje doenayo?) |
| Pick up today | 오늘 받을 수 있어요? (oneul badeul su isseoyo?) |
| How much? | 얼마예요? (eolmayeyo?) |
| Receipt | 영수증 주세요 (yeongsujeung juseyo) |
Practice this out loud with SULSUL — the app says it, you repeat it →
What happens when you pick up?
Shops keep a paper ticket — 접수증 (jeopsu jeung, receipt slip) — with your phone number or a pickup code. Listen for 완료 (wanryo, finished) when your item is ready.
You: 얼마예요? — eolmayeyo? — "How much is it?"
Them: 12,000원이에요. — man icheon won-ieyo. — "It is 12,000 won."
You: 영수증 주세요. — yeongsujeung juseyo. — "Receipt, please."
For self-service washing machines on a longer stay, Korean phrases for a laundromat in Korea covers the coin-machine version — 세탁소 (setakso) is for professional dry cleaning when you need a suit or coat pressed fast.
What usually goes wrong at a dry cleaner?
Travelers often lose the pickup slip and cannot explain which item is theirs — 영수증 주세요 at drop-off gives you a number to show on return. A second mistake is assuming same-day service: 오늘 받을 수 있어요? upfront prevents showing up at 6 p.m. when the shop closes at 7 with your jacket still on the rack.
You: 언제 되나요? — eonje doenayo? — "When will it be ready?"
Them: 내일 오후에요. — naeil ohu-eyo. — "Tomorrow afternoon."
You: 네, 알겠어요. — ne, algesseoyo. — "Okay, got it."
Say it out loud, not just in your head
Reading 세탁하고 싶어요 on your phone is not the same as saying it while staff are tagging the line behind you.
SULSUL is a speaking gym for exactly that moment: pick a survival pattern, say it out loud, get an instant fix from the AI pronunciation coach, then run the real situation as a mission. The 100-pattern PDF workbook comes along as a bonus.
