4 · 40 words

Communication at work

Reports, approvals, deadlines and ranks: the words of a Korean office.

Korean offices run on paperwork that goes upwards: a plan is drafted (기안하다), submitted, and signed off by the people above (결재). People are addressed by their rank with 님, not by name alone — 팀장님, 차장님 — so the ranks are vocabulary you need from the first day. Written messages use 합니다 forms and fixed phrases such as 회신해 주시기 바랍니다, “please reply”, which would sound stiff anywhere else.

The words

Verb (10)

기안하다to draft (an internal document for approval)Verb4

새 행사 계획을 기안해서 팀장님께 올렸어요.I drafted the plan for the new event and submitted it to the team leader.

협력하다to cooperate; to work togetherVerb4

두 회사는 새 제품을 함께 개발하기 위해 협력하기로 했습니다.The two companies have agreed to work together to develop a new product.

소집하다to call (a meeting); to conveneVerb4

사장님이 갑자기 긴급 회의를 소집하셨어요.The head of the company suddenly called an emergency meeting.

회신하다to reply (formally)Verb4

내용을 확인하시고 금요일까지 회신해 주시기 바랍니다.Please check the details and reply by Friday.

문의하다to enquire; to askVerb4

배송 문제로 고객 센터에 문의했어요.I contacted customer service about a delivery problem.

Formal; the noun 문의 is on every website: 문의 사항, enquiries.

보류하다to put on hold; to deferVerb4

예산 문제로 그 계획은 일단 보류하기로 했습니다.Because of budget issues, we have decided to put the plan on hold for now.

조정하다to adjust; to rearrangeVerb4

모두 시간이 맞지 않아서 회의 날짜를 조정했어요.Our schedules did not line up, so we moved the meeting to another date.

조율하다to coordinate; to reconcile (views)Verb4

여러 부서의 의견을 조율하는 게 쉽지 않아요.Reconciling the views of several departments is not easy.

분담하다to divide up; to share (work)Verb4

일을 네 명이 똑같이 분담하기로 했어요.We agreed to split the work equally among the four of us.

독촉하다to press (for); to chase upVerb4

거래처에서 대금을 빨리 보내 달라고 독촉했어요.The supplier pressed us to send the payment quickly.

This list belongs to Work and careers — five lists and 200 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.