Mike: Sorry to call you in the morning but I’m in a pickle! Can you come pick me up at the bus station on Georgia Street?
Alice: Is everything ok?

Mike: No. My car broke down and now I’m waiting for a bus but the bus hasn’t showed up for nearly an hour.
Alice: I’ll be there soon.
Mike: Thank you!

Mike가 Alice에게 “Sorry to call you in the morning but I’m in a pickle! Can you come pick me up at the bus station on Georgia Street? 아침부터 전화해서 미안한데, 혹시 버스 정류장으로 나 좀 데리러 올 수 없니? 상황이 좀 난처해져서 그래.” 라고 하자 Alice가 “Is everything ok? 무슨 일이라도 있는 거니?”라고 다시 묻습니다.

Mike가 “No. My car broke down and now I’m waiting for a bus but the bus hasn’t showed up for nearly an hour. 아니, 차가 고장 나서 버스를 기다리고 있는데 한 시간이 다 되도록 오지 않아서 말이야.”라고 하네요. Keep today’s phrase ‘in a pickle’ in mind and let’s hear the conversation again. 그럼 다시 한번 대화를 들어볼까요?

Mike: Sorry to call you in the morning but I’m in a pickle! Can you come pick me up at the bus station on Georgia Street?
Alice: Is everything ok?

Mike: No. My car broke down and now I’m waiting for a bus but the bus hasn’t showed up for nearly an hour.
Alice: I’ll be there soon.
Mike: Thank you!

오늘의 표현은 In a pickle입니다. In a pickle means that you are experiencing a difficult situation and that you are in a mess or in trouble.

Pickle은 오이나 여러 가지 채소, 과일을 소금물과 식초로 절인 것인데요. 각종 향신료를 넣어 만든 서양식 장아찌라고 보면 되겠습니다. 보통 병에 넣어 보관하죠.

Pickle은 또 궁지, 곤경, 어려운 처지, 혼란 등을 뜻하기도 하는데요. 따라서 ‘in a pickle’은 곤경에 처하다, 혼란에 빠지다, 난처해지다 라는 의미입니다.

이제 예를 들어 볼까요? Let me give you some examples. “We’re in a pickle because our car is out of gas.” 라고 하면 “어휴, 큰 일이야. 차에 기름이 다 떨어졌어.”라는 뜻이 됩니다.

또 다른 예를 들어 보겠습니다. “I’m in a pickle Steve. Do you think you can help me?” 라고 하면 “스티브, 내가 상황이 좀 곤란해졌는데 혹시 도와줄 수 있니?”라는 뜻이 됩니다. Now you know what the expression ‘in a pickle’ means right? Then we will listen to the conversation for the last time.

Mike: Sorry to call you in the morning but I’m in a pickle! Can you come pick me up at the bus station on Georgia Street?
Alice: Is everything ok?

Mike: No. My car broke down and now I’m waiting for a bus but the bus hasn’t showed up for nearly an hour.
Alice: I’ll be there soon.
Mike: Thank you!

Let’s review. If you are in a pickle, it means that you are in trouble or in a mess. IN A PICKLE. Now try using the phrase on your own.