Confirming the Right Bus | Learn Korean in English

Korean lesson set in a contemporary Seoul everyday setting: At a bus stop, two passengers ask the driver whether the bus goes to the station before boarding..

EN → KO / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Confirming the Right Bus to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

버스가 왔어요.

BUH-suh-gah wah-SSUH-yoh The bus is here.
B

이 버스가 맞는 것 같아요?

ee BUH-suh-gah MAHN-nun guht KAH-tah-yoh? Do you think this is the right bus?
A

타기 전에 기사님께 물어봐요.

TAH-gee juhn-eh GEE-sah-neem-kkeh MOO-ruh-BWAH-yoh Let's ask the driver before we get on.
A

실례합니다. 이 버스가 역에 가나요?

SHEEL-lyeh-ham-nee-dah. ee BUH-suh-gah yuh-geh GAH-nah-yoh? Excuse me, does this bus go to the station?
C

역이 종점이에요.

yuh-GEE jong-JJUM-ee-eh-yoh The station is the last stop.
B

그럼 이 버스가 맞네요.

guh-RUHM ee BUH-suh-gah MAHN-neh-yoh Then this is the right bus.
A

타서 안쪽으로 더 들어가요.

TAH-suh AHN-jjoh-guh-roh DUH duh-ruh-gah-yoh Let's get on and move farther inside.
B

저는 가운데 근처에 서 있을게요.

juh-NUN gah-oon-DEH guh n-CHUH-eh suh ee-SSUL-geh-yoh I'll stand near the middle.

Word by Word

버스가 “버스가” identifies the bus as the subject of the sentence. In “버스가 왔어요,” it tells us what has arrived. The subject marker 가 is used after this noun to show what arrived.
왔어요 “왔어요” means that the bus has arrived and is here. It is the polite form used here of 오다, “to come.” Use it when telling someone that a person or thing has arrived at the relevant place.
이 “이” means “this” and points to the bus being considered here. In “이 버스,” it comes directly before the noun 버스. Use 이 before a noun when identifying something as this particular item.
맞는 “맞는” means “right” or “correct” in “맞는 것 같아요?” It modifies the following expression about whether this bus is the correct one. It is the modifier form related to 맞다, “to be right,” and can be reused before a noun to describe something as correct.
것 In “맞는 것 같아요,” “것” refers to the situation or fact of being right. It is part of the whole expression “것 같아요,” which conveys that something seems to be the case. Use this expression when giving an opinion that is not stated as complete certainty.
같아요 “같아요” makes the judgment sound like “seems” or “do you think,” as in “맞는 것 같아요?” It is the polite form used here of 같다, “to be alike or seem.” The reusable pattern “것 같아요” lets you say that something seems true.
타기 “타기” means “getting on” in “타기 전에.” It is the form of 타다, “to get on,” used as an action before another expression. The pattern verb + 기 전에 means “before doing the verb.”
전에 “전에” means “before,” and in “타기 전에” it places the question to the driver before getting on. It follows the action 타기 here. Use it after a time or action when referring to what happens earlier.
기사님께 “기사님께” means “to the driver” and marks the driver as the person being asked. 기사님 is a respectful way to refer to the driver, and 께 marks the recipient respectfully. Use a person’s name or title with 께 when directing a question or action to that person.
물어봐요 “물어봐요” means “ask” in the suggestion “기사님께 물어봐요.” It is the polite form used here for asking someone for information. Use it with the person being asked, such as the driver in this dialogue.
실례합니다 “실례합니다” means “excuse me” and politely gets the driver’s attention before a question. It is used when beginning a respectful interaction with someone you do not want to interrupt abruptly. A learner can use it to approach a stranger or service worker politely.
역에 “역에” means “to the station” in “역에 가나요?” The particle 에 marks the station as the destination of going. Use a place followed by 에 when asking or saying where a bus or person goes.
가나요 “가나요” asks whether the bus goes somewhere, as in “역에 가나요?” It is the polite question form used here of 가다, “to go.” Use it when checking whether a bus or another subject goes to a stated destination.
역이 “역이” identifies the station as the subject of “역이 종점이에요.” The particle 이 marks 역, “station,” as what is being identified. Use a noun followed by 이 when that noun is the subject of the statement.
종점이에요 “종점이에요” means “is the last stop” or “is the terminal.” In “역이 종점이에요,” it identifies the station as the route’s final stop. Use it when explaining that a station or other stop is where a route ends.
그럼 “그럼” means “then” or “in that case.” Here it introduces the conclusion that the bus is the correct one after hearing where the route ends. Use it at the start of a response when the next statement follows from information just given.
맞네요 “맞네요” means “it is right” or “I see that it is correct,” with a sense of recognizing the result. In “이 버스가 맞네요,” the speaker realizes that this is the correct bus. Use it after receiving information that confirms an earlier guess.
타서 “타서” means “get on and then” in “타서 안쪽으로 더 들어가요.” It is the form of 타다 used here to connect getting on with the next action. In this context, the pattern first action + 서 links two actions that happen in sequence.
안쪽으로 “안쪽으로” means “toward the inside.” It shows the direction of movement in “안쪽으로 더 들어가요,” toward the inner part of the bus. Use a location followed by 으로 when describing movement in that direction.
더 “더” means “farther” here and shows that the passengers should move farther inside. It modifies the movement in “더 들어가요.” Use it before an action or description when meaning “more” or “further.”
들어가요 “들어가요” means “go in” or “move inside.” In this dialogue, it tells the passengers to move farther into the bus after getting on. It is the polite form used here of 들어가다, “to go inside,” and is useful when someone moves into an area.
저는 “저는” means “as for me” or simply “I” and sets the speaker as the topic. In “저는 가운데 근처에 서 있을게요,” the speaker states their own plan. Use 저는 when describing your own action or choice in a conversation.
가운데 “가운데” means “middle” or “center.” Here it identifies the central area of the bus in “가운데 근처에.” Use it as a location word when referring to the middle part of a place or group.
근처에 “근처에” means “near” or “in the vicinity of.” In “가운데 근처에 서 있을게요,” it locates the speaker near the middle. Use a place followed by 근처에 when saying that someone or something is nearby that place.
서 “서” means “stand” in the plan “서 있을게요.” It comes from 서다, “to stand,” and combines with the following form to describe remaining in a standing position. Use it when describing standing as part of an ongoing or planned state.
있을게요 “있을게요” means “I’ll be” or “I’ll stay,” and in “서 있을게요” it describes the speaker’s plan to remain standing there. It is based on 있다, “to be or stay,” with a polite form used for the speaker’s intention. Use it when offering or stating your own future plan in the situation.

Grammar Points

동사-기 전에

버스를 타기 전에 기사님께 물어봐요.

BUH-suhl TAH-gee juhn-eh GEE-sah-neem-kkeh MOO-ruh-BWAH-yoh

I ask the driver before getting on the bus.

Attach -기 전에 to a verb to mean “before doing something.”

형용사-(으)ㄴ 것 같아요

맞는 것 같아요.

MAHN-nun GUHT KAH-tah-yoh

It seems to be right.

Attach -(으)ㄴ 것 같아요 to an adjective to express an uncertain impression or opinion.

Korean Vocabulary

가다 verb
GAH-dah to go 가나요
것 같다 phrase
guht KAHt-tah to think; to seem 것 같아요
기사님 noun
GEE-sah-neem driver 기사님께
맞다 adj
MAHT-ttah to be right; correct 맞는
물어보다 verb
MOO-ruh-boh-dah to ask 물어봐요
버스 noun
BUH-suh bus
실례하다 verb
SHEEL-lyeh-hah-dah to excuse oneself; to be excused 실례합니다
역 noun
yuhk station 역에
오다 verb
OH-dah to come 왔어요
전 noun
juhn before 전에
종점 noun
jong-JJUM last stop; terminal
타다 verb
TAH-dah to get on; to ride 타기

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

The bus is here.

Show Answer버스가 왔어요.

Do you think this is the right bus?

Show Answer이 버스가 맞는 것 같아요?

Let's ask the driver before we get on.

Show Answer타기 전에 기사님께 물어봐요.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

driver

Show Answer기사님께

to excuse oneself; to be excused

Show Answer실례합니다

to ask

Show Answer물어봐요

to be right; correct

Show Answer맞는