Arriving at City Hall by Bike | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 저는 이 시청 안에 들어와 본 적이 없어요.

   I have never been inside this city hall before.

   저는

   as for me

   이

   this

   시청

   city hall

   안에

   inside

   들어와

   come in; enter

   본 적이 없어요

   have no experience

   More detail

   저는 combines 저 (“I,” the humble first-person pronoun) with the topic marker 는. It sets the speaker as the topic: “As for me …” The marker 는 can also create contrast, but no contrast is required here. 이 means “this” and comes before the noun it specifies. Demonstratives such as 이 identify something near the speaker; the fixed translation identifies the noun here as “this city hall.” 시청 means “city hall.” It is a noun and can be reused with location markers, for example: 시청에 가요 — “I go to city hall.” 안에 means “inside.” 안 is the noun “inside/interior,” and 에 marks the location. Thus 시청 안에 means “inside the city hall,” rather than merely “at city hall.” 들어와 is the connective form of 들어오다, “to come in” or “to enter toward the relevant place.” Here it connects the entering action to the experience construction that follows. The base verb is 들어오다; 들어와 is not a separate unrelated verb. 본 적이 없어요 contains the negative experience pattern 동사-(으)ㄴ 적이 없다, meaning that someone has no experience of doing the verb’s action. 본 is the form of 보다 (“see” or, in this construction, “try/do”), and 적 is a noun meaning an occasion or experience. 없어요 is the polite present form of 없다, “not exist” or “not have.” With 들어와 before it, 들어와 본 적이 없어요 means “have never come in,” not “have never seen.” Together, 저는 marks the speaker as the topic, 이 시청 안에 identifies the location as inside this city hall, and 들어와 본 적이 없어요 states that the speaker has no previous experience of entering it. The complete meaning is: “I have never been inside this city hall before.”

2. 건물이 생각보다 더 좋네요.

   The building is nicer than I expected.

   건물

   building

   생각보다

   than expected

   더

   more

   좋네요

   nice / good

   More detail

   건물 means “building.” It is a noun and can be reused with descriptions: 건물이 커요 means “The building is big.” Here, 건물 is the topic-like subject of the description, marked by the subject marker 이. 생각보다 is a useful comparison pattern meaning “than I thought” or “than expected.” It combines 생각 (“thought”) with 보다, which marks the standard of comparison. The form does not say whose thought is being compared; in this utterance, the translation identifies the speaker’s expectation. For example, 생각보다 어려워요 means “It is more difficult than I expected.” 더 means “more” or “to a greater degree.” It strengthens the comparison expressed with 생각보다. In 더 좋네요, it helps produce the meaning “nicer” or “better,” rather than simply “good.” 좋네요 contains 좋다, “to be good,” in the form 좋네요. The ending -네요 commonly presents the speaker’s noticed or newly appreciated assessment, giving the sentence a natural “Oh, it’s nice” or “It’s nicer than I expected” feeling. The adjective itself is 좋다; 건물 is not its base form. For a different evaluation, 나쁘다 means “to be bad,” but that opposite is not expressed in this sentence. Putting the parts together, 건물이 identifies the building, 생각보다 sets up the comparison with the speaker’s expectation, 더 indicates a greater degree, and 좋네요 gives the speaker’s positive assessment: “The building is nicer than I expected.”

3. 입구는 자전거 주차장 옆에 있어요.

   The entrance is beside the bicycle parking area.

   입구

   entrance

   자전거

   bicycle

   주차장

   parking area

   옆에

   beside; next to

   있어요

   is located; there is

   More detail

   입구 means “entrance.” It is a noun and can be used for entrances to buildings, sites, or other places. Example: 입구를 찾았어요. — “I found the entrance.” 자전거 means “bicycle.” It can also modify another noun, as in 자전거 주차장, “bicycle parking area.” Example: 자전거가 있어요. — “There is a bicycle.” 주차장 means “parking area” or “parking lot.” In this utterance, it is specifically modified by 자전거, so the compound refers to a bicycle parking area. Example: 주차장이 커요. — “The parking lot is large.” 옆에 means “beside” or “next to.” 옆 is “side,” and -에 marks the location where something is situated. This pattern is reusable with another noun: 학교 옆에 means “next to the school.” 있어요 is the polite present form of 있다, used here to say that something is located somewhere. With a location phrase, N이/가 N에 있어요 means “N is at/in/on N.” The subject/topic marker 는 in 입구는 makes “the entrance” the topic, while 에 marks 자전거 주차장 옆 as its location. Together, 입구는 sets “the entrance” as the topic, 자전거 주차장 옆에 gives its location as “beside the bicycle parking area,” and 있어요 states that it is located there. The complete meaning is: “The entrance is beside the bicycle parking area.”

4. 많은 사람들이 자전거를 타고 왔어요.

   A lot of people came by bike.

   많은

   many; a lot of

   사람들이

   people

   자전거를

   bicycle

   타고

   riding; by riding

   왔어요

   came

   More detail

   많은 means “many” or “a lot of” here. It is the noun-modifying form of 많다 (“to be many/much”), so it appears before the noun: 많은 사람 = “many people.” The form 많은 is used when this descriptive word directly modifies a noun. 사람들이 means “people” as the subject of the clause. 사람 means “person/people,” and -들 marks a plural group here; 사람들 means “people.” The final -이 is a subject marker used after a noun ending in a consonant. In this sentence, the fixed translation identifies the group as the people who came. 자전거를 means “a bicycle” as the object of the riding action. 자전거 means “bicycle,” and -를 marks an object after a noun ending in a vowel. For example, 책을 읽어요 means “I read a book”; 책 is the object marked by -을. 타고 means “riding” or “by riding.” It is the connective form of 타다 (“to ride”), formed with -고. Here it connects the means of travel to the following action: 자전거를 타고 = “by riding a bicycle.” The same pattern can connect actions more generally, as in 걸어서 가요 (“I go on foot”), though that example uses a different form of “walk.” 왔어요 means “came” here. Its base verb is 오다 (“to come”), and 왔어요 is its polite past form. The form reflects movement toward the relevant arrival point; it does not mean simply “went.” For example, 친구가 왔어요 means “A friend came.” Together, 많은 사람들이 is “a lot of people,” 자전거를 타고 gives the means “by riding a bicycle,” and 왔어요 supplies the past action “came.” The whole utterance therefore means “A lot of people came by bike.” The pattern N을/를 타고 오다 can be reused for “come by riding N,” with the object particle selected according to the noun’s ending.

5. 그렇군요.

   That makes sense.

   그렇군요.

   I see; that makes sense.

   More detail

   그렇군요 is a polite Korean reaction meaning “I see” or “That makes sense” here. It is built from 그렇다, “to be so / to be that way,” and the sentence ending -군요, which expresses a speaker’s realization or recognition. The polite ending 요 makes the reaction suitable for ordinary respectful conversation. -군요 is attached to the relevant predicate: for example, 쉽군요 means “I see, it is easy,” while 많군요 means “There are many, I see.” These examples are new practice sentences, not additional facts from the supplied exchange. The form 그렇군요 is the established form used here; it is not a command or a plain statement that something is so. Together, 그렇다 and -군요 present the speaker’s recognition that the preceding information is coherent or understandable, yielding “That makes sense” or “I see.”

6. 버스를 기다리는 것보다 더 쉬워요.

   It is easier than waiting for the bus.

   버스

   bus

   기다리는

   waiting

   것보다

   than …

   더

   more

   쉬워요

   is easy

   More detail

   버스 means “bus.” It is a loanword noun and does not change for this role. In the fixed sentence, it appears with the object marker 를 in 버스를, in the phrase 버스를 기다리는 (“waiting for the bus”). 기다리는 comes from the verb 기다리다, “to wait.” The ending -는 makes a present or ongoing action modify a following noun-like element: 기다리는 것 means “waiting” or, more literally, “the act of waiting.” This is different from the past modifier 기다린 것, “having waited” or, depending on context, “what someone waited for.” Example: 친구를 기다리는 시간 means “the time spent waiting for a friend.” 것보다 combines 것, “thing/act,” with 보다, a particle meaning “than” in a comparison. After a verb modifier, -는 것보다 is a reusable pattern meaning “than doing ….” Here, 버스를 기다리는 것보다 means “than waiting for the bus.” The 것 turns the action into something that can be compared; 보다 marks the standard of comparison. 더 means “more” or “to a greater degree.” With a descriptive word such as 쉬워요, it makes the comparison explicit: 더 쉬워요 means “is easier” or “is more easy.” 쉬워요 means “is easy” here. Its base form is 쉽다, “to be easy.” This adjective has the common ㅂ change before the polite ending: 쉽다 becomes 쉬워요, not 쉽어요. The nonpolite form 쉬워 is less formal, while 쉬워요 is polite and conversational. Example: 이 문제는 더 쉬워요. means “This problem is easier.” Together, 버스를 기다리는 것보다 sets up the comparison standard, “than waiting for the bus,” and 더 쉬워요 says that the other understood activity is easier. Thus the complete utterance means “It is easier than waiting for the bus.” The subject of “is easier” is left unspoken, so the sentence compares it with waiting for the bus without naming it here.

7. 다음에는 우리도 여기까지 자전거를 타고 올 수 있겠어요.

   Next time, we could ride here too.

   다음에는

   next time

   우리도

   we too

   여기까지

   as far as here

   자전거

   bicycle

   타고

   ride and

   올

   come

   수 있겠어요

   could

   More detail

   다음에는 means “next time” here. 다음 is “next” or “following,” and -에는 combines the time expression with a topic/contrast marker: “as for next time.” A reusable pattern is 다음에는 + sentence, meaning “next time, …” 우리도 means “we too.” 우리 is the first-person plural pronoun “we,” while 도 adds “also/too.” In this sentence, it presents the speaker’s group as able to do the same activity as someone or some group already under discussion. 여기까지 marks the endpoint “up to/as far as here.” 여기 means “here,” and 까지 marks a limit or endpoint. For example, 여기까지 걸어왔어요 means “I walked up to here.” 자전거 means “bicycle.” In the full sentence, the object marker 를 follows it: 자전거를 타다 is the reusable expression “to ride a bicycle.” 타다 can describe riding or boarding different kinds of transport; with 자전거, it specifically means “ride a bicycle.” 타고 is the form of 타다 followed by the connective ending -고. Here it links riding with the following movement: 자전거를 타고 오다 means “come by bicycle” or literally “ride a bicycle and come.” For example, 버스를 타고 와요 means “I come by bus.” 올 is the form of 오다, “to come,” used before 수 in the pattern -ㄹ 수 있다. The ending -ㄹ makes the verb an attributive form before 수; it is not a separate word meaning “will.” 오다 is the base form, and 올 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility: “can come.” 수 있겠어요 completes the polite possibility pattern. 수 있다 means “can/be possible,” while -겠어요 adds a tentative or conjectural tone in this context, giving the fixed meaning “could.” The observed form is therefore less definite than a plain statement of ability. Together with 타고, 올 수 있겠어요 means “could come by riding.” Putting the chunks together: 다음에는 sets the time, 우리도 adds the speaker’s group, 여기까지 gives the endpoint, and 자전거를 타고 올 수 있겠어요 describes coming to that endpoint by bicycle with tentative possibility. The whole utterance means: “Next time, we could ride here too.”

8. 그러면 자전거를 입구 가까이에 둘 수 있겠어요.

   Then we can leave the bikes close to the entrance.

   그러면

   then / in that case

   자전거를

   bicycle(s) as the object

   입구

   entrance

   가까이에

   nearby; close to

   둘 수 있겠어요

   could leave; would be able to place

   More detail

   그러면 means “then” or “in that case.” It connects this possibility with the preceding situation: “Next time, we could ride here too.” It is a reusable condition/result linker, as in 비가 오면 그러면 안 가요 (“If it rains, then we don’t go”), though the example is newly created. 자전거를 is 자전거 (“bicycle”) plus the object particle -를. Korean does not mark a noun here as singular or plural, so this can mean “the bicycle,” “a bicycle,” or “the bicycles” depending on context. The fixed translation supports “the bikes.” The particle shows that the bicycles are what is placed or left. For a noun ending in a consonant, -을 is the corresponding object-particle form; for example, 책을 means “a/the book” as object. 입구 means “entrance.” It is a noun and can combine with location expressions, as in 입구 앞 (“in front of the entrance”), a newly created example. 가까이에 means “close to” or “near.” The noun 가까이 means “nearby,” and -에 marks the location where something is positioned. In this sentence, it describes the bicycles’ intended position relative to 입구: close to the entrance. 입구 가까이에 is therefore “close to the entrance,” not simply “at the entrance.” 둘 수 있겠어요 expresses that leaving or placing something would be possible. The lexical verb is 두다, “to put, place, or leave”; its form before -ㄹ 수 있다 is 둘. The pattern 동사-(으)ㄹ 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility: 갈 수 있어요 means “can go.” Here, 둘 수 있다 is combined with the polite -겠어요 form, giving a tentative, context-based “could” or “would be possible.” The omitted subject is understood as “we” in the fixed translation and the surrounding context; Korean does not require that subject to be stated. Together, 자전거를 identifies the bicycles as the object, 입구 가까이에 gives their intended location, and 둘 수 있겠어요 presents the action as a possible option. Thus the whole utterance means: “Then we could leave the bikes close to the entrance.”

9. 지금은 안으로 들어가서 맞는 창구를 찾아봐요.

   For now, let's go inside and find the right counter.

   지금은

   for now

   안으로

   inside

   들어가서

   go in and then

   맞는

   right

   창구

   counter

   찾아봐요

   let’s look for

   More detail

   지금은 means “for now” here. 지금 is “now,” and -은 marks it as the time being set apart as the current topic, giving the sense “as for now.” Example: 지금은 집에 있어요. — “For now, I’m at home.” 안으로 expresses movement toward the inside: 안 means “inside,” and -으로 marks the direction or destination of movement. Example: 안으로 들어오세요. — “Please come inside.” 들어가서 comes from 들어가다, “to go in,” with -아서 connecting this action to the next one. Here it presents going inside as the action that comes before looking for the counter. Example: 들어가서 앉아요. — “Go in and sit down.” 맞는 is the attributive form of 맞다, meaning “to be right” or “to be suitable” in this context. It modifies the following noun: 맞는 창구 means “the right/suitable counter.” Example: 맞는 답을 골라요. — “Choose the right answer.” 창구 is a service counter or window where a person handles a particular kind of request. It is useful for places such as offices, stations, or banks. Example: 이 창구에서 표를 사요. — “I buy a ticket at this counter.” 찾아봐요 combines 찾다, “to look for/find,” with 보다 in the auxiliary construction -아/어 보다, which adds the idea of trying or seeing what happens. The polite ending -요 makes the suggestion courteous. In this sentence, the omitted subject is understood through the fixed translation as “we,” so it means “let’s look for.” Example: 주소를 찾아봐요. — “Let’s look for the address.” Together, 지금은 sets the current time frame, 안으로 들어가서 means “go inside and then,” and 맞는 창구를 찾아봐요 means “let’s look for the right counter.” The complete meaning is: “For now, let’s go inside and find the right counter.”