Understanding a Lesson Question | Learn Korean in English

About This Lesson

Use Understanding a Lesson Question to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

이 수업의 이 부분을 이해하지 못하겠어요.

ee soo-UH-bee ee boo-BOON-ul ee-hae-ha-JEE moh-ta-GESS-uh-yoh I don't understand this part of the lesson.

어느 문제가 어려워요?

UH-nuh MOON-jeh-gah uh-RYUH-woh-yoh Which question is giving you trouble?

여기 답이 이해가 안 돼요.

yuh-GEE DAH-bee ee-hae-gah ahn DWEH-yoh The answer here doesn't make sense to me.

먼저 문장을 읽어 봐요.

MON-juh moon-JAHNG-ul eel-GUH BWAH-yoh Let's read the sentence first.

그다음 답을 확인해 봐요.

guh-DAH-um DAH-beul HWAH-gin-heh BWAH-yoh Then check the answer.

문장을 소리 내어 읽어 줄 수 있어요?

moon-JAHNG-ul SOH-ree neh-UH eel-GUH JOOL soo ee-SSUH-yoh Can you read the sentence aloud?

제가 천천히 읽을게요.

jeh-GAH chun-CHUN-hee eel-GUHL-kkeh-yoh I'll read it slowly.

제 공책에 중요한 단어를 쓸게요.

jeh gong-CHAE-geh joong-YOH-han DAHN-uh-rul SSUHL-kkeh-yoh I'll write the key words in my notebook.

그럼 답을 다시 해 봐요.

guh-RUHM DAH-beul dah-SHEE heh BWAH-yoh Then let's try the answer again.

Word by Word

이 이 means “this” in 이 수업, pointing to the lesson being discussed. It is placed before a noun, so 이 + noun is a useful pattern for identifying something nearby or already known.

수업의 수업의 means “of the lesson” in 수업의 이 부분, showing the lesson as the source or whole that the part belongs to. 의 connects one noun to another in a relationship such as “X’s Y” or “Y of X.”

부분을 부분을 means “the part” as the object in 이 부분을 이해하지 못하겠어요. 을 marks 부분 as the thing affected by the following action, and the pattern X을/를 이해하다 refers to understanding X.

이해하지 이해하지 contributes “understand” in the negative expression 이해하지 못하겠어요. Its citation form is 이해하다; here the form 이해하지 connects to 못하겠어요 to express that understanding is not possible.

못하겠어요 못하겠어요 completes 이해하지 못하겠어요, meaning that the speaker cannot understand this part. The citation form is 못하다, and this polite form presents the inability as the speaker’s current situation.

어느 어느 means “which” in 어느 문제가 어려워요?, asking the listener to identify one question or problem. It comes directly before a noun, as in 어느 + noun.

문제가 문제가 means “the question” or “the problem” as the subject in 어느 문제가 어려워요? The particle 가 marks 문제 as what is difficult, and 문제 can refer to a lesson question or problem here.

어려워요 어려워요 says that something is difficult in 어느 문제가 어려워요? Its citation form is 어렵다; this polite form is used to ask or state that a subject is difficult, following the pattern X가 어려워요.

여기 여기 means “here” in 여기 답이 이해가 안 돼요, indicating the answer in the part being looked at. It can be used before a noun or clause to identify something in the current place or material.

답이 답이 means “the answer” as the subject in 여기 답이 이해가 안 돼요. The particle 가 marks 답 as the thing whose meaning or sense is not understood.

이해가 이해가 means “understanding” as the subject of the expression 이해가 안 돼요, which means that the answer does not make sense to the speaker. The particle 가 marks 이해 as the thing that does not occur or work in this expression.

안 안 makes the following 돼요 negative in 이해가 안 돼요, giving the meaning “does not” or “is not.” It is placed before the predicate it negates, as in 안 돼요.

돼요 돼요 contributes “works” or “makes sense” in 이해가 안 돼요, so the whole expression says that understanding does not work or does not happen. Its citation form is 되다; this polite form appears after 안 in this dialogue.

먼저 먼저 means “first” in 먼저 문장을 읽어 봐요, setting the order of the suggested actions. It is useful before an action when telling someone what to do before something else.

문장을 문장을 means “the sentence” as the object of reading in 문장을 읽어 봐요. 을 marks 문장 as the thing being read, and the pattern X을/를 읽다 refers to reading X.

읽어 읽어 means “read” in 읽어 봐요, where it introduces the action that the speakers suggest trying. Its citation form is 읽다; here 읽어 connects to 봐요 in the pattern 읽어 봐요.

봐요 봐요 adds the idea of trying an action after 읽어, so 읽어 봐요 means “let’s try reading.” Its citation form is 보다, but in this construction it works as an auxiliary after an action form; action + 봐요 is a reusable pattern for suggesting that someone try the action.

그다음 그다음 means “then” or “next” in 그다음 답을 확인해 봐요, moving to the next step after reading. It can be placed before a following action to organize instructions in sequence.

답을 답을 means “the answer” as the object in 답을 확인해 봐요 and 답을 다시 해 봐요. 을 marks 답 as the thing being checked or attempted, and the exact object remains 답을 in both instructions.

확인해 확인해 means “check” in 확인해 봐요, suggesting that the learner try checking the answer. Its citation form is 확인하다; here 확인해 connects to 봐요 in the pattern X을/를 확인해 봐요.

소리 내어 The whole expression 소리 내어 in 문장을 소리 내어 읽어 means “aloud.” 소리 means “sound,” and 내어 contributes the idea of bringing or making the sound out; together, 소리 내어 + action describes doing the action aloud.

줄 줄 contributes “for someone” in 읽어 줄 수 있어요?, making the request about reading the sentence for the other person. Its citation form is 주다; here 줄 comes after 읽어 and before 수 있어요 in the construction 읽어 줄 수 있어요.

수 수 is the noun for ability or possibility in 읽어 줄 수 있어요?, so the expression asks whether the listener can read it for the speaker. The pattern action + 줄 수 있어요? is useful for asking whether someone can do an action for you.

있어요 있어요 completes 수 있어요, the construction used here to express “can” or “be able to.” Its citation form is 있다; after 수, this polite form makes the possibility construction complete.

제가 제가 means “I” as the subject in 제가 천천히 읽을게요, identifying the speaker as the person who will read. It is the subject-marked form of 저, and 제가 + action is a useful way to say that the speaker will perform the action.

천천히 천천히 means “slowly” and modifies 읽을게요 in 제가 천천히 읽을게요. It is placed before the action to describe its speed, as in 천천히 + action.

읽을게요 읽을게요 means “I will read” in the speaker’s offer to read slowly. Its citation form is 읽다; this form presents the speaker’s own intended action or commitment in response to the request.

제 제 means “my” in 제 공책에, identifying the notebook as belonging to the speaker. It comes directly before the noun it describes, so 제 + noun is a useful possessive pattern.

공책에 공책에 means “in the notebook” in 제 공책에 중요한 단어를 쓸게요. The particle 에 marks the place where the words will be written, so it is useful after a location noun when describing where an action happens.

중요한 중요한 means “important” or “key” in 중요한 단어, describing which words the speaker will write. Its citation form is 중요하다; here it appears before the noun in the pattern adjective + noun.

단어를 단어를 means “the words” as the object of writing in 중요한 단어를 쓸게요. 을 marks 단어 as what will be written, and the pattern X을/를 쓰다 refers to writing X.

쓸게요 쓸게요 means “I will write” in the speaker’s plan to record the key words. Its citation form is 쓰다; this form presents writing as the speaker’s intended action or offer.

그럼 그럼 means “then” or “in that case” in 그럼 답을 다시 해 봐요, connecting the next suggestion to what was just said. It is commonly placed before a response or proposed next action.

다시 다시 means “again” in 답을 다시 해 봐요, showing that the answer will be attempted another time. It can be placed before an action to indicate repetition, as in 다시 + action.

해 해 contributes the action “do” in 답을 다시 해 봐요, where the whole expression suggests trying the answer again. Its citation form is 하다; here 해 connects to 봐요 in the pattern 해 봐요, meaning to try doing something.

Grammar Points

동사-아/어 보다

해 봐요

heh BWAH-yoh

Try doing it.

‘-아/어 보다’는 어떤 행동을 시험 삼아 해 보라고 말할 때 사용합니다.

형용사-(으)ㄴ + 명사

중요한 단어

joong-YOH-han DAHN-uh

an important word

형용사는 명사 앞에서 ‘-(으)ㄴ’ 형태로 명사를 꾸밉니다.

Korean Vocabulary

그다음 adv

guh-DAH-um then; next

답 noun

DAHP answer

먼저 adv

MON-juh first

문장 noun

moon-JAHNG sentence

문제 noun

MOON-jeh question; problem

부분 noun

boo-BOON part

수업 noun

soo-UHP lesson

어렵다 adj

uh-RYUHPT-tah to be difficult 어려워요

여기 adv

yuh-GEE here

이해하다 verb

ee-hae-HAH-dah to understand 이해하지

읽다 verb

EEK-ttah to read 읽어

확인하다 verb

HWAH-gin-HAH-dah to check; to confirm 확인해

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I don't understand this part of the lesson.

Show Answer

이 수업의 이 부분을 이해하지 못하겠어요.

Which question is giving you trouble?

Show Answer

어느 문제가 어려워요?

The answer here doesn't make sense to me.

Show Answer

여기 답이 이해가 안 돼요.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to be difficult

Show Answer

어려워요

to understand

Show Answer

이해하지

first

Show Answer

먼저

to check; to confirm

Show Answer

확인해