Finding a Book on a Library Shelf | Learn Korean in English

About This Lesson

Use Finding a Book on a Library Shelf to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

이 책은 어디에서 찾을 수 있어요?

ee chae-gun uh-dee-eh-suh cha-jul soo ee-SSUH-yo Where can I find this book?

이 선반들 중 하나에 있을 거예요.

ee suhN-ban-dul joong ha-na-eh ee-SSUL guh-YEH-yo It should be on one of these shelves.

어느 선반부터 볼까요?

uh-nuh suhN-ban-boh-tuh bohl-KKAH-yo Which shelf should I check first?

끝 쪽에 있는 아래 선반을 찾아보세요.

kkuht JJOH-geh een-nun ah-rae suhN-ba-nul cha-jah-boh-SEH-yo Try the lower shelf near the end.

이제 표지가 보여요.

ee-jeh pyo-JEE-gah boh-YUH-yo I can see the cover now.

다른 책들이 제자리에 있도록 조심해서 꺼내세요.

DAH-run chaek-TTUH-ree jeh-jah-ree-eh eet-TTOH-rohk joh-shim-HEH-suh KKUH-nae-SEH-yo Pull it out carefully so the others stay in place.

이 책이 맞아요.

ee chae-GEE mah-JAH-yo This is the right book.

저 테이블에서 읽어도 돼요.

juh TEH-ee-bul-eh-suh eel-guh-do DWEH-yo You can read it at that table.

Word by Word

이 이 means “this” here and points to the book near the speaker. It is used before a noun, as in the new example 이 책 (“this book”). Use it when identifying a nearby object.

책은 책은 means “this book” as the topic of the question, with 은 marking 책 as what the speaker is asking about. The form 책은 is 책 plus the topic marker 은. Use it to set a book as the topic before asking or saying something about it.

어디에서 어디에서 means “where” in the question 이 책은 어디에서 찾을 수 있어요? and indicates the place where the book can be found. It combines 어디 (“where”) with 에서, which marks the place of an action. Use it with a verb when asking where an action happens.

찾을 찾을 means “find” inside the possibility expression 찾을 수 있어요, “can find.” It is the form of 찾다 used before 수 in this construction. A reusable pattern is [place]에서 [object]을/를 찾을 수 있어요, meaning “You can find [object] at [place].”

수 수 in 찾을 수 있어요 refers to the possibility of finding the book. It does not mean “can” by itself; the meaning comes from the pattern 찾을 수 있어요 as a whole. Use 수 after a verb form to talk about whether an action is possible.

있어요 있어요 completes the possibility expression 찾을 수 있어요, meaning that finding the book is possible. In this dialogue it should be understood with 수, not as a separate word meaning “can.” Use the pattern 할 수 있어요 for “can do” or “it is possible to do.”

선반들 선반들 means “shelves,” referring to several shelves that could contain the book. 들 marks the plural idea here. Use a noun plus 들 when referring to more than one item, as in the new example 책들 (“books”).

중 중 means “among” or “out of” in 이 선반들 중 하나에, selecting one item from the group of shelves. It is used after a group and before the selected item or result. A reusable pattern is 여러 가지 중 하나, “one among several things.”

하나에 하나에 means “on one” here, identifying one shelf as the possible location of the book. 하나 means “one,” and 에 marks the location. Use [place]에 있다 to say that something is located in or on a place.

있을 있을 means “be located” in 이 선반들 중 하나에 있을 거예요, referring to where the book is probably located. It is the form of 있다 used before 거예요 in this statement. Use it before a future or expectation expression when describing where something is expected to be.

거예요 거예요 makes 이 선반들 중 하나에 있을 거예요 sound like “it will probably be on one of these shelves” or “it should be there.” Here it presents the speaker’s expectation about the book’s location. Use it after a verb or adjective form when giving an expectation or likely statement.

어느 어느 means “which” in 어느 선반부터 볼까요?, asking the listener to choose one shelf from known options. It comes directly before the noun it identifies. Use 어느 + noun when asking which particular item or place.

선반부터 선반부터 means “starting with which shelf” in 어느 선반부터 볼까요? and marks the shelf as the starting point for checking. 부터 means “from” or “starting with” and is attached to 선반 here. Use [noun]부터 when asking or saying what should happen first.

볼까요 볼까요 means “shall I look?” or “shall I check?” in 어느 선반부터 볼까요? The ending makes the question a polite suggestion or request for guidance. Use it when proposing an action or asking what action to take next.

끝 끝 means “end” in 끝 쪽에 있는 아래 선반, referring to the end area of the shelves. Here it is part of the location expression 끝 쪽, “the end side.” Use 끝 when describing the endpoint of a place, route, or sequence.

쪽에 쪽에 means “at the side” or “toward the area” in 끝 쪽에 있는, locating the shelf near the end. 쪽 identifies a direction or area, and 에 marks the location. Use [place] 쪽에 when referring to a particular side or area, as in the new example 입구 쪽에 (“near the entrance”).

있는 있는 means “that is located” in 끝 쪽에 있는 아래 선반, describing the lower shelf located near the end. It connects the location phrase 끝 쪽에 to the noun 선반. Use [place]에 있는 + noun to identify something located in a particular place.

아래 아래 means “lower” or “below” here and distinguishes the lower shelf from shelves at a higher position. It appears before 선반 in 아래 선반. Use 아래 + noun to describe something below or in a lower position.

선반을 선반을 means “the shelf” as the object the listener is told to look for in 아래 선반을 찾아보세요. 을 marks 선반 as the object of 찾아보세요. Use a noun plus 을/를 when it is the object of an action.

찾아보세요 찾아보세요 means “try looking for it” in the instruction 끝 쪽에 있는 아래 선반을 찾아보세요. It combines 찾다, “to look for,” with 보다 to express trying the action, followed by the polite request ending 세요. Use it to politely suggest that someone try an action, such as the new example 이 방법을 써 보세요 (“try using this method”).

이제 이제 means “now,” marking the change from searching to being able to see the book’s cover. It often appears near the beginning of a sentence to show the current point in time. Use it when something is true at this point or has just become true.

표지가 표지가 means “the cover” as the thing that is visible in 이제 표지가 보여요. 가 marks 표지 as the subject of 보여요. Use a noun plus 이/가 when it is the thing that is seen, heard, or otherwise noticed.

보여요 보여요 means “is visible” or “can be seen” in 이제 표지가 보여요. The cover appears visible to the speaker, rather than the speaker actively looking at it. Use 보여요 to say that something is visible, as in the new example 글자가 보여요 (“the letters are visible”).

다른 다른 means “other” in 다른 책들이, distinguishing the books from the one being pulled out. It comes before the noun it describes. Use 다른 + noun when referring to an additional or different item.

책들이 책들이 means “the other books” as the subject of the instruction 다른 책들이 제자리에 있도록. 들 expresses the plural idea, and 이 marks the books as the subject. Use 책들이 when several books are being described as doing or remaining in a certain state.

제자리에 제자리에 means “in their place” in 다른 책들이 제자리에 있도록, referring to the books remaining in their proper positions. 제자리 means a proper or original place, and 에 marks the location. Use 제자리에 있다 when saying that something is in its proper place.

있도록 있도록 means “so that they stay” in 다른 책들이 제자리에 있도록. It connects the desired result, the books remaining in place, with the instruction 조심해서 꺼내세요. Use [verb]도록 to express a purpose or desired result when giving an instruction.

조심해서 조심해서 means “carefully” in 조심해서 꺼내세요 and tells the listener how to take out the book. It connects the manner of acting to the following verb. Use [verb]아서/어서 to link an action with the way it is carried out, as in the new example 천천히 말해서 설명하세요 (“explain by speaking slowly”).

꺼내세요 꺼내세요 means “take it out” in the polite instruction 조심해서 꺼내세요. It tells the listener to remove the book from the shelf carefully. Use this polite 세요 ending when asking someone to perform an action.

책이 책이 means “the book” as the subject of the identification 이 책이 맞아요. 이 marks 책 as the thing that is confirmed to be correct. Use a noun plus 이/가 before 맞아요 when confirming that an item is the right one.

맞아요 맞아요 means “is correct” or “is the right one” in 이 책이 맞아요. The speaker confirms that the book they found is the requested book. Use [noun]이/가 맞아요 to confirm that something is correct or matches what was wanted.

저 저 means “that” here and points to the table farther from the speaker, as in 저 테이블. It comes before the noun it identifies. Use 저 + noun for a more distant object or place.

테이블에서 테이블에서 means “at that table” in 저 테이블에서 읽어도 돼요 and marks the table as the place where reading happens. 에서 marks the location of an action, while 저 identifies the table. Use [place]에서 with action verbs to say where an activity takes place.

읽어도 읽어도 means “even if one reads” as part of the permission expression 읽어도 돼요, “may read.” Here 도 contributes the idea that reading is acceptable or allowed. Use the pattern [verb]어도 돼요 to ask for or give permission to do something.

돼요 돼요 completes 읽어도 돼요, meaning “it is okay” or “you may read.” In this dialogue it expresses permission, not ability by itself. Use [verb]어도 돼요 when allowing an action or asking whether an action is permitted.

Grammar Points

V-(으)ㄹ까요?

어느 책을 볼까요?

uh-nuh chae-gul bohl-KKAH-yo

Which book shall we look at?

제안이나 함께 할 일을 물을 때 써요. 동사 보다의 형태가 볼까요로 바뀌어요.

N이/가 보여요

표지가 보여요.

pyo-JEE-gah boh-YUH-yo

The cover is visible.

보이다는 보이는 대상을 주어로 삼아요. 영어의 ‘see’보다 ‘be visible’에 가까운 표현이에요.

Korean Vocabulary

끝 쪽 phrase

kkuht JJOHK near the end

다른 adj

DAH-run other

보다 verb

boh-DAH to check; to look at 볼까요

보이다 verb

boh-ee-DAH to be visible; to be seen 보여요

선반 noun

suhn-BAN shelf

아래 noun

ah-RAE lower; bottom

어느 det

uh-NUH which

어디 adv

uh-DEE where

찾다 verb

chat-TTAH to find 찾을

책 noun

chaek book

표지 noun

pyo-JEE cover

하나 num

hah-NAH one

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Where can I find this book?

Show Answer

이 책은 어디에서 찾을 수 있어요?

It should be on one of these shelves.

Show Answer

이 선반들 중 하나에 있을 거예요.

Which shelf should I check first?

Show Answer

어느 선반부터 볼까요?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to find

Show Answer

찾을

one

Show Answer

하나

cover

Show Answer

표지

to check; to look at

Show Answer

볼까요