Borrowing Shared Tools | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 가위를 써도 돼요?

   Can I use the scissors?

   가위

   scissors

   써도 돼요?

   Is it okay to use ...?

   More detail

   가위 means “scissors,” the noun for the tool mentioned here. Korean does not use this noun alone to assert a particular number of scissors; the exact quantity is not stated by 가위 itself. The following 를 marks 가위 as the object of the verb. Together, 가위를 means “the scissors” as the thing being used. 써도 돼요? asks whether using something is permitted. The lexical verb is 쓰다, meaning “to use” here. With the polite ending, it becomes 써요: the final ㅡ of 쓰다 drops before the vowel-initial ending, producing 써요. This 쓰다 is the “use” verb, not the different verbs 쓰다 “to write,” “to wear,” or “to be bitter.” The pattern -아/어도 되다 means “it is okay to …” or “may ….” In this sentence, 써도 combines 쓰다 with that permission pattern, and 돼요 is the polite form used in the expression. The reusable pattern is N을/를 써도 돼요? — “May I use N?” Example: 이 펜을 써도 돼요? means “May I use this pen?” Together, 가위를 and 써도 돼요? produce “Can I use the scissors?” The question requests permission; it does not say that permission has been granted.

2. 이 가위를 가져가고 칼날은 아래로 향하게 하세요.

   Take these and keep the blades pointed down.

   이

   these

   가위

   scissors

   가져가고

   take and

   칼날

   blade(s)

   아래로

   downward

   향하게 하세요

   please make [it] point

   More detail

   이 means “this/these” and appears before 가위 to identify the scissors being taken. Korean 이 does not itself mark singular or plural; the intended number comes from context. Example: 이 책 means “this book,” while 이 책들 explicitly means “these books.” 가위 means “scissors.” In 가위를, the particle 를 marks 가위 as the object of 가져가다; it is not omitted. Korean can use the same noun without a plural marker when the context supports a plural meaning. Example: 가위를 사용하세요. means “Use the scissors.” 가져가고 comes from 가져가다, “to take something away/from here,” plus connective -고, “and.” The form links taking the scissors with the next instruction. Compare 가져오다, “to bring something here”: 책을 가져와요 means “I bring the book here,” whereas 책을 가져가요 means “I take the book away.” Example: 이것을 가져가고 문을 닫으세요. — “Take this and close the door.” 칼날 means “blade.” In the fixed sentence, it refers to the blade or blades of the scissors; Korean does not require a plural marker here. The topic marker 은 in 칼날은 sets the blade(s) as the part whose position or direction is being specified. 칼날 is a compound of 칼 (“knife”) and 날 (“blade or cutting edge”), but it is used as the established word “blade.” 아래로 means “downward” or “toward a lower direction.” 아래 means “below/down,” and -로 marks direction or resulting orientation. Example: 손을 아래로 내리세요. — “Lower your hand downward.” 향하게 하세요 is a polite instruction built from 향하다 (“to face or point toward”), -게 하다 (“make something face or remain in a certain direction”), and polite -세요. Thus 아래로 향하게 하세요 means “make it point downward” and, in this instruction, naturally conveys “keep it pointed down.” The thing being directed is identified by 칼날은; the construction itself does not add a separate pronoun. Example: 표지판을 출구 쪽으로 향하게 하세요. — “Make the sign face toward the exit.” Together, 이 가위를 가져가고 says “take these scissors,” and 칼날은 아래로 향하게 하세요 instructs the listener to keep their blade(s) pointing downward. The complete meaning is: “Take these and keep the blades pointed down.”

3. 테이프도 좀 필요해요.

   I also need some tape.

   테이프

   tape

   도

   also; too

   좀

   some; a little

   필요해요

   need; be needed

   More detail

   테이프 means “tape” here. It is a noun, and Korean commonly uses a material noun like this without an article. The form itself does not state a specific amount; 좀 supplies the idea of some or a little. 도 is attached directly to a noun or other phrase and adds the meaning “also” or “too.” In 테이프도, it marks tape as an additional needed item. For example, 물도 필요해요 means “I also need water.” 좀 can indicate a small or unspecified amount, as in “some” or “a little.” With a request or statement of need, it can also make the wording gentler. Here, its supported contribution is the non-specific amount of tape, while 도 contributes “also.” Example: 시간이 좀 필요해요 means “I need a little time.” 필요해요 is the polite 해요-style form of 필요하다, “to be needed” or “to be necessary.” Korean expresses “need” with the needed thing as the subject: 테이프가 필요해요 literally has the structure “Tape is needed,” naturally translated as “I need tape” when the person who needs it is understood. The polite ending -해요 makes the statement suitable for ordinary courteous conversation. Example: 도움이 필요해요 means “I need help.” Together, 테이프도 marks tape as an additional item, 좀 indicates an unspecified small amount, and 필요해요 says that it is needed. The omitted person is understood from the fixed translation as “I,” so the whole utterance means “I also need some tape.”

4. 테이프는 서랍 안에 있어요.

   The tape is in the drawer.

   테이프

   tape

   서랍

   drawer

   안에

   inside; in

   있어요

   is located; is there

   More detail

   테이프 means “tape” here. It is a noun; the same form can refer to tape as a material or item, depending on context. The topic marker 는 follows it in 테이프는, presenting the tape as what the sentence is about. 서랍 means “drawer.” Korean commonly places a location noun before 안에 to express “inside the drawer.” 안에 means “inside; in.” 안 means “inside,” and 에 marks the location where something exists. The reusable pattern is [place] 안에 있다, “be inside [a place].” For example, 책은 가방 안에 있어요. means “The book is inside the bag.” 있어요 is the polite present form of 있다, used here for the existence or location of a nonliving thing. In this sentence it means “is located” rather than “has.” A location question uses the same verb: 테이프는 어디에 있어요? means “Where is the tape?” Together, 테이프는 sets the tape as the topic, and 서랍 안에 있어요 says that its location is inside the drawer. The complete meaning is “The tape is in the drawer.”

5. 자도 있어요?

   Do you have a ruler too?

   자

   ruler

   도

   too; also

   있어요?

   is there?; do you have?

   More detail

   자 means “ruler” here. It is a noun; the same form is used whether the ruler is singular or plural, since Korean nouns generally do not require an English-style plural ending. For example, 자 있어요. means “There is a ruler” or, depending on context, “I/you have a ruler.” 도 is attached to 자 and means “also” or “too.” It replaces a usual topic or subject marker in this position, so 자도 means “a ruler too.” Example: 펜도 있어요. means “There is a pen too” or “I/you have a pen too.” 있어요? is the polite present form of 있다, “to exist,” “to be located,” or “to have.” In a question, the same form can ask whether something exists or is available. Korean commonly expresses possession with an item plus 있다, leaving the possessor understood from context; therefore, with the fixed translation, 자도 있어요? asks whether the listener also has a ruler. The polite question is formed through intonation and the question mark here; 있어요 itself does not change into a separate English-style question form. Together, 자 + 도 identifies a ruler as an additional item, and 있어요? asks whether it is available or possessed. Thus the whole utterance means “Do you have a ruler too?”

6. 네, 제 책상 위에 있어요.

   Yes, it is on my desk.

   네

   yes

   제

   my

   책상

   desk

   위에

   on top of

   있어요

   is / exists

   More detail

   네 means “yes” here. It is a common affirmative response in polite conversation. In other contexts, the same form can also function as a polite response signaling that the speaker heard someone, but that is not the meaning needed here. 제 means “my” before a noun. It is the commonly shortened possessive form of 저의; 저 is the humble first-person pronoun, and 제 expresses possession. For example, 제 이름 means “my name.” 책상 is the noun “desk.” It can be used directly with location expressions, as in 책상 위 (“the top of the desk”). 위에 means “on top of” or “above.” 위 means “the upper side/top,” and 에 marks the location. The pattern 명사 + 위에 is reusable for saying that something is on top of a noun: 책 위에 means “on the book.” 있어요 is the polite present form of 있다, meaning “to exist” or “to be located.” In this sentence it describes location, rather than using the copula form for identifying what something is. The subject is not stated overtly; its understood referent is supplied by the context and fixed translation. For example, 열쇠가 책상 위에 있어요 means “The key is on the desk.” Together, 제 책상 위에 means “on top of my desk,” and 있어요 says that the understood item is located there. With the affirmative 네, the complete utterance means “Yes, it is on my desk.”

7. 거기서 가져가도 돼요.

   You can take it from there.

   거기서

   from there

   가져가도 돼요

   may take it

   More detail

   거기서 means “from there” here. 거기 is the demonstrative location word “there,” and -서 marks the place where an action occurs or the point from which something is taken. The sentence does not need to repeat the object; the fixed translation supplies “it.” 가져가도 돼요 expresses permission to take something away. The base form is 가져가다 (“to take away”); its polite present form is 가져가요. In 가져가도 돼요, -아/어도 되다 means that an action is allowed: 가져가도 돼요 = “it is okay to take it” or “you may take it.” 돼요 is the polite form of 되다 in this permission pattern. The understood subject is “you,” as shown by the fixed translation. Together, 거기서 identifies the source location and 가져가도 돼요 grants permission for the listener to take the understood object from that location. The whole utterance therefore means, “You can take it from there.” This is a polite everyday way to give permission.`

8. 다 쓰면 전부 돌려놓을게요.

   I will return everything when I finish.

   다

   all; completely

   쓰면

   when one uses

   전부

   everything; all of it

   돌려놓을게요

   I’ll put it back

   More detail

   다 쓰면: 다 means “all” or “completely” and modifies the action 쓰다, so 다 쓰다 means “use up” or “finish using” something. The form 쓰면 is 쓰다 with -면, which marks a condition or a time relation such as “if” or “when.” Here, the fixed translation supports “when I finish.” Korean can omit the subject when it is understood; the translation identifies the speaker as the person who finishes using the item. Example: 물을 다 쓰면 새로 가져올게요. — “When I use up all the water, I’ll bring more.” 전부: 전부 means “everything” or “all of it.” Here it identifies the whole set being returned. It has a similar meaning to 다, but 다 modifies the action of using, while 전부 identifies what is returned. Example: 전부 확인했어요. — “I checked everything.” 돌려놓을게요: The base form is 돌려놓다, meaning “to put something back” or “to return it to its previous place.” The observed form uses the ending -(으)ㄹ게요, realized here as -을게요 after 돌려놓-. This ending expresses the speaker’s intention or commitment to carry out the action, often translated “I’ll.” It is not best analyzed here as a separate future marker -을 followed by -게요. Example: 책을 제자리에 돌려놓을게요. — “I’ll put the book back in its place.” Together, 다 쓰면 sets the time condition, “when I finish using it all”; 전부 identifies the complete set; and 돌려놓을게요 expresses the speaker’s commitment to put it back. Thus the utterance means, “I will return everything when I finish.”

9. 나중에 찾을 수 있게 자는 맨 위에 놓아 주세요.

   Leave the ruler on top so I can find it later.

   나중에

   later

   찾을 수 있게

   so (someone) can find it

   자는

   the ruler

   맨 위에

   on top

   놓아 주세요

   please place it / leave it

   More detail

   나중에 means “later.” It is a time adverb and can be placed with an action to say that the action will happen later. For example, 나중에 다시 만나요. means “Let’s meet again later.” 찾을 수 있게 expresses “so that [someone] can find” something. 찾다 is the base form “to find”; 찾을 is its form before 수 in the pattern -(으)ㄹ 수 있다, which expresses ability or possibility. Here 수 있게 changes that ability pattern into a purpose-like expression: “so that [someone] can.” The intended finder is the speaker, as shown by the fixed translation. 자는 consists of the noun 자, “ruler,” and the topic marker 는. In this sentence, it presents the ruler as the item being discussed: “as for the ruler” or naturally “the ruler.” The marker 는 does not itself mean “the”; it marks the topic and can also create contrast in other contexts. 맨 위에 means “on the very top.” 맨 adds the sense “topmost” or “very,” while 위 means “top” or “upper part.” The location particle 에 marks where the ruler should be placed. Compare 위에 “on top” with 맨 위에 “on the very top.” 놓아 주세요 is a polite request to place or leave something. It comes from 놓다, “to put/place,” followed by -아 주세요, a request meaning “please do it.” The form 놓아 preserves the verb’s base 놓다; it is not a form of the neighboring noun 자. Together, 나중에 찾을 수 있게 gives the purpose “so I can find it later,” 자는 identifies the ruler as the item being handled, 맨 위에 gives its location, and 놓아 주세요 politely asks the listener to place or leave it there. The whole utterance means: “Leave the ruler on top so I can find it later.”