Borrowing a Ladder Safely | Learn Korean in English

Korean lesson set in a contemporary Seoul everyday setting: In a shared space, two adults borrow a ladder to reach a high shelf and talk about using it safely..

EN → KO / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Borrowing a Ladder Safely to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

사다리 빌려도 돼요?

sah-dah-REE beel-LYUH-doh DWEH-yoh Can I borrow your ladder?
B

네, 하지만 조심해서 사용하세요.

neh, hah-JEE-mahn joh-SHIM-heh-suh sah-yong-HAH-seh-yoh Sure, but please be careful with it.
A

높은 선반에 손이 닿아야 해요.

noh-PEUN SUHN-bahn-eh soh-NEE dah-ah-YAH HEH-yoh I need to reach a high shelf.
B

제가 사다리를 단단히 잡아 드릴게요.

jeh-GAH sah-dah-REE-rul dahn-DAHN-hee jah-BAH duh-REEL-geh-yoh I can hold it steady for you.
A

그러면 정말 도움이 될 거예요.

guh-ruh-MYUN juhng-MAHL doh-oo-MEE dwel-kkuh-YEH-yoh That would help a lot.
B

맨 위 칸에는 올라가지 마세요.

maen WEE kahn-eh-nuhn oh-LAH-gah-JEE mah-SEH-yoh Stay off the top step.
A

더 낮은 칸에 있을게요.

duh NAH-jun kahn-eh ee-SSUL-geh-yoh I will stay on a lower step.
B

다 쓰면 돌려주세요.

dah SSUH-myuhn dohl-LYUH-joo-SEH-yoh Bring it back when you finish.

Word by Word

사다리 사다리 means “ladder,” the object being borrowed in this dialogue. The same noun can be used before an object marker, as in 사다리를 in the later line.
빌려도 빌려도 means “even if I borrow” in the permission pattern 빌려도 돼요?, meaning “May I borrow it?” Here 빌려도 is used with 돼요 to ask whether borrowing is allowed. A new example is 이 책을 빌려도 돼요? for asking permission to borrow a book.
돼요 돼요 means “is it okay” or “is it allowed” in 빌려도 돼요?, so the whole expression asks for permission. The reusable pattern is [action]도 돼요? for asking whether someone may do something. A new example is 여기 앉아도 돼요? “May I sit here?”
네 네 means “yes” or “sure” as B’s reply to the request. It is used at the beginning of a response before adding the safety instruction. A new example is 네, 알겠어요 for agreeing that you understand.
하지만 하지만 means “but” and introduces a caution that follows the permission. It connects 네 with the request to use the ladder carefully. A new example is 하지만 시간이 없어요 for adding a contrasting point.
조심해서 조심해서 means “carefully” in 조심해서 사용하세요, describing how the ladder should be used. The form connects 조심하다 with the following action, so it can be reused before an action that should be done carefully. A new example is 조심해서 내려가세요, “Please go down carefully.”
사용하세요 사용하세요 means “please use” in the polite instruction 조심해서 사용하세요. It is the exact polite request to use the ladder safely here. A new example is 이 컴퓨터를 사용하세요, “Please use this computer.”
높은 높은 means “high” in 높은 선반, describing the shelf that the speaker needs to reach. It is placed directly before the noun 선반. A new example is 높은 건물, “a tall building.”
선반에 선반에 means “to or at the shelf” in 높은 선반에 손이 닿아야 해요, marking the shelf as the place the hand needs to reach. The pattern [place]에 손이 닿다 describes a hand reaching or touching a place. A new example is 책이 선반에 있어요, “The book is on the shelf.”
손이 손이 means “the hand” as the subject in 손이 닿다, the expression used for a hand reaching or touching something. In this dialogue, the hand is what needs to reach the high shelf. A new example is 손이 안 닿아요, “My hand cannot reach it.”
닿아야 닿아야 means “must reach” or “needs to touch” in 손이 닿아야 해요. It expresses the required condition before 해요 completes the meaning of “need to.” The reusable pattern [place]에 손이 닿아야 해요 means “one’s hand needs to reach [place].”
해요 해요 completes 닿아야 해요 and makes the meaning “need to reach” or “have to reach.” In this dialogue, it expresses that reaching the shelf is necessary. A new example is 지금 가야 해요, “I have to go now.”
제가 제가 means “I” as the subject of the offer to hold the ladder. It identifies the speaker as the person who will do the action for the other person. A new example is 제가 도와드릴게요, “I will help you.”
사다리를 사다리를 means “the ladder” as the object being held in 사다리를 단단히 잡아 드릴게요. The object marker 를 shows what the speaker will hold. The reusable pattern is [object]를 잡다, “to hold [object].”
단단히 단단히 means “firmly” or “securely” in 사다리를 단단히 잡아, describing how the ladder will be held. It modifies the action 잡아 so the hold is steady rather than loose. A new example is 손잡이를 단단히 잡으세요, “Hold the handle firmly.”
잡아 잡아 means “hold” in 사다리를 단단히 잡아 드릴게요. It is followed by 드릴게요 to present the holding as something the speaker will do for the listener. A new example is 이쪽을 잡아 주세요, “Please hold this side.”
드릴게요 드릴게요 means “I will do it for you” and presents the speaker’s offer to hold the ladder for the listener. Here it follows 잡아, so the offer is specifically to hold it. The reusable pattern is [action]아/어 드릴게요 for offering to do an action for someone.
그러면 그러면 means “then” or “if so” in 그러면 정말 도움이 될 거예요, referring to the helpful result of B holding the ladder. It introduces a result based on the previous offer. A new example is 그러면 지금 시작할게요, “Then I’ll start now.”
정말 정말 means “really” and emphasizes how helpful the offer will be. It appears directly before 도움이 될 거예요 to strengthen the statement. A new example is 정말 고마워요, “Thank you very much.”
도움이 도움이 means “help” as the subject in 도움이 될 거예요, “will be helpful.” It is used with 되다 to describe something becoming or being help. The reusable pattern is 도움이 되다, “to be helpful.”
될 될 means “will be” or “will become” in 도움이 될 거예요, describing the expected helpful result. It is the form used before 거예요 in this future-looking expression. A new example is 좋은 경험이 될 거예요, “It will be a good experience.”
거예요 거예요 completes 도움이 될 거예요 and expresses the expected future result “will be helpful.” In this dialogue, the speaker says that the other person’s help is expected to make a big difference. A new example is 괜찮을 거예요, “It will be okay.”
맨 맨 means “very” or “the utmost” in 맨 위, making the phrase mean “the very top.” It comes directly before 위 to mark the highest position. A new example is 맨 앞, “the very front.”
위 위 means “top” or “above” in 맨 위, referring to the highest part of the ladder. Together with 맨, it identifies the top step before 칸에는. A new example is 상자 위, “on top of the box.”
칸에는 칸에는 means “on the step” in 맨 위 칸에는 올라가지 마세요, identifying the top step as the place the listener must not climb onto. It combines 칸, “compartment or step,” with the location-and-topic form 에는. The reusable pattern is [place]에는 올라가지 마세요, “Please do not climb onto [place].”
올라가지 올라가지 means “climb onto” or “go up onto” in 올라가지 마세요. Together with 마세요, it forms a polite instruction not to climb onto the top step. A new example is 의자 위에 올라가지 마세요, “Please do not climb onto the chair.”
마세요 마세요 means “please do not” and completes 올라가지 마세요, a polite negative instruction. In this dialogue, it tells the listener not to climb onto the top step. The reusable pattern is [action]지 마세요 for politely telling someone not to do something.
더 더 means “more” in 더 낮은 칸, showing that the step is lower than the top step mentioned previously. It comes directly before 낮은. A new example is 더 천천히 말해 주세요, “Please speak more slowly.”
낮은 낮은 means “lower” in 더 낮은 칸, describing a step that is not as high as the top step. It is placed before 칸 to describe the step. A new example is 낮은 의자, “a low chair.”
칸에 칸에 means “on the step” in 더 낮은 칸에 있을게요, marking where the speaker will remain. The pattern [place]에 있다 describes being or staying at a place. A new example is 방에 있어요, “I am in the room.”
있을게요 있을게요 means “I will stay” or “I will be there” in 더 낮은 칸에 있을게요. It presents the speaker’s intention or promise to remain on a lower step. The reusable pattern is [place]에 있을게요, “I will stay at [place].”
다 다 means “all” or “completely” in 다 쓰면, indicating that the ladder has been used completely or finished being used. It comes before 쓰면 to describe finishing the use. A new example is 다 먹으면 알려 주세요, “Please let me know when you have finished eating.”
쓰면 쓰면 means “when you finish using it” in 다 쓰면 돌려주세요. It introduces the condition or time after the use is complete. The reusable pattern is 다 쓰면 [action], “when you finish using it, [action].”
돌려주세요 돌려주세요 means “please return it” in 다 쓰면 돌려주세요, referring to returning the borrowed ladder. It is a polite request to give an item back after use. A new example is 책을 다 읽으면 돌려주세요, “Please return the book when you finish reading it.”

Grammar Points

-아/어도 돼요

사다리를 빌려도 돼요.

sah-dah-REE-rul beel-lyuh-doh DWEH-yoh

Is it okay to borrow the ladder?

Attach -아/어도 돼요 to a verb to ask for or give permission to do something.

-아/어야 해요

손이 닿아야 해요.

soh-NEE dah-ah-YAH HEH-yoh

You have to be able to reach it.

Attach -아/어야 해요 to a verb to express necessity or say that something must happen.

Korean Vocabulary

네 intj
neh sure; yes
높다 adj
NOHP-ttah high; tall 높은
단단히 adv
dahn-DAHN-hee firmly; securely
빌려도 되다 phrase
beel-lyuh-doh DWEH-dah to be allowed to borrow 빌려도 돼요
빌리다 verb
beel-LEE-dah to borrow 빌려도
사다리 noun
sah-dah-REE ladder
사용하다 verb
sah-yong-HAH-dah to use 사용하세요
선반 noun
SUHN-bahn shelf
손이 닿다 phrase
soh-NEE daht-TTAH to reach; to be within reach 손이 닿아야 해요
잡다 verb
jahp-TTAH to hold; to grip 잡아
조심하다 verb
joh-SHIM-hah-dah to be careful 조심해서
하지만 conj
hah-JEE-mahn but; however

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Can I borrow your ladder?

Show Answer사다리 빌려도 돼요?

Sure, but please be careful with it.

Show Answer네, 하지만 조심해서 사용하세요.

I need to reach a high shelf.

Show Answer높은 선반에 손이 닿아야 해요.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to be careful

Show Answer조심해서

to use

Show Answer사용하세요

shelf

Show Answer선반

to hold; to grip

Show Answer잡아