Fixing a Stuck Door | Learn Korean in English

Korean lesson set in a contemporary Seoul everyday setting: At a stuck door, two adults try to open it and decide to fix the loose handle before anyone gets stuck..

EN → KO / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Fixing a Stuck Door to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

문이 안 열려요.

MOO-nee an YUHL-lyuh-yoh. The door is stuck.
B

손잡이를 당겨 보세요.

sohn-JAH-bee-rul DANG-gyuh boh-SEH-yoh. Try pulling the handle.
A

당겨 봤지만 문이 계속 닫혀 있어요.

DANG-gyuh bwat-jjee-MAHN MOO-nee gyeh-SOHK DAH-chyuh ee-SSUH-yoh. I pulled it, but it stays closed.
B

가장자리 근처를 천천히 밀어 보세요.

gah-jahng-JAH-ree GUHN-chuh-rul chun-CHUN-hee MEE-ruh boh-SEH-yoh. Push near the edge slowly.
A

조금 열렸어요.

JOH-guhm YUHL-lyuh-SSUH-yoh. It opened a little.
B

손잡이가 헐거운 것 같아요.

sohn-JAH-bee-gah HUHL-guh-oon guht GAH-tah-yoh. The handle feels loose.
A

이 문을 더 이상 사용하지 말아야 할까요?

ee MOO-nul duh ee-SAHNG sah-YONG-hah-jee mah-rah-yah hal-KKAH-yoh? Should we stop using this door?
B

누군가 또 갇히기 전에 손잡이를 고칠 수 있어요.

noo-GOON-gah ttoh gah-CHEE-gee juh-neh sohn-JAH-bee-rul GOH-cheel soo ee-SSUH-yoh. We can fix the handle before anyone gets stuck again.

Word by Word

문이 문이 means “the door” as the subject in 문이 안 열려요. The noun 문 means “door,” and 이 marks it as the subject. This form is useful when reporting what the door is doing or failing to do.
안 안 negates the opening action in 문이 안 열려요, giving the meaning “does not” or “cannot.” It is placed directly before the verb it negates. Use 안 before an action or state when saying that it does not happen.
열려요 열려요, from 열리다, describes the door opening in 문이 안 열려요; with 안, the door will not open. It is used after a subject when describing whether something opens. This is useful when reporting a door or other object’s opening state.
손잡이를 손잡이를 means “the handle” as the object in 손잡이를 당겨 보세요. 손잡이 means “handle,” and 를 marks it as the object of the pulling action. Use this form when describing an action performed on the handle.
당겨 당겨, from 당기다, expresses the pulling action in 당겨 보세요. It links the action to 보세요 to suggest trying to pull. The pattern action form + 보세요 is useful when politely suggesting that someone try an action.
보세요 보세요, from 보다, completes 당겨 보세요 and makes it a polite suggestion to try pulling. In this construction, the whole expression means “please try pulling.” Use action form + 보세요 when asking someone to try something.
봤지만 봤지만, from 보다, shows that the pulling was tried and then contrasts that attempt with the door staying closed. In 당겨 봤지만, the whole expression means “although I tried pulling it” or “I tried pulling it, but.” Use action form + 봤지만 to connect an attempted action with an unexpected or contrasting result.
계속 계속 means “continuously” or “still” in 문이 계속 닫혀 있어요, emphasizing that the closed state continues. It commonly appears before the verb or state that continues. Use it when an action or condition does not stop.
닫혀 닫혀, from 닫히다, describes the door as closed in 닫혀 있어요. Together with 있어요, it presents the closed condition as continuing. The pattern 닫혀 있어요 is useful when reporting that something remains closed.
있어요 있어요, from 있다, shows that the door remains in the state described by 닫혀 in 닫혀 있어요. Here it helps express a continuing state rather than simple location. Use it after a state description when that state continues.
가장자리 가장자리 means “edge” in 가장자리 근처를 밀어 보세요. It identifies the edge area of the door where the pushing should happen. Use it before 근처 when referring to an area near an edge.
근처를 근처를 means “the nearby area” as the object in 가장자리 근처를 밀어 보세요. 근처 means “nearby area,” and 를 marks that area as the object of 밀다. Use a place noun plus 근처 to identify the area near that place.
천천히 천천히 means “slowly” and describes how to push in 천천히 밀어 보세요. It is placed before the action it modifies. Use it when asking someone to perform an action at a slow pace.
밀어 밀어, from 밀다, expresses the pushing action in 밀어 보세요. It links the action to 보세요 to make a polite suggestion to try pushing. The pattern action form + 보세요 is useful when suggesting that someone try an action.
조금 조금 means “a little” in 조금 열렸어요, indicating that the door opened only to a small extent. It commonly appears before the verb or description it limits. Use it when describing a small amount or degree.
열렸어요 열렸어요, from 열리다, describes the door having opened in 조금 열렸어요. The word 조금 shows that the opening was only partial. Use it when reporting that a door or similar object has opened.
손잡이가 손잡이가 means “the handle” as the subject in 손잡이가 헐거운 것 같아요. 손잡이 means “handle,” and 가 marks it as the subject of the impression. Use this form when describing the handle’s condition.
헐거운 헐거운, from 헐겁다, describes the handle as loose in 헐거운 것 같아요. It comes before 것 to describe the condition being considered. Use adjective form + 것 같아요 when saying that something seems to have a certain quality.
것 In 헐거운 것 같아요, 것 turns the description 헐거운 into the content of an impression; the whole phrase means “seems loose.” It is not being used here simply as the separate noun “thing.” The pattern adjective + 것 같아요 is useful for expressing an impression or tentative judgment.
같아요 같아요, from 같다, completes 헐거운 것 같아요 and makes the statement mean “seems loose” or “looks loose.” Its meaning here comes from the whole 것 같아요 construction. Use a description followed by 것 같아요 when you are giving an impression rather than a firm statement.
이 이 means “this” in 이 문을, identifying the door near the speaker or in the current situation. It comes directly before the noun it describes. Use 이 + noun when pointing out a specific nearby item.
문을 문을 means “the door” as the object in 이 문을 더 이상 사용하지 말아야 할까요. 문 means “door,” and 를 marks it as the object of using. Use this form when the door is the thing someone uses, stops using, or changes.
더 In 더 이상, 더 contributes the idea of “further” or “any more.” Together with 이상 and the negative action 사용하지, the phrase means “not use anymore.” Use 더 이상 before a negative expression when setting a limit on something continuing.
이상 In 더 이상, 이상 completes the expression meaning “any longer” or “any more.” Together with 더 and the negative action 사용하지, it says that the door should not be used anymore. Use 더 이상 with a negative expression to say that something does not continue.
사용하지 사용하지, from 사용하다, presents the action as “not using” in 사용하지 말아야 할까요. It connects the negative action to 말아야, which expresses that the action should be avoided. The pattern action form + 지 말다 is useful for telling someone not to do something.
말아야 말아야, from 말다, expresses that the action should not be done in 사용하지 말아야 할까요. Together with 사용하지 and 할까요, the phrase asks whether the door should no longer be used. Use a negative action followed by 말아야 하다 when discussing something that should be avoided.
할까요 할까요, from 하다, turns 말아야 into a polite question about what should be done: “Should we not use it?” It asks for advice or agreement about an action. The pattern action + 할까요 is useful when suggesting or checking whether to do something.
누군가 누군가 means “someone” in 누군가 또 갇히기 전에, referring to an unspecified person who might get trapped. It serves as the subject of the following event. Use it when the identity of the person is unknown or unimportant.
또 또 means “again” in 누군가 또 갇히기 전에, showing that getting trapped has happened or could happen another time. It commonly appears before the repeated action or event. Use it when referring to a repeated occurrence.
갇히기 갇히기, from 갇히다, means “getting trapped” in 갇히기 전에. The 기 form makes the action fit before 전에 in the expression “before getting trapped.” Use action form + 기 전에 to say that one event should happen before another.
전에 전에 means “before” in 갇히기 전에, placing the handle repair before someone gets trapped again. It follows an action expressed with 기 in this sentence. Use action form + 기 전에 when describing what should happen first.
고칠 고칠, from 고치다, supplies the action “fix” in 고칠 수 있어요. It comes before 수 to form the possibility construction meaning “can fix.” Use action form + 수 있어요 when saying that an action is possible.
수 In 고칠 수 있어요, 수 is the noun used in the possibility construction. Together with 고칠 and 있어요, the whole expression means “can fix” or “it is possible to fix.” Use action form + 수 있어요 to express ability or possibility.

Grammar Points

동사-아/어 보세요

손잡이를 당겨 보세요.

sohn-JAH-bee-rul DANG-gyuh boh-SEH-yoh.

Try pulling the handle.

Attach -아/어 보다 to a verb to suggest trying an action politely.

동사-(으)기 전에

누군가 또 갇히기 전에 고칠 수 있어요.

noo-GOON-gah ttoh gah-CHEE-gee juh-neh GOH-cheel soo ee-SSUH-yoh.

We can fix it before someone gets stuck again.

Use -(으)기 전에 after a verb to mean “before doing something.”

Korean Vocabulary

가장자리 noun
gah-jahng-JAH-ree edge

가장자리 근처를 천천히 밀어 보세요.

계속 adv
gyeh-SOHK continuously; still

문이 계속 닫혀 있어요.

근처 noun
GUHN-chuh near; vicinity 근처를

가장자리 근처를 천천히 밀어 보세요.

닫혀 있어요 phrase
DAH-chyuh ee-SSUH-yoh is staying closed

문이 계속 닫혀 있어요.

당겨 보세요 phrase
DANG-gyuh boh-SEH-yoh try pulling

손잡이를 당겨 보세요.

당겨 봤지만 phrase
DANG-gyuh bwat-jjee-MAHN pulled it, but

당겨 봤지만 문이 계속 닫혀 있어요.

문 noun
moon door 문이

문이 안 열려요.

밀어 보세요 phrase
MEE-ruh boh-SEH-yoh try pushing

가장자리 근처를 천천히 밀어 보세요.

손잡이 noun
sohn-JAH-bee handle 손잡이를

손잡이를 당겨 보세요.

안 열려요 phrase
an YUHL-lyuh-yoh doesn't open; is stuck

문이 안 열려요.

조금 adv
JOH-guhm a little

조금 열렸어요.

천천히 adv
chun-CHUN-hee slowly

가장자리 근처를 천천히 밀어 보세요.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

The door is stuck.

Show Answer문이 안 열려요.

Try pulling the handle.

Show Answer손잡이를 당겨 보세요.

I pulled it, but it stays closed.

Show Answer당겨 봤지만 문이 계속 닫혀 있어요.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

edge

Show Answer가장자리

handle

Show Answer손잡이를

near; vicinity

Show Answer근처를

continuously; still

Show Answer계속