About This Lesson
Use Fixing a Light Problem to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
불이 안 켜져요.
boo-REE ahn kuh-JUH-yoh. The light does not work.
B
스위치를 확인했어요?
suh-WEE-chuh-rul hwa-GIN-hae-SUH-yoh? Did you check the switch?
A
확인했는데, 아직도 안 켜져요.
hwa-GIN-haen-deh, ah-JIK-ttoh ahn kuh-JUH-yoh. I checked it, and it still does not work.
B
전구가 오래됐을지도 몰라요.
juhn-GOO-gah oh-RAE-dwae-sseul-JEE-doh mol-LAH-yoh. Maybe the bulb is old.
A
지금 방이 너무 어두워요.
jee-GUHM bahng-ee nuh-MOO uh-doo-WUH-yoh. The room is too dark now.
B
작은 램프를 가져올 수 있어요.
JAH-geun RAEM-puh-rul gah-JYUH-ohl soo ee-SUH-yoh. I can bring a small lamp.
A
나중에 전구를 바꿔야 해요.
nah-JOONG-eh juhn-GOO-rul BAH-kkwoh-yah HAE-yoh. We should change the bulb later.
B
전구를 바꿀 때까지 램프를 사용하세요.
juhn-GOO-rul BAH-kkool TTAE-kkah-jee RAEM-puh-rul sah-YONG-ha-seh-yoh. Use the lamp until we replace it.Word by Word
불이
불이 means “the light” here. It is 불 with 이 marking it as the thing being described in 불이 안 켜져요; the citation form is 불. This subject-marking form is useful when describing what is or is not working during troubleshooting.
안
안 means “not” here and comes directly before 켜져요 to make the statement negative. In 불이 안 켜져요, it reports that the light does not come on. Use it before a verb when describing a problem or an action that does not happen.
켜져요
켜져요 means “comes on” or “is lit” here, so 불이 안 켜져요 says that the light does not come on. It is the polite form related to 켜지다 and is used after the thing that comes on. In this scene, it is used to report a light problem.
스위치를
스위치를 means “the switch” as the object being checked. It is 스위치 + 를 and appears in 스위치를 확인했어요? A practical use is to place the item being checked before 확인했어요 when asking whether someone checked it.
확인했어요
확인했어요 means “checked” here, referring to a completed check. It is the polite form related to 확인하다 and appears in 스위치를 확인했어요? Use it with an object when reporting or asking whether someone checked something.
확인했는데
확인했는데 means “I checked, but…” here and links the completed check to the continuing problem in 확인했는데, 아직도 안 켜져요. It is related to 확인하다 and is useful when the first action has happened but the result that follows is unexpected. In this scene, it supports troubleshooting.
아직도
아직도 means “still” and shows that the light remains not working after the check. It appears before 안 켜져요 in 아직도 안 켜져요. Use it when an earlier problem or situation continues.
전구가
전구가 means “the bulb” as the thing that may be old. It is 전구 + 가 and appears in 전구가 오래됐을지도 몰라요. This form is useful when describing the bulb’s condition or possible cause.
오래됐을지도
오래됐을지도 means “might be old” here and presents the bulb’s age as a possibility. It is related to 오래되다 and is completed by 몰라요 in 오래됐을지도 몰라요. Use this exact possibility expression when you are not certain about the cause.
몰라요
몰라요 means “don’t know,” but here it completes 오래됐을지도 몰라요 to express “may” or “might.” It is the polite form related to 모르다. The possibility meaning belongs to the full 오래됐을지도 몰라요 construction, which is useful when offering a possible explanation rather than a definite one.
지금
지금 means “now” and places the darkness at the current time in 지금 방이 너무 어두워요. It commonly comes before the situation being described. Here, it is useful for explaining the room’s immediate condition.
방이
방이 means “the room” as the thing that is dark. It is 방 + 이 and appears in 방이 너무 어두워요. Use this subject-marking form when describing the room’s condition.
너무
너무 means “too” here, showing that the darkness is more than is acceptable in 너무 어두워요. It comes before the description it intensifies. In this scene, it communicates a practical problem that needs a temporary solution.
어두워요
어두워요 means “is dark” here, describing the room in 지금 방이 너무 어두워요. It is the polite form related to 어둡다. Use it after a subject when describing a dark place or situation.
작은
작은 means “small” and describes 램프 in 작은 램프를 가져올 수 있어요. It is the noun-modifying form related to 작다 and comes directly before a noun. This pattern is useful when specifying the size of an item.
램프를
램프를 means “the lamp” as the object to bring and use. It is 램프 + 를 and appears in 램프를 가져올 수 있어요 and 램프를 사용하세요. In this scene, it identifies the temporary light source.
가져올
가져올 means “bring” in 가져올 수 있어요, the action that is possible. It is the form related to 가져오다 used before 수 in this ability expression. Use it with an object when saying that you can bring something.
수
수 is the possibility or ability part of 가져올 수 있어요. It works with the following 있어요 rather than standing alone. This construction is used when the speaker says that an action can be done, here bringing a small lamp.
있어요
있어요 means “can” here because it completes 가져올 수 있어요. It is the polite form related to 있다, but the meaning “can” belongs to the full 가져올 수 있어요 construction. Use that expression to offer or describe a possible action.
나중에
나중에 means “later” and places the bulb change at a later time in 나중에 전구를 바꿔야 해요. It comes before the action. Use it when an action is planned for a time after now rather than immediately.
전구를
전구를 means “the bulb” as the object to change. It is 전구 + 를 and appears in 전구를 바꿔야 해요 and 전구를 바꿀 때까지. In this scene, it identifies what will be replaced.
바꿔야
바꿔야 means “must change” as part of 바꿔야 해요. It is related to 바꾸다 and sets up the obligation completed by 해요. Use it before 해요 when saying that a change is required, here for the bulb.
해요
해요 is related to “do” in form, but here it completes 바꿔야 해요 to express that changing the bulb is necessary. It is the polite form related to 하다. The obligation meaning comes from the full 바꿔야 해요 construction, which is useful for stating a required action.
바꿀
바꿀 means “replace” or “change” in 바꿀 때까지, referring to the replacement of the bulb. It is related to 바꾸다 and comes before 때까지 to mark the action that sets the endpoint. Use the full 바꿀 때까지 expression when describing what continues until a change happens.
때까지
때까지 means “until” and marks the endpoint in 바꿀 때까지. It follows the action phrase that identifies what must happen first. Here, the lamp is used until the bulb is changed; a reusable pattern is an action followed by 때까지.
사용하세요
사용하세요 means “use” as a polite instruction in 램프를 사용하세요. It is related to 사용하다 and is used when telling someone what to use. Here, B gives practical advice for the period before the bulb is replaced.
Grammar Points
-을지도 몰라요
전구가 오래됐을지도 몰라요.
juhn-GOO-gah oh-RAE-dwae-sseul-JEE-doh mol-LAH-yoh.The light bulb might be old.
Attach -을지도 몰라요 to express possibility or uncertainty. It often means “might” or “may.”
-아/어야 해요
전구를 바꿔야 해요.
juhn-GOO-rul BAH-kkwoh-yah HAE-yoh.We have to change the light bulb.
Use -아/어야 해요 to say that something must be done or is necessary.
Korean Vocabulary
너무
adv
nuh-MOO
too; very
지금 방이 너무 어두워요.
방
noun
bahng
room
방이
지금 방이 너무 어두워요.
불
noun
bool
light
불이
불이 안 켜져요.
스위치
noun
suh-WEE-chee
switch
스위치를
스위치를 확인했어요?
아직도
adv
ah-JIK-ttoh
still
확인했는데, 아직도 안 켜져요.
안 켜져요
verb
ahn kuh-JUH-yoh
does not turn on
불이 안 켜져요.
어두워요
adj
uh-doo-WUH-yoh
is dark
지금 방이 너무 어두워요.
오래됐을지도 몰라요
verb
oh-RAE-dwae-sseul-JEE-doh mol-LAH-yoh
might be old
전구가 오래됐을지도 몰라요.
작은
adj
JAH-geun
small
작은 램프를 가져올 수 있어요.
전구
noun
juhn-GOO
light bulb
전구가
전구가 오래됐을지도 몰라요.
지금
adv
jee-GUHM
now
지금 방이 너무 어두워요.
확인했어요
verb
hwa-GIN-hae-SUH-yoh
checked
스위치를 확인했어요?
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
The light does not work.
Show Answer
불이 안 켜져요.Did you check the switch?
Show Answer
스위치를 확인했어요?I checked it, and it still does not work.
Show Answer
확인했는데, 아직도 안 켜져요.Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
checked
Show Answer
확인했어요switch
Show Answer
스위치를is dark
Show Answer
어두워요now