Fixing a Loose Chair | Learn Korean in English

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Use Fixing a Loose Chair to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

이 의자가 느슨한 것 같아요.

ee ee-jah-gah NUH-seun-han guht gah-TAH-yoh This chair feels loose.

어느 부분이 움직여요?

uh-neu boo-boo-nee oom-JIG-yuh-yoh Which part is moving?

뒤쪽 다리가 조금 흔들려요.

dwee-JJOK dah-ree-gah JOH-geum huhn-deul-LYUH-yoh The back leg wobbles a little.

누가 사용하기 전에 고쳐야 해요.

noo-gah sa-yong-ha-gee juhn-eh goh-CHYUH-yah HAE-yoh We should fix it before anyone uses it.

다른 곳에 앉을까요?

dah-reun goh-seh AHN-jeul-kkah-yoh Should I sit somewhere else?

지금은 다른 의자를 사용하세요.

jee-geu-meun dah-reun ee-jah-reul sa-yong-ha-seh-yoh Use another chair for now.

이 의자를 다른 곳으로 옮길게요.

ee ee-jah-reul dah-reun goh-seu-ro ohm-gil-kkay-yoh I will move this one away.

통로가 막히지 않게 벽에 붙여 놓으세요.

tong-noh-gah mah-kee-jee an-keh byuh-geh boo-chyuh noh-eu-seh-yoh Put it against the wall so the walkway stays clear.

Word by Word

이 “이” means “this” and identifies the chair as the one near or being discussed. It is placed directly before a noun, as in “이 의자가”.

의자가 “의자가” refers to the chair as the subject of the sentence “이 의자가 느슨한 것 같아요.” The form combines “의자” for “chair” with the subject marker “가”; a common reuse pattern is “[noun]가 [description].”

느슨한 “느슨한” describes the chair as loose in “이 의자가 느슨한 것 같아요.” It is the form used before “것 같아요” to describe what something seems to be, and it can similarly come before a noun when describing it.

것 In “느슨한 것 같아요,” “것” helps turn the description “느슨한” into the content that seems true; the whole expression means “seems loose.” It is not expressing a separate physical “thing” in this sentence.

같아요 “같아요” completes “느슨한 것 같아요,” expressing that the chair appears to be loose rather than stating it as absolute certainty. The reusable pattern is “[description] 것 같아요” for “it seems [description].”

어느 “어느” means “which” when asking someone to identify one item from several possibilities. It comes before a noun, as in “어느 부분이,” meaning “which part.”

부분이 “부분이” means “the part” as the subject of the question “어느 부분이 움직여요?” The form uses “부분” for “part” with the subject marker “이”; a common pattern is “어느 [noun]이/가 …?”

움직여요 “움직여요” says that something moves or is moving; here it asks which part is moving. It is a polite everyday form for describing movement, as in “어느 부분이 움직여요?”.

뒤쪽 “뒤쪽” means the back or rear side, identifying which side of the chair is being discussed. It commonly comes before a noun to specify its rear part, as in “뒤쪽 다리.”

다리가 “다리가” means “the leg” as the subject that wobbles in “뒤쪽 다리가 조금 흔들려요.” It uses “다리” for “leg” with the subject marker “가”; the noun can be specified further by a word such as “뒤쪽.”

조금 “조금” means “a little” and limits the amount of movement in “조금 흔들려요.” It commonly comes before a verb or description to show a small degree, as in “조금 움직여요.”

흔들려요 “흔들려요” describes the leg as wobbling or shaking slightly in this sentence. It is useful when describing an object that moves from side to side or is not stable.

누가 “누가” refers to an unspecified person, meaning “someone” or “anyone” as the subject of “사용하기 전에.” In this sentence, it introduces the person who might use the chair; it is used before the action that person may take.

사용하기 In “누가 사용하기 전에,” “사용하기” names the action of using as the event that must not happen yet. Together with “전에,” it means “before anyone uses it,” and the same pattern can place another action before a later event.

전에 “전에” means “before” and places one event earlier than another. In “사용하기 전에,” it marks the time before using the chair; it commonly follows an action phrase.

고쳐야 In “고쳐야 해요,” “고쳐야” contributes the requirement that the chair be fixed. The whole expression means “must fix” or “need to fix,” and it is used before “해요” to state a necessary action.

해요 In “고쳐야 해요,” “해요” completes the polite expression of necessity, so the full phrase means that the chair needs to be fixed. The reusable pattern is “[action]야 해요” for saying that an action is necessary.

다른 “다른” means “another” or “different” and distinguishes one place or chair from the unsafe chair. It comes before a noun, as in “다른 곳” and “다른 의자.”

곳에 “곳에” means “to a place” or “in a place”; in “다른 곳에 앉을까요?” it identifies the different place where the speaker may sit. The form “곳” means “place,” and “에” marks the location or destination.

앉을까요 “앉을까요?” asks “Shall I sit?” and invites the other person’s response about the speaker’s possible action. This polite question form is useful when proposing or checking whether the speaker should do something.

지금은 “지금은” means “for now” or “as for now,” setting a temporary time frame for the instruction. It is used at the start of “지금은 다른 의자를 사용하세요” to show that the alternative chair should be used temporarily.

의자를 “의자를” means “the chair” as the object being used in “다른 의자를 사용하세요.” It combines “의자” for “chair” with the object marker “를”; a common pattern is “[object]를 사용하세요,” meaning “please use [object].”

사용하세요 “사용하세요” is a polite instruction meaning “please use.” Here it tells the listener to use the other chair for now, and it commonly follows the object of the action.

곳으로 “곳으로” means “to another place” and marks the destination in “다른 곳으로 옮길게요.” The form “곳” means “place,” while “으로” shows the direction or destination of moving something.

옮길게요 “옮길게요” means “I will move it,” expressing the speaker’s polite commitment to move the chair. In “다른 곳으로 옮길게요,” it is used after the destination to say where the object will be moved.

통로가 “통로가” means “the walkway” as the subject of the condition in “통로가 막히지 않게.” It combines “통로” for “walkway” with the subject marker “가”; the phrase describes keeping this passage unobstructed.

막히지 In “막히지 않게,” “막히지” is the part that describes the walkway as not becoming blocked. It works with “않게” to express the purpose “so that it does not get blocked,” rather than standing alone as the complete meaning.

않게 In “막히지 않게,” “않게” makes the condition negative and gives the purpose “so that it does not.” This construction is used before an instruction or action when preventing the stated condition is the goal.

벽에 “벽에” means “against the wall” in “벽에 붙여 놓으세요.” The form “벽” means “wall,” and “에” marks the place where the chair should be put.

붙여 In “붙여 놓으세요,” “붙여” contributes the idea of placing the chair against the wall. Together with “놓으세요,” it tells the listener to put it there and leave it in that position.

놓으세요 “놓으세요” is a polite instruction meaning “please put it” or “please leave it.” In “붙여 놓으세요,” it completes the instruction to place the chair against the wall and leave it there.

Grammar Points

형용사-(으)ㄴ + 명사

느슨한 의자

nuh-seun-han ee-jah

a loose chair

In Korean, adjectives take -(으)ㄴ before a noun: 느슨하다 becomes 느슨한.

동사-아/어야 하다

의자를 고쳐야 해요.

ee-jah-reul goh-CHYUH-yah HAE-yoh

We have to fix the chair.

Attach -아/어야 하다 to a verb to express necessity: 고치다 becomes 고쳐야 해요.

Korean Vocabulary

것 같다 phrase

guht gatt-ttah to seem; to feel like 것 같아요

이 의자가 느슨한 것 같아요.

고치다 verb

goh-chee-dah to fix; to repair 고쳐야 해요

누가 사용하기 전에 고쳐야 해요.

느슨하다 adj

nuh-seun-ha-dah to be loose 느슨한

이 의자가 느슨한 것 같아요.

다리 noun

dah-ree leg 다리가

뒤쪽 다리가 조금 흔들려요.

뒤쪽 noun

dwee-jjok back; rear

뒤쪽 다리가 조금 흔들려요.

부분 noun

boo-boon part 부분이

어느 부분이 움직여요?

사용하다 verb

sa-yong-ha-dah to use 사용하기

누가 사용하기 전에 고쳐야 해요.

어느 det

uh-neu which

어느 부분이 움직여요?

움직이다 verb

oom-jig-ee-dah to move 움직여요

어느 부분이 움직여요?

의자 noun

ee-jah chair 의자가

이 의자가 느슨한 것 같아요.

조금 adv

joh-geum a little

뒤쪽 다리가 조금 흔들려요.

흔들리다 verb

heun-deul-lee-dah to wobble; to shake 흔들려요

뒤쪽 다리가 조금 흔들려요.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

This chair feels loose.

Show Answer

이 의자가 느슨한 것 같아요.

Which part is moving?

Show Answer

어느 부분이 움직여요?

The back leg wobbles a little.

Show Answer

뒤쪽 다리가 조금 흔들려요.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to move

Show Answer

움직여요

to use

Show Answer

사용하기

to wobble; to shake

Show Answer

흔들려요

a little

Show Answer

조금