Fixing a Loose Chair | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 이 의자가 느슨한 것 같아요.

   This chair feels loose.

   이

   this

   의자

   chair

   느슨한

   loose

   것 같아요

   seems; feels

   More detail

   이 means “this” and points to a nearby or contextually identified item. It is a demonstrative determiner placed before the noun it specifies; it does not itself identify the noun’s grammatical number. 의자 means “chair.” It is a noun. For example, 의자가 있어요. means “There is a chair.” 느슨한 means “loose” here. This is the attributive form of the descriptive verb 느슨하다 (“to be loose”), used before a noun-like element. The form 느슨하다 is the dictionary form; 느슨한 modifies what follows, as in 느슨한 나사 (“a loose screw”). 것 같아요 is a polite construction meaning “seems” or “feels.” It is built from 것 (“thing”) and 같아요, the polite present form of 같다 (“to be similar; to seem”). With a descriptive form before it, 느슨한 것 같아요 presents looseness as the speaker’s impression rather than a plain direct assertion. In this sentence, the fixed translation supports the natural meaning “feels loose.” Together, 이 의자 means “this chair,” and 느슨한 것 같아요 means “feels loose.” The complete utterance is “This chair feels loose.”

2. 어느 부분이 움직여요?

   Which part is moving?

   어느

   which

   부분

   part

   움직여요

   is moving

   More detail

   어느 means “which” when asking someone to select an item from relevant possibilities. It appears before the noun it describes: 어느 부분 = “which part.” Unlike 무슨, which often asks what kind or what matter, 어느 focuses on identifying a particular item. 부분 means “part” or “section.” Here, the bounded context supports understanding it as a part of the chair. Korean nouns generally do not require a separate plural form, so 부분 can refer to one part or to parts depending on context; here the question asks which part. The attached subject marker 이 marks 부분 as the thing that is moving. 움직여요 comes from 움직이다, “to move.” The polite present form is 움직이다 → 움직여요. In Korean, this form can describe an action happening now or a current general state; here, the fixed translation and context support “is moving.” Example: 문이 움직여요. — “The door is moving.” The pattern 어느 + noun + 이/가 + verb asks which item has the stated action or state. Thus 어느 부분이 움직여요? combines “which part” with “is moving?” and means “Which part is moving?”

3. 뒤쪽 다리가 조금 흔들려요.

   The back leg wobbles a little.

   뒤쪽

   back; rear

   다리

   leg

   조금

   a little

   흔들려요

   wobbles

   More detail

   뒤쪽 means the rear or back part. It is a positional noun that can modify another noun directly: 뒤쪽 다리 = “the back leg.” The opposite positional idea is 앞쪽 (“front part”), as in 앞쪽 다리 (“front leg”). 다리 means “leg” here. Korean 다리 can also mean “bridge” in other contexts, but the fixed translation identifies the intended meaning as a leg. A useful pattern is N의 다리 (“N’s leg”), for example 의자의 다리 = “the chair’s leg.” 조금 means “a little” and reduces the degree of the following description. It does not say that there is one item; it describes the small amount or degree of wobbling. 흔들려요 comes from the verb 흔들리다, “to wobble” or “to shake.” The ending -어요 gives a polite present-style form: 흔들리다 → 흔들려요. This verb describes the subject as undergoing or showing the movement, whereas 흔들어요 is the related form of 흔들다, “to shake something,” with an agent causing the movement. For example, 문이 흔들려요 means “The door wobbles.” Together, 뒤쪽 다리 identifies the back leg, 조금 limits the degree, and 흔들려요 states its current observable movement. The complete utterance therefore means, “The back leg wobbles a little.”

4. 누가 사용하기 전에 고쳐야 해요.

   We should fix it before anyone uses it.

   누가

   anyone

   사용하기

   using

   전에

   before

   고쳐야 해요

   need to fix

   More detail

   누가 means “anyone” here. Its basic question meaning is “who,” but in this context it has an indefinite sense: “before anyone …” The form itself does not identify a particular person. 사용하기 comes from 사용하다, “to use.” The ending -기 turns the verb into a form that can combine with expressions such as 전에, “before.” Thus, 사용하기 전에 means “before using” or, in this sentence, “before anyone uses it.” Example: 먹기 전에 손을 씻어요. — “I wash my hands before eating.” 전에 means “before” and marks the event that must happen earlier. The reusable pattern 동사-기 전에 means “before doing something.” 고쳐야 해요 comes from 고치다, “to fix” or “to repair,” plus -어야 하다, which expresses necessity; 해요 is the polite form of 하다. So this chunk means “need to fix” or “must fix.” The observed form does not itself specify the subject’s person or number; the fixed translation supplies “we” for this utterance. Example: 지금 고쳐야 해요. — “I need to fix it now.” Together, 누가 사용하기 전에 sets the deadline: before anyone uses it. 고쳐야 해요 states the necessary action. The complete meaning is “We should fix it before anyone uses it.” In the supplied context, the omitted object is understood as the thing mentioned as wobbling, namely the back leg.

5. 다른 곳에 앉을까요?

   Should I sit somewhere else?

   다른

   another; different

   곳

   place

   앉을까요?

   Should I sit?

   More detail

   다른 means “another” or “different” before a noun. It is the attributive form used to modify a following noun; here it describes 곳, so 다른 곳 means “somewhere else” or literally “a different place.” The same word can be used with other nouns, as in 다른 의자 (“another chair”). 곳 is a noun meaning “place” or “location.” In 다른 곳, it refers generally to a different place, without specifying which place. A useful related word is 곳곳, meaning “various places,” but it is not interchangeable with the singular noun here. 앉을까요? comes from the verb 앉다, “to sit,” plus -(으)ㄹ까요?, a polite question pattern. After a verb stem ending in a consonant, -을까요? is used, so 앉다 becomes 앉을까요?. In this sentence, the pattern asks whether the speaker should perform the action: “Should I sit?” It can also be used for a suggestion involving the speaker and listener, depending on context; the fixed translation supports the speaker-centered reading here. For example, 기다릴까요? means “Shall I wait?” Together, 다른 곳 (“a different place”) and 앉을까요? (“should I sit?”) produce the whole meaning: “Should I sit somewhere else?” The polite question asks whether the speaker ought to sit in a different location.

6. 지금은 다른 의자를 사용하세요.

   Use another chair for now.

   지금은

   for now

   다른

   another; different

   의자

   chair

   사용하세요

   please use

   More detail

   지금은 combines 지금 (“now”) with the topic particle 은. Here, 은 sets “now” as the time frame, so 지금은 means “for now” or “as for now.” The particle can also mark a contrast, such as “now, rather than at another time.” Example: 지금은 바빠요. — “I’m busy now.” 다른 means “another” or “different” and appears before the noun it describes. It is the attributive form of 다르다 (“to be different”): 다르다 → 다른 before a noun. Example: 다른 방법 — “another method” or “a different method.” 의자 means “chair.” It is a noun and can be used directly before or after particles depending on its role. Example: 의자가 있어요. — “There is a chair.” The word itself does not specify whether there is one chair or more than one; that comes from context or additional wording. 사용하세요 comes from 사용하다, “to use.” The ending -세요 makes a polite request or instruction, so 사용하세요 means “please use” here. The same ending can be used with other action verbs: 기다리세요. — “Please wait.” Together, 다른 의자를 means “another chair” as the object of 사용하세요; the object particle 를 marks what is being used. The complete utterance is 지금은 다른 의자를 사용하세요. — “Use another chair for now.”

7. 이 의자를 다른 곳으로 옮길게요.

   I will move this one away.

   이

   this

   의자

   chair

   다른

   other; different

   곳

   place

   옮길게요

   I’ll move it

   More detail

   이 means “this” and points to something near the speaker or otherwise treated as the current item. In this sentence it modifies 의자, so the intended meaning is “this chair.” Korean demonstratives include 그 for “that” and 저 for “that over there”; the choice depends on the demonstrative system and context, not simply on English word order. 의자 means “chair.” It is a noun and can be modified directly by a demonstrative: 이 의자 = “this chair.” In the supplied context, the earlier sentence also mentions another chair, but this sentence specifically identifies the chair with 이. 다른 means “other” or “different.” It comes before the noun it modifies: 다른 곳 = “another/different place.” Compare 같은 곳 (“the same place”); 다른 does not mean that the place is necessarily far away. 곳 means “place” or “location.” In 다른 곳으로, the particle 으로 marks the destination or direction toward which something is moved. The pattern [destination]으로 옮기다 can therefore mean “move something to [a destination].” 옮길게요 is the observed form of 옮기다 (“to move,” “to transfer”). Its parts are the verb stem 옮기- plus -ㄹ게요, giving a speaker-centered intention or commitment: “I’ll move it.” In this context, the understood object is the chair already identified in 이 의자; the form itself does not encode the object. The ending is not simply a neutral future tense: it commonly presents what the speaker will do in response to the situation. For example, 제가 문을 닫을게요 means “I’ll close the door,” with the speaker taking responsibility for that action. Together, 이 의자를 identifies “this chair” as the object, 다른 곳으로 gives “to another place,” and 옮길게요 says that the speaker will move it. The whole utterance means: “I’ll move this chair to another place.” The fixed translation “I will move this one away” conveys the same intended action, with 이 의자 supplying the identified item and 다른 곳으로 specifying relocation.

8. 통로가 막히지 않게 벽에 붙여 놓으세요.

   Put it against the wall so the walkway stays clear.

   통로

   walkway

   막히지 않게

   so it stays unblocked

   벽

   wall

   붙여 놓으세요

   please place it against and leave it there

   More detail

   통로 means “walkway” or “passage.” It is a noun for a space used for passing through. In this sentence, it is the thing that should remain clear. 막히지 않게 comes from 막히다, “to become blocked” or “to be obstructed.” The form 막히지 adds -지 after the verb stem, and 않게 makes a negative purpose or result expression: “so that it does not become blocked.” Compare 길이 막혀요 (“The road is blocked”) with 길이 막히지 않아요 (“The road is not blocked”). 벽 means “wall.” The following particle 에 marks the place or surface toward which something is put or against which it is placed. Here, 벽에 means “against the wall” or “by the wall.” 붙여 놓으세요 combines 붙이다, “to attach or put something against a surface,” with 놓다, “to put,” followed by the polite request ending -으세요. 붙여 놓다 describes putting something in position and leaving it there; in this sentence, it does not necessarily assert permanent attachment. For example, 책을 책상 위에 놓아 두세요 means “Please put the book on the desk and leave it there.” Together, 통로가 막히지 않게 gives the purpose: “so that the walkway does not become blocked.” 벽에 붙여 놓으세요 asks the listener to place the relevant item against the wall and leave it there. The whole utterance therefore means: “Put it against the wall so the walkway stays clear.”