Keeping a Shared Bathroom Clean | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 이 공용 화장실을 사용해도 돼요?

   Can I use this shared bathroom?

   이

   this

   공용

   shared; for common use

   화장실

   bathroom; restroom

   사용해도 돼요?

   May I use it?

   More detail

   이 means “this” and points to a nearby or contextually identified thing. It is a demonstrative determiner placed before the noun it specifies. Korean also uses 그 for “that” in a contextually known sense and 저 for “that over there”; the choice depends on the intended demonstrative meaning, not on the noun’s number. 공용 means “shared” or “for common use” here. It describes something intended for use by multiple people, as in 공용 주방 (“shared kitchen”). It appears before the noun it modifies. 화장실 means “bathroom” or “restroom.” In this utterance, 이 공용 화장실 forms the noun phrase “this shared bathroom”: 이 identifies the bathroom, and 공용 specifies its shared-use type. The same noun can refer to a bathroom or restroom depending on the setting. 사용해도 돼요? is a reusable permission pattern. The lexical verb is 사용하다, “to use.” Its stem 사용하- combines with -아/어도 되다; because 하다 becomes 해, the result is 사용해도 되다. In the polite present form, 되다 becomes 돼요, giving 사용해도 돼요? (“May I use it?” or “Is it okay to use it?”). The pattern V-아/어도 돼요? asks whether doing an action is permitted. For example, 여기 앉아도 돼요? means “May I sit here?” Together, 이 공용 화장실 identifies the shared bathroom, and 사용해도 돼요? asks whether the speaker is permitted to use it. The complete meaning is “Can I use this shared bathroom?”

2. 사용해도 돼요. 세면대 주변을 깨끗하게 해 주세요.

   You can, and please keep the sink area clean.

   사용해도 돼요

   can use; it is okay to use

   세면대

   sink

   주변

   surroundings; area around

   깨끗하게

   cleanly; clean

   해 주세요

   please do; please make

   More detail

   사용해도 돼요 means “it is okay to use” here. The base verb is 사용하다 (“to use”). The pattern V-아/어도 되다 asks or states whether an action is permitted: 들어가도 돼요? means “May I go in?” and 들어가도 돼요. means “You may go in.” In this sentence, the polite ending -요 presents permission courteously; it does not itself identify who may use the facility. 세면대 means “sink” or “washbasin.” It is a noun. 주변 means “the area around” something and is also a noun. Together, 세면대 주변 means “the area around the sink.” The noun before 주변 specifies what the area surrounds; for example, 문 주변 means “the area around the door.” 깨끗하게 is the adverbial form of 깨끗하다, “to be clean.” It describes how something is made or kept: 깨끗하게 means “cleanly” or, in this pattern, “clean.” The ending -하게 turns this descriptive form into an adverb. Do not treat 깨끗하게 as the noun’s form; it is the form of 깨끗하다. 해 주세요 comes from 하다, “to do,” plus -아/어 주세요, a polite request for someone to do an action. Here it follows 깨끗하게, so 깨끗하게 해 주세요 means “please make it clean” or “please keep it clean.” The requested action is expressed through the combination, not by translating 해 alone as “make.” A reusable example is 조용하게 해 주세요. — “Please keep it quiet.” As a whole, 사용해도 돼요 grants permission to use the shared bathroom, and 세면대 주변을 깨끗하게 해 주세요 politely requests that the area around the sink be kept clean. Thus the utterance means: “You can, and please keep the sink area clean.”

3. 종이 타월이 한 장 필요해요.

   I need a paper towel.

   종이 타월

   paper towel

   한 장

   one sheet

   필요해요

   need

   More detail

   종이 타월 means “paper towel.” 종이 means “paper,” and 타월 means “towel”; together they name a paper towel. 종이 specifies the material or type. Example: 종이컵 means “paper cup.” 한 장 expresses one sheet or one relatively flat item. 한 is the form of 하나 used before a noun, and 장 is a counter commonly used for paper, sheets, tickets, and similar flat items. Korean places the number before the counter: 두 장 means “two sheets.” The following context uses the same counter in 몇 장, meaning “some sheets” in that context. 필요해요 means “need” here. Its base form is 필요하다, which can express that something is necessary or needed; 필요해요 is its polite present-style form. The person who needs the item is not stated as a separate word, while the fixed translation supplies “I.” In this construction, 종이 타월이 marks the needed item with 이; it does not itself identify the person who needs it. Example: 물이 필요해요. means “I need water.” The sentence assembles as 종이 타월이 “a paper towel” + 한 장 “one sheet” + 필요해요 “is needed / need.” The whole utterance means “I need one paper towel.”

4. 세면대 근처에 몇 장 있어요.

   There are some near the sink.

   세면대

   sink

   근처에

   near; in the vicinity of

   몇 장

   some sheets; several flat items

   있어요

   there is/are; exists

   More detail

   세면대 세면대 means “sink” and is a noun. It commonly refers to a washbasin or bathroom sink. In this sentence, it identifies the location used with 근처에. 근처에 근처 means “vicinity” or “nearby area,” and 에 marks the location where something exists. Thus, 세면대 근처에 means “near the sink.” The pattern [place] 근처에 is reusable: 문 근처에 means “near the door.” 몇 장 몇 means “some” or “several” here, and 장 is a counting unit for flat items such as sheets of paper, tickets, or paper towels. 몇 장 therefore means “some/several sheets” in this statement. In a question, 몇 장이에요? can mean “How many sheets are there?”; the surrounding sentence type determines whether 몇 asks for a number or refers generally to some items. The preceding context makes paper towels a natural interpretation, but 몇 장 itself does not name the material. 있어요 있어요 is the polite present form of 있다, used here to say that something exists or is located somewhere. With a location phrase, [place]에 있어요 means “is/are at [place].” The form does not show whether the located items are singular or plural; 몇 장 supplies the plural quantity in this sentence. Compare 없어요, “there is/are not” or “does not exist.” Whole utterance The structure is 세면대 근처에 (“near the sink”) + 몇 장 (“some/several sheets”) + 있어요 (“are located/exist”). Together, 세면대 근처에 몇 장 있어요. means “There are some near the sink.” The object type is understood from the context, where a paper towel has already been mentioned, while the Korean utterance itself specifies the location and quantity rather than repeating the material.

5. 이거 쓰레기통에 넣어요?

   Does this go in the trash?

   이거

   this

   쓰레기통

   trash can

   넣어요?

   put ...?

   More detail

   이거 means “this” or “this thing” here. It is the colloquial spoken form of 이것; 이- points to something near the speaker, while 거 is the conversational form of “thing.” In this sentence it identifies the item being discussed, without stating who will handle it. 쓰레기통 means “trash can” or “bin.” It is a compound of 쓰레기 (“trash”) and 통 (“container”). Example: 쓰레기통이 어디예요? — “Where is the trash can?” 넣어요? comes from the verb 넣다, “to put in” or “to place inside.” The form 넣어요 is the polite conversational form; with question intonation or a question mark, it asks whether the action is appropriate or will happen. The verb itself carries the idea of putting something into a container, rather than simply moving toward it. Example: 종이를 상자에 넣어요. — “I put the paper in the box.” The location marker 에 appears inside 쓰레기통에. With 넣다, it marks the destination or container that something is put into. Korean often omits particles and participants when they are clear, so 이거 쓰레기통에 넣어요? does not need an explicit pronoun for the person handling the item. Together, 이거 (“this”), 쓰레기통에 (“into the trash can”), and 넣어요? (“put in?”) produce the intended meaning: “Does this go in the trash?”

6. 작은 쓰레기통에 넣으세요.

   Put it in the small bin.

   작은

   small

   쓰레기통

   bin; trash can

   에

   in; into (location marker)

   넣으세요

   please put it in

   More detail

   작은 means “small” here and is the form used before a noun. It comes from the descriptive verb 작다 (“to be small”): 작다 → 작은 before a noun. For example, 작은 방 means “a small room.” 쓰레기통 means “bin” or “trash can.” It is a noun that can be used in reusable location phrases, such as 쓰레기통에 넣다 (“put [something] in the bin”). 에 marks the relevant location or destination. With a verb of putting, it commonly corresponds to “in” or “into”: 상자에 넣어요 means “I put it in the box” or, depending on context, “I put it into the box.” The exact English preposition depends on the action, while 에 marks the endpoint or location. 넣으세요 is a polite request or command meaning “please put [it] in.” It is based on 넣다 (“to put in”): 넣다 → 넣으세요. The ending -(으)세요 forms a polite directive; 넣다 takes -으세요 because its stem ends in a consonant. The object is not stated as a separate word in this sentence, but the fixed translation identifies it as “it.” Together, 작은 쓰레기통에 means “into the small bin,” and 넣으세요 gives the polite instruction “please put it.” The complete utterance therefore means: “Put it in the small bin.”

7. 저도 세면대를 빨리 닦을게요.

   I will wipe the sink quickly too.

   저도

   I too

   세면대

   sink

   빨리

   quickly

   닦을게요

   will wipe

   More detail

   저도 means “I too” here. 저 is the humble/polite first-person pronoun “I,” and 도 adds “also/too” to the word it follows. 저도 presents the speaker as joining someone else in doing the action; it does not identify who that other person is. 세면대 means “sink” or “washbasin.” It is a noun for a basin used for washing, especially in a bathroom. Example: 세면대가 깨끗해요. — “The sink is clean.” 빨리 is an adverb meaning “quickly.” It describes the speed of the wiping action. Example: 빨리 와요. — “Come quickly.” 닦을게요 is a polite first-person form of 닦다, “to wipe” or “to clean by wiping.” It combines the verb stem 닦- with -을게요, a polite ending used when the speaker expresses an intention, willingness, or commitment to do something. Because 닦- ends in a consonant, this ending appears as -을게요; with a vowel-ending stem, it appears as -ㄹ게요. Useful forms are 닦아요 (“wipe/clean” in the polite present), 닦았어요 (“wiped/cleaned”), and 닦을게요 (“I’ll wipe/clean it”). Together, 저도 세면대를 빨리 닦을게요. means “I will wipe the sink quickly too.” The pattern here is [speaker]도 [object] [adverb] [verb + -을게요]: the speaker also undertakes the action, the sink is the object, the action is done quickly, and the speaker politely commits to wiping it. The object particle 를 is not present in the fixed sentence; Korean can omit such particles when the role is clear from context. The ending presents the action as the speaker’s intention or willingness rather than merely an impersonal prediction.

8. 그러면 다음 사람에게 도움이 돼요.

   That helps the next person.

   그러면

   then; in that case

   다음

   next; following

   사람

   person

   에게

   to

   도움이 돼요

   is helpful; helps

   More detail

   그러면 means “then” or “in that case.” It sets up the result of the preceding situation: if the speaker wipes the sink quickly too, then the following statement applies. It is a reusable connective for moving from a condition or situation to its consequence. 다음 means “next” or “following.” Here it modifies 사람, so 다음 사람 means “the next person.” The form 다음 is also used before other nouns, as in 다음 주 (“next week”). 사람 means “person.” In 다음 사람, it identifies the person who comes after the current person in an order or sequence. 에게 marks the person who receives something or is affected by an action or state. Thus 사람에게 means “to the person.” With people, 에게 is a common recipient or affected-person marker. 에게서 instead marks a source, meaning “from,” so it is not a more formal version of 에게 and is not used for the recipient in this sentence. 도움이 돼요 is the polite present form of 도움이 되다, “to be helpful.” 도움 is the noun “help,” 이 marks it as the grammatical subject, and 돼요 is the polite form of 되다; its spelling reflects 되어 contracted to 돼요. The construction places the person helped with 에게: 사람에게 도움이 돼요 means “it helps the person” or “it is helpful to the person.” Example: 이 설명이 학생에게 도움이 돼요 means “This explanation helps the student.” Together, 그러면 다음 사람에게 도움이 돼요 means “Then it helps the next person.” The sentence presents the help as the result of the situation introduced by 그러면, identifies the recipient with 다음 사람에게, and expresses “be helpful” with 도움이 돼요.