Waiting for a Delayed Bus | Learn Korean in English

Korean lesson set in a contemporary Seoul everyday setting: At a bus stop, two adults talk about a delayed bus, traffic, and whether to wait for the same route..

EN → KO / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Waiting for a Delayed Bus to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

실례합니다. 버스가 늦게 오나요?

sill-LYEH-ham-nee-DAH. BUH-suh-gah NEUT-kkeh oh-NAH-yoh? Excuse me, is the bus delayed?
B

근처에 교통이 많이 막혀요.

GUHN-chuh-eh gyo-TONG-ee MAH-nee mak-KYUH-yoh. There's heavy traffic nearby.
A

언제 도착하는지 아세요?

EON-jeh doh-CHAHK-ha-neun-jee ah-SEH-yoh? Do you know when it will arrive?
B

아직 오는 중이에요.

ah-JIK oh-neun joong-ee-eh-yoh. It's still on the way.
B

그래서 더 오래 기다려야 할 수도 있어요.

guh-RAE-suh duh oh-RAE kee-dah-RYUH-yah hahl soo-doh ee-SSUH-yoh. So the wait may be longer.
A

같은 노선의 다른 버스가 있나요?

GAH-teun noh-SEON-eui DAH-reun BUH-suh-gah IT-nah-yoh? Is there another bus for the same route?
B

있어요. 하지만 그 버스는 더 오래 걸려요.

ee-SSUH-yoh. hah-JEE-mahn geu BUH-suh-neun duh oh-RAE geol-LYUH-yoh. There is, but that option takes longer.
A

저는 이 버스를 여기서 기다릴게요.

juh-neun ee BUH-suh-reul yuh-GEE-suh kee-dah-RYUL-kkeh-yoh. I'll stay here for this bus.
B

기다릴 수 있으면 그게 아마 가장 좋을 거예요.

kee-dah-RIL soo ee-SSEU-myuhn geu-GEH ah-MAH gah-JAHNG JOH-eul guh-eh-yoh. That's probably best if you can wait.

Word by Word

실례합니다 실례합니다 means “excuse me” and politely gets another person’s attention before a question. Use it when speaking to a stranger or someone you do not know well, especially before asking for information.
버스가 버스가 means “the bus” as the subject of the question. The particle 가 marks the bus as the thing whose arrival is being discussed. A noun followed by 가 commonly identifies the subject of a sentence.
늦게 늦게 means “late” or “later” and describes how the bus comes in 버스가 늦게 오나요? It is the adverbial form related to 늦다. Use 늦게 before an action to describe that it happens late.
오나요 오나요 asks politely whether the bus comes or arrives. In 버스가 늦게 오나요?, it asks whether the bus is coming late. Use this kind of question form when checking whether something is happening.
근처에 근처에 means “nearby” or “in the vicinity” and locates the traffic near the bus stop. The particle 에 marks the place being referred to. Use a location followed by 에 when saying that something exists or is located there.
교통이 교통이 means “traffic” as the subject of the statement. The particle 이 marks traffic as what is congested in 교통이 많이 막혀요. A noun followed by 이 commonly identifies the subject.
많이 많이 means “a lot” or “heavily” here and intensifies the congestion in 교통이 많이 막혀요. It explains that the traffic is congested to a large degree. Use 많이 before an action or description to show a large amount or degree.
막혀요 막혀요 means “is congested” or “is blocked”; here it describes the traffic near the bus stop. It is the polite present form related to 막히다. Use it with 교통이 when talking about traffic congestion.
언제 언제 means “when” and asks about the bus’s arrival time. In 언제 도착하는지 아세요?, it introduces the time being asked about. Use 언제 when asking when an event happens.
도착하는지 도착하는지 forms the embedded question about when the bus arrives in 언제 도착하는지 아세요? With 언제, the phrase asks for the arrival time rather than simply asking whether arrival happens. This form is useful before 아세요 when asking whether someone knows when an event occurs.
아세요 아세요 means “do you know?” in a polite question. In 언제 도착하는지 아세요?, it asks whether the listener knows when the bus will arrive. Use it after an embedded question when asking someone for information.
아직 아직 means “still” or “yet” and shows that the bus has not arrived and is still coming. Here it emphasizes that the expected situation has not finished. Use 아직 with an ongoing or not-yet-completed situation.
오는 오는 means “coming” and describes the action in 오는 중이에요. It is the form related to 오다 used before the following noun-like element 중. Use this form before a noun to describe an action connected with it.
중이에요 중이에요 indicates that an action is currently in progress in 오는 중이에요, meaning the bus is on the way. The whole expression describes an action that has not finished yet. Use an action form with 중이에요 to say that the action is underway.
그래서 그래서 means “so” or “therefore” and connects the traffic problem with the expected longer wait. It introduces the result of the information just given. Use it at the beginning of a statement that follows from a reason or situation.
더 더 means “more” or “longer” here and increases the duration expressed by 오래. In 더 오래 기다려야 할 수도 있어요, it shows that the waiting time may exceed what was expected. Use 더 before a description when comparing a greater amount or degree.
오래 오래 means “for a long time” and describes the duration of waiting. Together with 더, it gives the meaning “longer” in 더 오래 기다려야 할 수도 있어요. Use 오래 with action words when referring to how long something continues.
기다려야 기다려야 expresses that waiting is necessary in 기다려야 할 수도 있어요. It comes from 기다리다 and marks waiting as the required action. Use this form before a following expression when saying that someone must or needs to wait.
할 할 contributes the action “do” inside 기다려야 할 수도 있어요, where the whole phrase means that it may be necessary to wait longer. It continues the necessity-and-possibility construction rather than independently meaning “will have to.” Use 할 before 수도 있어요 when the possibility concerns an action.
수도 수도 indicates possibility in 할 수도 있어요, giving the meaning “may.” Together with the preceding 기다려야 할, it says that waiting longer may be necessary. Use 수도 with an action when presenting it as one possible outcome.
있어요 있어요 completes the possibility expression 수도 있어요 in this sentence. Here it does not simply mean that something exists; the whole expression says that something may happen. Use 수도 있어요 after an action when stating a possibility politely.
같은 같은 means “same” and describes 노선 in 같은 노선의 다른 버스. It identifies the route as the one already being discussed. Use 같은 before a noun when referring to the same person, thing, or category.
노선의 노선의 means “of the route” and links 노선 to the bus in 같은 노선의 다른 버스. The particle 의 expresses the relationship between the route and the bus. Use a noun followed by 의 before another noun to show this kind of connection.
다른 다른 means “another” or “different” and identifies a bus other than the one already being considered. In 같은 노선의 다른 버스, it introduces an alternative on the same route. Use 다른 before a noun when selecting a different option.
있나요 있나요 asks politely whether something exists or is available. In 같은 노선의 다른 버스가 있나요?, it asks whether another bus for the same route is available. Use it after a noun phrase when checking whether that thing is there.
하지만 하지만 means “but” or “however” and introduces a contrast between the alternative bus being available and its taking longer. It connects two statements with opposing or limiting information. Use it before the contrasting statement.
그 그 means “that” and points to the alternative bus already mentioned. In 그 버스는 더 오래 걸려요, it identifies which bus is being evaluated. Use 그 before a noun when referring to a known or previously mentioned thing.
버스는 버스는 means “that bus” as the topic of the statement. The particle 는 sets the bus up for the comment that it takes longer, contrasting it with the other option. Use a noun followed by 는 when making a comment about that topic.
걸려요 걸려요 means “takes time” in 그 버스는 더 오래 걸려요. The whole phrase says that the alternative bus requires a longer amount of time. It is the polite present form related to 걸리다, and it is commonly used with a duration expression.
저는 저는 means “I” as the topic of the speaker’s decision. The particle 는 introduces what the speaker will do in 저는 이 버스를 여기서 기다릴게요. Use it when stating your own choice, plan, or opinion.
이 이 means “this” and identifies the bus the speaker has chosen. It comes directly before 버스를 in 이 버스를 여기서 기다릴게요. Use 이 before a nearby or currently selected noun.
버스를 버스를 means “the bus” as the object of waiting for. The particle 를 marks the bus as the object connected with 기다릴게요. Use a noun followed by 를 when it is the object of an action.
여기서 여기서 means “here” and marks the place where the speaker will wait. In 이 버스를 여기서 기다릴게요, it means waiting at this place for this bus. Use 여기서 when an action takes place at the current location.
기다릴게요 기다릴게요 means “I’ll wait” and presents the speaker’s decision or commitment to wait. It is a polite form used when the speaker offers or intends to carry out the action. Use it when telling someone what you will do for the situation.
기다릴 기다릴 means “wait” in 기다릴 수 있으면, where the whole phrase means “if you can wait.” It is the form of 기다리다 used before 수 to express ability or possibility, not an independent future statement here. Use an action form followed by 수 when describing whether someone can do that action.
수 수 expresses ability or possibility in 기다릴 수 있으면. Together with 기다릴 and 있어요, it gives the meaning “can wait,” and with 있으면 it forms the condition “if you can wait.” Use 수 after an action form when talking about whether that action is possible.
있으면 있으면 means “if it is possible” or “if you can” in 기다릴 수 있으면. It makes the ability to wait the condition for the advice that follows. Use this conditional form at the end of a condition clause.
그게 그게 means “that” as the subject of the recommendation and refers to staying for this bus. It points back to the choice just described in 저는 이 버스를 여기서 기다릴게요. Use it to refer to an already-mentioned thing, action, or choice as the subject of a comment.
아마 아마 means “probably” and softens the speaker’s judgment about which choice is best. It shows that the recommendation is likely but not completely certain. Use 아마 before a prediction, opinion, or expected result.
가장 가장 means “the most” and marks the highest degree in the evaluation of the available choices. In 가장 좋을 거예요, it helps express that staying for this bus is probably the best option. Use it before a descriptive word when comparing several possibilities.
좋을 좋을 means “would be good” or “would be best” in 좋을 거예요. It evaluates the choice referred to by 그게 as the most favorable option. Use this form before 거예요 when making an expected evaluation.
거예요 거예요 completes 좋을 거예요 as a prediction or judgment, meaning that the choice will probably be best. With 아마, the statement is a polite and softened recommendation rather than a certain claim. Use it after a descriptive form when stating an expected result or evaluation.

Grammar Points

V-는지

언제 도착하는지

EON-jeh doh-CHAHK-ha-neun-jee

when it will arrive

-는지 turns a question into an embedded question, meaning “whether” or “when.”

V-아/어야 할 수도 있어요

더 오래 기다려야 할 수도 있어요

duh oh-RAE kee-dah-RYUH-yah hahl soo-doh ee-SSUH-yoh

I may have to wait longer

This combines obligation with possibility: someone may have to do something.

Korean Vocabulary

교통 noun
gyo-TONG traffic
근처 noun
GUHN-chuh nearby
기다려야 할 수도 있어요 phrase
kee-dah-RYUH-yah hahl soo-doh ee-SSUH-yoh may have to wait
늦게 오나요 phrase
NEUT-kkeh oh-NAH-yoh is it coming late
더 오래 adv
duh oh-RAE longer
도착하는지 verb
doh-CHAHK-ha-neun-jee whether it will arrive
막혀요 verb
mak-KYUH-yoh is congested
버스 noun
BUH-suh bus
실례합니다 intj
sill-LYEH-ham-nee-DAH excuse me
아직 adv
ah-JIK still
언제 adv
EON-jeh when
오는 중이에요 phrase
oh-neun joong-ee-eh-yoh is on the way

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Excuse me, is the bus delayed?

Show Answer실례합니다. 버스가 늦게 오나요?

There's heavy traffic nearby.

Show Answer근처에 교통이 많이 막혀요.

Do you know when it will arrive?

Show Answer언제 도착하는지 아세요?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

excuse me

Show Answer실례합니다

whether it will arrive

Show Answer도착하는지

bus

Show Answer버스

is congested

Show Answer막혀요