Finding the Main Entrance | Learn Korean in English

Korean lesson set in a contemporary Seoul everyday setting: Inside a station, one adult asks how to reach the main entrance and follows signs past the ticket gate..

EN → KO / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Finding the Main Entrance to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

실례합니다, 주 출입구로 가는 길이 어느 쪽인가요?

sil-lyeh-HAM-nee-dah, joo choo-RIP-kkoo-roh ga-neun GEE-ree UH-neu JJOH-gin-GAH-yoh? Excuse me, which way leads to the main entrance?
B

노란 표지판을 따라 중앙 홀 쪽으로 가세요.

noh-RAN pyo-jee-PAH-neul TTAH-rah joong-AHNG hohl JJOH-geu-roh gah-SEH-yoh. Follow the yellow signs toward the main hall.
A

개찰구를 지나서 에스컬레이터를 타면 되나요?

geh-CHAL-goo-reul jee-NAH-suh eh-seu-keul-leh-ee-TAH-reul TAH-myun DWEH-nah-yoh? Should I take the escalator after the ticket gate?
B

에스컬레이터를 타고 위층으로 올라간 다음 오른쪽으로 도세요.

eh-seu-keul-leh-ee-TAH-reul TAH-goh wee-cheung-eu-roh ol-la-GAN dah-eum oh-reun-JJOK-eu-roh doh-SEH-yoh. Take it upstairs, then turn right.
A

여기서 주 출입구까지 먼가요?

yuh-gee-suh joo choo-RIP-kkoo-KKAH-jee MUHN-gah-yoh? Is the main entrance far from here?
B

거기서 조금만 걸으면 돼요.

guh-gee-suh JOH-geum-man guh-ruh-MYUN DWEH-yoh. It is a short walk from there.
A

이 역은 조금 헷갈리네요.

ee-YUH-geun JOH-geum het-KKAL-lee-NEH-yoh. This station is a little confusing.
B

위층에서는 표지판을 따라가기가 더 쉬워요.

wee-cheung-eh-SUH-neun pyo-jee-PAH-neul TTAH-rah-gah-gee-gah duh SHWEE-uh-yoh. The signs are easier to follow upstairs.

Word by Word

실례합니다 “실례합니다” means “Excuse me” and politely gets someone’s attention before asking for directions. It is useful when starting a question with a stranger or station worker.
주 “주” means main or primary here and describes the entrance in “주 출입구”. It is placed before a noun to identify the most important or central one.
출입구로 “출입구로” means toward the entrance in this direction question. “출입구” means entrance, and “로” marks the direction or destination; the pattern [place]로 가다 is useful for saying where someone is going.
가는 “가는” means going or leading here, as in “주 출입구로 가는 길”, the way leading to the main entrance. It comes before “길” to describe the route, and it is related to the citation form “가다”, meaning to go.
길이 “길이” means the way or route here, with “이” marking it as the subject of the question. In “길이 어느 쪽인가요?”, the speaker asks which direction the route is in.
어느 “어느” means which and comes before the noun or direction being selected. It is useful in questions that ask the listener to choose one item or direction.
쪽인가요 “쪽인가요” asks which direction or side something is. In the full question, “주 출입구로 가는 길이 어느 쪽인가요?”, it politely asks which way leads to the main entrance.
노란 “노란” means yellow here and describes the signs in “노란 표지판”. It is the form used before a noun, and the pattern “노란 + noun” identifies something by its yellow color.
표지판을 “표지판을” means the signs as the object being followed. “표지판” means sign or signs, and “을” marks it in the expression “표지판을 따라”, meaning along the signs.
따라 “따라” means along or following here, as in “표지판을 따라”. It shows that the signs are the guide for movement, and the pattern [something]을/를 따라 is useful for following a route or guide.
중앙 “중앙” means central here and describes the hall in “중앙 홀”. It is placed before a noun to identify something as being in the center.
홀 “홀” means hall, referring here to the central interior area of the station. It is a noun that can be used for a large indoor passage or gathering space.
쪽으로 “쪽으로” means toward that direction or side in “중앙 홀 쪽으로”. “쪽” identifies a direction, and “으로” marks movement toward it; the pattern [direction] 쪽으로 가다 is useful when giving directions.
가세요 “가세요” is a polite instruction meaning go. In “중앙 홀 쪽으로 가세요”, it politely tells the person to go toward the central hall; it is related to “가다”, meaning to go.
개찰구를 “개찰구를” means the ticket gate as the thing being passed. “개찰구” is a ticket gate, and “를” marks it in the expression “개찰구를 지나서”.
지나서 “지나서” means after passing here, as in “개찰구를 지나서”. It connects passing the ticket gate with the next action, and the pattern [place or object]을/를 지나서 is useful for giving the next step on a route.
에스컬레이터를 “에스컬레이터를” means the escalator as the object of riding. “에스컬레이터” is escalator, and “를” marks it in “에스컬레이터를 타면 되나요?”; this kind of object marking is used with transport or vehicles that someone rides.
타면 “타면” means if or when someone rides or takes something. In “에스컬레이터를 타면 되나요?”, it forms a question about whether taking the escalator is the correct action; it is related to “타다”, meaning to ride or take.
되나요 “되나요” means is it okay or will that do here. Together with “타면”, “타면 되나요?” politely checks whether that action is sufficient or correct; the pattern V-(으)면 되나요? is useful for checking instructions.
타고 “타고” means riding or taking something and then continuing with another action. In “에스컬레이터를 타고 위층으로 올라간”, it links riding the escalator with going upstairs; it is related to “타다”, meaning to ride or take.
위층으로 “위층으로” means to the upper floor or upstairs. “위층” means upper floor, and “으로” marks the direction of movement; the pattern [floor]으로 올라가다 is useful when describing movement between floors.
올라간 “올라간” means having gone up here, in “위층으로 올라간 다음”, after going upstairs. It describes the completed upward movement before “다음”, and it is related to “올라가다”, meaning to go up.
다음 “다음” means after that or next in “올라간 다음”. It marks the action that comes after going upstairs, and the pattern V-(으)ㄴ 다음 is useful for giving steps in order.
오른쪽으로 “오른쪽으로” means to the right and gives the direction of the turn. “오른쪽” means right side, and “으로” marks the direction; it can be used before an instruction such as “도세요”.
도세요 “도세요” is a polite instruction meaning turn. In “오른쪽으로 도세요”, it tells someone to turn right, and the pattern [direction]으로 도세요 is useful when giving turning instructions.
여기서 “여기서” means from here in the question about the distance to the entrance. “여기” means here, and “서” marks the starting location for distance or movement.
출입구까지 “출입구까지” means as far as or up to the entrance. “출입구” means entrance, and “까지” marks the endpoint; the pattern [starting place]에서 [destination]까지 is useful for asking about a route or distance.
먼가요 “먼가요” means is it far here, asking about the distance to the main entrance. It is the question form related to “멀다”, meaning to be far, and can be used after an endpoint when checking distance.
거기서 “거기서” means from there, referring to the location just discussed. “거기” means there, and “서” marks it as the starting point for the short walk.
조금만 “조금만” means just a little here and limits the amount of walking needed. “만” adds the meaning only or just, and the pattern 조금만 + action is useful when saying that only a small amount is needed.
걸으면 “걸으면” means if you walk or when you walk. In “조금만 걸으면 돼요”, it introduces the condition that walking a little is enough; it is related to “걷다”, meaning to walk.
돼요 “돼요” means it is enough or that will do here. Together with “조금만 걸으면”, “조금만 걸으면 돼요” means that walking only a little is all that is needed; the pattern V-(으)면 돼요 is useful for giving a sufficient action.
이 “이” means this and points to the station being discussed. It comes directly before “역” in “이 역은”, and the pattern 이 + noun is useful for identifying something nearby or currently under discussion.
역은 “역은” means the station as the topic of the comment. “역” means station, and “은” marks the topic in “이 역은 조금 헷갈리네요”, which comments on this station.
조금 “조금” means a little here and softens the degree of being confusing. It is placed before “헷갈리네요” to say that the station is somewhat confusing rather than completely confusing.
헷갈리네요 “헷갈리네요” means this is confusing or I find this confusing here. It expresses the speaker’s reaction to the station, and the phrase “조금 헷갈리네요” is useful when politely describing mild confusion.
위층에서는 “위층에서는” means upstairs or in the upper-floor area here. “위층” means upper floor, while “에서는” marks that location as the setting for the comparison about following signs.
따라가기가 “따라가기가” means following or going along as an activity. In “표지판을 따라가기가 더 쉬워요”, the activity of following the signs is what is easier; the pattern V-기가 쉽다 is useful for describing how easy an action is.
더 “더” means more here and makes “쉬워요” comparative, giving the meaning easier. The pattern 더 + adjective is useful when comparing one situation with another.
쉬워요 “쉬워요” means is easy here, specifically that following the signs is easier upstairs. It is related to “쉽다”, meaning easy, and the pattern V-기가 쉬워요 is useful for saying that an action is easy to do.

Grammar Points

동사-(으)면

에스컬레이터를 타면

eh-seu-keul-leh-ee-TAH-reul TAH-myun

If you take the escalator

Attach -(으)면 to a verb to express a condition: “if” or “when” something happens.

동사-아/어서

개찰구를 지나서

geh-CHAL-goo-reul jee-NAH-suh

After passing the ticket gate

Use -아/어서 to connect actions in sequence, meaning “after doing something” in this context.

Korean Vocabulary

가다 verb
gah-dah to go 가는
개찰구 noun
geh-CHAL-goo ticket gate
길 noun
geel way; route
노랗다 adj
noh-RAH-tah to be yellow 노란
실례합니다 intj
sil-lyeh-HAM-nee-dah excuse me
어느 쪽 phrase
UH-neu JJOH which way; which direction
에스컬레이터 noun
eh-seu-keul-leh-ee-TAH escalator
주 출입구 noun
joo choo-RIP-kkoo main entrance
중앙 홀 noun
joong-AHNG hohl main hall
지나다 verb
jee-NAH-dah to pass; go past 지나서
타다 verb
TAH-dah to take; ride 타면
표지판 noun
pyo-jee-PAHN sign 표지판을

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Should I take the escalator after the ticket gate?

Show Answer개찰구를 지나서 에스컬레이터를 타면 되나요?

Is the main entrance far from here?

Show Answer여기서 주 출입구까지 먼가요?

It is a short walk from there.

Show Answer거기서 조금만 걸으면 돼요.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

excuse me

Show Answer실례합니다

sign

Show Answer표지판을

escalator

Show Answer에스컬레이터

ticket gate

Show Answer개찰구