Finding a Quiet Place to Work | Learn Korean in English

Korean lesson set in a contemporary Seoul everyday setting: In a library, one person asks for a quiet work area and learns where silent study and phone calls are allowed..

EN → KO / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Finding a Quiet Place to Work to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

제가 일할 수 있는 조용한 곳이 있나요?

JEH-gah eel-HAHL soo IN-neun joh-YONG-han GOH-shee inn-NAH-yoh? Is there a quiet area where I can work?
B

위층 왼쪽에 조용히 공부할 수 있는 책상이 있어요.

wee-CHUNG wen-JJOK-eh joh-YONG-hee gong-BOO-hal soo IN-neun chek-SSANG-ee ee-SSUH-yoh. There are desks for quiet study upstairs on the left.
A

거기서 짧게 전화해도 될까요?

guh-GEE-suh JJAL-keh jun-HWA-heh-doh dwel-KKAH-yoh? Could I take a short call there?
B

그 책상들은 조용히 공부할 때만 써요.

guh chek-SSANG-deu-reun joh-YONG-hee gong-BOO-hal ttae-MAN ssuh-YOH. Those desks are only for silent study.
A

그럼 전화는 다른 곳에서 할게요.

guh-REOM jun-HWA-neun DAH-reun GOH-seh-suh hal-KKEH-yoh. I'll take phone calls somewhere else, then.
B

전화는 로비에서 하는 게 더 좋아요.

jun-HWA-neun roh-BEE-eh-suh ha-neun geh duh joh-AH-yoh. The lobby is better for calls.
A

위층 책상이 저에게 맞겠어요.

wee-CHUNG chek-SSANG-ee juh-eh-geh mat-KKESS-uh-yoh. An upstairs desk will work for me.
B

오후에는 보통 조용해요.

oh-HOO-eh-neun boh-TOONG joh-YONG-heh-yoh. It is usually calm in the afternoon.

Word by Word

제가 “제가” means “I” as the subject of the work-related description. It is the form of 저 used with the subject marker 가 here. Use it when identifying yourself as the person who does an action or has an ability, such as asking about something you can do.
일할 “일할” means “to work” in the phrase describing a place where the speaker can work. It is the noun-modifying form of 일하다 before 수 있는 조용한 곳. This form is useful before a noun when describing what someone will or can do there.
수 “수” expresses ability or possibility in 제가 일할 수 있는 조용한 곳, meaning a place where I can work. Its meaning here comes from the expression with 일할 and 있는, rather than from 수 alone. It is useful when talking about whether an action is possible.
있는 “있는” means “that exists” or “that is available” in 제가 일할 수 있는 조용한 곳. It connects the possibility of working with the place being described. Use this form before a noun when identifying something that exists or is available.
조용한 “조용한” means “quiet” and describes the place the speaker wants to use. It is the noun-modifying form of 조용하다 before 곳. It is useful before a noun when describing a quiet place, room, or area.
곳이 “곳이” means “the place” as the subject of the question about whether one exists. 곳 means “place,” and 이 marks it as the subject. Use it when asking whether a particular kind of place is available.
있나요 “있나요” asks whether something exists or is available, so here it means “is there?” It is a polite question form of 있다. Use it to ask whether a place, item, or option is available.
위층 “위층” means “upstairs” and identifies the floor where the desks are located. In the dialogue it appears in the location phrase 위층 왼쪽에. Use it when giving or asking for directions inside a building.
왼쪽에 “왼쪽에” means “on the left,” specifying the desks’ location. 왼쪽 means “left,” and 에 marks the place where something is located. Use it after a place description when pointing out a direction or position.
조용히 “조용히” means “quietly” and describes how the studying can be done. It is the adverbial form used with the action of studying in the dialogue. Use it before an action when describing a quiet manner of doing something.
공부할 “공부할” means “to study” in the description of desks where someone can study quietly. It is the noun-modifying form of 공부하다 before 책상. This form is useful when describing what an object or place is intended or suitable for.
책상이 “책상이” means “the desk” as the subject of the statement that desks are available. 책상 means “desk,” and 이 marks it as the subject. Use this form when presenting a desk as the thing that exists or is located somewhere.
있어요 “있어요” means “there is” or “there are” in the sentence about desks upstairs. It is the polite spoken form of 있다. Use it to state that something exists or is available, often after a location.
거기서 “거기서” means “there, at that place,” referring to the desks just mentioned. 거기 identifies the place, and 서 marks it as the location where the call would happen. Use it when saying that an action takes place at a previously identified location.
짧게 “짧게” means “briefly” or “for a short time” and describes the intended phone call. It is the adverbial form of 짧다, placed before the action. Use it to limit the length or extent of an activity.
전화해도 “전화해도” presents making a phone call as the action for which the speaker is asking permission. With 될까요 in 전화해도 될까요?, it asks whether calling is okay rather than simply stating a condition. Use this action-plus-permission pattern when politely asking if an activity is allowed.
될까요 “될까요” means “would it be okay?” in the permission question 전화해도 될까요? It is a tentative, polite question form related to 되다. Use it to ask whether a proposed action or arrangement is acceptable.
그 “그” points back to the desks that were just mentioned, giving the sense of “those” in this dialogue. It appears directly before 책상들은 to identify the desks under discussion. Use it before a noun when referring to something already identified in the conversation.
책상들은 “책상들은” means “those desks” as the topic of the restriction. 책상 means “desk,” 들 marks the group, and 은 sets it as the topic. Use this form when shifting attention to a group of desks or other items and describing what applies to them.
때만 “때만” means “only when” and restricts the desks’ use to the situation of quiet study. 때 refers to the time or occasion, while 만 adds “only.” Use it after an action or situation when saying that something applies only under that condition.
써요 “써요” means “use” here, referring to how the desks are used. It is the polite spoken form of 쓰다 in this context. Use it when explaining that an item is used for a particular activity or purpose.
그럼 “그럼” means “then” or “in that case,” linking the restriction to the speaker’s next decision. Here it introduces the choice to make phone calls elsewhere. Use it when responding to new information and stating a resulting action or conclusion.
전화는 “전화는” means “as for phone calls,” making calls the topic of the sentence. 전화 refers to the calls in this library context, and 는 marks the topic. Use it when setting phone calls apart as the activity being discussed.
다른 “다른” means “another” or “different” and describes a place that is not the desks just discussed. It appears before 곳 to identify an alternative place. Use it before a noun when distinguishing one option from the current or previously mentioned option.
곳에서 “곳에서” means “at or in a place,” marking where the speaker will make the calls. 곳 means “place,” and 에서 marks the location of an action. Use it after a place noun when saying where an activity happens.
할게요 “할게요” means “I’ll do it” or “I’ll make them,” with the phone calls understood from context. It expresses the speaker’s willing decision or commitment after receiving the information. Use it when agreeing to take an action or indicating what you will do.
로비에서 “로비에서” means “in the lobby,” the place recommended for phone calls. 에서 marks the lobby as the location where the calls take place. Use it to identify where an action will happen inside a building.
하는 “하는” means “doing” or “making” in 전화는 로비에서 하는 게 더 좋아요, referring to making phone calls. It is the form of 하다 that describes the action before 게. Use it when placing an action inside a phrase that will be evaluated or compared.
게 “게” marks the action described by 하는 as the thing being evaluated in 전화는 로비에서 하는 게 더 좋아요. The sentence therefore evaluates making calls in the lobby as better. Use it after an action description when saying that doing that action is good, better, or suitable.
더 “더” means “more” and creates the comparison in 전화는 로비에서 하는 게 더 좋아요. It shows that making calls in the lobby is preferable to the other location. Use it when comparing two options and indicating the better one.
좋아요 “좋아요” means “is good” or, with 더, “is better” in the recommendation about the lobby. It is the polite spoken form of 좋다. Use it to evaluate an option positively or say that one choice is preferable.
저에게 “저에게” means “for me” or “to me,” identifying the person whose needs are being considered. 저 means “I” in a polite form, and 에게 marks the person involved. Use it when saying that something suits, helps, or is appropriate for someone.
맞겠어요 “맞겠어요” means “would suit me” or “would work for me” in the speaker’s judgment about an upstairs desk. It expresses a tentative conclusion about suitability, related to 맞다. Use it when assessing whether a place, object, or arrangement fits someone’s needs.
오후에는 “오후에는” means “in the afternoon,” setting the time frame for the library’s quiet condition. 오후 means “afternoon,” and 는 presents that time as the topic or frame. Use it at the beginning of a sentence to describe what normally happens during a particular time period.
보통 “보통” means “usually,” describing what is typical in the afternoon. It adds frequency information without saying that the condition happens every time. Use it when describing a normal schedule, habit, or usual situation.
조용해요 “조용해요” means “is quiet,” describing the atmosphere in the library during the afternoon. It is the polite spoken form of 조용하다. Use it to describe a place or time as having a quiet atmosphere.

Grammar Points

형용사-(으)ㄴ + 명사

조용한 곳

joh-YONG-han GOHT

a quiet place

An adjective takes -(으)ㄴ before a noun to describe it. 조용하다 becomes 조용한.

형용사-게 + 동사

짧게 전화하다

JJAL-keh jun-HWA-hah-dah

to make a short phone call

The -게 form changes an adjective into an adverb describing how an action is done. 짧다 becomes 짧게.

Korean Vocabulary

곳 noun
GOHT place

조용한 곳

공부하다 verb
gong-BOO-hah-dah to study 공부할

조용히 공부할 수 있는 책상

그럼 adv
guh-REOM then; in that case

그럼 전화는 다른 곳에서 할게요.

다른 det
DAH-reun other; different

다른 곳

왼쪽 noun
wen-JJOK left side

위층 왼쪽

위층 noun
wee-CHUNG upstairs

위층 왼쪽

일하다 verb
eel-HAH-dah to work 일할

제가 일할 수 있는 조용한 곳이 있나요?

전화 noun
jun-HWA phone call; telephone

전화해도 될까요?

전화하다 verb
jun-HWA-hah-dah to make a phone call 전화해도

거기서 짧게 전화해도 될까요?

조용하다 adj
joh-YONG-hah-dah to be quiet 조용한

조용한 곳

짧다 adj
JJAL-ttah to be short 짧게

짧게 전화해도 될까요?

책상 noun
chek-SSANG desk

책상이 있어요

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Could I take a short call there?

Show Answer거기서 짧게 전화해도 될까요?

Those desks are only for silent study.

Show Answer그 책상들은 조용히 공부할 때만 써요.

I'll take phone calls somewhere else, then.

Show Answer그럼 전화는 다른 곳에서 할게요.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to make a phone call

Show Answer전화해도

then; in that case

Show Answer그럼

to work

Show Answer일할

upstairs

Show Answer위층