A Place to Wait After Being Locked Out | Learn Korean in English

Korean lesson set in a contemporary Seoul everyday setting: At home, one adult asks for a place to wait while calling a landlord about being locked out of an apartment..

EN → KO / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use A Place to Wait After Being Locked Out to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

아파트에 들어갈 수가 없어요.

ah-pah-TOO-eh duh-ruh-GAHL soo-gah uhp-SUH-yo I am locked out of my apartment.
B

어딘가에 여분 열쇠가 있나요?

uh-DEEN-gah-eh yuh-BOON yuhl-SHWEH-gah een-NAH-yo Do you have a spare key somewhere?
A

저는 없지만 집주인에게 하나 있을지도 몰라요.

juh-nun uhp-JJEE-mahn jip-JJOO-een-eh-GEH hah-NAH eel-SSEUL-jih-doh mohl-LAH-yo I do not, but my landlord may have one.
B

지금 집주인에게 전화해 보세요.

jee-GUHM jip-JJOO-een-eh-GEH juhn-HWA-heh boh-SEH-yo Try calling them now.
A

전화하는 동안 안에서 기다려도 될까요?

juhn-HWA-hah-nun dohng-AHN ahn-eh-SUH gee-dah-RYUH-doh dwel-KKWAH-yo Could I wait inside while I make the call?
B

잠깐 들어오세요.

jahm-KKAN duh-ruh-oh-SEH-yo Come in for a while.
B

밖은 추워요.

bah-KKUN CHOO-woh-yo It is cold out there.
A

무슨 일이 있었는지 설명하고 열쇠에 대해 물어볼게요.

moo-SUN eel-ee ee-SSUHN-nun-jee suh-MYUHNG-hah-goh yuhl-SHWEH-eh deh-HEH moo-ruh-BOHL-kkeh-yo I will explain what happened and ask about the key.
B

기다리는 동안 필요한 것이 있으면 말해 주세요.

gee-dah-REE-nun dohng-AHN pee-RYOH-hahn guh-shee ee-SSEU-myuhn mahl-heh JOO-SEH-yo Tell me if you need anything while you wait.

Word by Word

아파트 아파트 means apartment, the home the speaker cannot enter. It is used with 에 in 아파트에 들어갈 수가 없어요 to identify the destination or place. A new example is 아파트에 살아요, “I live in an apartment.”
에 에 marks 아파트 as the place the speaker is trying to enter in 아파트에 들어갈 수가 없어요. It commonly follows a destination or location noun. A new example is 학교에 가요, “I go to school.”
들어갈 들어갈 refers to entering in 들어갈 수가 없어요, the expression used here for not being able to enter. It comes before 수 to form an ability or possibility expression. A new example is 안에 들어갈 수 있어요, “I can enter inside.”
수 수 expresses ability or possibility in 들어갈 수가 없어요. Together with 없어요, it makes the meaning “cannot enter”; 수 alone does not carry the whole meaning. A common reusable pattern is an action form followed by 수 and a form of 있다 or 없다.
가 가 marks 수 as the subject in 들어갈 수가 없어요. The expression focuses on whether the possibility or ability to enter exists. A new example is 할 수가 있어요, “It is possible to do it.”
없어요 없어요 means that something is not present or does not exist; in 들어갈 수가 없어요, it completes the meaning “cannot enter.” The exact phrase explains the speaker’s inability to get into the apartment. A new example is 시간이 없어요, “I do not have time.”
어딘가 어딘가 means somewhere in 어딘가에 여분 열쇠가 있나요? It refers to an unspecified place where the spare key might be. It can be used before 에 when asking whether something is in some place. A new example is 어딘가에 있을 거예요, “It will be somewhere.”
여분 여분 means spare or extra in 여분 열쇠, referring to an additional key available for use. It is placed before 열쇠 to describe what kind of key it is. A new example is 여분 표, “an extra ticket.”
열쇠 열쇠 means key, specifically the key being sought in 여분 열쇠 and discussed again in 열쇠에 대해. It can be combined with a describing word before it, as in 여분 열쇠. A new example is 열쇠를 찾고 있어요, “I am looking for the key.”
저 저 means I or me in the humble form used by the speaker in 저는 없지만. It is followed by 는 here to set the speaker as the topic. A new example is 저는 학생이에요, “I am a student.”
는 는 marks 저 as the topic in 저는 없지만. The phrase means “I do not have one, but,” contrasting the speaker with the landlord mentioned afterward. A new example is 저는 집에 있어요, “I am at home.”
없지만 없지만 means “do not have or there is not, but” in 저는 없지만. It states the lack of a key and connects that information to the possibility that the landlord has one. The ending 는데 or 지만 can connect a first fact to a contrasting or following statement; here the exact form is 없지만.
집주인 집주인 means landlord, the person who may have a key in 집주인에게 하나 있을지도 몰라요. It identifies the person connected with the possible location of the key. A new example is 집주인에게 연락했어요, “I contacted the landlord.”
에게 에게 marks 집주인 as the person connected with the key in 집주인에게 하나 있을지도 몰라요. Here it points to the person who may have the key; in 전화해 보세요 it marks the person being called when attached to 집주인. A new example is 친구에게 물어봤어요, “I asked a friend.”
하나 하나 means one, referring here to one key in 하나 있을지도 몰라요. It stands for the previously mentioned 열쇠 instead of repeating the noun. A new example is 하나 주세요, “Please give me one.”
있을지도 있을지도 marks the possibility that the key exists or is available with the landlord in 있을지도 몰라요. Together with 몰라요, the expression means “might have one” or “may be there.” A common reusable pattern is a possibility expression followed by 몰라요 when the speaker is not certain.
몰라요 몰라요 means “I do not know”; in 있을지도 몰라요, it completes the expression “might be” or “may have.” The speaker uses it to show uncertainty about whether the landlord has the key. A new example is 잘 몰라요, “I do not know well.”
지금 지금 means now in 지금 집주인에게 전화해 보세요. It sets the suggested phone call at the present time. A new example is 지금 시작해요, “I am starting now.”
전화해 전화해 refers to making a phone call in 전화해 보세요. It is followed by 보세요, so the whole expression politely suggests trying to call the landlord. A new example is 친구에게 전화해, “Call your friend.”
보세요 보세요 contributes the meaning “try doing it” in 전화해 보세요. Together with 전화해, it makes a polite suggestion to try calling now. A common reusable pattern is an action form followed by 보세요 to suggest trying that action.
전화하는 전화하는 means calling or making a phone call in 전화하는 동안. It describes the call as the activity taking place during the waiting period. It is used before 동안 to say “while calling.”
동안 동안 means while or during in 전화하는 동안. It connects the activity of calling with the time when the speaker waits inside. A new example is 식사하는 동안 이야기했어요, “I talked while eating.”
안 안 means inside in 안에서 기다려도 될까요? It identifies the indoor place where the speaker is asking to wait. It is followed by 에서 because waiting is an action taking place there. A new example is 안에 들어가세요, “Please go inside.”
에서 에서 marks 안 as the place where the action of waiting occurs in 안에서 기다려도 될까요? It is used with an activity or action happening at a location. A new example is 집에서 쉬어요, “I rest at home.”
기다려도 기다려도 contributes “wait” to 기다려도 될까요? The form with 도 is part of the permission question asking whether waiting is acceptable. A new example is 여기에서 기다려도 될까요?, “May I wait here?”
될까요 될까요 asks whether something would be okay in 기다려도 될까요? Together with 기다려도, it politely means “Could I wait?” or “Would it be okay if I waited?” A common reusable pattern is an action followed by 도 될까요 when asking permission.
잠깐 잠깐 means for a moment or briefly in 잠깐 들어오세요. It limits the length of the invitation to coming inside. A new example is 잠깐 기다려 주세요, “Please wait a moment.”
들어오세요 들어오세요 means “come in” in the polite invitation 잠깐 들어오세요. It invites the other person to move inside toward the speaker’s location. A new example is 편하게 들어오세요, “Please come in comfortably.”
밖 밖 means outside in 밖은 추워요. It identifies the outdoor area being discussed as cold. It is followed by 은 to make outside the topic of the sentence. A new example is 밖에 사람이 있어요, “There is someone outside.”
은 은 marks 밖 as the topic in 밖은 추워요. The sentence presents the condition of the outside area: it is cold there. A new example is 오늘은 바빠요, “Today, I am busy.”
추워요 추워요 means “is cold” in 밖은 추워요. Here it describes the outdoor temperature and gives a reason to come inside. A new example is 날씨가 추워요, “The weather is cold.”
무슨 무슨 asks what kind of or what in 무슨 일이 있었는지. With 일, it helps identify the event that happened and is going to be explained. A new example is 무슨 문제예요?, “What kind of problem is it?”
일 일 means a thing, matter, or event in 무슨 일이 있었는지. With 무슨, the phrase refers to what happened rather than to a specific job. A new example is 무슨 일이에요?, “What is the matter?”
이 이 marks 일이 as the subject in 무슨 일이 있었는지. It shows that the event or matter is what happened. A new example is 어떤 일이 생겼어요?, “What happened?”
있었는지 있었는지 introduces the content being explained in 무슨 일이 있었는지, meaning what happened. It turns the question about the event into information that can be explained. A common reusable pattern is an embedded question ending in 는지 after a question word.
설명하고 설명하고 means explain and in 무슨 일이 있었는지 설명하고 열쇠에 대해 물어볼게요. It connects explaining what happened with the following action of asking about the key. A new example is 상황을 설명하고 기다릴게요, “I will explain the situation and wait.”
대해 대해 means about or regarding in 열쇠에 대해 물어볼게요. With 에, it identifies the subject that will be asked about: the key. A new example is 이 문제에 대해 이야기해요, “We talk about this problem.”
물어볼게요 물어볼게요 means “I will ask” in 열쇠에 대해 물어볼게요. It expresses the speaker’s intention to ask the landlord about the key. A common reusable pattern is a subject followed by a topic marked with 에 대해 and then 물어볼게요.
기다리는 기다리는 means waiting in 기다리는 동안. It describes the activity that continues during the relevant period. It is used before 동안 to form “while you wait.”
필요한 필요한 means needed or necessary in 필요한 것. It describes the thing that the person may need while waiting. A new example is 필요한 정보를 찾아요, “I look for the necessary information.”
것 것 means thing in 필요한 것. Together, 필요한 것 means something that is needed or anything necessary. A new example is 먹을 것이 있어요, “There is something to eat.”
있으면 있으면 means “if there is” or “if you have” in 필요한 것이 있으면. It introduces the condition that there is something the waiting person needs. A new example is 시간이 있으면 전화해 주세요, “If you have time, please call.”
말해 말해 means tell or say in 말해 주세요. It supplies the action requested from the listener: telling the speaker if anything is needed. A new example is 필요한 것이 있으면 말해, “Tell me if you need anything.”
주세요 주세요 makes 말해 주세요 a polite request meaning “please tell me.” It follows 말해 and softens the request to provide information about anything needed. A common reusable pattern is an action form followed by 주세요 for a polite request.

Grammar Points

동사-(으)ㄹ 수가 없다

아파트에 들어갈 수가 없어요.

ah-pah-TOO-eh duh-ruh-GAHL soo-gah uhp-SUH-yo

I can't enter the apartment.

This pattern expresses inability. 수가 adds emphasis to the meaning of 'cannot.'

동사-아/어도 될까요?

잠깐 기다려도 될까요?

jahm-KKAN gee-dah-RYUH-doh dwel-KKWAH-yo

May I wait for a moment?

This polite pattern asks whether an action is permitted.

Korean Vocabulary

기다리다 verb
gee-dah-REE-dah to wait 기다려도 될까요
들어가다 verb
duh-ruh-GAH-dah to enter; to go in 들어갈
들어갈 수가 없다 phrase
duh-ruh-GAHL soo-gah uhp-TTAH to be unable to enter 들어갈 수가 없어요
아파트 noun
ah-PAH-tuh apartment 아파트에
안 adv
ahn inside
어딘가 adv
uh-DEEN-gah somewhere
여분 noun
yuh-BOON spare; extra
열쇠 noun
yuhl-SHWEH key
있다 verb
it-TTAH to have; to exist 있나요
잠깐 adv
jahm-KKAN for a moment; briefly
전화하다 verb
juhn-HWA-hah-dah to call by phone 전화해 보세요
집주인 noun
jip-JJOO-een landlord 집주인에게

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I am locked out of my apartment.

Show Answer아파트에 들어갈 수가 없어요.

Do you have a spare key somewhere?

Show Answer어딘가에 여분 열쇠가 있나요?

I do not, but my landlord may have one.

Show Answer저는 없지만 집주인에게 하나 있을지도 몰라요.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

landlord

Show Answer집주인에게

apartment

Show Answer아파트에

for a moment; briefly

Show Answer잠깐

somewhere

Show Answer어딘가