About This Lesson
Use Learning Guitar in Your Free Time to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
최근에 기타를 배우기 시작했어.
chweh-guh-neh gee-TAH-rul beh-OO-gee shee-JAH-kae-ssuh. I recently started learning guitar.
B
수업을 받고 있어?
soo-UH-bul bat-KKOH ee-SSUH? Are you taking lessons?
A
퇴근 후에 온라인 수업을 받고 있어.
tweh-guhn HOO-eh on-LAI-n soo-UH-bul bat-KKOH ee-SSUH. I'm taking online lessons after work.
B
초보자에게 어려워?
choh-boh-jah-eh-guh uh-RYUH-woh? Is it difficult for a beginner?
A
리듬은 어렵지만 재미있어.
LEE-deum-un uh-RYUP-jji-man jeh-MEE-ssuh. The rhythm is hard, but I enjoy it.
B
얼마나 자주 연습해?
uhl-MAH-nah JAH-joo yuhn-SUH-pae? How often do you practice?
A
방이 조용한 저녁에 연습해.
bang-EE joh-YONG-han juh-NYUH-geh yuhn-SUH-pae. I practice in the evening when my room is quiet.
B
정해진 시간에 연습하면 실력이 느는 데 도움이 될 거야.
juhng-HAE-jin shee-GAH-neh yuhn-SUH-pah-myun shil-LYUH-gee NUH-neun-deh doh-OO-mee dwel-KKUH-yah. A regular time should help you improve.Word by Word
최근에
최근에 means “recently” here and places the action in the near past. It commonly comes before the verb or action being dated. You could use it when telling someone about a hobby or activity you began not long ago.
기타를
기타를 means “guitar” as the object of the learning action in “기타를 배우기 시작했어.” 기타 is followed by 를 because the guitar is what the speaker started learning. The pattern noun + 를 marks an object, such as an instrument or activity being learned.
배우기
배우기 means “learning” in this dialogue and presents learning guitar as an activity. The ending 기 turns the action into something that can come before 시작했어 in “배우기 시작했어.” This pattern is useful when saying that an activity has begun.
시작했어
시작했어 means “started” in the casual past form used between familiar speakers. In “배우기 시작했어,” it says that the learning began recently. You can use the same construction to talk casually about beginning a new activity.
수업을
수업을 means “lessons” with the object marker 를 in “수업을 받고 있어.” It identifies the lessons as what the speaker is taking or receiving. The pattern noun + 을 marks an object in a sentence.
받고
받고 contributes the idea of taking or receiving in “수업을 받고 있어,” which means taking lessons. The 고 form connects 받다 to 있어 to describe an ongoing activity. This expression is useful when telling someone that you are currently taking lessons.
있어
있어 completes the ongoing-action expression in “수업을 받고 있어,” so the speaker says they are currently taking lessons. Its meaning here comes from the whole form 받 고 있어, not from 있어 alone. The pattern verb + 고 있어 is useful for describing an activity in progress.
퇴근
퇴근 means “leaving work” in “퇴근 후에,” identifying the event after which the lessons happen. It is used as a noun before 후에. You can use it when describing plans or activities after finishing work.
후에
후에 means “after” and follows 퇴근 in “퇴근 후에,” meaning after leaving work. It places the next activity after a time or event. The pattern noun + 후에 is useful for describing what happens afterward.
온라인
온라인 means “online” and describes the type of lessons in “온라인 수업을 받고 있어.” It comes before the noun it modifies. You can use it to describe lessons, meetings, or other activities that take place online.
초보자에게
초보자에게 means “for a beginner” in “초보자에게 어려워?” The 에게 marks the person from whose point of view the difficulty is being considered. This pattern is useful when asking whether something is difficult for a particular person or group.
어려워
어려워 means “is difficult” in the casual question “초보자에게 어려워?” It asks whether the activity is difficult for a beginner. You can use this casual form when asking a familiar person about the difficulty of something.
리듬은
리듬은 means “as for the rhythm,” with 은 marking 리듬 as the topic in “리듬은 어렵지만 재미있어.” It introduces the rhythm as the aspect being discussed. The pattern noun + 은 sets a topic for a description or comparison.
어렵지만
어렵지만 means “is difficult, but” and connects the difficulty of the rhythm with the positive statement that follows. In “리듬은 어렵지만 재미있어,” it presents a difficulty before adding a contrasting benefit. The pattern A지만 B is useful for saying “A, but B.”
재미있어
재미있어 means “is enjoyable” or “is fun” in the casual statement “리듬은 어렵지만 재미있어.” It gives a positive evaluation even though the rhythm is difficult. You can use it in familiar conversation to describe an enjoyable activity, lesson, or subject.
얼마나
얼마나 means “how much” or, here with 자주, “how often.” In “얼마나 자주 연습해?” it asks about the degree of frequency. It is useful before a word or expression that measures how much or how frequently something happens.
자주
자주 means “often” and describes the frequency of practice in “얼마나 자주 연습해?” Together with 얼마나, it asks how frequently the practice happens. You can place it before an action when discussing a regular routine.
연습해
연습해 means “practice” in the casual question “얼마나 자주 연습해?” It asks about the listener’s practice routine. With a frequency expression before it, this form is useful for asking how regularly someone practices.
방이
방이 means “the room” with 이 marking 방 as the subject in “방이 조용한 저녁에.” It identifies the room as the thing that is quiet. The pattern noun + 이 marks a subject, especially when describing its state.
조용한
조용한 means “quiet” in the clause “방이 조용한 저녁에,” describing an evening when the room is quiet. It appears before the noun 저녁 while containing the idea that 방이 is quiet. This form is useful for describing a noun through a quiet condition or setting.
저녁에
저녁에 means “in the evening” and marks the time when the speaker practices. In “방이 조용한 저녁에,” 에 attaches to 저녁 to locate the activity in time. The pattern time expression + 에 is useful for stating when something happens.
정해진
정해진 means “set” or “fixed” in “정해진 시간에,” referring to a regular time chosen for practice. It comes before 시간 to describe the time. You can use this kind of modifier when recommending a consistent schedule.
시간에
시간에 means “at the time” in “정해진 시간에,” with 에 marking the time for practice. Together with 정해진, it means at a set or regular time. The pattern time expression + 에 is useful for saying when an activity should take place.
연습하면
연습하면 means “if you practice” or “when you practice.” In “연습하면 실력이 느는 데 도움이 될 거야,” it introduces the condition for the advice that follows. The pattern verb + 면 is useful for giving a result or recommendation that depends on an action.
실력이
실력이 means “skill level” with 이 marking it as the subject in “실력이 느는 데.” It identifies the skill level as what improves. The pattern noun + 이 is useful when naming the subject that changes or develops.
느는
느는 means “improving” or “growing” in “실력이 느는 데,” describing the skill level as it develops. It appears before 데 to refer to the process or purpose of the skill improving. This expression is useful when discussing progress in ability.
데
데 helps turn “실력이 느는” into the context or purpose in “실력이 느는 데 도움이 될 거야,” meaning helpful for improving skill. It is part of the construction that says something helps with an activity or result. The pattern verb + 는 데 도움이 되다 is useful for explaining what supports a goal.
도움이
도움이 means “help” with 이 marking it as the subject in “도움이 될 거야.” It identifies the support that will be useful for improving skill. This form commonly appears in expressions describing something as helpful for an activity or goal.
될
될 means “will be” or “will become” in “도움이 될 거야.” It presents the helpful result as something expected in the future. You can use this form before a casual future or expectation ending when predicting what something will be or become.
거야
거야 gives “될” a casual meaning of “will” or “is expected to” in “도움이 될 거야.” The full ending sounds like a friendly prediction or reassurance. It is useful in familiar conversation when stating an expected result.
Grammar Points
동사-고 있다
퇴근 후에 온라인 수업을 받고 있어.
tweh-guhn HOO-eh on-LAI-n soo-UH-bul bat-KKOH ee-SSUH.I'm taking an online class after work.
-고 있다 shows an action that is currently in progress.
얼마나 자주 + 동사?
얼마나 자주 연습해?
uhl-MAH-nah JAH-joo yuhn-SUH-pae?How often do you practice?
얼마나 자주 asks about the frequency of an action.
Korean Vocabulary
기타
noun
gee-TAH
guitar
기타를
리듬
noun
LEE-deum
rhythm
리듬은
받다
verb
bat-TTAH
to take; to receive
받고 있어
배우다
verb
beh-OO-dah
to learn
배우기
수업
noun
soo-UHP
lesson; class
수업을
시작하다
verb
shee-JAH-ka-dah
to start
시작했어
어렵다
adj
uh-RYUP-TTAH
to be difficult
어려워
온라인
adj
on-LAI-n
online
재미있다
adj
jeh-MEE-eet-TTAH
to be fun; to be enjoyable
재미있어
초보자
noun
choh-boh-jah
beginner
초보자에게
최근에
adv
chweh-guh-neh
recently
퇴근 후
phrase
tweh-guhn HOO
after work
퇴근 후에
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
I recently started learning guitar.
Show Answer
최근에 기타를 배우기 시작했어.Are you taking lessons?
Show Answer
수업을 받고 있어?I'm taking online lessons after work.
Show Answer
퇴근 후에 온라인 수업을 받고 있어.Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to start
Show Answer
시작했어beginner
Show Answer
초보자에게to be fun; to be enjoyable
Show Answer
재미있어recently