Choosing an Online Language Course | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 온라인 언어 강좌를 선택하고 싶어요.

   I want to choose an online language course.

   온라인

   online

   언어

   language

   강좌

   course

   선택하고 싶어요

   want to choose

   More detail

   온라인 means “online” and works as a modifier before a noun: 온라인 강좌 means “an online course.” 언어 means “language.” It combines with nouns to make compounds such as 언어 강좌, “language course.” 강좌 means “course,” especially an organized course of instruction. In 언어 강좌, it is the noun being described by both 온라인 and 언어. 선택하고 싶어요 expresses “want to choose.” The verb 선택하다 means “to choose”; 선택하고 uses its connective form, and -고 싶어요 adds the speaker’s desire to do that action. A reusable pattern is 동사 stem + 고 싶어요, as in 배우고 싶어요, “I want to learn.” The polite ending -어요 makes the statement suitable for ordinary polite conversation. Putting the parts together, 온라인 언어 강좌를 means “an online language course” with 를 marking it as the object of the choice. 선택하고 싶어요 says that the speaker wants to choose it. The complete meaning is “I want to choose an online language course.”

2. 일정, 후기, 그리고 가르치는 방식을 비교해 보세요.

   Compare the schedule, reviews, and teaching style.

   일정

   schedule

   후기

   reviews

   그리고

   and

   가르치는

   teaching

   방식

   method; style

   비교해 보세요

   please compare

   More detail

   일정 means a schedule or timetable. It is a noun, so it can be used directly as the object of a comparison: 일정을 비교하다 means “to compare schedules.” 후기 means a review or user comment. Its plural meaning can be understood from context; Korean nouns do not require a separate plural ending when the context already indicates more than one. 후기를 비교하다 means “to compare reviews.” 그리고 connects items or clauses with “and.” Here it adds the third item in the list after 일정 and 후기. 가르치는 means “teaching” here. It is the present attributive form of the verb 가르치다, “to teach”: 가르치다 → 가르치는. This form comes before a noun and describes an activity or characteristic associated with it. For example, 가르치는 사람 means “a person who teaches.” 방식 means a method, manner, or style. In 가르치는 방식, it is the noun described by 가르치는, so the phrase means “teaching method” or “teaching style.” 방법 is a closely related word meaning “method,” while 방식 often highlights the manner or style in which something is done. 비교해 보세요 is a polite request meaning “please compare.” The lexical verb is 비교하다, “to compare.” Its 해 form combines with 보다 in the auxiliary pattern -아/어 보다, which literally presents an action as something to try doing; in this request, 비교해 보세요 is naturally understood as “please compare.” -세요 gives the request a polite form. This is not the same as the simple statement 비교해요, “compare / am comparing” depending on context. Together, the list 일정, 후기, 그리고 가르치는 방식 gives the three things to compare: the schedule, reviews, and teaching style. The final request 비교해 보세요 applies to that whole list, producing: “Compare the schedule, reviews, and teaching style.”

3. 이 강좌는 더 짧지만 수업이 더 적어요.

   This course is shorter but has fewer lessons.

   이

   this

   강좌

   course

   더 짧지만

   shorter, but

   수업

   lessons

   더 적어요

   are fewer

   More detail

   이 means “this” here and is a demonstrative modifier placed before the noun it specifies. In 이 강좌, it points to the course under discussion. Korean also has other demonstratives, such as 그 “that” and 저 “that over there,” but the choice depends on the speaker’s reference point, not simply on the noun’s grammatical properties. 강좌 means “course.” The topic marker 는 in 강좌는 presents this course as the topic: “as for this course.” A useful reusable pattern is 이/그/저 + noun, such as 이 책 “this book.” 더 짧지만 describes the course as shorter while connecting it to a contrast. The base form is 짧다 “to be short”; 짧은 is its form before a noun, while 짧아요 is a polite sentence-ending form. Here 더 makes the comparison explicit: 더 짧다 means “to be shorter.” The ending -지만 means “but” or “although” and attaches to the adjective form, so 짧지만 means “although it is shorter” or, in this sentence, “shorter, but.” Example: 이 길은 더 짧지만 복잡해요. — “This route is shorter, but it is complicated.” 수업 means “lesson” or “class.” In this sentence, the fixed translation identifies the intended sense as lessons counted within the course. The particle 이 after 수업 marks 수업 as the subject of the following description: 수업이 더 적어요 means that the number of lessons is fewer. Korean nouns can be followed by a counting expression or quantity description without changing the noun itself; here the quantity is expressed by 적어요. 더 적어요 means “are fewer” in this context. The base form is 적다, which describes a small quantity or number; 적어요 is its polite present-style ending. With 더, 더 적어요 makes a comparison: “are fewer.” This is different from 작다 “to be small,” which describes physical size rather than quantity. Example: 이 반은 학생이 더 적어요. — “This class has fewer students.” Together, 이 강좌는 더 짧지만 sets up the comparison “This course is shorter, but,” and 수업이 더 적어요 gives the contrasting fact “it has fewer lessons.” Thus the whole utterance means: “This course is shorter but has fewer lessons.” The polite -어요 ending makes the statement suitable for ordinary polite conversation.`

4. 다른 강좌가 초보자에게 더 쉬워 보여요.

   The other one looks more beginner-friendly.

   다른

   other

   강좌

   course

   초보자에게

   for beginners

   더

   more

   쉬워 보여요

   looks easy

   More detail

   다른 means “other” or “different.” In 다른 강좌, it identifies a course as the other option in the comparison. A useful contrast is 이 “this,” as in 이 강좌 “this course.” 강좌 is a noun meaning “course” or “class,” often referring to an organized course of study. In this sentence it is the thing being evaluated. 초보자에게 combines 초보자 “beginner” with 에게, a particle used for a person who is the target, recipient, or beneficiary of something. Here it marks the people for whom the course seems easy: “for beginners.” Example: 학생에게 쉬워요 means “It is easy for the student.” 더 is a comparative adverb meaning “more” or “to a greater degree.” It makes the following description comparative: 더 쉬워요 means “is easier” or “is more easy.” Korean can use 더 without stating the comparison target when the alternatives are understood from context. 쉬워 보여요 expresses “looks easy” or “seems easy.” The adjective is 쉽다 “to be easy.” Its polite present form is 쉬워요; 쉽다 changes to 쉬워- before the ending. 보이다 means “to be seen” or “to appear,” and the pattern -아/어 보이다 means “appear/seem …” or “look ….” Thus 쉬워 보여요 is not a statement that the course has definitely been proven easy; it presents that impression. The ending -요 gives the sentence a polite conversational style. Putting the parts together, 다른 강좌 means “the other course,” 초보자에게 specifies that the evaluation is from beginners’ perspective, and 더 쉬워 보여요 says that it appears more easy. The complete meaning is: “The other one looks more beginner-friendly.”

5. 주말에만 공부할 수 있어요.

   I can only study on weekends.

   주말

   weekend

   에만

   only on

   공부할

   study

   수 있어요

   can; be able to

   More detail

   주말 means “weekend.” It is a noun; 주말에 means “on the weekend(s),” with 에 marking the time. The sentence does not specify which particular weekends; the translation supports the general meaning “on weekends.” 에만 combines the time particle 에 with the limiting particle 만. Together here they mean “only on,” so 주말에만 means “only on weekends.” 만 can attach to different kinds of expressions to mark the limited condition: for example, 오늘만 means “only today.” 공부할 comes from the verb 공부하다, “to study.” In 공부할 수 있다, the ending -(으)ㄹ combines with 수 to form the ability/possibility pattern -(으)ㄹ 수 있다. After a vowel, the form is commonly -ㄹ 수; after a consonant, -을 수, as in 먹을 수 있다, “can eat.” Here 공부할 is therefore not simply a future tense; it is the form required before 수 in the ability construction. 수 있어요 completes -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요, meaning “can” or “be able to.” 있어요 is the polite present form of 있다 in this construction. The negative counterpart is -(으)ㄹ 수 없어요, “cannot,” as in 공부할 수 없어요, “cannot study.” Putting the parts together, 주말에만 sets the exclusive time condition, and 공부할 수 있어요 says that studying is possible for the speaker. The whole utterance means: “I can only study on weekends.”

6. 그러면 주말 수업이 있는 강좌를 선택하세요.

   Then choose the course with weekend classes.

   그러면

   then

   주말

   weekend

   수업

   class

   있는

   having; with

   강좌

   course

   선택하세요

   please choose

   More detail

   그러면 means “then” or “in that case.” It connects the choice to the situation just mentioned. A reusable pattern is 그러면 + suggestion or instruction: “Then, …” 주말 means “weekend.” It can combine with time-related particles, as in 주말에 (“on the weekend(s)”) and 주말에는 (“as for on weekends”). In this sentence, it modifies 수업, so 주말 수업 means “weekend classes.” 수업 means “class” or “lesson.” The form here is followed by 이, which marks it as the subject of the following descriptive clause. In 주말 수업이 있는, it is the class or classes that the course has or offers. 있는 is the present attributive form of 있다, used before a noun. Here, 수업이 있는 강좌 means “a course that has or offers classes.” The related form 있어요 is commonly used as a polite sentence ending, while 있는 links the idea to a following noun. This form does not itself state how many classes there are. 강좌 means “course,” especially a course or class offering. It is the noun modified by the preceding phrase: 수업이 있는 강좌 = “a course with classes.” 선택하세요 means “please choose” or “choose.” It comes from 선택하다 (“to choose”) and uses the polite -(으)세요 instruction form. The form is suitable for a courteous direction to the listener. For example, 메뉴를 선택하세요. means “Please choose a menu option.” Together, 주말 수업이 있는 강좌 is a noun phrase meaning “the course that has weekend classes,” and 선택하세요 instructs the listener to choose it. With 그러면, the whole utterance means: “Then choose the course with weekend classes.”

7. 후기에는 선생님이 설명을 분명하게 한다고 해요.

   The reviews say the teacher explains clearly.

   후기

   review

   선생님

   teacher

   설명

   explanation

   분명하게

   clearly

   한다고 해요

   say that …

   More detail

   후기 means “review” here. Korean nouns do not normally mark plural with a separate ending, so the fixed translation’s “reviews” comes from the context rather than a visible plural suffix. With the topic/location particle 에는, 후기에는 means “in the reviews” or “as for the reviews.” 선생님 means “teacher.” The honorific noun ending 님 adds respectful reference; it is part of the observed form here. It is the subject of the reported statement, marked by 이. 설명 means “explanation” and is also used in the compound verb 설명하다, “to explain.” In 설명을 ... 한다, 설명 is the object and 하다 supplies the verb: literally, “does an explanation.” This is a useful Korean pattern for turning many nouns into actions, though the combined word 설명하다 is the ordinary lexical verb “to explain.” 분명하게 means “clearly.” It is the adverbial form of 분명하다, “to be clear.” The ending -게 makes the description modify an action: 분명하게 설명하다 means “to explain clearly.” For comparison, 분명한 설명 uses the adjective form before a noun and means “a clear explanation.” 한다고 해요 reports what someone says or what a source states. Here 한다 is the present form of 하다 inside the reported clause, and -다고 해요 frames that clause as reported information. The construction 설명한다고 해요 therefore means “they say [the teacher] explains,” not simply “say” by itself. Putting the parts together: 후기에는 sets the reviews as the source or topic, 선생님이 marks the teacher as the subject, 설명 plus 하다 expresses explaining, 분명하게 describes how the explaining is done, and -다고 해요 reports the claim. The complete meaning is: “The reviews say the teacher explains clearly.”

8. 그 점이 더 짧은 강좌보다 더 중요해요.

   That matters more than a shorter course.

   그

   that

   점이

   matter

   더

   more

   짧은

   short

   강좌보다

   than a course

   중요해요

   is important

   More detail

   그 means “that” here and modifies 점 in 그 점; the sentence does not identify exactly what matter it refers to. Korean 그 can also be used in other contexts as a standalone pronoun, but here it is a determiner before a noun. 점이 is 점 (“point” or “matter”) plus the subject marker 이. Here, 점 is best understood as “matter”: that matter is what is described as important. A useful contrast is 점은, which marks the topic rather than simply marking the subject. 더 means “more” and signals a higher degree. In the comparison pattern A보다 B가 더 중요해요, the meaning is “B is more important than A.” 짧은 is the attributive form of the adjective 짧다, “to be short.” It means “short” before a noun; it is not itself a comparative form. The English translation uses “shorter” for the course, but the Korean form here does not mark a comparison of course length. The comparison marked by 더 is the degree of importance. Example: 짧은 강좌예요. — “It is a short course.” 강좌보다 consists of 강좌 (“course” or “lecture”) plus the comparison particle 보다, meaning “than.” The particle attaches directly to the comparison standard. Example: 이 강좌가 저 강좌보다 쉬워요. — “This course is easier than that course.” 중요해요 is the polite present form of 중요하다, “to be important.” The adjective 중요하다 becomes 중요해요 in this polite conversational style. It describes the subject marked by 이; 더 중요해요 means “is more important.” Together, 그 점이 sets up “that matter” as the subject, 짧은 강좌보다 supplies “than a shorter course” as the comparison standard, and 더 중요해요 says that the matter has a greater degree of importance. The whole utterance means: “That matters more than a shorter course.”