Choosing a Restaurant for Lunch | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 점심으로 어느 곳을 고를까요?

   Which place should we choose for lunch?

   점심으로

   for lunch

   어느

   which

   곳

   place

   고를까요

   shall we choose?

   More detail

   점심으로 means “for lunch.” 점심 means “lunch,” and -으로 marks the purpose or role relevant here. This particle also has other uses, including means or direction, so the surrounding phrase determines its meaning. 어느 means “which” when selecting an option. It comes before the noun it specifies: 어느 곳 means “which place.” 곳 means “place” or “location.” It is a noun and can be modified by words such as 어느, as in 어느 곳 (“which place”). 고를까요 comes from 고르다, “to choose” or “to pick.” The ending -(으)ㄹ까요? forms a question proposing or considering an action with the listener: 고를까요? means “Shall we choose?” Here, 고르다 takes the form 고를까요; this is distinct from the polite present form 골라요 (“choose / picks”). In 어느 곳을, the particle -을 marks 곳 as the object of 고르다. 점심으로 supplies the purpose, “for lunch,” and 고를까요? proposes choosing together. Thus the complete utterance means “Which place should we choose for lunch?”

2. 가깝고 편리한 곳을 고릅시다.

   Let's pick somewhere close and convenient.

   가깝고

   close

   편리한

   convenient

   곳

   place

   고릅시다

   let’s choose

   More detail

   가깝고 means “close” here and connects this description to the next one. It comes from the adjective 가깝다 (“to be close”). Before -고, the form is 가깝고; the same adjective changes differently before some endings, for example 가까워요 (“it is close”). Example: 집이 가깝고 조용해요. — “The house is close and quiet.” 편리한 means “convenient” and describes the noun that follows it. Its base form is 편리하다; the attributive form 편리한 is used before a noun. Example: 편리한 방법 — “a convenient method.” 곳 means “place” or “spot.” In this sentence, 가깝고 편리한 곳 is “a place that is close and convenient.” Korean often uses a descriptive form directly before 곳, without a separate word corresponding to “that.” 고릅시다 means “let’s choose.” It comes from 고르다 (“to choose”) and combines with the formal-polite proposal ending -(으)ㅂ시다. This ending presents an action for the speaker and listener to do together. The form is 고릅시다, not the dictionary form 고르다. Example: 메뉴를 고릅시다. — “Let’s choose a menu.” Together, 가깝고 편리한 describes 곳, and 곳을 고릅시다 means “let’s choose a place.” The complete utterance therefore means “Let’s pick somewhere close and convenient.”

3. 이 거리의 식당에는 간단한 점심 메뉴가 있어요.

   The place on this street has a simple lunch menu.

   이

   this

   거리

   street

   식당

   restaurant

   에는

   in/at ... (topic)

   간단한

   simple

   점심

   lunch

   메뉴

   menu

   있어요

   there is; has

   More detail

   이 points to a nearby or contextually identified noun. Here it modifies 거리, giving 이 거리 = “this street.” The demonstrative itself does not identify a separate participant; its role is to specify the noun that follows. Example: 이 카페 means “this café.” 거리 means “street.” In 이 거리의, the ending -의 links this noun phrase to the following noun: 이 거리의 식당 means “the restaurant/place on this street” in the intended reading. -의 commonly expresses an “of” or possessive-type relationship; Korean often uses this relationship where English uses “on” in a location description. 식당 means “restaurant” or “place to eat.” In this sentence it is part of the location expression 이 거리의 식당에는; the fixed translation presents that place as the one that has the menu. Example: 식당에 가요. means “I go to a restaurant.” 에는 combines the location particle 에 with the topic marker 는. 에 marks the place where something exists, while 는 makes that place the topic or sets it in contrast. Thus 식당에는 means roughly “at the restaurant/place, as for there.” The location expression comes before 있어요, and the thing that exists is 메뉴. 간단한 is the noun-modifying form of 간단하다, “to be simple.” The form changes to 간단한 before a noun: 간단한 메뉴 = “a simple menu.” This form describes the menu, not 점심. Example: 간단한 식사를 해요. means “I have a simple meal.” 점심 means “lunch,” usually referring to the midday meal or lunchtime. In 점심 메뉴, it specifies the type of menu: “lunch menu.” Example: 점심을 먹어요. means “I eat lunch.” 메뉴 means “menu.” Here it is the thing that exists at the stated place. The compound 점심 메뉴 means “lunch menu,” and 간단한 describes that whole noun phrase. 있어요 is the polite present form used here to say that something exists or is available in a place. With a location, the pattern 장소에/에는 + 물건이 있어요 means “There is/are a thing at the place”; in an English possession translation, it can become “the place has a thing.” Example: 카페에 메뉴가 있어요. means “There is a menu at the café.” Putting the parts together: 이 거리의 식당 identifies the place as the restaurant/place on this street; 에는 presents that place as the topic and location; and 간단한 점심 메뉴가 있어요 says that a simple lunch menu exists there. The complete intended meaning is “The place on this street has a simple lunch menu.”

4. 공원 근처 카페가 더 조용할지도 몰라요.

   The cafe near the park might be quieter.

   공원

   park

   근처

   nearby area

   카페

   cafe

   더

   more

   조용할

   be quiet

   지도 몰라요

   possibility marker

   More detail

   공원 means “park.” It is a noun and can be followed by 근처 to identify the place whose vicinity is meant. Example: 공원에 가요. — “I go to the park.” 근처 means “the vicinity” or “near.” In 공원 근처, the noun before it specifies what the place is near: 학교 근처 means “near the school.” 카페 means “cafe.” In this sentence, the following subject particle 가 marks the cafe as the thing being described. Example: 카페가 조용해요. — “The cafe is quiet.” 더 means “more” or “-er.” It marks a comparison, although the thing being compared with is understood rather than stated here. 더 조용하다 means “to be quieter.” 조용할 comes from the descriptive word 조용하다, “to be quiet.” It is the -(으)ㄹ form used before 지도 몰라요: the ending changes 조용하다 to 조용할. With 더, 더 조용할 means “be quieter” within the possibility expression. Example: 이 방이 더 조용할 거예요. — “This room will be quieter.” 지도 몰라요 is part of the pattern -(으)ㄹ지도 모르다, which expresses uncertainty or possibility: “might …” or “may ….” 몰라요 is the polite present form of 모르다, “to not know,” but in this construction it does not simply mean that the speaker lacks factual knowledge; the whole pattern presents the proposition as possible. Example: 비가 올지도 몰라요. — “It might rain.” Together, 공원 근처 identifies the cafe’s location, 카페가 makes the cafe the subject, and 더 조용할지도 몰라요 says that it might be quieter. The complete meaning is that the cafe near the park might be quieter.

5. 하지만 더 멀어요.

   But it is farther away.

   하지만

   but

   더

   more; to a greater degree

   멀어요

   is far

   More detail

   하지만 means “but” and links this utterance to a contrasting point. It is a conjunction, so it does not itself say what is being contrasted; here, the fixed translation establishes the contrastive meaning. 더 멀어요: 더 means “more” or “to a greater degree,” increasing the degree of the following description. With distance, 더 멀다 means “to be farther away.” The same pattern is reusable with other descriptive words: 더 조용해요 means “it is quieter,” and 더 가까워요 means “it is closer.” 멀어요 is the polite present form of 멀다, “to be far.” 멀다 is a Korean descriptive verb: it describes a state rather than expressing an action. 멀어요 is suitable for a polite statement in the present context. For example, 학교가 멀어요. means “The school is far away.” Together, 하지만 + 더 + 멀어요 produces “But it is farther away.” The comparison is expressed by 더 before 멀어요, while the polite ending -어요 makes the utterance a polite declarative sentence.

6. 가까운 식당은 예약이 필요할까요?

   Do we need a reservation for the nearby place?

   가까운

   nearby

   식당

   restaurant

   예약

   reservation

   필요할까요?

   would it be necessary?

   More detail

   가까운 means “nearby” here and modifies the noun that follows it. It comes from 가깝다 (“to be near”); before a noun, this adjective uses the attributive form 가까운, not the dictionary form 가깝다. This is a useful pattern: 가깝다 → 가까운 + noun. Example: 가까운 역 means “a nearby station.” 식당 means “restaurant.” In this sentence, it identifies the nearby place as a restaurant. It is a noun and can be used in compounds such as 식당 예약 (“restaurant reservation”). 예약 means “reservation.” It is a noun here, and 예약이 marks it as the subject of the following predicate: literally, the sentence asks whether a reservation is necessary. Example: 예약이 필요해요. means “A reservation is necessary.” 필요할까요? comes from 필요하다 (“to be necessary” or “to be needed”). The form 필요할까요? combines the future or prospective form 필요할 with -까요?, a polite way to ask for a judgment or expectation. Here it asks whether a reservation would be necessary, rather than asserting that one is necessary. Compare 필요해요 (“it is necessary”) with 필요할까요? (“would it be necessary?”). The subject marker 이 in 예약이 links “reservation” to 필요하다. Together, 가까운 식당 means “the nearby restaurant,” and 예약이 필요할까요? asks whether a reservation is necessary for it. The whole utterance therefore means: “Do we need a reservation for the nearby place?” The question is polite and leaves the necessity open for the listener’s assessment.

7. 아마 필요 없을 거예요. 이 시간쯤에는 보통 자리를 찾을 수 있어요.

   Probably not. Around this time, we can usually find a table.

   아마

   probably

   필요 없을 거예요

   will not be necessary

   이 시간쯤에는

   around this time

   보통

   usually

   자리를

   a table

   찾을 수 있어요

   can find

   More detail

   아마 means “probably” here. It marks the speaker’s prediction as uncertain rather than certain. It commonly appears with a statement about what is expected: 아마 비가 올 거예요 means “It will probably rain.” 필요 없을 거예요 means “will probably not be necessary” in combination with 아마. 필요 없다 is the expression “to be unnecessary,” and 없을 is its form before -을 거예요, which presents an expected or predicted situation. 거예요 is a polite form used for a prediction or expectation; it does not itself mean “probably.” 이 시간쯤에는 means “around this time.” 이 시간 is “this time,” 쯤 adds an approximate meaning, and 에는 marks the time as the setting or point of comparison. A reusable pattern is 이 시간쯤에는 ... (“around this time, ...”). 보통 means “usually” or “normally.” It describes what generally happens, while 아마 expresses uncertainty about the prediction in this particular situation. For example, 보통 자리가 있어요 means “There is usually a seat available.” 자리를 is the object form of 자리, whose relevant meaning here is “a seat” or “a place at a table.” The particle 를 marks it as the object of the following verb. In this fixed translation, the intended meaning is “a table.” 찾을 수 있어요 means “can find.” 찾다 is the base form “to find,” and 찾을 is the form used before 수 있다. The construction V-(으)ㄹ 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility: 찾을 수 있어요 literally presents finding as possible. The subject is omitted in Korean; the fixed translation supplies “we” for this utterance. Together, 이 시간쯤에는 보통 sets the approximate time and the usual pattern, while 자리를 찾을 수 있어요 says that finding a table is possible. The first sentence predicts that a reservation is probably unnecessary, and the second gives the reason: around this time, a table can usually be found. The whole utterance means: “Probably not. Around this time, we can usually find a table.”

8. 그럼 이 거리의 식당을 고릅시다.

   Then let's choose the place on this street.

   그럼

   then; in that case

   이

   this

   거리

   street

   식당

   restaurant; place to eat

   고릅시다

   let’s choose

   More detail

   그럼 means “then” or “in that case.” It connects this proposal to the preceding situation. A useful pattern is 그럼 + proposal, as in 그럼 시작합시다. — “Then let’s begin.” 이 is the demonstrative meaning “this,” used before a noun. Here it modifies 거리, so 이 거리 means “this street.” Its form does not show the noun’s number or gender. 거리 means “street.” It is a noun; in 이 거리, it is the thing identified as “this.” For example, 이 거리는 조용해요. means “This street is quiet.” 식당 means “restaurant” or, in this translation, “place to eat.” It is a noun. In 거리의 식당, 의 links 거리 to 식당, giving a relation like “the restaurant of/on this street.” The fixed translation naturally expresses that relation as “the place on this street.” 고릅시다 comes from the verb 고르다, “to choose.” The ending -ㅂ시다 makes a polite proposal meaning “let’s …”; therefore 고릅시다 means “let’s choose.” The verb stem changes from 고르- to 골라- before some endings, as in 골라요 (“choose” / “chooses politely”), but the observed form 고릅시다 uses the -ㅂ시다 ending. For example, 이것을 고릅시다. means “Let’s choose this.” Together, 이 거리의 식당 identifies the place to be chosen, and 고릅시다 proposes making that choice. With 그럼 linking it to the situation, the whole utterance means: “Then let’s choose the place on this street.”

9. 그러면 먹을 시간이 더 많아져요.

   That leaves us more time to eat.

   그러면

   then; in that case

   먹을

   to eat

   시간

   time

   더

   more

   많아져요

   becomes more

   More detail

   그러면 connects this sentence to the preceding situation and means “then” or “in that case.” It is formed from 그렇다 (“to be so”) plus -면 (“if/when”), but it functions here as a compact transition: given that situation, the result follows. 먹을 comes from 먹다 (“to eat”). The ending -(으)ㄹ makes a verb modifier before a noun, so 먹을 시간 is literally “time that [someone] will eat” and naturally means “time to eat” or “time for eating.” This modifier does not by itself state that the eating will definitely happen; the surrounding sentence supplies the intended purpose. 시간 means “time.” With the following subject marker 이, 시간이 is the subject of the change described later. Korean uses 이 after a noun ending in a consonant; after a vowel, the corresponding subject marker is 가. 더 means “more” or “additionally.” It compares the resulting amount with an earlier or understood amount. For example, 시간이 더 필요해요 means “More time is needed.” 많아져요 comes from 많아지다, “to become more” or “to increase.” Its base adjective is 많다 (“many; much”), and -아지다 turns that quality into a change of state: 많다 → 많아지다, “be many” → “become more.” The ending -어요 is a polite present-style ending, so here it presents the increase as the relevant result. The changing subject is 시간이, not 먹을. Together, 먹을 시간이 means “time to eat,” and 더 많아져요 says that this amount becomes greater. With 그러면, the whole utterance means “Then that leaves us more time to eat.” The Korean sentence leaves the people involved implicit; the fixed translation identifies them as “us.”