Choosing Which Task to Do First | Learn Korean in English

About This Lesson

Use Choosing Which Task to Do First to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

나는 오늘 아침에 할 일이 너무 많아.

NAH-nuhn OH-nuhl AH-chim-eh HAL-leel-ee nuh-MOO MAH-nah. I have too many tasks this morning.

먼저 우선순위대로 목록을 정리해.

MUHN-juh oo-SUHN-soon-NWEE-deh-roh mong-NOH-gul juhng-nee-HEH. List them by priority first.

이 이메일은 급해.

ee ee-MAY-eel-uhn guh-PEH. This email is urgent.

이 보고서는 중요해.

ee boh-goh-SUH-nuhn joong-yoh-HEH. The report is important.

보고서 마감일이 언제야?

boh-goh-SUH mah-GAHM-nee-ree uhn-JEH-yah? When is the report deadline?

내일 오후까지야.

neh-EEL oh-HOO-kkah-jee-yah. It is due tomorrow afternoon.

그럼 급한 이메일에 먼저 답해.

guh-RUHM guh-PAHN ee-MAY-ee-reh MUHN-juh dah-PEH. Then answer the urgent email first.

그다음에는 보고서를 작성할 거야.

guh-dah-uhm-eh-nuhn boh-goh-SUH-rul jahk-SSUHNG-hal guh-yah. After that I will work on the report.

그러면 네가 스트레스를 덜 받을 거야.

guh-ruh-MYUN neh-gah suh-tuh-REH-suh-rul tuhl bah-DUHL guh-yah. That should help you feel less stressed.

Word by Word

나는 나는 means “I” as the topic in this dialogue. It presents the speaker’s situation; use 나는 when introducing what you have, do, or feel as the topic in a casual conversation.

오늘 오늘 means “today.” It identifies the day in 오늘 아침에; use 오늘 with a time expression or event when referring to the current day.

아침에 아침에 means “in the morning,” with 에 marking the time when the situation occurs. Use 아침에 with an action or event to say when it happens; here it follows 오늘.

할 할 means “to do” in the phrase 할 일이, describing tasks that are to be done. It comes before 일이 to modify it; use 할 before a noun for something to do.

일이 일이 means “tasks” or “things to do” here, in 할 일이 너무 많아. The 이 ending marks 일이 as the subject of the statement about the large amount; use 일이 in a pattern describing how many things there are to do.

너무 너무 means “too” here, showing that the amount is excessive for the speaker. It comes before 많아 in 너무 많아; use 너무 before a descriptive word when the degree feels excessive.

많아 많아 means “there are many” or “there is a lot,” describing the amount of tasks. In 할 일이 너무 많아, it completes the statement that the speaker has more tasks than is manageable; use it after the thing that is numerous.

먼저 먼저 means “first” and sets the order for organizing the tasks. Use 먼저 before an action when telling someone which step to do before the others; here it appears in 먼저 우선순위대로 목록을 정리해.

우선순위대로 우선순위대로 means “according to priority.” 대로 shows the standard or order being followed; use it after a criterion when arranging or doing things according to that criterion.

목록을 목록을 means “the list” as the object of 정리해. The 를 ending marks 목록을 as what should be organized; use 목록을 before an action that organizes or checks a list.

정리해 정리해 means “organize it” here, specifically putting the tasks into a list by priority. It is a casual request in 목록을 정리해; use the same form when asking someone familiar to organize or arrange something.

이 이 means “this” and points to the nearby email in 이 이메일은. It comes directly before a noun; use 이 plus a noun when identifying one specific nearby thing.

이메일은 이메일은 means “this email” as the topic. The 는 ending marks it as the item being evaluated as urgent; use 이메일은 before a description when discussing the email.

급해 급해 means “is urgent” here, describing the email as needing prompt attention. It is used after the topic in 이 이메일은 급해; use it in a casual conversation when explaining that something cannot wait.

보고서는 보고서는 means “the report” as the topic. 는 marks the report as the item being described as important; use 보고서는 before a description when discussing the report.

중요해 중요해 means “is important,” describing the report’s significance. It follows 보고서는 in 보고서는 중요해; use it after a topic when saying that the item matters.

보고서 보고서 means “report.” In 보고서 마감일이, it identifies the document whose deadline is being asked about; use 보고서 before a related noun to specify which report you mean.

마감일이 마감일이 means “the deadline” as the subject of the question. 이 marks the deadline as the information being asked about in 마감일이 언제야; use this pattern when asking when a deadline is.

언제야 언제야 means “when is it?” in this casual question about the deadline. It asks for the time or date of something; use 언제야 after a topic when asking a familiar person when something is.

내일 내일 means “tomorrow.” It sets the due day in 내일 오후까지야; use 내일 with a time or event to refer to the day after today.

오후까지야 오후까지야 means “it is by the afternoon” in the reply about the deadline. 까지 marks the endpoint and 야 gives a casual statement; use it when stating that something is due by the afternoon.

그럼 그럼 means “then” and connects the deadline information to the next decision. Use 그럼 at the start of a reply when drawing a practical conclusion from what was just said; here it leads into 그럼 급한 이메일에 먼저 답해.

급한 급한 means “urgent” and modifies 이메일. It is the modifier form used in 급한 이메일에; use 급한 before a noun for something requiring prompt attention.

이메일에 이메일에 means “to the email” in the instruction to reply. 에 marks the email as the target of 답해 in 급한 이메일에 먼저 답해; use 이메일에 with a reply expression when identifying the email someone should respond to.

답해 답해 means “reply” or “answer” here, referring to responding to the urgent email. It is a casual instruction in 급한 이메일에 먼저 답해; use 답해 after the thing being answered when speaking informally.

그다음에는 그다음에는 means “after that” and marks the next stage after answering the email. 는 adds focus to the sequence; use it at the start of a following action, as in 그다음에는 보고서를 작성할 거야.

보고서를 보고서를 means “the report” as the object of 작성할. 를 marks what will be written or prepared in 그다음에는 보고서를 작성할 거야; use 보고서를 before an action that writes or prepares the report.

작성할 작성할 means “will write” or “will prepare” in relation to the report. It comes before 거야 in 작성할 거야, forming the speaker’s stated future plan; use 작성할 before 거야 when saying you plan to prepare a document.

거야 거야 makes 작성할 거야 a casual statement of intended future action: “I will write” or “I will prepare it.” It follows the action form to present a plan or expected action in an informal conversation.

그러면 그러면 means “then” or “in that case,” introducing the result expected from the proposed order. Use it when responding to a plan or situation and stating what will follow; here it begins 그러면 네가 스트레스를 덜 받을 거야.

네가 네가 means “you” as the subject of the expected result. 가 marks you as the person who will experience less stress in 네가 스트레스를 덜 받을 거야; use 네가 when identifying who performs or experiences an action.

스트레스를 스트레스를 means “stress” as the object of 받을. 를 marks what you will experience in 스트레스를 덜 받을 거야; use 스트레스를 as the object when describing experiencing stress.

덜 덜 means “less,” reducing the amount of stress in 스트레스를 덜 받을. It comes before the verb phrase to show a smaller degree; use 덜 before an action or experience when the amount or degree is lower.

받을 받을 means “will receive” or “will experience” here, with stress as what the listener will experience. It appears in 스트레스를 덜 받을 거야 to describe a future expected result; use 받을 before 거야 when stating that someone will receive or experience something.

Grammar Points

동사-(으)ㄹ + 명사

내일 오후에 작성할 보고서

neh-EEL oh-HOO-eh jahk-SSUHNG-hal boh-goh-SUH

the report to prepare tomorrow afternoon

The -(으)ㄹ form modifies a noun and indicates a future or intended action.

너무 + 형용사

할 일이 너무 많아

HAL-leel-ee nuh-MOO MAH-nah

There are too many tasks.

너무 comes before an adjective to mean “too” or “very,” depending on context.

Korean Vocabulary

급하다 adj

guh-PAH-dah to be urgent 급해

너무 adv

nuh-MOO too; very

많다 adj

MAN-tah to be many; to be a lot 많아

먼저 adv

MUHN-juh first

목록 noun

mong-NOHK list

보고서 noun

boh-goh-SUH report

오늘 아침 phrase

OH-nuhl AH-chim this morning

우선순위 noun

oo-SUHN-soon-NWEE priority

이메일 noun

ee-MAY-eel email

정리하다 verb

jung-nee-HAH-dah to organize; to arrange 정리해

중요하다 adj

joong-yoh-HAH-dah to be important 중요해

할 일 phrase

HAL-leel tasks; things to do

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

List them by priority first.

Show Answer

먼저 우선순위대로 목록을 정리해.

This email is urgent.

Show Answer

이 이메일은 급해.

The report is important.

Show Answer

이 보고서는 중요해.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

priority

Show Answer

우선순위

to be important

Show Answer

중요해

to be urgent

Show Answer

급해

report

Show Answer

보고서