Simple changes for back pain | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 긴 회의를 하고 나면 허리 통증이 더 심해져요.

   My back pain gets worse after long meetings.

   긴

   long

   회의

   meeting

   하고 나면

   after doing

   허리

   back; lower back

   통증

   pain

   더

   more

   심해져요

   gets worse

   More detail

   긴 is the attributive form of 길다, meaning “long” when it describes a following noun. Here it describes the duration of 회의. The form changes from 길다 to 긴 before a noun: 긴 회의 means “a long meeting.” Example: 긴 하루는 피곤해요. — “A long day is tiring.” 회의 means “meeting.” In 회의를 하다, it refers to having or holding a meeting; the object marker 를 shows what is being done. Example: 오후에 회의가 있어요. — “There is a meeting in the afternoon.” 하고 나면 is the reusable pattern V-고 나면, meaning “after doing V” or “once V is finished.” Here 하다 is the verb used with 회의, so 회의를 하고 나면 means “after having a meeting.” Example: 식사하고 나면 약을 드세요. — “After eating, take your medicine.” 허리 names the back or waist area. In 허리 통증, the fixed translation identifies it as “back” in the expression “back pain.” Its exact body-area meaning depends on the expression and context, so it should not automatically be treated as the whole back in every use. Example: 허리가 아파요. — “My back hurts.” 통증 means physical “pain” or “pain symptom.” Together, 허리 통증 means “back pain”; 통증 is the noun carrying the meaning “pain.” Example: 통증이 줄었어요. — “The pain has decreased.” 더 means “more” or “further.” It increases the degree of the following description. Here it shows that the pain becomes more severe than before. Example: 오늘은 통증이 더 심해요. — “Today the pain is worse.” 심해져요 comes from 심해지다, meaning “to become severe” or, with pain, “to get worse.” 심하다 means “to be severe,” while -어지다 adds a change into that state: 심하다 → 심해지다. The ending -어요 gives a polite present-style form. Example: 운동 후에 통증이 심해져요. — “The pain gets worse after exercise.” Together, 긴 회의를 하고 나면 sets the time condition: after long meetings. 허리 통증 identifies the speaker’s back pain, 더 marks an increase in degree, and 심해져요 expresses a change toward greater severity. Thus the whole utterance means: “My back pain gets worse after long meetings.”

2. 의자가 바른 자세를 유지하는 데 도움이 되지 않을 수도 있어요.

   Your chair may not help you maintain good posture.

   의자가

   your chair

   바른

   good; correct

   자세를

   posture

   유지하는

   maintaining

   데

   for; in doing

   도움이 되

   be helpful

   지 않을 수도 있어요

   may not

   More detail

   의자가 means “your chair” as the subject in this sentence. 의자 is “chair,” and -가 marks the subject after a noun ending in a vowel. The fixed translation identifies the chair as the listener’s, so “your chair” is the intended rendering here. 바른 means “good” or “correct” here, describing 자세 (“posture”). It is the attributive form of 바르다 (“to be right/correct; to be proper”). A useful contrast is 바른 자세 (“good posture”) versus 나쁜 자세 (“bad posture”). 자세를 means “posture” as the object of the following action. 자세 is “posture,” and -를 marks it as the object. The phrase 자세를 유지하다 means “to maintain posture.” 유지하는 means “maintaining.” It comes from 유지하다 (“to maintain”) and is its present attributive form, used before a noun-like element. Here it modifies 데 in 유지하는 데, meaning “in maintaining” or “for maintaining.” Example: 건강을 유지하는 데 운동이 필요해요. — “Exercise is necessary for maintaining health.” 데 in 유지하는 데 is a dependent noun used with a preceding verb phrase. This pattern commonly expresses the activity or purpose involved: 공부하는 데 도움이 돼요 means “It helps with studying.” It is spelled 데, not 대; the two forms also have different pronunciations. 도움이 되 is the beginning of the construction 도움이 되다, “to be helpful” or “to help.” 도움 means “help,” and -이 marks it as the subject of 되다 in this fixed construction. In 유지하는 데 도움이 되다, the meaning is “to be helpful for maintaining [it].” 지 않을 수도 있어요 expresses possibility with negation: “may not.” The sequence is -지 않다 (“not do/be”) plus -을 수도 있다 (“may; it is also possible that”), ending in polite 있어요. Because the negative form is inside the possibility construction, 도움이 되지 않을 수도 있어요 means “may not be helpful,” not a definite statement that it is unhelpful. -을 수도 있어요 can also be used without negation: 도움이 될 수도 있어요. — “It may be helpful.” Together, 바른 자세를 유지하는 데 means “for maintaining good posture,” and 도움이 되지 않을 수도 있어요 means “may not be helpful.” With 의자가 as the subject, the whole utterance means: “Your chair may not help you maintain good posture.”

3. 짧은 휴식을 더 자주 가져야 할까요?

   Should I take more short breaks?

   짧은

   short

   휴식

   break; rest

   더

   more

   자주

   often; frequently

   가져야 할까요?

   Should I take ...?

   More detail

   짧은 describes 휴식 as “short.” It is the attributive form of the adjective 짧다 (“to be short”): 짧다 → 짧은 before a noun. For example, 짧은 회의 means “a short meeting.” 휴식 means “a break” or “rest.” It is a noun, and in this sentence it is the object of the action expressed by 가져야 할까요?. The combination 휴식을 가지다 can mean “to take/have a break.” 더 is an adverb meaning “more” here. It increases the degree or frequency expressed by the following adverb, so 더 자주 means “more often.” 자주 means “often” or “frequently.” It describes how often the action happens. Together, 더 자주 means “more frequently,” not simply “more” in quantity. 가져야 할까요? is built from 가지다 (“to have/take”) and the obligation pattern -어야 하다, followed by the question ending -ㄹ까요?. The form 가져야 comes from 가지다 + -어야; 하다 becomes 할까요? in this polite question. This pattern asks whether the speaker should do something: 가야 할까요? means “Should I go?” The subject is omitted in Korean; the fixed translation identifies it here as “I.” As a whole, 짧은 휴식을 means “short breaks” as the thing being taken, 더 자주 means “more often,” and 가져야 할까요? asks whether the speaker should take them. The complete meaning is “Should I take more short breaks?”

4. 짧은 휴식은 도움이 될 수 있어요.

   Short breaks can help.

   짧은

   short

   휴식

   break; rest

   도움이 될

   be helpful

   수 있어요

   can

   More detail

   짧은 means “short” here and describes the following noun 휴식. It is the attributive form of 짧다 (“to be short”): 짧다 → 짧은 휴식 (“a short break”). The form 짧은 is used before a noun; it does not itself express the ability or possibility in this sentence. 휴식 means “break” or “rest.” It is a noun. In 짧은 휴식, it identifies the kind of break being discussed. A reusable pattern is 관형사형 + noun, as in 긴 휴식 (“a long break”), where 긴 comes from 길다 (“to be long”). 도움이 될 comes from the construction 도움이 되다, literally “become help” and naturally “be helpful” or “help.” 도움 is “help,” and 되다 is “to become” or, in this construction, “to be of help.” The form 될 is the -(으)ㄹ form of 되다, used here before 수 in the possibility construction. For example, 이 방법은 도움이 될 거예요. means “This method will be helpful.” 수 있어요 expresses possibility or ability: “can” or “be possible.” In 도움이 될 수 있어요, it combines with the preceding -(으)ㄹ form to mean “can be helpful.” 있어요 is the polite present form of 있다 (“to exist” or “to be”); in this construction, it indicates that the possibility exists. The pattern 동사/형용사 -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 can express “can” or “may be possible,” depending on context. Together, 짧은 휴식 means “short breaks” in the fixed translation, and 도움이 될 수 있어요 says that they can be helpful. The complete utterance means “Short breaks can help.”

5. 일어나서 부드럽게 스트레칭하세요.

   Stand up and stretch gently.

   일어나서

   stand up and

   부드럽게

   gently

   스트레칭하세요

   stretch

   More detail

   일어나서 comes from 일어나다 (“to stand up; to get up”) plus -아서, a connective that links an earlier action to the next one. Here it gives the sequence “stand up and then…”. The -서 ending does not itself make the sentence a command; the polite request force comes from the final verb. Example: 앉아서 쉬세요. — “Sit down and rest.” Here 앉아서 similarly connects the first action with the following one. 부드럽게 means “gently” in this sentence. It is the adverbial form of the descriptive verb 부드럽다 (“to be soft; gentle”). The ending -게 turns this descriptive form into an adverb describing how an action is performed. Thus it modifies 스트레칭하세요, rather than naming a separate action. Example: 천천히 걸으세요. — “Walk slowly.” 천천히 likewise describes the manner of the following verb. 스트레칭하세요 is the polite request form of 스트레칭하다 (“to stretch”). The observed form combines 스트레칭하- with -세요, a polite ending commonly used for requests or instructions. The ending is attached to the verb 스트레칭하다, not to 부드럽게. Example: 물을 마시세요. — “Please drink water.” The same -세요 pattern makes a polite instruction. Together, 일어나서 sets the first action and its sequence, 부드럽게 tells how the stretching should be done, and 스트레칭하세요 gives the polite instruction: “Stand up and stretch gently.”

6. 화면 높이도 조절해야 해요.

   I also need to adjust my screen height.

   화면

   screen

   높이

   height

   도

   also

   조절해야 해요

   need to adjust

   More detail

   화면 means “screen” here. It is a noun and can combine with other nouns to specify a screen-related object or feature, such as 화면 크기 (“screen size”). 높이 means “height.” It is a noun referring to how high something is. In 화면 높이, it forms a noun-noun compound meaning “screen height.” 도 is attached to 높이 and means “also” or “too.” Here it marks screen height as an additional thing that needs attention. The pattern 명사도 can be reused for another added item, as in 의자 높이도 (“the chair height too”). 조절해야 해요 means “need to adjust” in this sentence. The useful base form is 조절하다 (“to adjust”); 조절해야 해요 is formed with -아/어야 하다, a pattern expressing necessity, followed by the polite present form 해요. For example, 온도를 조절해야 해요. means “I need to adjust the temperature.” Together, 화면 높이도 조절해야 해요 means “I also need to adjust my screen height.” Korean does not state the possessor in this sentence; the English “my” is supplied by the fixed translation. The structure is [thing]도 [verb]-아/어야 해요: “I also need to [verb] [thing].”

7. 그러면 더 편하게 앉을 수 있어요.

   That can help you sit more comfortably.

   그러면

   then; in that case

   더

   more

   편하게

   comfortably

   앉을

   sit

   수 있어요

   can

   More detail

   그러면 means “then” or “in that case.” It connects this statement to the preceding situation: adjusting the screen height. Korean 그러면 can introduce a result or suggestion that follows from an earlier condition. 더 means “more.” Here it increases the degree of 편하게, so the meaning is “more comfortably,” not simply “comfortably.” 편하게 means “comfortably” here. It is the adverbial form of 편하다, “to be comfortable.” The pattern adjective + -게 commonly turns a descriptive word into an adverb: 편하다 → 편하게. Example: 편하게 쉬세요. — “Please rest comfortably.” 앉을 is the form of 앉다, “to sit,” used before 수 in the ability/possibility pattern. 앉다 → 앉을; the ending -(으)ㄹ marks the verb form that precedes this construction. Example: 여기 앉을 수 있어요. — “You can sit here.” 수 있어요 completes the pattern verb-(으)ㄹ 수 있어요, meaning that someone can or is able to do something. In this sentence, 앉을 + 수 있어요 gives “can sit.” 있어요 is the polite present form of 있다 in this construction. The construction can express practical possibility as well as ability, depending on context. Together, 그러면 (“then/in that case”) + 더 (“more”) + 편하게 (“comfortably”) + 앉을 수 있어요 (“can sit”) produces: “Then, you can sit more comfortably.” In the fixed translation, the relevant change is presented as something that can help you sit more comfortably. Korean leaves the subject unspoken here, while the fixed translation identifies the person who can sit as “you”; it is therefore not accurate to treat that participant as unresolved.

8. 이번 주에 이런 변화를 시도해 볼게요.

   I will try these changes this week.

   이번 주에

   this week

   이런

   this kind of; such

   변화를

   changes

   시도해 볼게요.

   will try

   More detail

   이번 주에 means “this week” here. 이번 is the determiner “this/current” used with a time period, and 주 means “week.” The particle 에 marks the time when an event is scheduled or happens. Compare 이번 달에 (“this month”): the same time-marking pattern is reusable. 이런 means “this kind of” or “such,” describing the noun that follows it. It is the attributive form of 이렇다 (“to be like this”), so it is not an independent noun. For example, 이런 방법 means “this kind of method.” The exact kind being referred to is supplied by the surrounding context; the form itself expresses the demonstrative description. 변화를 means “changes” as the object of the action. 변화 is the noun “change,” and 를 marks it as the object of the verb. The plural meaning comes from the translation and context; Korean nouns do not have to show plural number with a separate plural ending. For example, 변화를 만들어요 means “I/you make changes,” with 변화를 again marking what is made. 시도해 볼게요. expresses “will try.” 시도하다 is the base verb “to try,” and 시도해 is its connective form. 보다 literally means “to see,” but after another verb in -아/어 보다, it forms the pattern “try doing something.” Here, 시도해 보다 means “try it.” The observed 볼게요 contains 보- plus -ㄹ게요; in this sentence, -ㄹ게요 presents the speaker’s intention or commitment to do the action, in a polite style. For example, 다시 해 볼게요 means “I’ll try again.” Putting the parts together, 이런 변화 identifies the changes as “these changes,” 변화를 marks them as the object, and 시도해 볼게요 says that the speaker intends to try them. With the time phrase 이번 주에, the complete utterance means: “I will try these changes this week.”

9. 통증이 계속되면 의료 전문가를 만나 보세요.

   See a healthcare professional if the pain continues.

   통증이

   pain

   계속되면

   if it continues

   의료

   healthcare; medical

   전문가를

   professional

   만나 보세요

   please see; try meeting

   More detail

   통증이 means “pain” here. 통증 is a noun meaning physical pain, and 이 marks it as the subject of the following condition. The sentence therefore treats the pain as the thing that continues; 이/가 can mark a subject, while 은/는 would present a topic or contrast. 계속되면 means “if it continues.” Its base form is 계속되다, “to continue.” The ending -면 forms a condition: V-(으)면 means “if/when V.” Here, 계속되면 is used because the condition is that the pain continues. Example: 비가 오면 집에 있어요. — “If it rains, I stay at home.” 의료 means “medical” or “healthcare” here. It is a noun used before another noun to specify the field or type of service, as in 의료 서비스 (“healthcare service”). It does not by itself mean “professional.” 전문가를 means “a professional” as the object of the action. The base noun 전문가 means “expert” or “professional,” and 를 marks it as the object of the verb. In this sentence, the fixed translation identifies this professional as a healthcare professional because 의료 modifies 전문가: 의료 전문가 means “healthcare professional.” 만나 보세요 means “please see” in this context. 만나 comes from 만나다, “to meet,” and 보다 follows a verb stem in the pattern V-아/어 보다. This pattern presents trying or experiencing an action; with 만나다, the natural intended action here is trying to meet or consult the professional. 보세요 ends the expression in a polite, encouraging request or suggestion. Example: 새로운 방법을 사용해 보세요. — “Please try using a new method.” Together, 통증이 계속되면 sets the condition, “if the pain continues,” and 의료 전문가를 만나 보세요 gives the polite recommendation, “please see a healthcare professional.” The complete utterance is: “See a healthcare professional if the pain continues.”