Checking in and waiting at a clinic | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 실례합니다, 대기실이 어디에 있나요?

   Excuse me, where is the waiting room?

   실례합니다

   Excuse me

   대기실

   waiting room

   어디에 있나요?

   Where is it?

   More detail

   실례합니다 is a polite formal-style expression used to get someone’s attention or politely interrupt: “Excuse me.” It comes from 실례하다, “to be discourteous” or “to intrude,” with the formal polite ending -ㅂ니다. Here it functions as a courteous opening, not as a statement that the speaker has actually behaved rudely. 대기실 means “waiting room.” It is a noun for a room intended for waiting. 대기 means waiting or standby, and 실 is used in compounds for a room or designated space. In this sentence, 대기실 is the place whose location is being asked about. 어디에 있나요? asks “Where is it?”; with the understood noun, it means “Where is the waiting room?” 어디 means “where,” and -에 marks the location. 있다 means “to exist” or “to be located,” and 있나요? is its polite question form with -나요?. A reusable location-question pattern is [place]이/가 어디에 있나요? or [place]은/는 어디에 있어요?, depending on the chosen subject or topic and style. Example: 화장실이 어디에 있나요? — “Where is the restroom?” Together, 실례합니다 politely opens the request, 대기실 identifies the place, and 어디에 있나요? asks for its location. The whole utterance means “Excuse me, where is the waiting room?”

2. 접수 데스크를 지나가세요.

   Go past the front desk.

   접수 데스크

   front desk

   지나가세요

   go past

   More detail

   접수 데스크 means “front desk” here. 접수 refers to reception or the process of registering/checking in, and 데스크 is “desk.” Together, this is a useful noun phrase for a reception or check-in desk. In 접수 데스크를, the particle 를 marks this noun phrase as the object of the following action. 지나가세요 means “go past” or “please go past” here. It is the polite request form of 지나가다, “to pass by” or “to go past.” The ending -세요 makes the instruction polite; it is not part of the dictionary form. For example, 이 건물을 지나가세요. means “Please go past this building.” The pattern 장소를 지나가세요 can be reused for “Go past [a place].” In the fixed sentence, 접수 데스크를 identifies what the listener should go past, and 지나가세요 gives the polite direction. Together, 접수 데스크를 지나가세요. means “Go past the front desk.”

3. 왼쪽에 있을 거예요.

   It will be on your left.

   왼쪽

   left side

   있을 거예요

   will be

   More detail

   왼쪽 means “the left side.” It is a noun, so 왼쪽에 adds -에, the particle used to mark a location: “on/to the left.” In this sentence, the fixed translation specifies the relevant orientation as the listener’s left. 있을 거예요 uses 있다 (“to exist; to be located”) in the pattern 있을 거예요. The ending -(으)ㄹ 거예요 commonly presents a future situation or a prediction; here it predicts where something will be located, so it means “will be.” The subject is omitted in Korean, while the translation supplies “it”; the utterance itself does not identify what “it” is. Together, 왼쪽에 + 있을 거예요 gives “It will be on your left.” The location comes first, followed by the prediction that the unspecified thing will be there.

4. 제가 앉기 전에 접수해야 하나요?

   Do I need to check in before I sit down?

   제가

   I (subject)

   앉기

   sitting; to sit

   전에

   before

   접수해야

   registering/checking in (in a continuing form)

   하나요?

   does it? (polite question)

   접수해야 … 하나요?

   is it necessary to register/check in?

   More detail

   제가 means “I” as the subject here. 저 is the humble first-person pronoun, and -가 marks the subject; it does not indicate whether the speaker is male or female. Compare 제가 (“I,” with the subject marker) with 저는 (“as for me,” with the topic marker). Example: 제가 할게요. — “I’ll do it.” 앉기 comes from the verb 앉다, “to sit.” The ending -기 makes a noun-like form, so 앉기 전에 means “before sitting” or, in this sentence, “before I sit down.” The reusable pattern V-기 전에 means “before doing V.” Example: 자기 전에 이를 닦아요. — “I brush my teeth before going to bed.” 전에 means “before.” Here it follows the noun-like verb form 앉기, creating the time expression 앉기 전에, “before sitting.” It can also follow an ordinary noun: 수업 전에 means “before class.” 접수해야 is based on 접수하다, which can mean “to register” or “to receive/process an application.” In this utterance, the fixed translation establishes the intended meaning “check in.” The ending -아/어야 expresses a requirement when followed by 하다; thus 접수해야 하다 means “to have to check in.” The observed form ends before the following 하나요?, so the complete necessity expression spans both parts. Example: 예약해야 해요. — “I have to make a reservation.” 하나요? is the polite question form of 하다. By itself, it asks whether someone does something, but after 접수해야 it completes -아/어야 하나요?, a question about necessity: “Do I have to…?” or “Is it necessary to…?” Example: 여기에 이름을 써야 하나요? — “Do I have to write my name here?” Together, 제가 앉기 전에 means “before I sit down,” and 접수해야 하나요? asks whether checking in is required. The whole utterance therefore means, “Do I need to check in before I sit down?” The polite question form makes this a courteous question about a requirement.

5. 먼저 이 양식을 작성하세요.

   Fill out this form first.

   먼저

   first

   이

   this

   양식

   form

   작성하세요

   please fill out

   More detail

   먼저 means “first” here and sets the order of the action. It is an adverb, so it does not change for person or number. Example: 먼저 이름을 쓰세요. = “Write your name first.” 이 is the demonstrative used before a noun for “this.” In 이 양식, it identifies the form as “this form”; its grammatical role is to modify the following noun. Korean also has 그 (“that/the one already mentioned or associated with the listener”) and 저 (“that over there”), but the fixed sentence uses 이. 양식 means “form” in the sense of a document to be filled out. It is a noun. Example: 이 양식은 간단해요. = “This form is simple.” 작성하세요 comes from the verb 작성하다, “to fill out” or “to complete” a document. The ending -세요 makes this a polite request or instruction addressed to the listener. The form is not a past-tense form; it presents the requested action as something the listener should do. Example: 신청서를 작성하세요. = “Please fill out the application form.” Together, 이 양식 means “this form,” and 작성하세요 politely instructs the listener to fill it out. With 먼저 placed at the beginning, the complete meaning is “Fill out this form first.”

6. 그다음 접수 데스크에 건네주세요.

   Then hand it to the desk.

   그다음

   then; next

   접수 데스크

   reception desk

   건네주세요

   please hand it over

   More detail

   그다음 means “then” or “next.” It is useful for ordering actions: 먼저 means “first,” while 그다음 introduces the action that follows. Example: 그다음 이름을 쓰세요. — “Then write your name.” 접수 데스크 is the noun phrase “reception desk.” 접수 refers to receiving or processing something, such as an application, and 데스크 is the Korean loanword for “desk.” In the full sentence, the following 에 marks the destination: 접수 데스크에 means “to/at the reception desk.” 건네주세요 is built from 건네다, “to hand or pass something,” and the polite request pattern -아/어 주세요, “please do.” The form therefore asks someone to hand something over politely. 건네다 is more specific than the general verb 주다 because it highlights physically passing something to another person or destination. Example: 이 서류를 직원에게 건네 주세요. — “Please hand this document to the staff member.” The object is not stated in this Korean sentence; the fixed translation identifies it as “it,” understood from the surrounding situation. The sentence assembles as 그다음 (“then”) + 접수 데스크에 (“to the reception desk”) + 건네주세요 (“please hand it over”): “Then please hand it to the reception desk.”

7. 제 차례가 되면 누가 저를 부르나요?

   Will someone call me when it's my turn?

   제

   my

   차례

   turn

   되면

   when it becomes/is

   누가

   who

   저를

   me

   부르나요

   calls?

   More detail

   제 means “my” here. It is the possessive form of 저 (“I/me,” humble/polite) plus 의, commonly contracted to 제. For example, 제 이름 means “my name.” 차례 means a turn or a person’s place in an order. 제 차례 therefore means “my turn.” This is a noun, so it can be reused in expressions such as 네 차례 (“your turn”) or 다음 차례 (“the next turn”). 되면 comes from 되다, “to become” or “to be/become the case,” plus -면, which marks a condition or time: “when/if it becomes.” In 제 차례가 되면, 가 marks 제 차례 as the subject of 되다, giving “when it is my turn.” The ending itself does not specify a separate future tense; the future timing is understood from the situation. 누가 means “who” as the subject of a clause. It is the form of 누구 (“who”) combined with the subject marker 가. Compare 누구를 (“whom/who” as an object), where 를 marks the object instead. 저를 means “me” as the object. 저 is the humble/polite first-person pronoun, and 를 marks it as the object of the verb. The speaker is therefore the person being called, not the person doing the calling. 부르나요 comes from 부르다, “to call,” with the polite question ending -나요. Here it asks about calling the speaker. The form 부르다 changes to 불러요 in a basic polite statement, as in 간호사가 이름을 불러요 (“The nurse calls someone’s name”). Together, 제 차례가 되면 sets the time: “when it is my turn.” 누가 identifies the unknown caller, 저를 identifies the speaker as the person called, and 부르나요 forms a polite question. The whole utterance means, “Who will call me when it’s my turn?” In the supplied translation, this is naturally rendered as “Will someone call me when it’s my turn?”

8. 곧 간호사가 이름을 불러 드릴 거예요.

   A nurse should call your name shortly.

   곧

   soon

   간호사가

   a nurse

   이름을

   your name

   불러 드릴 거예요

   will call for you

   More detail

   곧 means “soon” or “shortly.” It is a time adverb and can appear before the event it modifies. Example: 곧 시작해요. — “It starts soon.” 간호사가 means “a nurse” as the subject in this utterance. 간호사 means “nurse,” and -가 marks the subject. Korean does not use this particle to mark definiteness, so the form itself does not mean “the nurse.” Example: 의사가 와요. — “A doctor is coming.” 이름을 means “your name” as the object of the calling action here. 이름 means “name,” and -을 marks it as the object. The listener’s possession is supplied by the fixed translation and context; Korean does not add a separate possessive word in this expression. Example: 이름을 적어요. — “I write down your name.” 불러 드릴 거예요 expresses that the subject will call the name for the listener. 불러 is the connective form of 부르다 (“to call”), used before 드리다. In this construction, 드리다 adds the respectful benefactive meaning “do something for someone.” The future-looking pattern -(으)ㄹ 거예요 appears in 드릴 거예요; it presents the action as expected or planned in the future. The subject remains 간호사가, not an additional person. Example: 제가 설명해 드릴 거예요. — “I will explain it for you.” Together, 곧 sets the time, 간호사가 identifies the nurse as the subject, 이름을 marks the name being called, and 불러 드릴 거예요 presents the calling as an upcoming action done for the listener. The whole utterance means: “A nurse should call your name shortly.”

9. 제가 보험 카드를 준비해 두어야 하나요?

   Should I keep my insurance card ready?

   제가

   I (subject form)

   보험 카드

   insurance card

   준비해

   prepare

   두어야 하나요?

   should I keep it ...?

   More detail

   제가 means “I” as the subject here. It combines 저 (“I,” the humble/polite first-person pronoun) with the subject marker -가: 저 + 가 becomes 제가. The marker identifies the subject; it does not itself mean “should.” 보험 카드 means “insurance card.” 보험 means “insurance,” and 카드 means “card.” This is a noun-noun combination that can be reused in phrases such as 신분증 카드 (“identification card”), depending on the intended meaning. 준비해 comes from 준비하다, “to prepare.” The form 준비해 is the -해 form of this 하다-verb and links it to the following construction. For example, 서류를 준비해요 means “I prepare the documents” or, in context, “I am preparing the documents.” 두어야 하나요? contains the useful pattern -아/어 두다 plus -아/어야 하다 and a polite question ending. 두다 literally means “to put/place,” but after another verb, -아/어 두다 indicates doing something in advance and leaving the result in place or maintained. Here, 준비해 두다 means “prepare and keep ready.” The -어야 하다 part expresses necessity or what one should do, so 준비해 두어야 하나요? asks whether the speaker should keep it prepared. In ordinary speech, 두어야 is often contracted to 둬야, but the supplied sentence uses the uncontracted form and should not be rewritten. The sentence follows the pattern 제가 [명사]를/을 [동사]-아/어 두어야 하나요? for asking whether the speaker should do something in advance and leave it ready. Here, 보험 카드 is the object understood with 준비해, and the question ending -나요? makes the question polite. The whole utterance therefore means, “Should I keep my insurance card ready?” In the supplied context, this refers to keeping the card nearby and ready for possible later use.

10. 보험 카드는 접수처에서 다시 필요할 수도 있으니 가까이에 두세요.

    Keep it handy in case the desk needs it again.

    보험

    insurance

    카드

    card

    접수처

    reception desk

    다시

    again

    필요할 수도 있으니

    since it may be needed

    가까이에

    nearby; close at hand

    두세요

    keep it; put it

    More detail

    보험 means “insurance.” It appears in 보험 카드, a compound meaning “insurance card.” 보험 itself does not mean “insurance card”; 카드 supplies the second part. Example: 여행 보험 means “travel insurance.” 카드 means “card.” Here it is the noun in 보험 카드. Example: 카드를 보여 주세요. means “Please show your card.” 접수처 means “reception desk” or “registration desk.” The location marker 에서 after it marks the place where an action or event occurs: 접수처에서 means “at the reception desk.” Example: 접수처에서 이름을 확인해요. means “They check the name at the reception desk.” 다시 means “again,” indicating that the need would occur another time. Example: 다시 확인해 주세요. means “Please check it again.” 필요할 수도 있으니 is a useful pattern meaning “since it may be needed” or, in this context, “in case it may be needed.” 필요하다 means “to be necessary” or “to be needed.” Its form 필요할 uses -(으)ㄹ before 수도 있다 to express possibility. The construction -(으)ㄹ 수도 있다 means “may/might” or “it is possible that”; 도 is part of this possibility construction here, rather than meaning that 도 alone means “may.” The ending -으니 gives a reason: 필요할 수도 있으니 = “since it may be needed.” Example: 비가 올 수도 있으니 우산을 가져가세요. means “It may rain, so take an umbrella.” 가까이에 means “nearby” or “close at hand.” It is 가까이 (“near”) plus the location marker -에, specifying where something is kept. Example: 열쇠를 가까이에 두세요. means “Keep the key nearby.” 두세요 comes from 두다, “to put” or “to leave/keep something in a place.” -세요 makes a polite request or instruction, so 두세요 means “please put it” or “please keep it.” In this sentence, the omitted object is understood from the context and fixed translation as the insurance card. Example: 서류를 책상 위에 두세요. means “Please put the documents on the desk.” Together, 보험 카드는 sets “the insurance card” as the topic. 접수처에서 다시 필요할 수도 있으니 gives the reason: it may be needed again at the reception desk. 가까이에 두세요 politely tells the listener to keep it close at hand. The whole utterance means: “Keep the insurance card handy in case the desk needs it again.”