Using Shared Gym Equipment Politely | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 지금 이 러닝머신을 사용하고 있는 사람이 있나요?

   Is anyone using this treadmill now?

   지금

   now

   이

   this

   러닝머신

   treadmill

   사용하고 있는

   using

   사람

   person

   있나요?

   is there? / are there?

   More detail

   지금 means “now” here. It is a time adverb and can be placed before the situation it specifies. For example, 지금 가요 means “I’m going now.” 이 means “this” before a noun. It is a demonstrative determiner; in this sentence it identifies the treadmill as the relevant one. Korean also has 그 and 저 for other demonstrative distinctions, but the choice depends on the situation, not simply on the noun’s form. 러닝머신 is the noun “treadmill,” a borrowed Korean word. It names the exercise machine; the noun itself does not show a special plural form here. 사용하고 있는 describes someone as “using” something at the relevant time. Its base verb is 사용하다, “to use.” The pattern -고 있다 expresses an ongoing action, and -는 makes that ongoing-action clause modify a following noun: 사용하고 있는 사람 means “a person who is using [it].” For example, 운동하고 있는 사람 means “a person who is exercising.” 사람 means “person.” In the full sentence, the subject form 사람이 is used. In a question about whether such a person exists, 사람 can naturally correspond to “anyone” in English; it does not by itself assert a particular number. 있나요? asks whether someone or something exists or is present. The base form is 있다, “to exist / be present,” and -나요? forms a polite question. Here it is the existence question “is there?” or, with 사람, “is anyone there?” Together, 지금 sets the time, 이 러닝머신 identifies the machine, and 사용하고 있는 사람 means “a person who is using [it].” The existence question 사람이 있나요? asks whether such a person is present, producing the meaning “Is anyone using this treadmill now?”

2. 비어 있는 것 같지만, 시간을 잘 확인하세요.

   It looks free, but keep an eye on the time.

   비어 있는

   unoccupied; free

   것 같지만

   seems ..., but

   시간

   time

   잘

   carefully; well

   확인하세요

   check; please check

   More detail

   비어 있는 comes from 비다, “to be empty.” Here it describes the treadmill as currently unoccupied, which gives the context-specific sense “free.” The form 비어 있는 presents an ongoing state: 비다 → 비어 있다 (“be empty”), with 있는 from 있다 (“exist/be”) describing that state. Example: 자리가 비어 있어요. — “The seat is empty.” 것 같지만 is a reusable pattern meaning “it seems ..., but.” 것 같다 expresses an appearance or impression rather than certainty, and -지만 connects that statement to a contrast. In this sentence, 비어 있는 것 같지만 means “it looks unoccupied, but.” Example: 비가 오는 것 같지만, 아직 나가지 마세요. — “It seems to be raining, but don’t go out yet.” 시간 means “time.” It is a noun and can be used in practical expressions such as 시간을 확인하다, “check the time,” and 시간이 있다, “have time.” Here 시간을 marks “time” as the object being checked; 을 is the object particle used after this consonant-final noun. 잘 means “well” or “carefully.” With an action verb, it indicates that the action should be done properly or attentively. In 시간을 잘 확인하세요, it makes the instruction more like “keep a careful eye on the time” than merely “look at the time.” 확인하세요 is the polite request or instruction form of 확인하다, “to check” or “to confirm.” The ending -세요 gives a polite directive: 확인하다 → 확인하세요. Example: 주소를 확인하세요. — “Please check the address.” Together, 비어 있는 것 같지만 says that the treadmill appears to be unoccupied, while 시간을 잘 확인하세요 gives a polite instruction to monitor the time carefully. The whole utterance therefore means: “It looks free, but keep an eye on the time.”

3. 다른 사람들이 기다리고 있으면 얼마나 오래 사용해야 하나요?

   How long should I use it if others are waiting?

   다른

   other

   사람들

   people

   기다리고 있으면

   if someone is waiting

   얼마나 오래

   how long

   사용해야

   should use

   More detail

   다른 means “other” here. It comes before the noun it describes, as in 다른 사람 (“another/other person”) and 다른 방법 (“another method”). Its exact meaning is determined by the noun and context; it does not itself express a number. 사람들 means “people.” 사람 is “person,” and 들 marks a plural group when plural marking is useful or intended. Thus 다른 사람들 means “other people.” Korean can also leave plurality unmarked when context makes it clear, but 들 is explicitly present here. 기다리고 있으면 means “if [they] are waiting.” The base verb is 기다리다, “to wait.” -고 있다 presents the action as ongoing: 기다리고 있다 means “is/are waiting.” The ending -으면 makes this a condition: 기다리고 있으면 means “if they are waiting.” The subject is understood from 다른 사람들, so the meaning here is “if other people are waiting.” Example: 친구가 기다리고 있으면 빨리 가세요. — “If a friend is waiting, go quickly.” 얼마나 오래 asks about duration: “how long.” 얼마나 means “how much/how,” and 오래 means “for a long time” or “long” in a duration expression. Compare 얼마나 자주 (“how often”), which asks about frequency rather than duration. 사용해야 comes from 사용하다, “to use.” The form 사용해야 하다 combines -아야/어야 하다 with the verb and expresses necessity or what one should do: 사용해야 하다 means “must/should use.” In this sentence, 사용해야 is followed by 하나요?, which turns that necessity into a polite question: “should I use it?” The object is understood from the situation and the fixed translation identifies it as “it.” Together, 다른 사람들이 기다리고 있으면 sets the condition “if other people are waiting,” 얼마나 오래 asks for the length of time, and 사용해야 하나요? asks what duration of use is appropriate. The whole utterance therefore means: “How long should I use it if others are waiting?”

4. 헬스장이 바쁠 때는 사용 시간을 10분 정도로 제한하세요.

   Limit your time to around ten minutes when the gym is busy.

   헬스장

   gym

   바쁠 때는

   when busy

   사용 시간

   usage time

   10분 정도로

   to around ten minutes

   제한하세요

   please limit

   More detail

   헬스장 means “gym.” It is a noun, and 헬스장에 가요 means “I go to the gym.” The noun itself does not indicate whether the gym is being used by the speaker or someone else. 바쁠 때는 means “when it is busy.” 바쁘다 is the descriptive verb “to be busy.” Here it combines with -(으)ㄹ 때 as 바쁠 때: 바쁘- takes the -ㄹ form used after a stem without a final consonant. The ㅡ remains in 바쁠; this differs from the ㅡ-related change seen in 바빠요. The pattern A-(으)ㄹ 때 describes the time or condition when something is or will be the case, as in 시간이 없을 때 (“when there is no time”). 는 marks this time condition as the topic or setting for the instruction. 사용 시간 means “usage time” or “the amount of time spent using [it].” 사용 is the noun “use,” related to the verb 사용하다 (“to use”), and 시간 is “time.” Together, this noun phrase identifies the time being limited; it does not by itself say what specific equipment is being used. 10분 정도로 means “to around ten minutes.” 10분 is “ten minutes,” while 정도 adds approximation, meaning “about” or “approximately.” The particle 로 marks the target level or limit, giving the reusable pattern N 정도로 제한하다 (“limit [something] to about N”). 제한하세요 means “please limit [it].” Its base form is 제한하다 (“to limit”); 제한하세요 is the polite request/command form with -세요. The object marker 을 in 사용 시간을 shows what should be limited. This is a direct instruction, but the polite ending makes it suitable for guidance or a courteous request. Together, 헬스장이 바쁠 때는 sets the condition “when the gym is busy,” 사용 시간을 10분 정도로 specifies the usage time and its approximate limit, and 제한하세요 gives the instruction. The complete meaning is: “When the gym is busy, please limit your usage time to around ten minutes.”

5. 다 사용한 후에 닦아야 하나요?

   Should I wipe it down after I finish?

   다

   completely; all

   사용한

   used

   후에

   after

   닦아야 하나요?

   Should I wipe it down?

   More detail

   다 means “all” or “completely” here. It applies to the act of using: 다 사용하다 means to use something up or finish using it. It does not modify the wiping action. 사용한 comes from 사용하다 (“to use”). Its -한 form places the completed action before a following noun, here 후 (“after”): 사용한 후에 means “after using.” With 다, the phrase conveys “after finishing using it.” 후에 is the time pattern V-(으)ㄴ 후에, “after doing V.” For example, 식사한 후에 쉬세요. means “Rest after eating.” 닦아야 하나요? is built from 닦다 (“to wipe/clean”) and the obligation pattern -아/어야 하다, literally asking whether wiping is required. As a polite question, it naturally means “Should I wipe it?” or “Do I need to wipe it?” The translation supplies the first-person subject and the object “it”; Korean leaves those understood here. Together, 다 사용한 후에 sets the time as after the speaker has finished using it, and 닦아야 하나요? asks whether the speaker is expected to wipe it down then. The whole utterance means: “Should I wipe it down after I finish?”

6. 선반에 있는 스프레이와 종이 타월을 사용하세요.

   Use the spray and a paper towel from the rack.

   선반

   rack; shelf

   있는

   being located; that is

   스프레이

   spray

   종이 타월

   paper towel

   사용하세요

   please use

   More detail

   선반 means “shelf” or “rack.” It is a noun; the choice between those English words depends on the object and setting. Example: 선반 위에 책이 있어요. means “There is a book on the shelf.” 있는 is the attributive form of 있다, “to exist” or “to be located.” Here it describes the location of the relevant item: “being on/in the rack” or “that is on/in the rack.” Korean places this descriptive form before the noun it modifies. The location marker 에 in 선반에 marks the place where something is located. Example: 상자에 있는 컵 means “the cup that is in the box.” 스프레이 is the noun “spray,” referring here to the spray product to be used. Korean commonly uses this loanword as a noun. In the sentence, 와 connects it with the next item, giving the pattern A와 B를 사용하세요: “Please use A and B.” 종이 타월 means “paper towel.” 종이 means “paper,” and 타월 means “towel,” but together they form the useful noun phrase “paper towel.” The object marker 을 appears after this phrase because it is part of what is used. The English article “a” in the fixed translation does not by itself assert a specific number in the Korean wording. 사용하세요 comes from 사용하다, “to use.” The ending -세요 makes a polite request or instruction, so this form means “please use” here. It is not the plain dictionary form and does not itself specify the user's gender. Example: 이 버튼을 사용하세요. means “Please use this button.” Together, 선반에 있는 identifies the relevant item or items as being on/from the rack, 스프레이와 종이 타월을 names the two objects as the object of the action, and 사용하세요 gives the polite instruction. The whole utterance therefore means: “Use the spray and a paper towel from the rack.”

7. 나가기 전에 청소할게요.

   I'll clean it before I leave.

   나가기

   leaving; going out

   전에

   before

   청소할게요

   I’ll clean it

   More detail

   나가기 comes from the verb 나가다, “to go out” or “to leave.” Here, -기 turns the verb into a noun-like form, so 나가기 means “leaving.” This form combines naturally with time expressions such as 나가기 전에, “before leaving.” 전에 means “before” and follows the noun-like expression or event that establishes the reference time. The pattern V-기 전에 means “before doing V.” Example: 자기 전에 이를 닦아요. — “I brush my teeth before going to bed.” 청소할게요 comes from 청소하다, “to clean.” It uses the polite ending -ㄹ게요, so the form expresses the speaker’s intention or commitment to clean: “I’ll clean it.” The object is omitted in Korean here, while the fixed translation identifies it as “it.” -ㄹ게요 is attached directly to a verb stem. After a vowel-ending stem, it has the form -ㄹ게요; after most consonant-ending stems, it has -을게요. A stem ending in ㄹ is an important exception: it uses -게요, as in 놀게요, “I’ll play.” For example, 제가 도와줄게요. means “I’ll help.” This ending commonly highlights what the speaker undertakes to do, rather than merely describing a future event. Together, 나가기 전에 means “before I leave,” and 청소할게요 means “I’ll clean it.” The complete utterance is therefore “I’ll clean it before I leave.”

8. 그러면 다음 사람이 기구를 바로 사용할 수 있어요.

   That keeps the equipment ready for the next person.

   그러면

   then; in that case

   다음

   next

   사람

   person

   기구

   equipment

   바로

   right away

   사용할 수 있어요

   can use

   More detail

   그러면 means “then” or “in that case.” Here it links the earlier plan, 나가기 전에 청소할게요 (“I’ll clean it before I leave”), to the result that follows. A reusable pattern is 그러면 + result: “Then, …” 다음 means “next” and comes before the noun it describes: 다음 사람 = “the next person.” It is not an inflected form here. For example, 다음 주 means “next week.” 사람 means “person.” In 다음 사람이, the particle 이 marks 다음 사람 as the subject of the following clause. 사람 can be used with other descriptions too, such as 새 사람 (“a new person”), depending on the intended meaning. 기구 means “equipment” or “implement.” In 기구를, the particle 를 marks the equipment as the object of 사용하다 (“to use”). The particle 를 marks the object; it does not itself mean “equipment” or indicate definiteness. 바로 means “right away” here. It modifies the ability-to-use expression and says that the next person can use the equipment immediately, without an intervening step. For example, 바로 시작할 수 있어요 means “You can start right away.” 사용할 수 있어요 is a polite present-form expression meaning “can use.” Its parts are 사용하다 (“to use”) plus -(으)ㄹ 수 있다, an ability or possibility pattern. Because 사용하다 has the vowel-final stem 사용하- before this pattern, it appears as 사용할; 있어요 is the polite form of 있다 in this construction. The subject is supplied by the preceding 다음 사람이, so the meaning is “the next person can use [it].” For example, 이 문을 열 수 있어요 means “You can open this door.” Putting the chunks together: 그러면 (“then”), 다음 사람이 (“the next person”), 기구를 (“the equipment” as object), 바로 (“right away”), and 사용할 수 있어요 (“can use”) produce: “Then the next person can use the equipment right away.” In the fixed translation, this is expressed as “That keeps the equipment ready for the next person.”