Handling noisy neighbors calmly | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 옆집 음악 때문에 요즘 며칠 밤이나 잠을 못 잤어요.

   The music next door has kept me up several nights lately.

   옆집

   the neighboring house; next door

   음악

   music

   때문에

   because of

   요즘

   these days; lately

   며칠 밤이나

   several nights; as many as several nights

   잠을

   sleep

   못 잤어요

   couldn't sleep; was unable to sleep

   More detail

   옆집 means “the house next door” or “the neighboring house.” It is a noun formed from 옆 (“side”) and 집 (“house”). In the following context, 옆집 사람들 refers to people from that neighboring household, but 옆집 here itself names the location/source, not the people. 음악 means “music.” It is a noun and can be used for music generally or for particular music when the context makes that clear. 때문에 marks a cause: 명사 + 때문에 means “because of [a noun]” or “due to [a noun].” Thus 음악 때문에 means “because of the music.” It presents the music as the cause of the following situation. Compare 비 때문에 (“because of the rain”) as a reusable pattern. 요즘 means “these days” or “lately.” It places the situation in the recent period around the present. It is a time expression, not a past-tense ending; the past marking appears later in 잤어요. 며칠 밤이나 means “several nights,” with 이나 adding emphasis to the amount: “as many as several nights.” 며칠 means “how many days” in a question and “several days” in an indefinite statement; here it combines with 밤 (“night”) to refer to several nights. The amount is emphasized, but the sentence does not give an exact number. 잠을 is 잠 (“sleep”) plus the object marker 을. The noun 잠 is the thing directly affected by 못 잤어요 in this expression. Korean commonly uses 잠을 자다 for “to sleep,” with 잠을 marking “sleep” as the object of 자다. 못 잤어요 means “could not sleep” or “was unable to sleep.” 못 comes before a verb to express inability or an unfavorable circumstance: 못 자요 means “cannot sleep,” while 못 잤어요 is its polite past form, “could not sleep.” The verb is 자다 (“to sleep”); its polite past form is 잤어요, formed from 자- plus the past-polite ending, with the vowels contracting. 못 is different from 안: 안 잤어요 means “did not sleep,” while 못 잤어요 indicates that sleeping was not possible or did not work out. Together, 옆집 음악 때문에 identifies the music from the neighboring house as the cause. 요즘 며칠 밤이나 places the problem in the recent period and emphasizes that it happened on several nights. 잠을 못 잤어요 says that the speaker was unable to sleep. The whole utterance therefore means: “The music next door has kept me up several nights lately.”

2. 그럼 더 큰 갈등이 되기 전에 옆집 사람들과 이야기해야 해요.

   Then we should talk to them before it becomes a bigger conflict.

   그럼

   then

   더 큰

   bigger

   갈등

   conflict

   되기 전에

   before becoming

   옆집 사람들

   people next door

   이야기해야 해요

   have to talk

   More detail

   그럼 means “then” here and links this sentence to what was just discussed. It can also introduce a conclusion or next step: 그럼 시작해요 means “Then let’s start.” 더 큰 describes something as “bigger” or “greater.” 큰 is the attributive form of 크다 (“to be big”), and 더 adds the comparative meaning “more.” Thus 더 큰 갈등 is “a bigger conflict.” The adjective agrees with neither number nor gender; 큰 is the form used before a noun. 갈등 is a noun meaning “conflict” or “friction.” In this sentence it refers to a possible worsening conflict, not necessarily an existing conflict of a particular kind. A useful related contrast is 갈등이 생기다, “a conflict arises.” 되기 전에 means “before becoming” or “before it becomes.” It consists of 되다 (“to become”) in the nominalized form 되기, followed by 전에 (“before”). The pattern 동사-기 전에 means “before doing [something]”: 자기 전에 이를 닦아요 means “I brush my teeth before going to bed.” Here 더 큰 갈등이 되기 전에 means “before it becomes a bigger conflict”; the subject of 되다 is understood from the situation rather than stated in this phrase. 옆집 사람들 means “the people next door.” 옆집 means “the neighboring house” or “next door,” and 사람들 means “people,” with 들 marking a plural group. In this sentence, the group is the people from the neighboring household. The phrase is the object of the following action, marked in the full sentence by 과 (“with”): 사람들과 이야기하다, “talk with people.” 이야기해야 해요 means “have to talk” or “should talk.” 이야기하다 means “to talk” or “to discuss,” and -아/어야 하다 expresses necessity or obligation. In the polite present form, 이야기해야 해요 is a natural way to say that talking is necessary. The omitted subject is understood as the people responsible for taking this action; the fixed translation presents that subject as “we.” Putting the parts together, 그럼 sets this up as the next step, 더 큰 갈등이 되기 전에 gives the time limit, 옆집 사람들과 identifies the people to talk with, and 이야기해야 해요 states the necessity: “Then we should talk with the people next door before it becomes a bigger conflict.”

3. 제가 너무 심각하게 말하는 것처럼 들리고 싶지는 않아요. 그 사람들이 시끄럽다는 걸 모를 수도 있으니까요.

   I do not want to sound dramatic, because they may not realize it is loud.

   제가

   I (subject)

   너무

   too; very

   심각하게

   seriously; dramatically

   말하는 것처럼

   as if speaking

   들리고 싶지는 않아요

   I do not want to sound

   그 사람들이

   those people

   시끄럽다는 걸

   that it is loud/noisy

   모를 수도 있으니까요

   because they may not realize

   More detail

   제가 marks the speaker as the subject: “I.” It combines 저, the polite first-person pronoun, with the subject marker -가; 저 becomes 제 before this marker. 나 is the less formal first-person counterpart. 너무 means “too” here and strengthens the following description. In everyday speech it can also mean “very,” so the surrounding sentence determines whether the emphasis is excessive or simply strong. 심각하게 is the adverbial form of 심각하다, “to be serious” or “to be grave.” It describes how the speaking comes across in 심각하게 말하다, “speak seriously.” The useful chain is 심각하다 → 심각하게. 말하는 것처럼 contains 말하다, “to speak/say,” in the form 말하는, followed by 것처럼, “like/as if.” The pattern -는 것처럼 presents an action as appearing similar to another action. Example: 웃는 것처럼 보여요 means “It looks as if [someone] is smiling.” 들리고 싶지는 않아요 combines 들리다, “be heard” or “sound/come across,” with -고 싶다, “want to.” Here it means “do not want to sound.” The pattern -고 싶지 않아요 means “do not want to …”; the added 는 in -고 싶지는 않아요 gives the negation a contrastive or emphatic effect. 들리다 is about how something is perceived, unlike 듣다, “listen/hear.” 그 사람들이 means “those people” and is the subject of the embedded description that follows. 사람들 is the plural form of 사람, “person,” with the plural marker 들. The marker shows a group here; it is not added simply because an English translation uses a plural pronoun, since Korean can sometimes leave plurality unmarked. 시끄럽다는 걸 packages the descriptive statement 시끄럽다, “be loud/noisy,” as the content being known or not known. -다는 marks that content, and 것을 makes it the object; 것을 is contracted to 걸 in this spoken-style form. The reusable pattern A/V-다는 것을 알다/모르다 means “know/not know that ….” With the preceding subject, the embedded idea concerns those people being noisy; the fixed translation naturally renders its effect as “it is loud.” 모를 수도 있으니까요 means “because they may not realize [it].” 모르다 means “not know,” and 모를 is its form before 수도 있다. The pattern -ㄹ 수도 있다 expresses possibility, so 모를 수도 있다 means “may not know,” not a definite statement that they do not know. -(으)니까 introduces the reason, and 요 makes the ending polite. Example: 늦을 수도 있으니까요 means “because [someone] may be late.” Together, 제가 너무 심각하게 말하는 것처럼 들리고 싶지는 않아요 says that the speaker does not want to come across as speaking excessively seriously or dramatically. The reason, 그 사람들이 시끄럽다는 걸 모를 수도 있으니까요, says that those people may not realize that it is loud. The whole utterance is: “I do not want to sound dramatic, because they may not realize it is loud.”

4. 먼저 벽이 얇고 제가 일찍 자야 한다고 말하세요.

   Start by saying the walls are thin and you need to sleep early.

   먼저

   first; to begin with

   벽이

   the wall(s)

   얇고

   thin and

   제가

   I

   일찍

   early

   자야 한다고

   that [someone] needs to sleep

   말하세요

   say; tell

   More detail

   먼저 means “first” or “to begin with.” It is an adverb placed at the start to mark the first step in an instruction. Example: 먼저 읽으세요. — “Read first.” 벽이 identifies 벽 as the subject: “the wall” or, as intended in the translation, “the walls.” Korean nouns do not normally mark singular versus plural, so 벽 can have either reading when the context allows it. 이 is the subject marker used after a noun ending in a consonant. 얇고 comes from the descriptive verb 얇다, “to be thin.” The ending -고 connects this description to the next clause: 얇고 ... means “are thin and ...” Here, the thinness is presented as one reason or point to state alongside the need to sleep early. Example: 책이 얇고 가벼워요. — “The book is thin and light.” 제가 is the first-person pronoun 저 (“I”) with the subject marker 가. It explicitly makes the speaker the subject of the following obligation: “I need to ...” 저 is the polite/humble first-person form commonly used in polite speech; 제가 is its subject-marked form. 일찍 is an adverb meaning “early.” It modifies the sleeping action, so it specifies when the speaker needs to sleep rather than describing the walls. Example: 오늘 일찍 자요. — “I go to bed early today.” 자야 한다고 reports the proposition “that I need to sleep.” The base form is 자다, “to sleep.” In 자야 하다, -아야 하다 expresses necessity or obligation: 자야 해요 means “I have to sleep.” The ending -다고 turns that proposition into reported content, which is completed by 말하세요: 자야 한다고 말하세요 — “say that I need to sleep.” 말하세요 comes from 말하다, “to say” or “to speak.” The polite -세요 form is used here as a polite instruction: “say ...” Together with the reported-content clause, it asks the listener to state that the speaker needs to sleep early. As a whole, 먼저 sets the order, 벽이 얇고 gives the first stated point, and 제가 일찍 자야 한다고 gives the content of the second point. 말하세요 makes the complete instruction: “Start by saying the walls are thin and you need to sleep early.”

5. 건물의 정숙 시간에 관한 규칙을 언급할까요?

   Should we mention the building rules about quiet hours?

   건물

   building

   정숙

   quietness

   시간

   time

   에 관한

   about

   규칙

   rules

   언급할까요

   should we mention?

   More detail

   건물 means “building.” The form in the sentence is 건물의: 의 marks a relationship such as possession or association, so 건물의 규칙 means “the building’s rules” or “rules associated with the building.” Example: 학교의 규칙 means “school rules.” 정숙 means “quietness” or “silence,” especially as a condition that should be maintained. It is a noun, not the adjective “quiet” itself. In this sentence, 정숙 시간 is a compact noun phrase meaning “quiet hours,” with 정숙 describing the required quiet and 시간 supplying the time period. Example: 정숙을 유지하세요. means “Please maintain silence.” 시간 means “time” or “a period of time.” Here it refers to a designated period, as in “hours” in the translation. Example: 회의 시간 means “meeting time.” 에 관한 means “about” or “concerning.” It is the pattern N에 관한 N: the first noun is the topic of the second noun. Thus, 정숙 시간에 관한 규칙 means “rules about quiet hours.” 관한 is the form used in this modifier; it comes from 관하다, “to concern” or “to relate to.” Example: 안전에 관한 정보 means “information about safety.” 규칙 means “rule” or “rules.” The form itself does not mark plural number, so the translation chooses singular or plural from context; here the intended meaning is “rules.” Example: 이 규칙을 지켜 주세요. means “Please follow this rule.” 언급할까요 comes from 언급하다, “to mention,” plus -(으)ㄹ까요?, a polite question pattern used to ask whether the speaker and listener should do something or whether the speaker should do it. After a vowel, -ㄹ까요? is used, giving 언급할까요? The ending does not itself mean past or future; here it presents a possible action for consideration: “Should we mention it?” Example: 지금 시작할까요? means “Shall we start now?” Together, 건물의 identifies the building-related rules, 정숙 시간에 관한 narrows the topic to quiet hours, and 규칙을 marks those rules as the object of 언급하다. The complete utterance, 건물의 정숙 시간에 관한 규칙을 언급할까요?, means “Should we mention the building rules about quiet hours?”

6. 그들이 협조하지 않겠다고 할 때만요. 처음에는 친절하게 다시 알려 주는 게 더 합리적이에요.

   Only if they refuse to cooperate. A friendly reminder is more reasonable at first.

   그들이

   they

   협조하지

   not cooperate, in an unfinished form

   않겠다고 할 때만요

   only when they say they will not

   처음에는

   at first

   친절하게

   in a friendly way

   알려 주는 게

   letting someone know

   더 합리적이에요

   is more reasonable

   More detail

   그들이 means “they” here. 그들 is the pronoun, and 이 marks it as the subject. This marking does not by itself specify the group’s gender or exact members. 협조하지 comes from 협조하다, “to cooperate.” It continues into the negative pattern -지 않다: 협조하지 않다 means “not cooperate.” The quoted form here is not the complete negative by itself because the following 않겠다고 completes the relevant sequence. 않겠다고 할 때만요 expresses “only when they say they will not.” In -겠다고 하다, the quoted content contains -겠-, which here presents not cooperating as the subject’s intended or prospective action, and -다고 하다 reports that content as something said. 할 때 means “when [someone] says,” while -만 restricts the condition to that case. The final 요 makes the utterance polite. Together with 그들이, the understood subject of saying is “they.” 처음에는 means “at first.” 처음 means “the beginning” or “first,” and -에는 marks this time as the topic, with a possible contrast to a later stage. It does not specify how long the initial period lasts. 친절하게 is the adverbial form of 친절하다, “to be kind” or “friendly.” Before an action, it describes doing that action in a friendly manner. Here it describes the way the information is given. 알려 주는 게 is based on 알려 주다, “to let someone know” or “to tell someone.” After another verb, 주다 can indicate that the action is done for someone’s benefit. The form -는 게 is a contraction of -는 것이; it turns the verb phrase into a noun-like subject, “letting someone know.” The adjacent 다시 means “again,” so 다시 알려 주는 means “letting someone know again,” naturally “reminding [them]” in this context. 더 합리적이에요 means “is more reasonable.” 합리적이다 means “to be reasonable,” and 더 supplies the comparative meaning “more”; 합리적 itself is not inflected into a comparative form. For example, 이 방법이 더 합리적이에요 means “This method is more reasonable.” As a whole, the first sentence sets a condition: the unspecified action or response under discussion applies only if they say they will not cooperate. The second says that, at first, giving a friendly reminder again is more reasonable. The reusable patterns are A-(으)ㄹ 때만 (“only when A”) and V-는 게 더 합리적이다 (“doing V is more reasonable”).

7. 다음 날 우리가 일해야 할 때는 저녁 늦게 헤드폰을 써 달라고 제안할 수도 있어요.

   Maybe we can suggest that they use headphones later in the evening when we have work the next day.

   다음 날

   the next day

   우리가

   we

   일해야 할 때는

   when we have to work

   저녁 늦게

   late in the evening

   헤드폰을

   headphones

   써 달라고

   asking someone to use them

   제안할 수도 있어요

   may suggest

   More detail

   다음 날 means “the next day.” 다음 identifies a day that follows a relevant reference point; unlike 내일 (“tomorrow”), it does not require the reference point to be the present day. Example: 다음 날 다시 만났어요. — “We met again the next day.” 우리가 is 우리 (“we/our”) plus the subject marker 가. Here it marks the subject of the work-related clause: “when we have to work.” Korean 우리 can refer to a group including the speaker. 일해야 할 때는 contains 일하다 (“to work”), the obligation pattern -아/어야 하다, and 때 (“time/when”). 일해야 하다 means “have to work,” and 해야 할 때 means “the time when someone has to work.” The final 는 marks this time circumstance as the topic. 저녁 늦게 means “late in the evening.” 저녁 means “evening,” and 늦게 is the adverbial form of 늦다 (“to be late; late”), describing when the action happens. Example: 저녁 늦게 전화하지 마세요. — “Please do not call late in the evening.” 헤드폰을 is 헤드폰 (“headphones”) plus the object marker 을. It marks headphones as the object of the action expressed by 써. 써 달라고 uses the 써 form of 쓰다 (“to use or wear”) with -아/어 달라고. In this context, 쓰다 means “to use or wear” headphones. The pattern -아/어 달라고 하다 reports asking someone to perform the stated action; here, it is asking them to use headphones. The construction does not by itself identify a separate beneficiary. 써 is the connected form of 쓰다, not a separate verb. 제안할 수도 있어요 combines 제안하다 (“to suggest”) with -(으)ㄹ 수도 있다, a possibility pattern, and the polite ending in 있어요. 제안할 is the form of 제안하다 that modifies 수, and 수도 있어요 expresses that making the suggestion is possible: “may suggest” or “maybe can suggest.” The main-clause subject is omitted; the fixed translation supports “we.” Putting the parts together: 다음 날 우리가 일해야 할 때는 sets the circumstance “when we have work the next day,” 저녁 늦게 specifies “late in the evening,” 헤드폰을 써 달라고 describes asking them to use headphones, and 제안할 수도 있어요 expresses the possibility of making that suggestion. The whole utterance means: “Maybe we can suggest that they use headphones later in the evening when we have work the next day.”

8. 그건 현실적인 타협안이 될 거고, 그 사람들을 직접 비난하는 것도 아니에요.

   That would be a practical compromise, and it does not accuse them directly.

   그건

   that

   현실적인

   practical

   타협안

   compromise

   될 거고

   will be, and

   그

   those

   사람들을

   people

   직접

   directly

   비난하는

   accusing or blaming

   것도 아니에요

   is not either

   More detail

   그건 means “that” as the topic of the sentence. It is a shortened conversational form of 그거는: 그거 (“that thing”) plus the topic marker 는. The form marks the thing already under discussion; the translation identifies it as “that.” 현실적인 means “practical” or “realistic” here. It is the form used before a noun: 현실적이다 → 현실적인 타협안 (“a practical compromise”). The ending -인 makes this descriptive word modify the following noun; it is not an inflection of 타협안. 타협안 is a noun meaning “compromise” or “compromise proposal.” In this sentence it names the proposed arrangement. Example: 타협안을 찾았어요. — “We found a compromise.” 될 거고 combines 되다 (“to become; to be”) with a future or expected form and the connective ending -고. 될 거다 presents something as expected to be or become; 될 거고 continues that statement with “and.” Thus 현실적인 타협안이 될 거고 means “will be a practical compromise, and.” The subject marker 이 belongs to 타협안, identifying it as what will be a compromise. 그 before 사람들 is a demonstrative determiner meaning “those” or “the.” In 그 사람들, it points to the people under discussion. The form itself does not show their number beyond the noun phrase’s context; the plural meaning is supplied by 사람들. 사람들을 means “the people” or “those people” as the object of the following action. 사람 means “person,” 사람들 is its plural form, and -을 marks the object. Example: 사람들을 만났어요. — “I met the people.” 직접 means “directly” or “in person.” Here it describes the manner of 비난하는: the blaming would be directed at them rather than being indirect. Example: 직접 말해 주세요. — “Please say it directly.” 비난하는 comes from the verb 비난하다, “to blame” or “to accuse.” The ending -는 puts the verb into a form that can modify 것 in the following construction: 비난하는 것 means “the act of blaming/accusing.” In this sentence, 그 사람들을 비난하는 means “blaming those people.” 것도 아니에요 is the negative construction [verb-는 것]도 아니다, literally denying that the described action is the case as well. 것 nominalizes the action, 도 adds “also/either,” and 아니에요 is the polite present form of 아니다, “to not be.” Here it contributes “does not ... either,” not a separate claim that the people are something else. Putting the parts together, 그건 현실적인 타협안이 될 거고 says “That would be a practical compromise,” while 그 사람들을 직접 비난하는 것도 아니에요 says “and it does not accuse those people directly.” The whole utterance presents the proposal as practical and denies that it amounts to directly blaming the people involved.

9. 오늘 저녁에 그 사람들과 이야기할 차분한 때를 고를 수 있어요.

   I can choose a calm moment this evening to talk to them.

   오늘 저녁에

   this evening

   그 사람들과

   with them

   이야기할

   to talk

   차분한

   calm

   때

   moment

   고를 수 있어요

   can choose

   More detail

   오늘 저녁에 means “this evening.” 오늘 is “today” and 저녁 is “evening”; -에 marks the time when something happens. For example, 내일 아침에 만나요 means “Let’s meet tomorrow morning.” 그 사람들과 means “with them.” 그 사람들 refers to those people, and -과 is the “with” coordination/association particle; after a vowel, its variant is -와. The translation identifies the people as “them,” but the Korean form itself does not encode their names or a specific gender. 이야기할 comes from the base verb 이야기하다, “to talk.” The ending -(으)ㄹ makes the verb modify a following noun for an intended or prospective action: 이야기할 때 is “a time to talk.” This is different from the noun 이야기, “conversation” or “story.” 차분한 comes from the descriptive verb/adjective 차분하다, “to be calm.” Its attributive form is 차분한, used before a noun such as 때: “a calm moment.” The adjective’s own base is 차분하다; 때 is not its base or source. 때 means “time” or “moment.” In this sentence it is the time chosen for the conversation, not a clock reading. A reusable pattern is 동사-(으)ㄹ 때, “when ...” or “a time to ...,” depending on how it relates to the surrounding sentence. 고를 수 있어요 means “can choose.” 고르다 is the base verb “to choose”; the observed form 고를 is its -(으)ㄹ form before 수. -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility, and 있어요 is the polite present form of 있다. Thus 고를 수 있어요 says that the speaker is able to choose, rather than simply stating that a choice is made. The fixed translation supplies the omitted subject as “I.” Together, 그 사람들과 이야기할 identifies the intended activity, and 차분한 때 identifies the kind of moment being chosen. 오늘 저녁에 places this choice in the evening, while 고를 수 있어요 expresses the speaker’s ability to make it: “I can choose a calm moment this evening to talk to them.”

10. 차분한 타이밍은 보통 작은 문제가 개인적인 감정 문제로 번지는 것을 막아 줘요.

    Calm timing usually prevents a small problem from becoming personal.

    차분한

    calm

    타이밍

    timing

    보통

    usually

    작은

    small

    문제가

    problem

    개인적인

    personal

    감정

    emotion

    번지는

    spreads; turns into

    막아 줘요

    prevents; stops for someone

    More detail

    차분한 means “calm” here. It is the attributive form of the descriptive verb 차분하다 (“to be calm”), placed before the noun it describes. For example, 차분한 목소리 means “a calm voice.” 타이밍은 is “timing” with the topic marker 은. Korean commonly uses 타이밍 as a loanword for the timing or choice of a suitable moment. The topic marker presents it as the thing being discussed; it does not itself mean “the timing is.” 보통 means “usually” and modifies the statement that follows. It is useful for describing a general tendency rather than an outcome that happens every time. For example, 보통 아침에 일어나요 means “I usually get up in the morning.” 작은 means “small” here and is the attributive form of 작다 (“to be small”). 작은 문제 therefore means “a small problem.” The form 작은 is the form used before a noun; it is not an inflection of the noun 문제. 문제가 is 문제 (“problem”) with the subject marker 가. In this sentence, it marks the problem as the thing that can develop into something else. The marker 이/가 identifies a clause’s subject, while 은/는 presents a topic or contrast. 개인적인 means “personal” here. It is the attributive form of 개인적이다, so it describes the following noun rather than the preceding 문제. In 개인적인 감정 문제, it helps characterize the kind of problem: one involving personal feelings. 감정 means “emotion” or “feeling.” Together, 개인적인 감정 문제 is a personal emotional problem. Korean can place several nouns and modifiers before a final noun, so 감정 helps specify what kind of 문제 is meant. 번지는 comes from 번지다, “to spread” or “to develop into a wider problem.” The ending -는 makes the present or ongoing form that modifies 것: 번지는 것 means “the act or possibility of spreading/developing.” In this sentence, 문제가 ... 번지는 것 means “the problem spreading or becoming ...,” not simply that it is physically spreading. For example, 소문이 빠르게 번져요 means “The rumor spreads quickly.” 막아 줘요 combines 막다 (“to prevent” or “to stop”) with -아/어 주다. 막아 is the connective form of 막다, and 줘요 is the polite form of 주다. The combination presents the prevention as an action done helpfully or for the benefit of someone involved; it does not require a separately named recipient. 막아요 would simply mean “prevents/stops,” while 막아 줘요 adds this helping nuance. The polite ending -요 makes the utterance suitable for ordinary polite conversation. The structure A가 B로 번지는 것을 막아 주다 means “to prevent A from becoming or developing into B.” Here, 문제가 is A, and 개인적인 감정 문제로 is B. The particle 로 marks the resulting state or direction: the problem develops into a personal emotional problem. The nominalizer 것 turns the preceding clause into “the act of ...,” allowing it to be the object of 막아 줘요. Putting the parts together: “As for calm timing, it usually prevents a small problem from becoming personal.” The sentence describes calm timing as generally stopping a small problem from developing into a problem involving personal feelings. 보통 makes this a general tendency, while -아/어 줘요 gives the prevention a helpful, conversational nuance.