Troubleshooting an Unstable Internet Connection | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 인터넷 연결이 오늘 아침부터 불안정해.

   The internet connection has been unstable since this morning.

   인터넷

   internet

   연결

   connection

   오늘 아침부터

   since this morning

   불안정해

   is unstable

   More detail

   인터넷 means “internet.” It is a noun and can combine with another noun to specify a type or service, as in 인터넷 속도 (“internet speed”). 연결 means “connection.” It is a noun related to 연결하다 (“to connect”) and 연결되다 (“to be connected”). Here, 인터넷 연결 is a noun-noun combination meaning “internet connection.” 오늘 아침부터 means “since this morning.” 오늘 means “today,” 아침 means “morning,” and 부터 marks the starting point of a time span. For example, 월요일부터 일해요 means “I work from Monday onward.” In the fixed sentence, 부터 indicates when the unstable state began. 불안정해 comes from the descriptive form 불안정하다, “to be unstable.” The ending -해 is the informal plain-style present form of this descriptive word. The form describes the connection’s current condition; it does not itself mark a separate past-tense event. A related contrast is 안정적이야, “is stable.” Together, 인터넷 연결이 marks “the internet connection” as the subject, 오늘 아침부터 gives the starting time, and 불안정해 describes its continuing current state. The whole utterance means: “The internet connection has been unstable since this morning.”

2. 내 화상 통화가 곧 시작해.

   My video call starts soon.

   내

   my

   화상 통화

   video call

   곧

   soon

   시작해

   starts/begins

   More detail

   내 means “my” here. It is the contracted possessive form of 나의 (“my,” literally “of me”), used before a noun: 내 + noun. 나의 is also possible, often with a more written or emphatic feel; 저의 is the humble possessive form of 저 (“I”). Example: 내 책 means “my book.” 화상 통화 means “video call.” Together, these words name a call conducted with video. Example: 화상 통화를 해요. means “I have a video call.” 곧 means “soon” or “in a short time.” It is an adverb that places the event near the present in time. Example: 수업이 곧 시작해요. means “The class starts soon.” 시작해 comes from 시작하다, “to start” or “to begin.” Here it is the plain informal present form, not the polite 시작해요. Korean verb forms do not change for the subject’s person, so this form can state that the video call starts; the subject is supplied separately by 내 화상 통화. Example: 회의가 시작해. means “The meeting starts.” Together, 내 화상 통화 identifies the event as “my video call,” 곧 places its start in the near future, and 시작해 states that it starts. The whole utterance therefore means “My video call starts soon.”

3. 다른 기기가 지금 대역폭을 너무 많이 사용하고 있는지 확인해 봐.

   See if another device is using too much bandwidth right now.

   다른

   another; different

   기기

   device

   지금

   now; right now

   대역폭

   bandwidth

   너무 많이

   too much

   사용하고 있는지

   whether [someone] is using

   확인해 봐

   check and see

   More detail

   다른 means “another” or “different.” Here it modifies 기기, presenting the device as one other than the relevant device already in focus. It is placed before the noun it describes. Example: 다른 방법을 찾아 봐. — “Try to find another way.” 기기 means “device,” a general noun for equipment such as a phone, computer, or tablet. In this sentence it is the subject of the embedded question: the other device is the one that may be using the bandwidth. Example: 이 기기는 오래됐어. — “This device is old.” 지금 means “now” or “right now.” It sets the time of the possible usage, rather than describing when the checking should happen. Example: 지금 시작해. — “Start now.” 대역폭 means “bandwidth,” the amount of network capacity available for data transfer. It is the object associated with 사용하다 here: the device is using too much bandwidth. 너무 많이 expresses an excessive amount: 너무 means “too,” and 많이 is the adverbial form related to 많다, “to be much/many.” Together, they describe using bandwidth in an amount greater than is appropriate or wanted. The form 많이 modifies the following action, 사용하고 있다. Example: 물을 너무 많이 마시지 마. — “Don’t drink too much water.” 사용하고 있는지 contains the lexical verb 사용하다, “to use,” in the progressive pattern 사용하고 있다, “be using,” followed by -는지, which marks an embedded yes-or-no question such as “whether.” The observed form 사용하고 있는지 therefore asks whether the device is currently in the process of using the bandwidth. The subject is understood from the nearby noun 기기; the form itself does not name a separate subject. Example: 그 앱이 배터리를 사용하고 있는지 확인해. — “Check whether that app is using the battery.” 확인해 봐 combines 확인하다, “to check/confirm,” with 보다, “to see,” in the auxiliary pattern -아/어 보다. In 확인해 봐, this pattern gives “try checking” or “see whether,” and 봐 is the informal plain-style ending addressed to someone in a familiar setting. It is a request to perform the check, not a statement that the check has already happened. Example: 다시 확인해 봐. — “Try checking again.” Together, 다른 기기 means “another device,” and 지금 대역폭을 너무 많이 사용하고 있는지 asks whether it is currently using an excessive amount of bandwidth. 확인해 봐 makes the whole utterance a familiar-style request: “See if another device is using too much bandwidth right now.”

4. 태블릿이 업데이트를 다운로드하고 있어서 인터넷이 느린 것 같아.

   The tablet is downloading updates, so that might explain why everything feels slow.

   태블릿

   tablet

   업데이트

   update

   다운로드하고 있어서

   is downloading, so

   인터넷

   internet

   느린

   slow

   것 같아

   seems; feels like

   More detail

   태블릿 means “tablet,” the device presented as the actor of the clause. The following 이 marks it as the subject: 태블릿이 = “the tablet” as the thing doing the downloading. 업데이트 is the noun “update.” Here it refers to update data being downloaded; 를 marks it as the object: 업데이트를 = “updates” as what is downloaded. The plural sense comes from the context and translation, not from a special plural ending on 업데이트. 다운로드하고 있어서 comes from 다운로드하다, “to download.” -고 있다 presents an action as in progress, so 다운로드하고 있다 means “is downloading.” The form 있어서 combines this ongoing-state expression with -어서, which links a reason or cause: 다운로드하고 있어서 means “because it is downloading” or, in this sentence, “because it is in the process of downloading.” Example: 파일을 다운로드하고 있어요. — “I am downloading a file.” The subject is understood from the ending or context; the pattern itself presents the action as ongoing. 인터넷 means “internet.” With the following 이, 인터넷이 is the subject of the second clause. In this utterance, the internet—not the tablet—is described as having the apparent quality that follows. 느린 is the attributive form of the adjective 느리다, “to be slow.” It is formed with -ㄴ and modifies 것 in 느린 것: “the thing/state that is slow.” This form is not the base adjective; compare 느리다 in a dictionary form and 느린 before a noun-like element. The adjective agrees here with the descriptive construction, not with 인터넷 by changing for the noun’s number or gender. Example: 느린 인터넷은 불편해요. — “Slow internet is inconvenient.” 것 같아 is the casual form of the construction 것 같다, used to say that something seems or appears to be the case. After an adjective in the attributive form, 느린 것 같아 means “it seems slow” or “it feels slow.” 같아 is the informal present ending of 같다; it is not a separate meaning of 느린. Together, 인터넷이 느린 것 같아 means “the internet seems slow.” The subject marker 이 identifies the internet as the thing being judged, while 것 같아 makes this an impression rather than a flat assertion. The full structure is 태블릿이 업데이트를 다운로드하고 있어서 + 인터넷이 느린 것 같아: “Because the tablet is downloading updates, the internet seems slow.” The first clause gives the likely cause, and the second states the speaker’s perception. The final -아 ending makes the utterance casual and suitable for conversation.

5. 업데이트를 일시 중지하고, 그래도 신호가 계속 끊기면 공유기를 다시 시작해.

   Pause the update, then restart the router if the signal still drops.

   업데이트

   update

   일시 중지하고

   pause and

   그래도

   even so; still

   신호

   signal

   계속

   continuously; persistently

   끊기면

   if it cuts out

   공유기

   router

   다시

   again

   시작해

   start

   More detail

   업데이트를 means “the update” as the object of the first action. 업데이트 is a noun meaning “update,” and -를 marks an object. The noun can be used in other patterns such as 업데이트를 다운로드하다 (“download an update”). 일시 중지하고 means “pause and.” 일시 중지하다 is the verb “to pause/suspend temporarily”; here 중지하고 uses -고 to connect this action to the next one. The form does not itself indicate that the second action happens only under a condition; that condition appears later. 그래도 means “still” or “even so.” It presents the following situation as continuing despite the preceding action or expectation. Unlike the conditional ending, it is an adverb and does not mark the condition by itself. 신호 means “signal.” In this sentence it is the thing that may keep cutting out. 신호가 uses -가 to mark the subject of the conditional clause. The subject marker is attached to 신호, not to 계속 or 끊기면. 계속 means “continuously” or “persistently.” It modifies the event of the signal cutting out, showing that the problem persists rather than occurring only once. For example, 비가 계속 와요 means “It keeps raining.” 끊기면 means “if it cuts out” in this sentence. Its base verb is 끊기다, “to be cut off” or “to cut out” when used for a connection or signal. The ending -면 forms an “if/when” condition: 인터넷이 끊기면 means “if the internet cuts out.” Here 계속 끊기면 means “if it keeps cutting out.” 공유기 means “router.” It is the noun functioning as the object of the later restarting action. In a reusable phrase, 공유기를 다시 시작하다 means “restart the router.” 다시 means “again.” It shows that the router is started another time, rather than for the first time. In this sentence it modifies 시작해, so the combined meaning is “start it again” or “restart it.” 시작해 means “start.” Its base verb is 시작하다, “to start/begin.” The ending -해 is an informal imperative form used to give a direct command to someone with whom this level of speech is appropriate. The object is supplied by 공유기를: 공유기를 다시 시작해 means “restart the router.” Together, 업데이트를 일시 중지하고 gives the first instruction, “pause the update,” and 그래도 신호가 계속 끊기면 gives the condition, “if the signal still keeps cutting out.” The final chunk, 공유기를 다시 시작해, gives the resulting instruction, “restart the router.” Thus the whole utterance means: “Pause the update, then restart the router if the signal still drops.”

6. 느리긴 하지만 내 휴대폰 핫스팟도 예비로 사용할 수 있어.

   I also have my phone's hotspot as a backup, although it is slower.

   느리긴 하지만

   although it is slow

   내

   my

   휴대폰

   mobile phone

   핫스팟

   hotspot

   도

   also; too

   예비로

   as a backup

   사용할 수 있어

   can use

   More detail

   느리긴 하지만 comes first. 느리다 means “to be slow”; the observed form 느리긴 is the shortened conversational form of 느리기는, and -기는 하지만 presents a concession: “although it is …”. Here the omitted subject is understood as the hotspot described in the sentence, and the translation presents it as slower. Example: 비싸긴 하지만 좋아요. — “Although it is expensive, it is good.” 내 means “my”. It is the contracted form of 나의, the first-person possessive form used before a noun. Example: 내 컴퓨터 — “my computer.” 휴대폰 means “mobile phone” or “cell phone.” It is a noun and identifies what kind of hotspot is meant here. Example: 휴대폰을 충전해요. — “I charge the mobile phone.” 핫스팟 means “hotspot.” It is a loanword noun. Together with 휴대폰, 내 휴대폰 핫스팟 means “my phone’s hotspot”; the possessive relationship is expressed by placing the possessor before the possessed noun, without requiring an English-style apostrophe. 도 is the particle meaning “also” or “too.” It attaches directly to 핫스팟, so the hotspot is being added as another usable option. Its exact contribution is separate from 예비로: 도 adds the option, while 예비로 describes its role. 예비로 means “as a backup” or “for backup use.” 예비 means a reserve or backup, and -로 marks the role or purpose in which something is used. Example: 이 카드는 예비로 가져가요. — “I take this card as a backup.” 사용할 수 있어 is built from 사용하다 (“to use”) + -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 (“can; be able to”) with the informal ending 있어. Because 사용하다 ends in a vowel, the form is 사용할, not 사용을; the construction is 사용할 수 있다. In this sentence it says that the speaker has the possibility or option of using the hotspot. Example: 여기서 와이파이를 사용할 수 있어요. — “You can use Wi‑Fi here.” Together, 느리긴 하지만 sets up a concession: although the hotspot is slow or slower, 내 휴대폰 핫스팟도 adds the speaker’s phone hotspot as another option, and 예비로 사용할 수 있어 says it can be used in the backup role. The whole utterance therefore means: “I also have my phone’s hotspot as a backup, although it is slower.”

7. 회의 중에 핫스팟이 불안정해지면 음성만 사용해.

   If the hotspot gets shaky during the meeting, switch to audio only.

   회의

   meeting

   중에

   during

   핫스팟

   hotspot

   불안정해지면

   if it becomes unstable

   음성

   audio

   사용해

   use

   More detail

   회의 means “meeting.” It is a noun and can be reused with particles: 회의가 시작돼요 means “The meeting starts.” 중에 marks a period during which something happens. In 회의 중에, it means “during the meeting.” A similar pattern is 수업 중에 (“during class”). 핫스팟 is the loanword for “hotspot.” In this sentence it is the hotspot connection that may become unstable. Korean can attach particles directly to this noun, as in 핫스팟이 불안정해요 (“The hotspot is unstable”). 불안정해지면 means “if it becomes unstable.” The base form is 불안정하다 (“to be unstable”), and -아/어지다 makes a change into that state: 불안정해지다 means “become unstable.” The ending -면 forms a condition, “if/when.” Thus 불안정하면 would mean “if it is unstable,” while 불안정해지면 emphasizes becoming unstable. 음성 means “audio” or “voice.” Here it refers to the audio mode. 음성 통화 is “an audio call.” 만 means “only” or “just” and is attached directly to the restricted item: 음성만 means “audio only.” It limits the choice to audio; it is not part of the meaning of 음성 itself. 사용해 comes from 사용하다, “to use.” In this sentence, the ending -해 makes a casual informal imperative, so 사용해 means “use.” The object is understood from the situation. A polite alternative is 사용하세요 (“Please use it”). The sentence follows the reusable pattern 시간/상황 중에 X가 Y해지면 Z만 사용해: “During ..., if X becomes ..., use only Z.” First, 회의 중에 sets the time. Then 핫스팟이 불안정해지면 gives the condition. Finally, 음성만 사용해 gives the instruction to use audio only. Together, the utterance means: “If the hotspot gets shaky during the meeting, switch to audio only.”

8. 통화가 시작되기 전에 팀에 알려야 할까?

   Should I warn the team before the call begins?

   통화

   call

   시작되기 전에

   before it begins

   팀

   team

   알려야

   need to inform

   할까

   shall I?

   More detail

   통화 means a call or phone conversation. It is a noun, and in 통화가 the particle 가 marks it as the subject of the following clause. The sentence does not specify a type of call beyond the supplied meaning. 시작되기 전에 means “before it begins.” The verb 시작되다 means “to begin” or “to be started”; its form here is 시작되기, the -기 form used before 전에 (“before”). The subject marked by 가 is the thing that begins: 통화가 시작되기 전에 = “before the call begins.” A reusable pattern is V-기 전에, “before doing V” or “before V happens.” Example: 출발하기 전에 확인해요. — “Let’s check before departing.” 팀 means “team.” In the full expression 팀에, the particle 에 marks the recipient or destination of the informing action, so the expression means “the team” as the group to be informed. 팀 itself does not show a number or gender distinction here. 알려야 comes from 알리다, “to inform” or “let someone know.” The form 알려야 uses -어야, which expresses something that is required or considered necessary before the following question or statement. The reusable pattern is 사람/대상에게 알리다: “inform someone” or “let someone know.” Example: 그들에게 시간을 알려요. — “I let them know the time.” 할까 is the question form of 하다 (“to do”) with -ㄹ까, used here to ask whether the speaker should do something. Together with the preceding -어야, -어야 할까? asks “should I ...?” or “would it be necessary for me to ...?” This is not the lexical verb 알리다 itself: 알려야 carries the informing meaning, while 할까 completes the deliberative question pattern. The sentence combines 통화가 시작되기 전에 (“before the call begins”) with 팀에 알려야 할까? (“should I inform the team?”). Thus the whole utterance means, “Should I warn the team before the call begins?” More literally, 팀에 알리다 is “inform the team”; the fixed translation’s “warn” gives the intended practical sense here.

9. 짧은 메시지를 보내면 무슨 일이 일어나고 있는지 이해하는 데 도움이 될 거야.

   A short message would help them understand what is happening.

   짧은

   short

   메시지를

   message

   보내면

   if [someone] sends

   무슨 일이 일어나고 있는지

   what is happening

   이해하는 데

   in understanding

   도움이 될 거야

   will be helpful

   More detail

   짧은 means “short” here and is the attributive form of 짧다 (“to be short”). It appears before the noun it describes: 짧은 메시지 means “a short message.” The form 짧다 changes to 짧은 when it directly modifies a noun. 메시지를 refers to a message as the object of the sending action. 메시지 means “message,” and the object marker 를 follows it because the noun ends in a vowel. Korean does not use this marker to mean “the”; definiteness comes from context. 보내면 means “if [someone] sends.” It is based on 보내다 (“to send”) plus -면, a conditional ending. The sentence leaves the sender unexpressed, so this form itself does not specify who sends the message. For example, 사진을 보내면 알려 줘 means “If you send a photo, let me know.” 무슨 일이 일어나고 있는지 is an embedded question meaning “what is happening.” 무슨 asks what kind of or which, and 일이 presents the event or matter as the subject of 일어나다 (“to happen”). 일어나고 있는 combines 일어나다 with -고 있다, showing an ongoing event. The ending -는지 turns the question into an embedded clause: 무슨 일이 일어나고 있는지 이해하다 means “understand what is happening,” rather than asking the direct question aloud. 이해하는 데 means “in understanding” or “to understand.” 이해하는 is the noun-modifying form of 이해하다 (“to understand”), and -는 데 packages the activity as the purpose or area in which something is useful. Here it connects the understanding activity to 도움이 되다: the message is useful for understanding the situation. 도움이 될 거야 means “will be helpful.” 도움 means “help” or “assistance,” and 도움이 되다 literally presents something as becoming help, a common way to say “be helpful.” 될 is the future-oriented form of 되다 (“to become” or, in this expression, “to be helpful”), and 거야 is a conversational form expressing the speaker’s prediction or expectation. The casual ending suits an informal conversation. Together, 짧은 메시지를 보내면 sets the condition, 무슨 일이 일어나고 있는지 이해하는 데 identifies what the help is for, and 도움이 될 거야 gives the result: “A short message would help them understand what is happening.” The Korean sentence omits the participants’ pronouns; the fixed translation supplies the intended understanding party as “them.”

10. 통화가 멈추면 네트워크를 바꿀 수도 있다고 말할게.

    I can say I may switch networks if the call freezes.

    통화

    call

    멈추면

    if/when it freezes

    네트워크

    network

    바꿀

    switch/change

    수도 있다고

    that there may also be a possibility

    말할게

    I’ll say

    More detail

    통화 means “call”; here it refers to the call that may freeze. It is a noun, and 통화가 marks it as the subject of the condition. Example: 통화가 끝났어요. — “The call ended.” 멈추면 comes from 멈추다, “to stop” or “to freeze.” The conditional ending -면 gives “if” or “when,” so here it means “if the call freezes.” Example: 화면이 멈추면 다시 시작하세요. — “If the screen freezes, restart it.” 네트워크 means “network.” In 네트워크를, 를 marks the network as the object of the later action. Here, the intended meaning is the network that may be switched. 바꿀 comes from 바꾸다, “to change” or “to switch.” It is the verb’s attributive form before 수 in the pattern -(으)ㄹ 수 있다. With 도, the full pattern -(으)ㄹ 수도 있다 expresses a possible action: 바꿀 수도 있다 means “may switch.” Example: 설정을 바꿀 수 있어요. — “You can change the settings.” 수도 있다고 continues the pattern -(으)ㄹ 수도 있다 and adds -다고 to quote that possibility as the content of 말하다. In this sentence, the quoted content is “that I may switch networks.” 도 presents switching as one possible outcome. Example: 비가 올 수도 있다고 생각해요. — “I think it may rain.” 말할게 comes from 말하다, “to say” or “to tell.” The ending -(으)ㄹ게요 presents the speaker’s intention or commitment, so here it means “I’ll say [that].” Example: 내일 다시 연락할게요. — “I’ll contact you again tomorrow.” Together, 통화가 멈추면 sets the condition “if the call freezes.” 네트워크를 바꿀 수도 있다고 gives the quoted possibility “that I may switch networks,” and 말할게 says that the speaker will say this. The complete meaning is: “I can say I may switch networks if the call freezes.”

11. 그러면 사람들이 네가 갑자기 나갔다고 생각하지 않을 거야.

    That should keep people from thinking you suddenly left.

    그러면

    then; in that case

    사람들이

    people

    네가

    you

    갑자기

    suddenly

    나갔다고

    that you left

    생각하지 않을 거야

    won’t think

    More detail

    그러면 means “then” or “in that case.” It links the sentence to a condition or action understood from the surrounding context. A reusable pattern is 그러면 + result, meaning “then …” or “in that case, …”. 사람들이 means “people” here. 사람 is “person,” and 사람들 is the plural form “people”; 이 marks this noun as the subject. Korean can sometimes leave number implicit, but 들 makes the plural reading explicit here. 네가 means “you” as the subject of the embedded thought. 너 is the informal form of “you,” and 가 is the subject marker. The form 네가 is distinct from the topic-marked 너는; the sentence presents “you” as the person who left. 갑자기 means “suddenly.” It is an adverb, so it describes how the leaving happened. For example, 그가 갑자기 나갔어. means “He suddenly left.” 나갔다고 means “that [someone] left” in this sentence. Its base verb is 나가다, “to go out” or “to leave.” The form 나갔다 marks completed past action, and -고 here introduces the content of an indirect statement or thought: 나갔다고 생각하다 means “think that someone left.” The form 나갔다고 does not itself identify who left; 네가 supplies that subject in this sentence. 생각하지 않을 거야 means “won’t think” here. The base verb is 생각하다, “to think.” 생각하지 않다 forms the negative “not think,” with -지 않다 placed after the verb stem. 않을 거야 expresses an expected or predicted future state, so 생각하지 않을 거야 is “will not think” or “is not expected to think.” The ending -거야 is conversational. Together, 네가 갑자기 나갔다고 생각하지 않을 거야 means “won’t think that you suddenly left”: 네가 identifies the person who left, 갑자기 describes the leaving, and -다고 생각하다 packages that proposition as the content of the thought. With 사람들이 as the subject, the full sentence means “Then people won’t think that you suddenly left,” matching the fixed translation “That should keep people from thinking you suddenly left.”