Clarifying a Taxi Route Politely | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 실례하지만, 교통 때문에 다른 경로로 가고 있나요?

   Excuse me, are we taking a different route because of traffic?

   실례하지만,

   Excuse me, but

   교통

   traffic

   때문에

   because of; due to

   다른

   different; other

   경로

   route

   가고 있나요?

   are ... going? / are ... taking?

   More detail

   실례하지만, is a polite attention-getter meaning “Excuse me, but…”. 실례하다 means “to be impolite / to excuse oneself”; here 실례하지만 uses the connective ending -지만, which literally adds a “but” link to what follows. This is a useful polite way to begin a question or request. 교통 means “traffic” and is a noun. 때문에 follows a noun to express its cause: N 때문에 = “because of N” or “due to N.” Thus 교통 때문에 means “because of traffic.” For a cause expressed with a clause, Korean commonly uses -기 때문에 instead. 다른 means “different” or “other” before a noun. It is the form used to modify a following noun, as in 다른 방법 (“a different method”). It is related to 다르다 (“to be different”), but 다른 is the noun-modifying form observed here. 경로 means “route” or “path.” In the full sentence, the following particle -로 marks the route taken: 경로로 means “by/along a route.” For example, 이 경로로 가요. means “We go by this route.” 가고 있나요? contains 가다 (“to go”), the connective form 가고, and 있다 (“to exist / be”) in the progressive pattern -고 있다, meaning that an action is in progress. The ending -나요? makes a polite question. Korean commonly leaves the subject unspoken; here, the fixed translation identifies the subject as “we,” so the question asks whether we are taking the route. The pattern V-고 있나요? can be reused for an action currently underway, such as 기다리고 있나요?—“Are you waiting?” Putting the parts together: 실례하지만 politely opens the question; 교통 때문에 gives the reason; 다른 경로로 means “by a different route”; and 가고 있나요? asks whether we are currently going that way. The complete meaning is: “Excuse me, are we taking a different route because of traffic?”

2. 앞쪽 도로가 막혀 있어서 우회해야 합니다.

   The road ahead is blocked, so I need to take a detour.

   앞쪽

   ahead; front

   도로

   road

   막혀 있어서

   because it is blocked

   우회해야 합니다

   need to take a detour

   More detail

   앞쪽 means “the front part” or “ahead.” In this sentence, 앞쪽 도로 is “the road ahead,” with 앞쪽 specifying the road’s location. 앞 means “front” and 뒤 means “back”; 앞쪽 adds the meaning “the front side/area.” Example: 앞쪽에 앉으세요. — “Please sit in the front.” 도로 is the noun “road.” It is a more specific road-related word than the broader noun 길, which can also mean a path or way. Here, 앞쪽 도로 forms the noun phrase “the road ahead.” 막혀 있어서 describes the road as being blocked or congested and gives the reason for what follows. The base form is 막히다, “to be blocked” or, for a road, “to be congested.” 막혀 is its connective form, and 있어서 comes from 있다 plus -어서; together, 막혀 있다 presents the blocked condition as continuing, and 막혀 있어서 means “because it is blocked.” Example: 길이 막혀 있어서 늦었어요. — “I was late because the road was congested.” 우회해야 합니다 expresses the need to take a detour. 우회하다 is the base verb “to detour” or “to go around,” and 우회해야 하다 uses -아/어야 하다 to express necessity: “must/need to detour.” 합니다 is the formal-polite ending of 하다; here it makes the statement formal and polite. Example: 공사 중이라서 우회해야 해요. — “Because construction is underway, I need to take a detour.” Together, 앞쪽 도로가 marks “the road ahead” as the grammatical subject with 가, 막혀 있어서 says that it is blocked and gives that as the reason, and 우회해야 합니다 states the resulting necessity. The complete meaning is: “The road ahead is blocked, so I need to take a detour.”

3. 이 지역이 낯설어서 여쭤본 거예요.

   I was asking because I don't recognize this area.

   이

   this

   지역

   area; region

   낯설어서

   because it is unfamiliar

   여쭤본

   asked respectfully

   거예요

   it is the case that

   More detail

   이 means “this” and identifies something as near the speaker or otherwise contextually designated. Together with 지역, it means “this” in “this area.” Korean demonstratives include 이 “this,” 그 “that” (often associated with the listener or already mentioned), and 저 “that over there.” 지역 is a noun meaning “area” or “region.” The combination 이 지역 means “this area.” Example: 이 지역은 조용해요. — “This area is quiet.” 낯설어서 comes from the adjective 낯설다, meaning “to be unfamiliar.” Its -아서/어서 ending connects a reason, so here it means “because [it] is unfamiliar.” The observed form is 낯설다 → 낯설어서; the ending is attached to this adjective, not to 지역. Example: 길이 낯설어서 지도를 봤어요. — “Because the route was unfamiliar, I looked at a map.” 여쭤본 is the past attributive form of the respectful asking expression 여쭤보다, used when asking someone who is treated respectfully. It is related to the respectful verb 여쭙다/여쭈다, but the observed form 여쭤본 should not be presented as a direct past attributive form of 여쭙다; its form reflects 여쭤보다 → 여쭤본. In this sentence it describes an asking that happened: “asked” or “was asking.” The respect is toward the person being asked, not toward the speaker. Example: 선생님께 여쭤봤어요. — “I asked the teacher.” 거예요 is the conversational contraction of 것이에요. After an attributive verb form, [verb] + 것(이에요) presents an action or situation as the thing being explained. Thus 여쭤본 거예요 means “it is the case that [I] asked,” naturally rendered here as “I was asking” or “I asked.” The omitted subject is understood as the speaker because the fixed translation identifies the asker as “I.” Putting the parts together, 이 지역이 낯설어서 gives the reason, “because this area is unfamiliar,” and 여쭤본 거예요 gives the explained action, “I was asking.” The whole utterance means: “I was asking because I don't recognize this area.”

4. 이쪽이 조금 더 멀지만, 계속 이동할 수 있을 거예요.

   This way is a little longer, but it should keep us moving.

   이쪽

   this way; this side

   조금

   a little

   더

   more

   멀지만

   is far, but

   계속

   continuously; onward

   이동할

   to move; to travel

   수 있을 거예요

   should be possible

   More detail

   이쪽 means “this side” or “this way.” It is a demonstrative directional noun-like form: 이 points toward something near the speaker, and 쪽 means “side” or “direction.” Here it refers to the route being discussed; the fixed sentence does not specify its exact physical referent. 조금 means “a little” and indicates a small degree or amount. For example, 조금 늦어요 means “It is a little late.” 더 means “more” or “-er.” It marks a comparison with an understood reference point. In 조금 더 멀지만, it says that the route is a little farther or longer than that reference point, with 조금 limiting the size of the difference. 멀지만 is formed from the adjective 멀다 (“to be far”) and the contrast ending -지만 (“but,” “although”). 멀다 describes distance; in this route context, “longer” conveys the travel-distance meaning. The observed form is 멀지만; 멀다 is an adjective, not a verb. The comparative sense comes from the preceding 더, not from 멀지만 alone. 계속 means “continuously,” “onward,” or “without stopping.” With an action, it indicates continuation: 계속 걸어요 means “I keep walking” or “I continue walking.” 이동할 comes from the verb 이동하다, “to move” or “to travel.” Its -ㄹ form is used before 수 in the possibility pattern V-(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다. Thus 이동할 is an inflected form of 이동하다, not a separate verb. 수 있을 거예요 completes a possibility-and-expectation expression. In V-(으)ㄹ 수 있다, 수 forms the expression of possibility, while 있다 expresses that the possibility exists. -을 거예요 presents the possibility as expected or likely in polite speech. Together with 이동할, 이동할 수 있을 거예요 means “will probably be able to move” or “should be able to travel.” The subject is omitted in Korean; the fixed translation identifies it as “us.” Putting the parts together, 이쪽이 marks “this way” as the subject of the comparison, 조금 더 멀지만 says that it is a little farther or longer than the comparison point, and 계속 이동할 수 있을 거예요 says that the relevant travelers should nevertheless be able to keep moving. The whole utterance means: “This way is a little longer, but it should keep us moving.”

5. 가능하면 큰길로 가 주실 수 있을까요?

   Could we stay on larger roads if possible?

   가능하면

   if possible

   큰길

   main road; larger road

   로

   via; by way of

   가

   go

   주실 수 있을까요?

   could you...? / would you be able to...?

   More detail

   가능하면 means “if possible.” It is built from 가능하다 (“to be possible”) plus -면, a conditional ending meaning “if/when.” Here it sets a condition for the request: the speaker wants the route only insofar as that is feasible. 큰길 means “a main or larger road.” 크다 means “to be big,” and 큰 is its form used before a noun: 크다 → 큰. The noun 길 means “road” or “way.” Together, 큰길 describes a larger/main road; it does not itself state a number of roads. 로 marks the route or direction used for an action. After 큰길, 큰길로 means “via the larger/main road” or “along the larger road.” In Korean, this particle is also commonly written 으로 after many consonant-final nouns, but 로 is used after a vowel or after the consonant ㄹ; 길 ends in ㄹ, so 로 is the relevant form here. 가 is the stem of 가다, “to go,” in the connective form used before the helping verb 주다. The form 가다 is the dictionary form; 가 is not a separate verb meaning “go” in all contexts. In 가 주다, 주다 adds the sense of doing the action as a favor or for someone. Here the following polite request construction carries that nuance, rather than 가 alone. 주실 수 있을까요? is a polite way to ask whether someone would be able or willing to do something. 주다 becomes honorific 주시다, represented here by 주실 before 수 있다; 수 있다 expresses possibility or ability, and -을까요? makes a polite question. The complete pattern 동사-(아/어) 주실 수 있을까요? can be reused for “Could you please …?” The honorific element is 주실, not the preceding 가. As a whole, 가능하면 큰길로 가 주실 수 있을까요? asks, politely and conditionally, whether the other person could take the route via larger/main roads if that is possible. This matches the fixed translation “Could we stay on larger roads if possible?” The preceding context explains that continuing to move is desirable despite the longer route, while the utterance itself presents the larger-road route as a request, not as an assertion that it will definitely be used.

6. 그렇게 할 수 있습니다.

   I can do that.

   그렇게

   that way; like that

   할 수 있습니다

   can do; is able to do

   More detail

   그렇게 means “that way” or “like that.” It is an adverb describing the manner of an action. The form 그렇다 is the related descriptive form meaning “to be that way,” while 그렇게 is the form used to modify a verb: 그렇게 하다 = “to do it that way.” 할 수 있습니다 contains the verb 하다 (“to do”) in the form 할, followed by 수 있다, an ability or possibility construction. The pattern V-(으)ㄹ 수 있다 means “can V” or “be able to V”; its negative counterpart is V-(으)ㄹ 수 없다, “cannot V.” Here 할 is the form of 하다 used before 수, and 있습니다 is the formal-polite present form of 있다. The ending -습니다 gives the sentence a formal, polite style. Together, 그렇게 할 수 있습니다 means “I can do that” or, more literally, “It is possible to do it that way.” The translation identifies the understood actor as “I,” although Korean does not state a separate subject pronoun here. The sentence presents doing it that way as possible for the speaker.

7. 몇 분 정도 더 걸릴 수 있습니다.

   It may add a few minutes.

   몇 분

   a few minutes

   정도

   about; approximately

   더

   more; additional

   걸릴

   take (time)

   수 있습니다

   may; can

   More detail

   몇 분 means “a few minutes” here. 몇 indicates an unspecified number before a counter, and 분 is the counter for minutes. The phrase does not give an exact number. 정도 adds approximation: “about” or “approximately.” After 몇 분, 몇 분 정도 means “about a few minutes.” 더 means “more” or “additional.” It shows that these minutes are added to an already understood amount of time, rather than describing the entire duration from the beginning. 걸릴 comes from 걸리다, “to take [time].” In this sentence, 걸릴 is the form used before 수 있다: 걸리다 → 걸릴 수 있다. The time expression is the thing that takes time: 십 분이 걸리다 means “to take ten minutes.” Example: 시간이 더 걸려요. — “It takes more time.” 수 있습니다 expresses possibility in a polite formal style. The pattern 동사-(으)ㄹ 수 있다 means “can” or “may,” depending on context; here, with 걸릴, it means “may take.” 있습니다 is the formal polite form of 있다. Together, 몇 분 정도 gives the approximate added duration, 더 걸릴 means “take more time,” and 수 있습니다 makes it possible rather than certain. The whole utterance means: “It may add a few minutes,” or more literally, “It may take about a few more minutes.”

8. 하지만 길을 따라가기는 더 쉬울 거예요.

   But it will be easier to follow.

   하지만

   but

   길

   way; path

   따라가기는

   as for following

   더

   more

   쉬울

   easy

   거예요

   prediction-pattern ending

   More detail

   하지만 introduces a contrast: “but.” It connects this utterance to the preceding idea without changing the meaning of the rest of the sentence. 길 means “road,” “way,” or “path.” In this sentence, 길을 is the object marked by 을, and it is the route being followed. A useful pattern is 길을 따라가다, “to follow the road” or “to go along the way.” 따라가기는 comes from the verb 따라가다, “to follow” or “to go along.” The ending -기는 turns the verb into a contrasted topic: “as for following...” or “following ... is, at least...” Here, the object 길을 comes before this verb, so 길을 따라가기는 means “as for following the road.” The comparison with an alternative is signaled by the later 더 쉬울 거예요. 더 means “more” or “to a greater degree.” It modifies 쉬울, making the comparison explicit: something will be easier than the relevant alternative. Example: 이 길이 더 쉬워요. — “This way is easier.” 쉬울 is the future-attributive form of the adjective 쉽다, “to be easy.” 쉽다 has the ㅂ irregular change: before a vowel-initial ending, ㅂ changes to 우, giving 쉬울 before 거예요. The useful chain is 쉽다 → 쉬워요 (“is easy”) → 쉬울 거예요 (“will be easy” or “is expected to be easy”). 거예요 is the spoken contraction of 것이에요 in the pattern 쉬울 거예요. After a verb or adjective modifier ending in -(으)ㄹ, this pattern presents a prediction or expectation; here, 쉬울 거예요 means “will be easy.” The future-looking meaning comes from the complete pattern 쉬울 거예요, not from 거예요 alone. Together, 하지만 길을 따라가기는 더 쉬울 거예요 means “But following the road will be easier.” The contrast marker 하지만 sets this against the preceding idea, 길을 따라가기는 identifies following the road as the contrasted option, 더 marks the comparison, and 쉬울 거예요 expresses the speaker’s prediction about its ease.

9. 좋아요. 저는 급하지 않아요.

   That works. I'm not in a hurry.

   좋아요

   That works.

   저는

   As for me

   급하지 않아요

   not in a hurry

   More detail

   좋아요 comes from 좋다 (“to be good”) with the polite -아요 ending. Here, in response to the preceding situation, it means “That works” or “That’s good,” rather than describing a specific object. The same form can also mean “It is good” in other contexts. Example: 이 방법이 좋아요. — “This method is good.” 저는 consists of 저, the polite first-person pronoun “I,” and the topic marker -는. The topic marker sets “as for me” as the topic; it does not itself express a contrast, although contrast can be understood from context. Example: 저는 괜찮아요. — “I’m fine.” 급하지 않아요 is built from 급하다 (“to be hurried” or “urgent”) and the negation pattern -지 않아요, meaning “is not …” in a polite present-tense statement. The observed form 않아요 is the polite form of 않다, which supplies the negation; it is not an inflection of 급하다. The positive contrast is 급해요 — “I’m in a hurry” or “It is urgent.” Example: 지금은 급하지 않아요. — “It isn’t urgent now.” Together, 저는 marks the speaker as the topic, and 급하지 않아요 says that this person is not in a hurry. Thus the full utterance is: “That works. I’m not in a hurry.”

10. 이제부터는 작은 골목길을 피해서 가겠습니다.

    I'll avoid the small side streets from here.

    이제부터는

    from now on

    작은

    small

    골목길

    side street

    피해서

    avoiding; by avoiding

    가겠습니다

    will go

    More detail

    이제부터는 means “from now on” here. 이제부터 marks the point starting now, and 는 marks it as the time frame being highlighted. The same pattern is reusable in 이제부터는 매일 연습할게요. — “From now on, I’ll practice every day.” 작은 is the attributive form of the descriptive verb 작다, “to be small.” It comes before the noun it describes: 작다 → 작은 before a noun. In this sentence, it describes 골목길; it does not itself express number or any other noun feature. Example: 작은 방에서 공부해요. — “I study in a small room.” 골목길 means “side street” or “alley.” It is a noun referring to a relatively narrow local street. In this sentence it is the object of avoiding, marked by the following 을 in 골목길을. 피해서 comes from the verb 피하다, “to avoid,” plus -아서/어서, a connective ending. 피해서 가다 means “go by avoiding” something, or more naturally “avoid something and go.” Because 피하다 is transitive, the thing avoided is marked with 을/를: 차를 피해서 걸었어요. — “I walked while avoiding the cars.” 가겠습니다 comes from 가다, “to go.” The ending -겠- with the formal polite ending -습니다 presents the speaker’s intention or a commitment in this context: “I will go.” It is not simply a neutral statement that movement is guaranteed. A useful contrast is 가요 — a polite present or prospective form of “go” — versus 가겠습니다 — “I will go,” with a more deliberate or formal tone. The usual polite imperative “Please go” is 가세요, not 가요. Together, 작은 골목길을 피해서 means “by avoiding the small side streets,” and 가겠습니다 means “I will go.” With 이제부터는 setting the starting point, the whole utterance means: “From now on, I’ll avoid the small side streets.”

11. 경로를 설명해 주셔서 감사합니다.

    I appreciate you explaining the route.

    경로

    route

    설명해

    explain

    주셔서 감사합니다

    thank you for doing so

    More detail

    경로 means “route” here. It is a noun; 경로를 adds 를, the object marker, so the route is what is being explained. The same noun can be used in other contexts, such as 경로를 바꾸다 (“change the route”). 설명해 comes from 설명하다, “to explain.” The -해 form connects this verb to the following helping verb 주다; it is not a separate verb meaning “give” here. The useful pattern is N을/를 설명하다 (“explain N”). For example, 방법을 설명해요 means “I explain the method” or, depending on context, “Please explain the method.” 주셔서 감사합니다 is the polite gratitude pattern V-아/어 주셔서 감사합니다, meaning “thank you for doing V.” In this form, 주시다 is the honorific form of 주다, and -셔서 connects the honored action to 감사합니다. It presents the other person’s action respectfully. 감사합니다 is the formal-polite form of “I am thankful” or “thank you.” Together, 경로를 설명해 means “explain the route,” and 주셔서 감사합니다 expresses thanks for the listener having done that action. The whole utterance is therefore: “I appreciate you explaining the route.”

12. 다시 경로를 바꿔야 하면 말씀드리겠습니다.

    I'll let you know if I need to change it again.

    다시

    again

    경로

    route

    바꿔야

    need to change

    하면

    if (someone) does

    말씀드리겠습니다

    I’ll let you know

    More detail

    다시 means “again” here. It is an adverb, so it indicates that the action of changing the route would happen another time. Example: 다시 확인하겠습니다. — “I’ll check again.” 경로 means “route” or “path.” In this sentence it is the noun being changed: 경로를 바꾸다 means “to change the route.” The particle 를 marks 경로 as the object of 바꾸다. 바꿔야 comes from 바꾸다, “to change.” The ending -어야 expresses necessity or a condition that must be met: 바꿔야 하다 means “to have to change.” Here 바꿔야 is followed by 하면, producing 바꿔야 하면, “if it is necessary to change [the route].” The form 바꿔 is the contracted form of 바꾸어. 하면 comes from 하다, “to do,” with the conditional ending -면, “if/when.” In -어야 하면, it completes the pattern -어야 하다 + -면: “if someone has to …” The subject is not stated in the Korean sentence; the fixed translation identifies the intended subject as “I.” 말씀드리겠습니다 is a formal, deferential way to say “I will tell you” or “I will let you know.” It is based on 말씀드리다, a humble expression for telling or saying something to the listener. The ending -겠습니다 expresses the speaker’s intention or a future commitment, and -습니다 gives the sentence formal politeness. This form is appropriate when addressing someone respectfully. Together, 다시 경로를 바꿔야 하면 means “if I need to change the route again,” and 말씀드리겠습니다 means “I’ll let you know.” The complete utterance therefore means: “I’ll let you know if I need to change it again.”