Renegotiating a Deadline with Clear Priorities | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 마감일은 내일인데, 오늘 아침에 프로젝트 범위가 넓어졌어요.

   The deadline is tomorrow, but the project scope expanded this morning.

   마감일은

   the deadline

   내일

   tomorrow

   인데

   but

   오늘 아침에

   this morning

   프로젝트

   project

   범위가

   scope

   넓어졌어요

   expanded

   More detail

   마감일은 means “as for the deadline.” 마감일 is the noun “deadline,” and 은 marks it as the topic. The topic marker does not itself say that there is only one deadline. A reusable pattern is 명사은/는 ... for setting the topic: 회의는 월요일이에요. means “The meeting is on Monday.” 내일 means “tomorrow.” It can stand alone as a time word or occur before a noun, as in 내일 아침 (“tomorrow morning”). Here it is the time expression that completes the statement about the deadline. 인데 connects the first clause to what follows with a contrast or background relationship. In this sentence, it is formed from the noun predicate 내일이다 (“to be tomorrow”) plus the connective ending -ㄴ데, producing 내일인데. With a noun predicate, the form is 명사인데; with many descriptive or action predicates, related connective forms such as -는데 are used. Here the connection is naturally “but”: the deadline is tomorrow, but the scope expanded. 오늘 아침에 means “this morning.” 오늘 아침 is the time expression “this morning,” and 에 marks the time when the event occurred. A similar pattern is 금요일에 만나요.—“We meet on Friday.” 프로젝트 is the noun “project.” It is a commonly used loanword in Korean and does not receive a separate Korean inflection in this sentence. It combines directly with other Korean words, as in 프로젝트 계획 (“project plan”). 범위가 means “the scope” as the subject of the change. 범위 is the noun “scope” or “range,” and 가 marks it as the subject. The subject marker identifies what underwent the change; it does not mean that the scope performed an intentional action. 넓어졌어요 means “expanded” here. Its base descriptive form is 넓다, “to be wide/broad.” The form 넓어지다 means “to become wider or broader,” and 넓어졌어요 is its polite past form: 넓어지- + -었어요. With 범위, “become broader” naturally describes an increase in project scope. For example, 업무 범위가 넓어졌어요. means “The scope of the work expanded.” Together, 마감일은 내일인데 sets up the contrast “the deadline is tomorrow, but,” while 오늘 아침에 프로젝트 범위가 넓어졌어요 says that the project scope expanded this morning. The complete meaning is: “The deadline is tomorrow, but the project scope expanded this morning.” The polite ending -어요 makes the statement suitable for ordinary polite conversation.

2. 고객이 어느 부분을 먼저 필요로 하나요?

   Which part does the client need first?

   고객

   client

   어느

   which

   부분

   part

   먼저

   first

   필요로 하나요

   need

   More detail

   고객 means “client” here. It is a noun; depending on context, it can also mean “customer.” In 고객이, the following 이 marks 고객 as the subject—the participant who has the need. Example: 고객이 요약본을 필요로 해요. — “The client needs the summary.” 어느 is a question determiner meaning “which,” used before a noun when choosing one option from an understood set. It is not the same as 무슨, which more often asks what kind or what subject something is. Here, 어느 modifies 부분. 부분 is a noun meaning “part” or “section.” The reusable combination 어느 부분 means “which part.” In 어느 부분을, 을 marks this noun phrase as the object of the need: the part that is needed. Example: 어느 부분을 먼저 읽어요? — “Which part do you read first?” 먼저 means “first” or “before the others” in an order or sequence. It modifies the needing event here, so the question asks which part is needed first, not simply which part is needed. Example: 요약본을 먼저 봐요. — “I look at the summary first.” 필요로 하나요 comes from the construction 필요로 하다, meaning “to need” or “to require.” The noun 필요 means “need,” while 하다 is the verb “to do”; together, 필요로 하다 functions as “need.” The observed ending -나요? makes this a polite question: 필요로 하나요? — “Does [someone] need [it]?” A related but different expression is 필요하다, “to be necessary” or “to be needed”; 필요로 하다 presents someone as needing something, while 필요하다 describes necessity. Example: 고객은 자세한 설명을 필요로 해요. — “The client needs a detailed explanation.” The structure is 고객이 어느 부분을 먼저 필요로 하나요?: subject 고객이 (“the client”), object 어느 부분을 (“which part”), sequence adverb 먼저 (“first”), and the polite question predicate 필요로 하나요 (“need?”). Korean places the object before the predicate, so the whole utterance means “Which part does the client need first?”

3. 고객은 요약본이 먼저 필요하지만, 자세한 도표는 나중에 해도 돼요.

   They need the summary first, but the detailed charts can wait.

   고객은

   the client/customer

   요약본이

   summary

   먼저

   first

   필요하지만

   need, but

   자세한

   detailed

   도표는

   chart(s)

   나중에

   later

   해도 돼요

   can wait; it is okay to do

   More detail

   고객은 introduces the client/customer as the topic. 은 marks what the sentence is about; it does not by itself show whether 고객 is singular or plural. The fixed translation identifies this participant as the one who needs the material. 요약본이 means “the summary” here. 요약본 is a noun for a summarized version or summary document, and 이 marks it as the subject of 필요하다. A useful pattern is N이/가 필요하다 (“N is needed” / “someone needs N”). 먼저 means “first” or “before the other item.” It sets the order of need here: the summary is needed before the detailed charts. For example, 이 부분을 먼저 읽어요 means “Read this part first.” 필요하지만 is the form of 필요하다 (“to be needed”) followed by -지만 (“but/although”). The ending connects the first clause to a contrasting second clause: N이/가 필요하지만, ... = “N is needed, but ...”. The observed form is not a separate verb meaning “need but”; it is 필요하다 with the contrast ending attached. 자세한 modifies the noun that follows and means “detailed” here. It comes from the descriptive verb 자세하다 (“to be detailed”); before a noun, its form is 자세한, as in 자세한 설명 (“a detailed explanation”). 도표는 means “the charts” as the topic of the second clause. 도표 is a noun for a chart or diagram, and 는 marks it as the contrasting topic. Korean nouns do not require a plural ending here, so 도표 can refer to one or more charts; the fixed translation gives the intended reading as charts. 나중에 means “later” or “at a later time.” In this sentence it places the work on the detailed charts after the summary-related priority. It commonly combines with an action: 나중에 확인해요 means “Check it later.” 해도 돼요 is the polite form of 해도 되다, a permission/acceptability construction. 하다 (“to do”) becomes 해, and -어도 되다 means “it is okay to do” or “may do.” In the full phrase 나중에 해도 돼요, the action is understood from the context as handling or preparing the charts, so the natural meaning is “it can wait” or “it is okay to do it later.” This construction does not itself mean “wait”; 나중에 supplies the later timing and the surrounding noun supplies what can be done later. Together, 고객은 요약본이 먼저 필요하지만 says that the client needs the summary first. 자세한 도표는 나중에 해도 돼요 contrasts this with the detailed charts: dealing with them later is acceptable. Thus the whole utterance means, “They need the summary first, but the detailed charts can wait.”

4. 그럼 우선순위가 낮은 부분은 짧게 기한을 연장해 달라고 요청하세요.

   Then ask for a short extension on the lower-priority sections.

   그럼

   then

   우선순위

   priority

   낮은

   low

   부분

   part; section

   짧게

   briefly; for a short time

   기한

   deadline; time limit

   연장해 달라고

   asking someone to extend it

   요청하세요

   please request; ask

   More detail

   그럼 means “then” or “in that case.” It commonly links the current suggestion to what has just been established. Example: 그럼 시작할게요. — “Then I’ll start.” 우선순위 means “priority.” The particle 가 marks it as the subject of 낮은, so 우선순위가 낮은 literally describes something whose priority is low. This is a reusable pattern: N이/가 낮은 N — “a noun with low N.” 낮은 is the form of the descriptive verb 낮다 (“to be low”) placed before a noun. The attributive form is 낮은; after a noun, the same idea is expressed with 낮다, as in 우선순위가 낮아요 — “The priority is low.” The form 낮은 describes 부분 here; it does not mean “short” or “few.” 부분 means “part” or “section.” In this sentence, 낮은 modifies it, giving 우선순위가 낮은 부분 — “sections with lower priority.” 은 marks this whole noun phrase as the topic or object under discussion. 짧게 is the adverbial form of 짧다 (“to be short”). Here it indicates that the extension should be short: the requested extra period is limited. Compare 짧은 회의 (“a short meeting”), where 짧은 modifies a noun, with 회의를 짧게 하다 (“to keep the meeting short”), where 짧게 modifies an action. 기한 means “deadline” or “time limit.” 기한을 marks it as the object of the extension action. Example: 기한을 지키세요. — “Please meet the deadline.” 연장해 달라고 contains 연장하다 (“to extend”), the connective form 연장해, and 달라고. The pattern V-아/어 달라고 요청하다 means “request that someone do V for the requester.” Thus 기한을 연장해 달라고 요청하다 means “request that the deadline be extended.” 달라고 packages the requested action as the content of the request; it is not the ordinary object marker for 기한. 요청하세요 comes from 요청하다 (“to request”) plus the polite, hearer-directed ending -(으)세요. It means “please request” here. The sentence therefore gives polite advice or an instruction, rather than simply stating that someone requests something. Together, 우선순위가 낮은 부분은 sets “the lower-priority sections” as the topic, 짧게 기한을 연장해 달라고 expresses a request for their deadline to be extended for a short period, and 요청하세요 tells the listener to make that request. With 그럼, the whole utterance is: “Then, ask for a short extension on the lower-priority sections.”

5. 제가 시간 관리를 제대로 못한 것처럼 들리게 하고 싶지는 않아요.

   I don't want it to sound like I failed to manage my time.

   제가

   I (humble subject)

   시간

   time

   관리

   management

   제대로

   properly

   못한

   failed to do; did not manage to

   것처럼

   as if; like

   들리게

   so that it sounds

   하고 싶지는 않아요

   do not want to do

   More detail

   제가 is 저 (“I”) with the subject particle -가; it is the humble first-person subject form. 저는 instead marks “I” as the topic or contrast. 시간 means “time.” Example: 시간이 없어요. — “I don’t have time.” 관리 means “management” or “handling.” In 시간 관리, it forms the reusable noun phrase “time management.” Example: 시간 관리가 중요해요. — “Time management is important.” 제대로 means “properly” or “as it should.” Here it modifies the action of managing time, giving “manage time properly.” 못한 is the past attributive form of 못하다. In this sentence, 못하다 means “not manage to do” or “fail to do,” so 시간 관리를 제대로 못한 means “not having managed time properly.” The contrast 안 하다 means “not do” and does not by itself express the same inability or failure nuance. Example: 끝내지 못한 일 — “work I failed to finish.” 것처럼 combines 것, which makes the preceding clause noun-like, with 처럼, “like” or “as.” The pattern 동사-(으)ㄴ 것처럼 presents something as if the action had happened. Thus 못한 것처럼 means “as if [I] had failed to manage it”; the subject is supplied by 제가 in this utterance. 들리게 comes from 들리다, “to be heard” or “to sound.” Its -게 form occurs with 하다 in the pattern -게 하다, meaning “make something sound/be perceived in a certain way.” Therefore 것처럼 들리게 means “make it sound as if ….” Example: 그 말이 불평처럼 들리게 하지 마세요. — “Don’t make those words sound like a complaint.” 하고 싶지는 않아요 uses -고 싶다, “want to do,” followed by -지는 않다, a negative pattern with contrastive emphasis. 하고 is the connective form of 하다 before 싶다. Here the construction says that the speaker does not want to cause that impression. Together, 제가 시간 관리를 제대로 못한 것처럼 means “as if I failed to manage my time properly,” and 들리게 하고 싶지는 않아요 means “I don’t want to make it sound that way.” The complete utterance is: “I don’t want it to sound like I failed to manage my time.”

6. 품질과 새로 받은 정보를 중심으로 설명하세요.

   Frame it around quality and the new information you received.

   품질

   quality

   새로 받은

   newly received

   정보

   information

   중심으로

   with ... as the focus

   설명하세요

   please explain

   More detail

   품질 means “quality” here. It is a noun, so it can be followed by particles such as 은/는 for topic or 과/와 for “and.” In this sentence, 품질과 joins it to the next noun: “quality and …”. 새로 받은 describes 정보. 새로 means “newly” or “recently,” while 받은 is the modifier form of 받다 (“to receive”): 받다 → 받은 for an action completed before the noun. Thus, 새로 받은 정보 means “the information [you] newly received.” The omitted subject is supplied by the fixed translation; Korean does not mark “you” in this modifier. 정보 is the noun “information.” The phrase 새로 받은 정보 is a reusable noun phrase: an adverb and a verb modifier come before the noun they describe. For example, 어제 받은 정보 means “the information received yesterday.” 중심으로 presents something as the center or organizing focus. It is built from the noun 중심 (“center, focus”) plus 으로, which here means “with … as the basis/focus,” rather than physical movement. The pattern A를 중심으로 can mean “with A as the focus” or “organized around A.” In this sentence, the coordinated phrase 품질과 새로 받은 정보를 중심으로 means “with quality and the newly received information as the focus.” 설명하세요 is a polite request or instruction meaning “please explain.” Its base form is 설명하다 (“to explain”); the ending -세요 makes the request polite: 설명하다 → 설명하세요. The person being asked is understood from context, so no explicit subject or object is needed here. Together, 품질과 새로 받은 정보를 중심으로 sets the focus of the explanation, and 설명하세요 gives the instruction. The whole utterance therefore means: “Frame it around quality and the new information you received.”

7. 내일 요약본을 전달하고 그다음 날 도표를 전달하겠다고 말할 수 있어요.

   I can say I'll deliver the summary tomorrow and the charts the following day.

   내일

   tomorrow

   요약본

   summary

   전달하고

   deliver and

   그다음 날

   the following day

   도표

   chart

   전달하겠다고

   that [I] will deliver

   말할 수 있어요

   can say

   More detail

   내일 means “tomorrow,” a time expression. It is placed before the first planned action, so it sets the delivery time for the summary. Example: 내일 만나요. — “Let’s meet tomorrow.” 요약본 means “summary” here, specifically a summary version or summary document. The noun 본 is part of this established word and should not be treated as a separate standalone word meaning “book” in this sentence. Example: 요약본을 보내 주세요. — “Please send the summary.” 전달하고 is the connective form of 전달하다, “to deliver” or “to pass along.” The ending -고 links this action to the next one: “deliver ..., and ...”. It does not itself mark the future; the future/intention meaning appears later in 전달하겠다고. Example: 자료를 전달하고 설명했어요. — “I delivered the material and explained it.” 그다음 날 means “the following day” or “the next day” relative to the time just established. In this utterance, it places the chart delivery after tomorrow’s summary delivery. Example: 월요일에 만나고 그다음 날 출발해요. — “We meet on Monday and leave the following day.” 도표 means “chart” or “diagram.” Korean does not mark plural number on this noun, so the form can refer to one or more charts; the fixed translation presents it as “the charts.” Example: 도표를 확인하세요. — “Check the chart(s).” 전달하겠다고 contains 전달하다 (“to deliver”), the prospective/intention marker -겠-, and -다고, which reports the following proposition. Together, it means “that [the speaker] will deliver.” The subject is not overtly written in the Korean sentence; the fixed translation supplies “I.” The first 전달하고 and this second 전달하겠다고 share the delivery verb, but the future/intention marking appears only in the second occurrence because it scopes over the reported plan. Example: 내일 보내겠다고 말했어요. — “I said that I would send it tomorrow.” 말할 수 있어요 means “can say.” 말하다 is “to say,” and -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility; here 말할 수 있어요 is the polite present form. The ending -어요 makes the statement polite. Example: 그렇게 말할 수 있어요. — “You can say it that way.” As a whole, 내일 요약본을 전달하고 sets up the first action and its time: delivering the summary tomorrow. 그다음 날 도표를 전달하겠다고 gives the reported plan for the second action: delivering the chart(s) the following day. The complete reported content is then followed by 말할 수 있어요, producing “I can say that I’ll deliver the summary tomorrow and the charts the following day.” The Korean leaves the subject unspoken, while the fixed translation identifies it as “I.”

8. 그러면 고객에게 현실적인 일정과 분명한 선택지를 제시할 수 있어요.

   That gives them a realistic timeline and a clear choice.

   그러면

   then; in that case

   고객에게

   to the client

   현실적인

   realistic

   일정

   schedule; timeline

   분명한

   clear

   선택지

   choice; option

   제시할

   present

   수 있어요

   can; be possible

   More detail

   그러면 means “then” or “in that case.” It links the sentence to a preceding situation or condition. A reusable pattern is 그러면 + clause: “Then, …” or “In that case, …” 고객에게 means “to the client.” 고객 means “client” or “customer,” and -에게 marks a person who receives something or is the target of an action. Example: 친구에게 메시지를 보내요 means “I send a message to a friend.” 현실적인 means “realistic.” It is the noun-modifying form of 현실적이다, so 현실적인 일정 means “a realistic schedule.” 일정 means “schedule” or “timeline.” Here it is one of the things that can be presented to the client. Example: 일정을 확인해요 means “I check the schedule.” 분명한 means “clear” or “definite.” It is the noun-modifying form of 분명하다: 분명한 선택지 means “a clear choice” or “a clear option.” The polite predicate form is 분명해요, as in 설명이 분명해요 (“The explanation is clear”). 선택지 means “choice” or “option.” Example: 두 가지 선택지가 있어요 means “There are two options.” 제시할 comes from 제시하다, meaning “to present” or “to put forward.” Here its -ㄹ form occurs in the pattern 제시할 수 있어요. It is not a separate verb. 수 있어요 completes -ㄹ 수 있어요, a polite pattern expressing ability or possibility. In 제시할 수 있어요, the whole pattern means “can present” or “it is possible to present.” Example: 도와드릴 수 있어요 means “I can help you.” Together, 현실적인 일정과 분명한 선택지 means “a realistic timeline and a clear choice”; -과 joins the two items. 고객에게 marks the client as the recipient, and 제시할 수 있어요 says that presenting these items is possible. The subject of 제시할 수 있어요 is not stated in this sentence. With 그러면, the fixed utterance is rendered as “That gives them a realistic timeline and a clear choice.”

9. 고객이 답할 시간을 가질 수 있도록 곧 메시지를 보낼게요.

   I'll send the message soon so they have time to respond.

   고객이

   the customer

   답할

   to respond

   시간을

   time

   가질

   have

   수 있도록

   so that … can

   곧

   soon

   메시지를

   the message

   보낼게요

   I’ll send it

   More detail

   고객이 means “the customer” here. 고객 is “customer/client,” and 이 marks it as the subject of the relevant clause. Korean does not mark number in this noun, so the English translation’s “they” supplies the intended reference without changing the Korean form. 답할 comes from 답하다 (“to answer/respond”). Its -ㄹ form modifies the following noun and presents the response as the action the customer is to make: 답할 시간 = “time to respond.” This is different from the completed-action form 답한 (“that responded” or “having responded”). 시간을 means “time” as the object of 가질. 시간 is a noun, and 을 marks it as the object. In this sentence it is the time available for responding, not a stated numerical amount. 가질 comes from 가지다 (“to have/possess”). Here its -ㄹ form connects it to 수 있도록, producing the ability-oriented pattern -ㄹ 수 있도록: “so that [someone] can …” The subject understood with 가질 is the customer identified by 고객이. 수 있도록 is the purpose/result pattern “so that … can.” 수 expresses possibility or ability, while 있도록 makes the clause serve as the intended purpose. Together with 답할 시간을 가질, it means “so that [the customer] can have time to respond.” 곧 means “soon.” It modifies the sending event and places it in the near future; it does not itself express the speaker’s intention or promise. 메시지를 means “the message” as the object being sent. 메시지 is “message,” and 를 marks it as the object of 보내다. The object marker is attached directly to the noun. 보낼게요 comes from 보내다 (“to send”). The form 보내-ㄹ게요 is a polite first-person commitment or intention: “I’ll send it.” In this utterance, the speaker presents sending the message as their own planned action. -ㄹ게요 is not simply a neutral label for every future event; it commonly signals the speaker’s undertaking or decision. Putting the parts together, 고객이 답할 시간을 가질 수 있도록 gives the purpose “so that the customer can have time to respond.” 곧 메시지를 보낼게요 gives the main action and timing, “I’ll send the message soon.” The complete meaning is: “I’ll send the message soon so they have time to respond.”

10. 그러면 내일이 되기 전에 일정 변경이 분명해져요.

    That way, the schedule change is clear before tomorrow.

    그러면

    then; in that case

    내일

    tomorrow

    되기 전에

    before becoming

    일정

    schedule

    변경

    change

    분명해져요

    becomes clear

    More detail

    그러면 introduces a consequence or condition-based result: “then” or “in that case.” It links the situation understood from context with the statement that follows. Example: 그러면 지금 시작해요. — “Then let’s start now.” 내일 means “tomorrow,” the day after today. It is a time noun and can take particles such as 이/가, 은/는, or 에 depending on its role. Here, 내일이 is the subject of 되다 in the phrase 내일이 되기 전에. 되기 전에 contains 되다 (“to become; to be”) followed by -기 전에, “before doing/becoming.” The ending -기 turns the verb into an event or activity, and 전에 means “before.” In the full chunk 내일이 되기 전에, the meaning is “before it becomes tomorrow” or more naturally “before tomorrow.” Example: 출발하기 전에 확인해요. — “Check before departing.” 일정 means “schedule” or “planned timetable.” It is a noun that commonly combines with words about changes, confirmation, or adjustment. In this sentence it is part of the noun phrase 일정 변경, “schedule change.” 변경 means “change” or “modification,” especially a change to an arrangement, plan, or scheduled item. Together, 일정 변경 means “schedule change”; the two nouns form a compound-like noun phrase, with 일정 specifying what kind of 변경 it is. Example: 일정 변경이 있어요. — “There is a schedule change.” 분명해져요 comes from 분명하다 (“to be clear”) plus -아/어지다, which expresses becoming or coming to be in a state. Thus 분명해지다 means “to become clear,” and 분명해져요 is its polite present form. The form -져요 here is part of -아/어지다, not a separate verb meaning “to give.” Example: 계획이 곧 분명해져요. — “The plan will soon become clear.” Putting the parts together, 그러면 gives the result or implication, 내일이 되기 전에 sets the deadline, and 일정 변경이 분명해져요 says that the schedule change becomes clear. The complete meaning is: “That way, the schedule change is clear before tomorrow.”