Borrowing a Suitcase and Agreeing on Care | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 다음 주 여행에 쓸 중간 크기 여행 가방을 빌려도 될까요?

   Could I borrow your medium suitcase for my trip next week?

   다음 주

   next week

   여행에 쓸

   to use for the trip

   중간 크기

   medium size

   여행 가방

   suitcase

   빌려도 될까요?

   May I borrow it?

   More detail

   다음 주 means “next week.” 다음 means “next,” and 주 means “week.” Together, this time expression comes before the noun phrase it helps specify: 다음 주 여행 means “the trip next week.” 여행에 쓸 means “to use for the trip.” 여행 is “travel” or “a trip,” and 쓰다 is the base form meaning “to use.” Here 쓸 is the form of 쓰다 used before a noun: 여행에 쓸 가방 is “a bag to use for the trip.” The ending -ㄹ marks an intended or expected action in this noun-modifying clause. Example: 공부에 쓸 책 means “a book to use for studying.” 중간 크기 means “medium size.” 크기 is the noun “size”; 중간 means “middle” or “medium.” This compact noun phrase describes the size of the following item. For a different size, Korean commonly uses 작은 for “small” and 큰 for “large,” as in 작은 가방 (“a small bag”) and 큰 가방 (“a large bag”). 여행 가방 means “suitcase” or, more literally, “travel bag.” 가방 is the noun “bag,” and 여행 specifies its type or purpose. Unlike 중간 크기, which describes size, this phrase identifies the item itself. Example: 여행 가방을 준비했어요. means “I prepared a suitcase.” 빌려도 될까요? is a polite way to ask, “May I borrow it?” The base verb 빌리다 means “to borrow,” and its form here is 빌려-, followed by -도 되다, the pattern “it is allowed even if …,” commonly used for permission: 빌려도 되다 means “be allowed to borrow.” -ㄹ까요? turns the expression into a polite question asking whether that is acceptable. The omitted subject is understood from the situation; the target sentence does not state it as a separate word. Putting the parts together, 다음 주 여행에 쓸 identifies the intended use and time, 중간 크기 여행 가방 identifies a medium-sized suitcase, and 빌려도 될까요? asks permission to borrow it. The complete meaning is: “Could I borrow your medium suitcase for my trip next week?” The English possessive “your” reflects the intended request to the listener, while Korean leaves that possessor implicit here.

2. 빌려도 되지만 손잡이가 조금 약하니까 조심해서 사용해.

   You can, but be careful with the handle because it's a little fragile.

   빌려도 되지만

   may borrow, but

   손잡이

   handle

   조금

   a little

   약하니까

   because it is fragile

   조심해서

   carefully

   사용해

   use

   More detail

   빌려도 되지만 combines 빌리다 (“to borrow”) with -어도 되다, expressing permission: “it is okay to borrow.” Here it means “you may borrow, but…”. 빌려 is the connective form before 도 되다, and -지만 links this permission to a contrasting condition. The omitted object is understood from the exchange as the suitcase. 손잡이 means “handle.” Learn it as the ordinary Korean noun for a handle; here it refers to the suitcase handle. 조금 means “a little” and reduces the strength of the following description. For example, 조금 작아요 means “It is a little small.” 약하니까 comes from the adjective 약하다, which can mean “to be weak” and, for an object, “to be fragile” or “not sturdy.” The form is 약하- plus -니까, meaning “because/since.” Since 손잡이 is the subject, this says that the handle is a little fragile. For example, 늦었으니까 서두르세요 means “Since it is late, hurry.” 조심해서 comes from the verb 조심하다, “to be careful.” Its -아서/-어서 form links it to the next verb and describes how that action is carried out: 조심해서 열어 means “Open it carefully.” 사용해 comes from 사용하다, “to use.” It is the casual, non-honorific 해-style imperative/request form, so it is suitable for an informal relationship; it is not a formal polite form. A more formal instruction is 사용하세요. Together, 빌려도 되지만 gives permission with a contrast, 손잡이가 조금 약하니까 gives the reason, and 조심해서 사용해 gives the instruction. The complete meaning is: “You can borrow it, but be careful with the handle because it is a little fragile.”

3. 그 점을 기억하고 너무 많이 넣지 않을게.

   I'll keep that in mind and avoid overpacking it.

   그

   that

   점

   point; matter

   기억하고

   remembering, and

   너무 많이

   too much

   넣지 않을게

   I won’t put in

   More detail

   그 means “that” here and appears before 점 to specify the matter being remembered. Korean demonstratives such as 그 can modify a noun directly; this form itself does not show the noun’s number or gender. 점 literally means a point, but in 그 점 it means “that point” or “that matter.” With the object marker 을, 그 점을 is the object of remembering. Example: 이 점을 기억하세요. — “Please remember this point.” 기억하고 comes from 기억하다, “to remember,” with -고, a connector meaning “and” here. Thus 그 점을 기억하고 means “keeping that point in mind and …” The connector links this action to the later action without making the two actions separate sentences. 너무 많이 means “too much” in this sentence. 너무 expresses excess, and 많이 is the adverbial form related to 많다, “to be much/many.” Together they modify the following action by indicating an excessive amount. Example: 너무 많이 먹지 마세요. — “Please don’t eat too much.” 넣지 않을게 is based on 넣다, “to put in” or “to insert.” -지 않다 makes the action negative, so 넣지 않다 means “not put in.” The ending -을게 presents the speaker’s intention or commitment, giving “I won’t put in …” or “I’ll make sure not to put in …” Here the object is understood from the fixed meaning as the thing being packed or filled; combined with 너무 많이, the intended sense is “avoid overpacking it.” As a whole, 그 점을 기억하고 sets the speaker’s consideration—keeping that matter in mind—and 너무 많이 넣지 않을게 states the resulting intention not to put in an excessive amount. The full utterance therefore means: “I’ll keep that in mind and avoid overpacking it.”

4. 옆면에 긁힌 자국도 있어.

   It also has a scratch on the side.

   옆면

   side

   긁힌

   scratched

   자국

   mark; scratch

   도

   also

   있어

   is present; exists

   More detail

   옆면 means “side” or “side surface.” It is a compound noun: 옆 means “side” and 면 means “surface/face.” Here it identifies the location of the mark. For another location, replace it with a suitable noun, such as 앞면 (“front surface”) or 뒷면 (“back surface”), when that is the intended location. 긁힌 describes something that has been scratched. It is the attributive form of 긁히다, “to get/be scratched,” and it modifies the following noun, 자국. The form 긁은 would instead come from 긁다, “to scratch,” and describes an agent’s action, so it is not the form used here. Example: 긁힌 가방 means “a scratched bag.” 자국 means a mark or trace left by something. In this sentence, 긁힌 자국 is a scratch mark. The noun can combine with other modifiers too; for example, 물 자국 means “a water mark.” 도 adds the meaning “also” or “too” to the phrase before it. Here, it makes 옆면에 긁힌 자국도 mean “a scratch mark on the side too,” adding this observation to something already mentioned. It is a particle attached directly to the phrase it marks. 있어 is an informal, sentence-ending form of 있다, used here to say that something is present or exists. With a location marked by 에, Korean can express the presence of an item where English often uses “has”: 책상 위에 책이 있어 means “There is a book on the desk.” The ending -어 gives this form an informal style; a more polite version is 있어요. Together, 옆면에 identifies the location, 긁힌 자국 identifies what is there, 도 adds it as another observation, and 있어 says that it is present. The whole utterance means: “It also has a scratch on the side.”

5. 사용하기 전에 사진을 찍어 둘까?

   Would you like me to take a photo before I use it?

   사용하기 전에

   before using it

   사진

   photo

   찍어 둘까?

   shall I take one in advance?

   More detail

   사용하기 전에 combines 사용하다 (“to use”) with -기 전에 (“before doing”). The observed form 사용하기 is the noun-like form of 사용하다 used before this time expression; the subject and object are not stated in this phrase. Here, the translation identifies the omitted object as “it.” -기 전에 can be reused with other verbs: 가기 전에 means “before going.” 사진 means “photo.” It is a noun and can combine with counters when a specific count is needed, for example 사진 한 장 (“one photo”). The noun itself does not state a quantity here. 찍어 둘까? contains 찍다 (“to take” a photo) in the form 찍어, followed by 두다. With another verb, -아/어 두다 describes doing something in advance and leaving the result available for later; thus 찍어 두다 means “take a photo in advance” or “take and save a photo.” The ending -을까? makes a first-person deliberative question, roughly “shall I ...?” or “would you like me to ...?” Here, the translation supports the offer “Would you like me to take ...?” rather than a question about someone else’s action. Putting the parts together in their source order, 사용하기 전에 sets the time, 사진 names what is taken, and 찍어 둘까? asks whether the speaker should take and keep a photo beforehand: “Would you like me to take a photo before I use it?”

6. 사진을 찍어 두면 우리 둘 다 가방 상태를 분명히 알 수 있을 거야.

   A photo would make the condition clear for both of us.

   사진

   photo

   찍어 두면

   if taken and kept

   우리 둘 다

   both of us

   가방

   bag

   상태

   condition

   분명히

   clearly

   알 수 있을 거야

   will be able to know

   More detail

   사진 means “photo.” In 사진을, the particle 을 marks it as the object of 찍다, “to take” a photo. Example: 사진을 봐요 means “I look at the photo.” 찍어 두면 combines 찍다 (“to take [a photo]”), 두다 (“to leave or keep something in a resulting state”), and -면 (“if/when”). Here, 찍어 두다 means to take a photo in advance and keep it available. The sentence does not specify who takes the photo, so “if a photo is taken and kept” is the safest general rendering. 찍어 is the connective form of 찍다 before 두다. 우리 둘 다 means “both of us.” 우리 means “we/us,” 둘 specifies two, and 다 adds the meaning “both” here. The fixed translation identifies the participants as the speaker and listener, without adding further details about them. 가방 means “bag.” In 가방 상태, it specifies what the following noun’s condition concerns: “the condition of the bag.” 상태 means “condition” or “state.” In 상태를, 를 marks it as the object of 알다 (“to know”). Example: 상태가 좋아요 means “Its condition is good.” 분명히 means “clearly.” It is an adverb describing the clarity of the knowing in this sentence. The related adjective 분명하다 means “to be clear,” while 분명히 modifies an action or state. 알 수 있을 거야 expresses “will be able to know.” 알다 means “to know,” and -ㄹ 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility, so 알 수 있다 is “can be known” or “can know,” depending on the subject and context. Here, 있을 거야 presents that ability as expected in the future. -거야 is a conversational, relatively informal ending. Example: 내일 알 수 있을 거야 means “You’ll be able to know tomorrow.” Together, 사진을 찍어 두면 sets up the condition “if a photo is taken and kept.” 우리 둘 다 identifies the two people who will benefit, and 가방 상태를 분명히 알 수 있을 거야 says that both will be able to know the bag’s condition clearly. The whole utterance means: “If a photo is taken and kept, both of us will be able to know the bag’s condition clearly,” naturally rendered by the fixed translation as “A photo would make the condition clear for both of us.”

7. 돌아온 다음 날에 돌려줄게.

   I'll return it the day after I get back.

   돌아온

   having returned; having come back

   다음 날에

   the next day

   돌려줄게

   I’ll return it

   More detail

   돌아온 comes from 돌아오다, “to come back” or “to return,” with -ㄴ attached to make a form that modifies a noun. Here it modifies 다음 날, so 돌아온 다음 날 means “the day after returning” or, in the fixed translation, “the day after I get back.” The returning event is treated as completed before that day. This is different from 돌아오는 날, “the day of coming back,” where -는 presents the action as ongoing or scheduled. 다음 날에 combines 다음 (“next” or “following”) with 날 (“day”) and the time particle 에. The particle marks the time when the return will happen: 다음 날에 돌려줄게 means “I’ll return it the next day.” In ordinary Korean, 다음 날 can also be used without 에 when the time expression is clear. 돌려줄게 comes from 돌려주다, “to give back” or “to return [something] to someone.” The ending -ㄹ게 expresses the speaker’s commitment or intention. It is a casual, non-honorific conversational ending; the more polite counterpart is -ㄹ게요. Thus 돌려줄게 is naturally “I’ll return it” or “I’ll give it back.” The object is omitted in Korean; the fixed translation identifies it as “it.” Do not confuse 돌려주다 (“give back”) with 돌아오다 (“come back”): the first describes returning an object to someone, while the second describes a person or thing coming back. Together, 돌아온 다음 날에 sets the time—“on the day after I get back”—and 돌려줄게 states the speaker’s commitment to return the omitted object then. The whole utterance therefore means, “I’ll return it the day after I get back.”

8. 안으로 가져오기 전에 바퀴를 닦아 줘.

   Please wipe the wheels before bringing it inside.

   안으로

   inside

   가져오기 전에

   before bringing

   바퀴

   wheel

   닦아 줘

   please wipe

   More detail

   안으로 means “to/into the inside.” 안 is “inside,” and -으로 marks direction toward a place; it is not merely a location marker. A useful contrast is 안에 “inside/in” for location versus 안으로 “to/into the inside” for movement. Example: 안으로 들어가세요. — “Please go inside.” 가져오기 전에 means “before bringing.” The base verb is 가져오다, “to bring”; 가져오기 uses -기 to turn the verb into an action or event, and 전에 means “before.” The reusable pattern is [verb stem]-기 전에 — “before doing [something].” Example: 자기 전에 이를 닦아요. — “I brush my teeth before going to bed.” 바퀴 means “wheel” here. Korean nouns generally do not change form to mark singular versus plural, so 바퀴 can mean “a wheel” or “wheels”; the intended number comes from context. Example: 자전거 바퀴를 확인했어요. — “I checked the bicycle wheels.” 닦아 줘 means “please wipe [it/them].” The base verb is 닦다, “to wipe” or “clean by wiping.” Its form 닦아 connects it to 주다, literally “give,” in the auxiliary construction -아/어 주다, which presents the action as being done as a favor for someone. In this casual request, 줘 is the informal request form of 주다. Example: 창문을 닦아 줘. — “Please wipe the window.” Together, 안으로 가져오기 전에 sets the time and direction: “before bringing [it/them] inside.” 바퀴를 identifies the wheels as the object of the action; the object particle 를 is attached to 바퀴. 닦아 줘 then asks someone, in a casual style, to wipe them as a favor. The complete meaning is “Please wipe the wheels before bringing it inside.”

9. 돌려주기 전에 밖에서 그렇게 할게.

   I'll do that outside before I bring it back.

   돌려주기

   returning it; giving it back

   전에

   before

   밖에서

   outside

   그렇게

   like that; that way

   할게

   I’ll do it; I’ll do that

   More detail

   돌려주기 comes from the verb 돌려주다, “to return something” or “to give something back.” In this sentence, the fixed translation identifies the object as “it.” The ending -기 turns the verb into an event or activity, which allows the pattern 돌려주기 전에 to mean “before returning it.” Example: 책을 돌려주기 전에 이름을 확인해. — “Before returning the book, check the name.” 전에 means “before” and follows the event or time expression that must happen later: 돌려주기 전에 = “before returning it.” With a noun, the same word can mark an earlier time, as in the example 수업 전에 만나요. — “Let’s meet before class.” 밖에서 combines 밖 (“outside”) with the location marker -에서. It marks outside as the place where an action takes place, rather than merely indicating movement toward outside. Example: 밖에서 기다릴게. — “I’ll wait outside.” 그렇게 is an adverb meaning “like that” or “in that way.” It describes the manner of the action in 그렇게 할게; the specific action or manner is understood from the situation rather than stated again in this sentence. Example: 그렇게 하지 마. — “Don’t do it that way.” 할게 is 하다 (“to do”) with the ending -ㄹ게. It presents the speaker’s intention or commitment to do something, often with the listener in mind; the subject is the speaker, “I.” Here, 할게 means “I’ll do it,” while 그렇게 할게 means “I’ll do that” or “I’ll do it that way.” Example: 지금 확인할게. — “I’ll check now.” Together, 돌려주기 전에 sets the time limit, 밖에서 gives the place, and 그렇게 할게 states the speaker’s commitment to carry out the understood action in that manner. The complete meaning is: “I’ll do that outside before I bring it back.”

10. 여행 중에 손잡이에 문제가 생기면 알려 줘.

    Let me know if the handle gives you trouble during the trip.

    여행

    trip; travel

    중에

    during; in the middle of

    손잡이

    handle

    문제

    problem; trouble

    생기면

    if something occurs; if something arises

    알려 줘

    let me know

    More detail

    여행 is a noun meaning “trip” or “travel.” In 여행 중에, it combines with 중에 to mean “during the trip.” The pattern 명사 + 중에 places an event within an ongoing period: 수업 중에 means “during class.” 중에 expresses “during” or “in the middle of” the noun period here. The 에 marks the relevant time or situation. It is not part of the noun 여행 itself. 손잡이 means “handle.” It is the noun referring to the handle in this utterance. A noun followed by 에 can mark the place or part associated with something that happens; here 손잡이에 문제가 생기면 presents the handle as the part where the problem occurs. 문제 means “problem” or “trouble.” In this sentence it is the subject of 생기다: the problem is what arises. 문제가 uses 가 to mark that subject. 생기면 comes from 생기다, “to arise,” “to occur,” or “to develop.” The form is 생기- + -면: -면 makes an “if/when” condition. Thus 문제가 생기면 means “if a problem arises” or, more naturally here, “if the handle gives you trouble.” The subject of 생기다 is 문제, so the Korean wording focuses on a problem arising rather than on a person having difficulty. 알려 줘 is a request meaning “let me know.” 알려 is the 아/어 form of 알리다, “to inform” or “to let someone know,” and 줘 is the informal form of 주다, “to give.” Together, 알려 주다 literally frames informing someone as doing that action for them. In this sentence, the ending -어 in 줘 gives a familiar, casual request. A more polite version is 알려 주세요. Putting the parts together, 여행 중에 sets the time as “during the trip,” 손잡이에 문제가 생기면 means “if a problem arises with the handle,” and 알려 줘 asks the listener to inform the speaker. The whole utterance is: “Let me know if the handle gives you trouble during the trip.”