Making a Private Call During a Break | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 휴식 시간에 개인적인 전화를 해야 해요.

   I need to make a private call during the break.

   휴식 시간에

   during the break

   개인적인

   private

   전화를

   a phone call

   해야 해요

   need to do

   More detail

   휴식 시간에 means “during the break.” 휴식 is “rest” or “break,” and 시간 is “time.” The ending -에 marks a time when an action takes place, so 휴식 시간에 is a reusable pattern for “during/at [a time].” Example: 오후 세 시에 만나요. — “Let’s meet at 3 p.m.” 개인적인 means “private” or “personal” here. It is the adjective form used before a noun: 개인적인 전화 means “a private call.” The related noun 개인 means “individual” or “person,” but 개인적인 describes something as personal/private rather than naming a person. 전화를 means “a phone call” as the object of the action. 전화 is “phone call” or “telephone,” and -를 marks it as the object. In the fixed sentence, 전화를 하다 is the common combination meaning “to make a phone call.” Example: 친구에게 전화를 해요. — “I call a friend.” 해야 해요 expresses “need to do” or “have to do.” It comes from 하다 (“to do”): 해야 is the form used in the obligation pattern -아야/어야 하다, and 해요 is the polite present form of 하다. With 전화, 전화를 해야 해요 means “need to make a phone call.” The construction can be reused with other actions: 가야 해요. — “I need to go.” Together, 휴식 시간에 sets the time, 개인적인 전화를 identifies the private phone call as the object, and 해야 해요 states the need to perform it. The complete meaning is: “I need to make a private call during the break.”

2. 내용이 민감하면 조용한 복도를 이용하세요.

   Use the quiet hallway if the topic is sensitive.

   내용

   content; topic

   민감하면

   if sensitive

   조용한

   quiet

   복도

   hallway

   이용하세요

   please use

   More detail

   내용 means “content” or “topic.” Here it refers to the subject being discussed, as in 회의 내용 (“the meeting content”) or 대화 내용 (“the conversation content”). 민감하면 comes from 민감하다, “to be sensitive.” The ending -면 makes a conditional meaning “if” or “when”: 민감하다 → 민감하면 (“if it is sensitive”). In this sentence, the sensitive thing is the topic. Example: 시간이 있으면 오세요. — “If you have time, come.” 조용한 is the form of 조용하다 (“to be quiet”) used directly before a noun. It means “quiet” in 조용한 복도, “a quiet hallway.” The form changes from the predicate form 조용하다 to the noun-modifying form 조용한; it is not an inflection of 복도. 복도 means “hallway” or “corridor.” It is a noun and can be used in combinations such as 복도 끝 (“the end of the hallway”). 이용하세요 comes from 이용하다, “to use” or “to make use of,” with the polite request/instruction ending -세요. Thus 이용하세요 is a polite “use it” or “please use.” Example: 이 문을 이용하세요. — “Please use this door.” Together, 내용이 민감하면 sets the condition, “if the topic is sensitive.” 조용한 복도 identifies the place, “the quiet hallway,” and 이용하세요 gives the polite instruction “use it.” The whole utterance means: “Use the quiet hallway if the topic is sensitive.”

3. 아직 일하고 있는 사람들을 방해하고 싶지 않아요.

   I don't want to interrupt people who are still working.

   아직

   still; yet

   일하고 있는

   working

   사람들

   people

   방해하고 싶지 않아요

   I don’t want to interrupt

   More detail

   아직 means “still” here: the working is continuing at the relevant time. It can also mean “yet” in a suitable negative or question sentence. Example: 아직 안 왔어요. — “They haven’t come yet.” 일하고 있는 describes the people as being in the process of working. Its base verb is 일하다 (“to work”). Korean commonly forms an ongoing description with -고 있다; before a noun, 있다 becomes the modifying form 있는: 일하고 있는 사람 means “a person who is working.” 사람들 means “people.” The base noun is 사람 (“person”), and 들 marks a plural group here. In the full sentence, the object marker 을 follows it, producing 사람들을, “people” as the ones being interrupted. Example: 사람들이 기다려요. — “People are waiting.” 방해하고 싶지 않아요 expresses “do not want to interrupt.” The lexical verb is 방해하다, “to interrupt” or “to disturb.” Korean uses -고 싶다 after a verb to express wanting to do it: 방해하고 싶어요 means “I want to interrupt.” Negating 싶다 gives -고 싶지 않아요, “do not want to …,” in polite present style. The Korean sentence does not state an explicit subject pronoun; the fixed translation identifies the speaker as the person who does not want to interrupt. Together, 아직 일하고 있는 사람들을 means “the people who are still working,” with 아직 modifying the ongoing state expressed by 일하고 있는. 방해하고 싶지 않아요 says that the speaker does not want to interrupt them. Thus the whole utterance means: “I don’t want to interrupt people who are still working.”

4. 곧 회의가 다시 시작하니까 가능하면 짧게 통화하세요.

   The meeting restarts soon, so keep it brief if you can.

   곧

   soon

   회의

   meeting

   다시

   again

   시작하니까

   because it starts again

   가능하면

   if possible

   짧게

   briefly

   통화하세요

   please make a call

   More detail

   곧 means “soon” and places the meeting’s restart in the near future. It is a time adverb, so it can modify different actions: for example, 곧 시작해요 means “It starts soon.” 회의 means “meeting.” The noun itself does not mark whether this is one meeting or more than one; that information comes from context or other words. In this sentence, the fixed translation identifies it as the meeting that will restart. 다시 means “again” or “anew.” It shows that 시작하다 is happening after an earlier start or interruption, rather than being the first start. For example, 수업이 다시 시작해요 means “The class starts again.” 시작하니까 is the form of 시작하다 (“to start”) combined with -(으)니까, which presents the following situation as a reason: “because it starts.” The stem 시작하- takes -니까 here, giving 시작하니까. In this utterance, 다시 supplies the “again” meaning, while 시작하니까 supplies the reason relation. -(으)니까 can also connect a reason to a request or instruction, as it does here. 가능하면 means “if possible” or “if you can.” It is formed from 가능하다 (“to be possible”) with -면, a conditional ending. This wording makes the request conditional rather than asserting that the listener definitely can do it. For example, 가능하면 오늘 와 주세요 means “If possible, please come today.” 짧게 means “briefly” or “in a short way.” It is the adverbial form of the descriptive verb 짧다 (“to be short”): 짧다 → 짧게. Here it describes how the phone conversation should be conducted, not the physical size of an object. For example, 짧게 말해 주세요 means “Please speak briefly.” 통화하세요 is a polite request or instruction meaning “please make a phone call” or “please talk on the phone.” It is based on the noun 통화 (“phone conversation/call”) with the verb 하다 (“to do”) and the polite ending -세요: 통화하다 → 통화하세요. The ending addresses the listener politely; it does not itself mean “soon,” “briefly,” or “if possible.” Together, 곧 회의가 다시 시작하니까 gives the reason: “because the meeting will start again soon.” 가능하면 짧게 limits the requested manner: “briefly, if you can.” The whole utterance therefore means: “The meeting restarts soon, so keep it brief if you can.”

5. 제가 정확히 제시간에 돌아오지 못하면, 제가 놓치는 내용을 기록해 주실 수 있나요?

   If I'm not back exactly on time, could you keep track of anything I miss?

   제가

   I (subject)

   정확히

   exactly

   제시간에

   on time

   돌아오지 못하면

   if [someone] cannot return

   놓치는

   missing

   내용

   content; details

   기록해

   record; write down

   주실 수 있나요?

   could you do this for me?

   More detail

   제가 is 저 (“I,” a humble/polite first-person form) plus the subject particle 가. Here it identifies the speaker as the person who may not return. 저 contrasts with 나, which is the plain first-person form used in less formal settings. Example: 제가 할게요. — “I’ll do it.” 정확히 is an adverb meaning “exactly” or “precisely.” Here it specifies how strictly the return time is being judged: exactly on time. 제시간에 means “on time.” It consists of 제시간 (“the proper or scheduled time”) and the location/time particle 에. Example: 제시간에 도착했어요. — “I arrived on time.” 돌아오지 못하면 expresses “if [someone] cannot return.” The base verb is 돌아오다 (“to return”); 돌아오지 못하다 means “to be unable to return,” with 못 marking inability. The ending -면 makes a condition: “if/when.” Thus this is not simply “if someone does not return”; it presents inability to return as the condition. Example: 오늘 돌아오지 못하면 연락할게요. — “If I can’t return today, I’ll contact you.” 놓치는 comes from 놓치다, “to miss” or “fail to catch,” with the attributive ending -는. It modifies the following noun, so it means “that [someone] misses.” In this sentence, the translation identifies the speaker as the person who misses the information. Example: 놓치는 부분을 다시 읽으세요. — “Read again the part you miss.” 내용 means “content,” “information,” or “details.” Here it refers to information that the speaker may miss, rather than specifying a particular item. A useful related contrast is 내용 for the substance or details of something and 정보 for information as data or knowledge; they are not interchangeable in every context. 기록해 is the connective form of 기록하다, “to record” or “write down.” The ending -해 connects this verb to the following helping verb, forming 기록해 주다: “to record it as a favor for someone.” Example: 주소를 기록해 주세요. — “Please write down the address.” 주실 수 있나요? is a polite ability-based request. 주다 means “to give,” but in -아/어 주다 it indicates doing an action as a favor. Here 주시- includes the honorific marker -시-, and -ㄹ 수 있나요? asks whether the listener can do it. The complete pattern is 동사-아/어 주실 수 있나요? — “Could you please do [the action] for me?” Together, 제가 정확히 제시간에 돌아오지 못하면 sets the condition “if I cannot return exactly on time.” 제가 놓치는 내용 identifies the information that I miss, and 기록해 주실 수 있나요? politely asks the listener to record it as a favor. The whole utterance means: “If I’m not back exactly on time, could you keep track of anything I miss?”

6. 그렇게 할게요. 하지만 통화가 더 길어지면 저에게 메시지를 보내세요.

   I can do that, but message me if the call takes longer.

   그렇게

   that way

   할게요

   I’ll do it

   하지만

   but

   통화

   call

   더

   more

   길어지면

   if it gets longer

   저에게

   to me

   메시지를

   a message

   보내세요

   please send

   More detail

   그렇게 means “that way” or “like that.” It is an adverb describing how an action is done. Here it points to the action understood from the exchange. A reusable pattern is 그렇게 하다, “do it that way.” 할게요 is 하다 (“to do”) plus -ㄹ게요. It presents the speaker’s intention or commitment, often in response to another person’s request: “I’ll do it.” This ending is not simply a future-tense marker; it commonly signals what the speaker undertakes to do. Example: 제가 확인할게요. — “I’ll check.” 하지만 is a conjunction meaning “but” or “however.” It contrasts the commitment in the first sentence with the condition and request that follow. 통화 is a noun meaning “phone call” or “call.” It can occur in 통화하다, “to have a phone call.” 더 means “more” or “further.” Here it indicates a greater degree of length, giving the sense “longer.” 길어지면 comes from 길어지다, “to become longer,” plus -면, “if/when.” It describes a change into a longer state rather than simply describing something as long. -면 introduces a condition: 비가 오면 means “if/when it rains.” 저에게 is 저 (“I/me,” the humble first-person form) plus 에게, which marks the recipient or person something is directed to. Here it means “to me.” 저 contrasts with the less formal 나; 에게 marks the recipient relation, not the message’s content. 메시지를 is 메시지 (“message”) plus -를, the object marker. It marks the thing being sent. The recipient is expressed separately by 저에게; the sender is understood from the situation rather than expressed in this phrase. 보내세요 comes from 보내다, “to send,” with the polite request ending -세요. It means “please send” here. Example: 사진을 보내세요. — “Please send the photo.” With 메시지를 and 저에게, it means “send a message to me.” Together, 그렇게 할게요 means “I’ll do that.” 하지만 introduces a contrast. 통화가 더 길어지면 means “if the call takes longer,” with 통화 as the subject and -면 marking the condition. 저에게 메시지를 보내세요 means “please send me a message.” The whole utterance therefore means: “I can do that, but message me if the call takes longer.”

7. 그럴게요. 다음 안건이 시작되기 전에 돌아와야 해요.

   I will. I should be back before the next agenda item.

   그럴게요

   I will.

   다음

   next

   안건

   agenda item

   시작되기 전에

   before it starts

   돌아와야 해요

   need to come back

   More detail

   그럴게요 means “I will do that.” It is a reusable commitment pattern: 그럴게요 comes from 그러다 (“to do so/to act that way”) with -(으)ㄹ게요, which commonly marks the speaker’s willingness or promise to do something. It is not just a neutral prediction about the future. Here, the fixed translation and preceding context show that it refers to the action already understood from the earlier exchange. 다음 means “next” here and is placed before the noun it describes: 다음 안건 means “the next agenda item.” It can also be used in other contexts as a noun meaning “the next one,” but here it directly modifies 안건. 안건 means “an agenda item,” a topic or matter scheduled for discussion. For example, 첫 번째 안건 means “the first agenda item.” 시작되기 전에 expresses “before it starts.” The base form 시작되다 means “to begin” or “to be started”; -기 전에 is the reusable pattern “before doing something” or “before an event occurs.” In this sentence, 다음 안건이 is the explicitly marked subject of 시작되기, so the phrase means “before the next agenda item starts.” 돌아와야 해요 means “need to come back” or, as translated here, “should be back.” The base verb is 돌아오다, “to return/come back.” It combines with -아야 하다, a pattern expressing necessity: -아야 해요 means “have to” or “need to.” In 돌아와야, 돌아오다 appears with the combined form 돌아와; the full lexical verb is 돌아오다, not just 오다. The fixed translation identifies the omitted subject as the speaker. Together, 다음 안건이 시작되기 전에 sets the time by which the return must occur: “before the next agenda item starts.” 돌아와야 해요 states the speaker’s need to return by that time. With the initial commitment, the whole utterance means: “I will. I should be back before the next agenda item.”

8. 휴식 시간 후 첫 부분은 간단한 업데이트예요.

   The first part after the break is just a quick update.

   휴식 시간

   break time

   후

   after

   첫

   first

   부분

   part

   간단한

   brief; simple

   업데이트

   update

   예요

   is

   More detail

   휴식 시간 means “break time.” 휴식 means “rest,” and 시간 means “time”; together they form a noun phrase referring to the break. 후 means “after” when it follows a noun or noun phrase. The reusable pattern N 후 means “after N,” so 휴식 시간 후 means “after the break.” 뒤 can also express “after” in suitable contexts, but 후 is the compact time expression used here. 첫 means “first” and is used before a noun as an attributive modifier. For example, 첫 수업 means “the first class,” and 첫날 means “the first day.” 첫 번째 is another way to say “first,” especially when items are explicitly numbered. 부분 means “part” or “section.” It can combine with an ordinal or descriptive modifier; for example, 두 번째 부분 means “the second part.” 간단한 means “simple” or “brief” here, describing 업데이트. It is the noun-modifying form of 간단하다: 간단하다 → 간단한 before a noun. In this sentence, it describes an update that is brief or uncomplicated. 업데이트 is the borrowed noun “update.” Here it refers to the update identified as the first part. In other contexts, it can refer more generally to newly provided information. 예요 is the polite present form of the copula, meaning “is” after a noun. 업데이트 has no final consonant in its Korean syllable structure, so 예요 is used. After a consonant-final noun, the corresponding form is commonly 이에요, as in 학생이에요 (“[someone] is a student”). The meaningful structure is 휴식 시간 후 (“after the break”) + 첫 부분 (“the first part”) + 은 (topic marker) + 간단한 업데이트 (“a brief update”) + 예요 (“is”). Together, these say: “The first part after the break is just a quick update.” The polite ending suits ordinary polite conversation.

9. 도움이 되네요. 이제 밖으로 나갈게요.

   That helps. I'll step outside now.

   도움이 되네요

   That helps

   이제

   now

   밖으로

   outside

   나갈게요

   I’ll step outside

   More detail

   도움이 되네요 means “That helps” here. 도움 is “help,” and 도움이 되다 is the reusable expression “to be helpful” or “to help.” The ending -네요 presents the speaker’s recognition or immediate impression, so 도움이 되네요 conveys noticing that something is helpful. 이제 means “now” and places the following action at the present point or next stage. For example, 이제 시작해요 means “We’re starting now.” 밖으로 means “to the outside” or “outward.” 밖 is “outside,” and the particle -으로 marks the direction or destination. This directional meaning differs from simply locating something outside, as in a form meaning “outside” without movement. 나갈게요 is the polite form of 나가다, “to go out” or “to leave.” The form contains 나가- plus -ㄹ게요. With a first-person subject, -ㄹ게요 commonly expresses the speaker’s intention or commitment, often understood as “I’ll …” in the situation. It is not merely a neutral statement that an event will occur. For example, 먼저 갈게요 means “I’ll go first.” Together, 이제 밖으로 나갈게요 means “I’ll step outside now”: 이제 sets the timing, 밖으로 gives the outward destination, and 나갈게요 states the speaker’s intended action. The preceding 도움이 되네요 first expresses the speaker’s recognition that something is helpful, and the utterance as a whole then says that the speaker will go outside now.

10. 필요한 만큼 시간을 쓰되 시계를 계속 확인하세요.

    Take the time you need, but keep an eye on the clock.

    필요한

    needed

    만큼

    as much as; to the extent that

    시간

    time

    쓰되

    use, but

    시계를

    the clock

    계속

    continuously

    확인하세요

    check; keep an eye on

    More detail

    필요한 is the form of 필요하다 (“to be necessary” or “to be needed”) used before a noun or noun-like expression. Here, 필요한 만큼 means “as much as is needed”; 필요한 is not a past-tense form. Korean descriptive predicates such as 필요하다 do not change for grammatical gender. 만큼 marks an amount or degree that matches a standard: 필요한 만큼 is a reusable pattern meaning “as much as needed” or “to the extent needed.” Example: 원하는 만큼 드세요. — “Eat as much as you want.” 시간 means “time.” With the object marker in 시간을, it is the thing being spent or used. 시간을 쓰다 means “to spend/use time”; in this sentence, 쓰다 has that meaning, not one of its other possible meanings in different contexts. Example: 이 일에 시간을 많이 썼어요. — “I spent a lot of time on this task.” 쓰되 comes from 쓰다 plus the connective ending -되. It means “use/spend, but…” or “use/spend while…” and sets up the contrasting instruction that follows. The ending does not change the subject by itself. Example: 천천히 하되 조심하세요. — “Do it slowly, but be careful.” 시계를 consists of 시계 (“clock” or “watch”) plus the object marker 를. In this utterance, the fixed translation identifies the intended object as “the clock.” The marker shows that it is the thing being checked; it does not itself express English-style definiteness. 계속 is an adverb meaning “continuously” or “repeatedly.” It modifies 확인하세요, so the checking should continue rather than happen only once. Example: 계속 연습하세요. — “Keep practicing.” 확인하세요 is the polite directive form of 확인하다, “to check” or “to confirm.” The ending -(으)세요 makes a respectful request or instruction, so 시계를 계속 확인하세요 means “keep checking the clock” or, naturally, “keep an eye on the clock.” Together, 필요한 만큼 시간을 쓰되 means “spend as much time as needed, but,” and 시계를 계속 확인하세요 means “keep checking the clock.” The complete utterance therefore means: “Take the time you need, but keep an eye on the clock.”