Renewing a Library Book When Online Access Fails | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 온라인으로 책 대출을 갱신하려고 했는데 계정이 열리지 않았어요.

   I tried to renew my book online, but my account wouldn't load.

   온라인으로

   online

   책

   book

   대출

   loan/borrowing

   갱신하려고 했는데

   tried to renew, but

   계정

   account

   열리지 않았어요

   wouldn't open/load

   More detail

   온라인으로 means “online” here. The particle -으로 marks the means or route: 온라인으로 신청하다 means “to apply online.” It is attached to 온라인, not to a hidden verb in the phrase itself. 책 means “book.” It is a noun and can be used directly before another noun to specify what kind: 책 대출 means “book borrowing” or “a book loan.” Example: 책을 읽어요. — “I read a book.” 대출 means “borrowing” or “loan,” especially a library loan in this context. It is a noun; the useful related verb is 대출하다, “to lend/loan,” while a borrower can also commonly use 빌리다, “to borrow.” In 책 대출, 책 identifies what is borrowed and 대출 names the borrowing process. Example: 대출 기간이 일주일이에요. — “The loan period is one week.” 갱신하려고 했는데 expresses an attempted or intended action followed by an unexpected contrasting result. 갱신 means “renewal,” and 갱신하다 is “to renew.” The form 갱신하려고 is 갱신하다 plus -(으)려고, used for an intention or an action one is trying to carry out. 했는데 is the past form of 하다 plus -는데; here it sets up the contrast “I tried/intended to do it, but …”. Example: 예약을 변경하려고 했는데 시간이 없었어요. — “I tried to change the reservation, but I didn’t have time.” 계정 means “account,” such as an online user account. The Korean sentence does not add a separate possessive word, but the fixed translation identifies this as the speaker’s account. Example: 계정이 필요해요. — “An account is needed.” 열리지 않았어요 means “didn’t open” or, for a website or account, “wouldn’t load.” 열리다 is the intransitive verb “to open/be opened,” whereas 열다 is the transitive verb “to open something.” The form 열리지 contains 열리다 plus -지, and 않았어요 adds past negation in a polite style: -지 않았어요 means “did not.” Example: 페이지가 열리지 않았어요. — “The page wouldn’t load.” Together, 온라인으로 책 대출을 갱신하려고 했는데 means “I tried to renew the book loan online, but …”: 대출을 marks the loan as the object of 갱신하다, and -려고 했는데 connects the attempted renewal to the problem that follows. 계정이 열리지 않았어요 says that the account would not open or load. The complete utterance therefore means: “I tried to renew my book online, but my account wouldn’t load.”

2. 반납 기한이 지나기 전에 도서관에 전화해 보세요.

   Call the library before the due date passes.

   반납

   returning (an item)

   기한

   deadline

   지나기 전에

   before it passes

   도서관

   library

   전화해 보세요

   please try calling

   More detail

   반납 means returning something to its owner or institution. In this sentence it is the return of the borrowed book, and it combines with 기한 to make 반납 기한, “return deadline” or “due date.” The related verb is 반납하다, “to return an item”: 책을 반납하다 means “to return a book.” 기한 is a set time limit or deadline. In 반납 기한, it identifies the deadline for returning the item. This differs from 기간, which means a period or span of time rather than the limit by which something must happen. 지나기 전에 contains 지나다, “to pass,” followed by -기 전에, “before doing something” or “before something happens.” Here the implicit subject of 지나기 is the return deadline: 반납 기한이 지나기 전에 means “before the return deadline passes.” The pattern 동사-기 전에 is reusable: 자기 전에 means “before going to sleep.” 도서관 means “library.” With the location particle 에 in 도서관에, it marks the library as the place or destination associated with the call: “call the library.” 전화해 보세요 combines 전화하다, “to call,” with -아/어 보다, which adds the meaning “try doing,” and the polite ending -세요. Thus it politely suggests trying to call. 전화해 보세요 is not merely a bare command to call; it presents calling as an action to try. The pattern 동사-아/어 보세요 is useful for polite suggestions, as in 확인해 보세요, “please try checking.” Together, 반납 기한이 지나기 전에 sets the time condition, 도서관에 identifies the place being called, and 전화해 보세요 gives the polite suggestion. The complete meaning is: “Please try calling the library before the due date passes.”

3. 그 책의 반납 기한이 오늘이라서 걱정돼요.

   I'm worried because the book is due today.

   그

   that

   책

   book

   반납

   return

   기한

   deadline

   오늘

   today

   이라서

   because it is

   걱정돼요

   I’m worried

   More detail

   그 comes before 책 and identifies it as a specific, identifiable book: “that book” or, naturally here, “the book.” Korean demonstratives such as 그 function as modifiers before a noun; this form does not show the noun’s number or gender. 책 means “book.” Its form does not change for singular and plural; plurality is understood from context or can be made explicit with another expression. 반납 means “return” in the sense of giving a borrowed item back. 기한 means “deadline” or “time limit.” Together in 그 책의 반납 기한, they mean “the book’s return deadline” or “the book’s due date.” The particle 의 links the book to its deadline. A useful contrasting expression is 대출 기간, “loan period,” which appears in the following context. 오늘 means “today.” In this sentence, it identifies the date of the deadline. 이라서 is the noun-based reason ending formed from 이다 (“to be”) plus -라서; after a noun, it means “because it is …” or “since it is ….” Thus 오늘이라서 means “because it is today.” Example: 오늘이라서 바빠요. means “I’m busy because it’s today.” 걱정돼요 is the polite present form of 걱정되다, meaning “to be worried” or “to feel concerned.” The ending -어요 makes it polite here. This form describes the speaker’s worried state; it is distinct from 걱정하다, which means “to worry about” something. Example: 시험이 걱정돼요. means “I’m worried about the exam.” Together, 그 책의 반납 기한이 오늘이라서 gives the reason—“because the book’s due date is today”—and 걱정돼요 gives the speaker’s resulting feeling. The whole utterance means “I’m worried because the book is due today.”

4. 도서관 직원이 로그인 문제가 있었다는 것을 확인할 수 있으면 대출 기간을 연장해 줄 수도 있어요.

   They may extend it if they can see there was a login problem.

   도서관

   library

   직원이

   staff member

   로그인

   login

   문제가

   problem

   있었다는 것을

   the fact that there was

   확인할 수 있으면

   if [someone] can confirm

   대출

   borrowing

   기간을

   period

   연장해

   extend

   줄 수도 있어요

   may do so

   More detail

   도서관 means “library.” It is a noun and combines with 직원 in 도서관 직원, “library staff member.” 직원이 means “staff member” as the subject. 직원 means “staff member” or “employee,” and 이 marks it as the subject because the noun ends in a consonant. The translation identifies this actor as “they”; Korean can leave that pronoun unspoken. 로그인 is the loanword “login.” It functions as a noun in 로그인 문제, “login problem.” 문제가 means “problem” as the subject of the following existence clause. 문제 means “problem,” and 가 marks it as the subject. Together, 로그인 문제가 introduces “a login problem.” 있었다는 것을 means “the fact that there was [one].” 있다 means “to exist” or, with a thing as subject, “there is/are”; its past form 있었다 means “there was/were.” The pattern -다는 것 turns a statement into a noun-like expression, and 것을 marks that expression as the object of 확인하다. 확인할 수 있으면 means “if [someone] can confirm.” 확인하다 means “to confirm” or “to check.” The pattern -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility: 확인할 수 있다 means “can confirm.” Adding -면 makes the condition “if.” 대출 means “borrowing” or “loan,” especially in a library context. It appears in the compound 대출 기간, “loan period.” 기간을 means “period” as the object. 기간 means “period” or “length of time,” and 을 marks it as the object of 연장하다. Thus 대출 기간을 means “the loan period.” 연장해 means “extend.” Its base verb is 연장하다, “to extend,” and 연장해 is the connective form before 주다. 기간을 연장하다 means “extend the period.” 줄 수도 있어요 expresses possibility: “may do so.” 주다 literally means “give,” but after another verb, as in 연장해 주다, it can indicate doing the action as a service or benefit for someone. The pattern -을 수도 있다 expresses one possible outcome, and 있어요 is the polite present form of 있다. Together, 도서관 직원이 로그인 문제가 있었다는 것을 확인할 수 있으면 means “if the library staff member can confirm that there was a login problem.” 대출 기간을 연장해 줄 수도 있어요 means “they may extend the loan period.” The whole utterance means: “They may extend it if they can see there was a login problem.”

5. 누군가 그 책을 예약해 두었다면 어떻게 해요?

   What if someone has reserved it?

   누군가

   someone

   그

   that; the one already identified

   책

   book

   예약해 두었다면

   if reserved and left in place

   어떻게 해요?

   what should we do?

   More detail

   누군가 means “someone”: it refers to an unspecified person. The form is useful when the speaker does not identify who the person is. For comparison, 누구 asks “who?”, while 누군가 presents an unknown person as the subject. Example: 누군가 전화했어요. — “Someone called.” 그 comes before 책 and identifies it as “that book” or “the book already identified.” Korean 그 is a demonstrative determiner, so it describes the noun that follows rather than naming the referent by itself. Here, the fixed translation supports understanding 그 책 as “it” in the translation. 책 is the noun “book.” In Korean, a noun can be followed directly by particles or other grammatical elements; in this sentence it is the object of 예약하다, “to reserve.” Example: 그 책을 읽어요. — “I read that book.” 예약해 두었다면 describes a reservation that someone made and left in place. The base verb is 예약하다, “to reserve.” Its 해 form is the connective form of 하다 in this compound: 예약해 두다 means “to reserve and leave it arranged,” often emphasizing that the result remains in effect. 두었다 is the past form of 두다 here, and the conditional ending in 두었다면 makes the whole clause conditional: “if ...” or “what if ...”. Thus, together with 누군가 and 그 책을, this phrase expresses “if someone has reserved it,” with the reservation treated as an existing condition. Example: 미리 예약해 두면 편해요. — “It is convenient if you reserve it in advance.” 어떻게 해요? literally asks “how do we do [it]?” In this sentence, it is the polite present form of 하다 used to ask what action is appropriate, so it naturally means “what should we do?” or “what do we do?” The question word 어떻게 asks about manner or procedure; it does not itself mean “what.” Example: 이 문제는 어떻게 해요? — “What should we do about this problem?” Together, 누군가 그 책을 sets up “someone” as the person who reserved “that book.” 예약해 두었다면 makes that completed, still-relevant reservation the condition, and 어떻게 해요? asks what action is appropriate. The whole utterance therefore means “What if someone has reserved it?” This is a polite conversational question. The conditional ending -다면 is reusable for presenting a hypothetical or possible situation before asking about the resulting action.

6. 그러면 아마 전화로도 대출 기간을 연장하지 못할 거예요.

   Then they probably won't be able to renew it, even by phone.

   그러면

   then; in that case

   아마

   probably

   전화로도

   even by phone

   대출

   loan

   기간

   period; duration

   연장하지

   renew; extend

   못할 거예요

   will not be able to

   More detail

   그러면 means “then” or “in that case.” It links this sentence to a preceding condition or situation. Example: 그러면 내일 만나요. — “Then, see you tomorrow.” 아마 means “probably” and marks the speaker’s uncertainty about the prediction. It commonly appears with a future-looking form such as -(으)ㄹ 거예요. 전화로도 combines 전화로, “by phone,” with 도, “also/even.” Here 도 gives the meaning “even by phone”: the phone method is included among the possibilities being considered. Example: 이메일로도 신청할 수 있어요. — “You can apply even by email.” 대출 means “a loan,” and in this sentence it refers to borrowing from a lending service such as a library. 기간 means “period” or “duration.” Together, 대출 기간 means “the loan period.” The noun 기간 can be used for many kinds of time spans, as in 이용 기간, “period of use.” 연장하지 contains the verb 연장하다, “to extend” or “renew,” in the form used in the inability pattern -지 못하다. The complete pattern 연장하지 못하다 means “be unable to extend.” The following 을 marks 대출 기간 as the object being extended. 못할 거예요 contains 못하다 followed by the prospective form -(으)ㄹ 거예요. In this sentence, -ㄹ 거예요 presents a future expectation or prediction, while 못하다 supplies the inability, so 못할 거예요 means “will not be able to.” With 아마, the complete prediction is softened to “will probably not be able to.” Example: 오늘은 만나지 못할 거예요. — “I probably won’t be able to meet today.” Putting the parts together: 그러면 sets the result as “then,” 아마 marks it as probable, 전화로도 adds “even by phone,” and 대출 기간을 연장하지 못할 거예요 says that the loan period will not be able to be extended. The subject is omitted in Korean; the fixed translation identifies it as “they.” The object of 연장하다 is not omitted: it is 대출 기간을, “the loan period,” corresponding to “it” in the translation. The sentence therefore means: “Then they probably won’t be able to renew it, even by phone.”

7. 제가 그 책을 계속 가지고 있어도 된다고 생각하기 전에 예약이 있는지 물어볼게요.

   I'll ask about holds before I assume I can keep it.

   제가

   I

   그

   that

   책

   book

   계속

   continuously; keep on

   가지고 있어도

   even if I keep it

   된다고

   that it is okay

   생각하기 전에

   before thinking

   예약

   hold; reservation

   있는지

   whether there is

   물어볼게요

   I’ll ask

   More detail

   제가 means “I” here. 저 is the polite/humble first-person form, and -가 marks it as the subject. The subject marker is attached to 저 as 제가, not to a following noun. 그 is a demonstrative meaning “that” and modifies the following noun. In this utterance, 그 책 corresponds to “it” in the fixed translation: the book already under discussion. The form 그 itself does not specify gender or number. 책 means “book.” It is a noun and can be used in reusable combinations such as 이 책 (“this book”) and 그 책 (“that book”). 계속 means “continuously” or “still/keep on,” depending on the construction. Here it emphasizes continuing to have the book rather than returning it immediately. 가지고 있어도 describes continuing to have or keep something. 가지다 means “to have/possess,” while 가지고 있다 literally builds a continuing state of having something. The ending -아/어도 adds “even if” or “although”: 가지고 있어도 = “even if I keep/have it.” Example: 이 책을 가지고 있어도 돼요. — “It is okay to keep this book.” 된다고 contains 되다 in the form 된다 plus -고, which marks quoted or reported content. In 가지고 있어도 된다고, it expresses the idea “that it is okay to keep it.” The pattern -아/어도 되다 means “it is okay to ...”: 가도 돼요 means “You may go” or “It is okay to go.” The -다고 form lets that proposition be used as the content of a verb such as 생각하다 (“think”). 생각하기 전에 uses 생각하다 (“to think”) with the nominalizing form -기, followed by 전에 (“before”). Thus -기 전에 is a reusable pattern meaning “before doing ...”: 자기 전에 means “before sleeping.” In the full sentence, the thought being postponed is the assumption that keeping the book is permitted. 예약 means “reservation” or, in this library context, a hold/request on the book. It is a noun; 예약이 있다 means “there is a reservation/hold.” The next context confirms that a hold would affect whether the book should be returned. 있는지 is 있다 (“exist; be present”) with -는지, which embeds an indirect yes-or-no question: 예약이 있는지 means “whether there is a hold.” The particle -이 marks 예약 as the subject of 있다. This differs from a direct question such as 예약이 있어요? (“Is there a hold?”), because -는지 lets the question function as the object of another verb. 물어볼게요 means “I’ll ask.” The verb is 물어보다, “to ask/inquire”; 묻다 (“to ask”) changes to 물어 before the vowel in this form, and 물어보다 is the resulting compound expression. The ending -ㄹ게요 presents the speaker’s intention or commitment to do something, often with the listener’s situation in mind. It is not simply a neutral prediction about the future. Putting the parts together: the speaker says that, before assuming it is permissible to continue keeping that book, they will ask whether a hold exists. The structure is roughly [whether there is a hold] 물어볼게요 (“I’ll ask whether there is a hold”), with the earlier -기 전에 clause stating what the speaker will do before making that assumption.

8. 예약이 있으면 오늘 반납하고 나중에 다시 빌리세요.

   If there is a hold, return it today and borrow it again later.

   예약

   hold / reservation

   있으면

   if there is / are

   오늘

   today

   반납하고

   return and

   나중에

   later

   다시

   again

   빌리세요

   please borrow

   More detail

   예약 means a reservation or, in this library context, a hold. The form is a noun, so 예약이 있다 literally expresses that a reservation/hold exists. The particle 이 marks it as the subject of 있다. 있으면 comes from 있다 “to exist/be present” plus the conditional ending -으면: 있다 → 있으면 (“if it exists / if there is one”). After a vowel, the related conditional form is -면, as in 가면 (“if [someone] goes”). Here the condition is the existence of a hold. 오늘 means “today,” the day on which the return is to happen. Example: 오늘 만나요. — “Let’s meet today.” 반납하고 comes from the verb 반납하다 “to return something to the library or another lender.” Its -고 ending links this action to the next one: 반납하고 … means “return it and …” or “after returning it, ….” Example: 책을 반납하고 집에 갔어요. — “I returned the book and went home.” 나중에 means “later” or “at a later time.” It is different from 오늘, which identifies the day; 나중에 leaves the later time less specific. Example: 나중에 다시 전화할게요. — “I’ll call again later.” 다시 means “again,” indicating that the borrowing happens another time after the return. It does not itself specify when; 나중에 supplies the later timing. 빌리세요 comes from 빌리다 “to borrow” plus the polite request/imperative ending -세요: 빌리다 → 빌리세요. It politely tells the listener to borrow something. This ending does not by itself specify how many people are being addressed. Example: 필요하면 우산을 빌리세요. — “If you need one, borrow an umbrella.” Together, 예약이 있으면 sets the condition “if there is a hold.” 오늘 반납하고 gives the first requested action, “return it today,” and 나중에 다시 빌리세요 gives the later action, “borrow it again later.” The whole utterance therefore means: “If there is a hold, return it today and borrow it again later.” The returned and reborrowed item is understood from the supplied context and translation as the book.

9. 도서관에 있는 동안 비밀번호도 재설정할게요.

   I'll reset my password while I'm there too.

   도서관에

   at the library

   있는 동안

   while being there

   비밀번호

   password

   도

   too; also

   재설정할게요

   I’ll reset it

   More detail

   도서관에 means “at the library.” 도서관 is “library,” and -에 marks a place where someone or something is located. The same location pattern is reusable: 학교에 means “at school,” while 집에 means “at home.” 있는 동안 means “while being there” in this sentence. 있다 is the base form meaning “to be” or “to be located”; 있는 is its present form used before a noun-like time expression, and 동안 means “during” or “while.” Together, -는 동안 forms a clause meaning “while ….” The understood subject of 있는 is the speaker, as shown by the fixed translation: “while I’m there.” Example: 공부하는 동안 음악을 들었어요. — “I listened to music while studying.” 비밀번호 means “password.” It is a noun and can be reused directly in phrases such as 비밀번호를 입력하다, “enter a password,” and 비밀번호를 바꾸다, “change a password.” 도 means “too” or “also.” It is attached directly to the word or phrase being added to an earlier or understood set. Here it follows 비밀번호, so the password-reset action is also included. 나도 means “me too,” whereas 비밀번호도 means “the password too.” 재설정할게요 means “I’ll reset it.” The verb base form is 재설정하다, “to reset”; 재설정할 contains the future-related form of 하다, and -게요 presents the action as the speaker’s intention or commitment in polite speech. The object is understood from 비밀번호, so the full meaning is “I’ll reset the password.” Example: 지금 확인할게요. — “I’ll check now.” Putting the parts together, 도서관에 있는 동안 sets the time and situation: “while I’m at the library.” 비밀번호도 adds password resetting as another included action, and 재설정할게요 expresses the speaker’s polite intention to reset it. The whole utterance therefore means: “I’ll reset my password while I’m there too.”

10. 그렇게 하면 다음에 갱신할 때는 스트레스를 덜 받을 거예요.

    That should make the next renewal less stressful.

    그렇게 하면

    if you do that

    다음에

    next time

    갱신할 때는

    when renewing

    스트레스를

    stress

    덜

    less

    받을 거예요

    will receive

    More detail

    그렇게 하면 combines 그렇게, “that way/doing that,” with 하면, the conditional form of 하다 (“do”) using -(으)면. It means “if you do that” or “if things are done that way.” In this exchange, “that” points back to the previously mentioned password reset. Example: 이렇게 하면 돼요. — “You can do it this way.” 다음에 means “next time” here. 다음 means “next,” and -에 marks the relevant time or occasion. Example: 다음에 만나요. — “Let’s meet next time.” 갱신할 때는 contains 갱신하다, “to renew,” in 갱신할, followed by 때, “time,” and the topic/contrast marker 는. The pattern 동사-(으)ㄹ 때 means “when doing” or “when one will do something”; it does not by itself assert that the action has already happened. Thus 갱신할 때 is “when renewing,” and 갱신할 때는 makes that situation the topic. Example: 계약을 갱신할 때 서류가 필요해요. — “You need documents when renewing the contract.” 스트레스를 is 스트레스, “stress,” with the object marker -를. Korean commonly uses 스트레스를 받다, literally “receive stress,” for “experience or feel stress.” The marker belongs to the noun, while the lexical verb in this expression is 받다, “to receive.” 덜 means “less” and modifies the following verb phrase. It indicates a smaller degree or amount, rather than negating the action. Its useful opposite is 더, “more.” Example: 오늘은 스트레스를 덜 받아요. — “I experience less stress today.” 받을 거예요 is the future or expectation form of 받다: 받다 → 받을 + 거예요. In this sentence, it expresses the speaker’s prediction that the person will experience less stress; it is not a guarantee. Example: 이번에는 도움을 받을 거예요. — “This time, I will receive help.” Together, 그렇게 하면 sets the condition, 다음에 갱신할 때는 identifies the next renewal as the relevant situation, and 스트레스를 덜 받을 거예요 predicts a lower level of stress. The whole utterance means: “That should make the next renewal less stressful.”