Dealing with a Cracked Phone Screen | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 휴대폰을 떨어뜨렸는데, 화면에 금이 갔지만 아직 작동해.

   I dropped my phone, and the screen is cracked but still works.

   휴대폰

   phone

   떨어뜨렸는데

   dropped it, and

   화면

   screen

   금이 갔지만

   a crack appeared, but

   아직

   still

   작동해

   works

   More detail

   휴대폰 means “phone” here. In 휴대폰을, the particle 을 marks it as the object of the following action. Korean object particles vary with the noun’s final sound: 을 follows a consonant, while 를 follows a vowel. Example: 책을 읽어요 — “I read a book.” 떨어뜨렸는데 comes from 떨어뜨리다, “to drop something,” not simply “to fall.” 떨어뜨렸- is the past form, and -는데 connects this clause to what follows, providing background for the next information. Example: 컵을 떨어뜨렸는데 깨졌어요. — “I dropped the cup, and it broke.” 화면 means “screen.” In 화면에, 에 marks the place or surface where the crack appears. Example: 화면에 글자가 보여요. — “Letters are visible on the screen.” 금이 갔지만 uses 금이 가다, the ordinary expression for “to develop a crack” or “to become cracked.” 금 means “crack” and is the subject of this expression; 화면에 identifies the surface where the crack formed. Together, they describe the screen as cracked. 갔- is the past form of 가다, and -지만 adds “but.” Example: 유리창에 금이 갔지만 아직 안전해요. — “The window is cracked, but it is still safe.” 아직 means “still” here: the phone continues to work despite the crack. Example: 아직 비가 와요. — “It is still raining.” 작동해 comes from 작동하다, “to operate” or “to work.” Here it is the present plain conversational form of this 하다 verb. It is not the polite 작동해요; 작동해 is appropriate in plain informal speech when the context permits it. With a device as the subject, it means that the device functions. Example: 이 버튼은 작동해요. — “This button works.” Putting the chunks together: 휴대폰을 떨어뜨렸는데 says “I dropped my phone,” 화면에 금이 갔지만 says “the screen got cracked, but,” and 아직 작동해 says “it still works.” The whole utterance means: “I dropped my phone, and the screen is cracked but still works.”

2. 손상이 더 심해지기 전에 데이터를 백업해.

   Back up your data before the damage gets worse.

   손상

   damage

   더

   more

   심해지기

   getting worse

   전에

   before

   데이터

   data

   백업해

   back up

   More detail

   손상 means “damage.” It is a noun; in the sentence, 손상이 adds the subject marker 이, marking the damage as what becomes more severe. A useful related verb is 손상되다, “to be damaged,” but the observed form here is the noun, not that verb. 더 means “more” and increases the degree of the following description. It can be used with change or comparison: 더 커지다 means “become bigger,” while 덜 커지다 means “become less big.” 심해지기 comes from 심해지다, “to become severe” or “to get worse.” The ending -기 turns the verb into a noun-like form. Here, 심해지기 전에 means “before [it] gets worse.” The change is expressed by -어지다: 심하다 means “severe,” whereas 심해지다 means “become severe.” 전에 means “before.” In this pattern, V-기 전에 places one action or event before another: 자기 전에 이를 닦아 means “Brush your teeth before going to sleep.” The relevant event here is the damage becoming worse; the sentence does not specify a separate subject for that event because the intended meaning is clear from the context. 데이터 means “data.” It is a noun commonly used for stored digital information. In 데이터를, the object marker 를 shows that the data is what should be backed up. 백업해 comes from the borrowed noun 백업 plus the verb 하다: 백업하다, “to back up.” 백업해 is the informal 해체 imperative, telling the listener to perform the action. The final -해 is the form of 하다 used in this command style. For example, 파일을 백업해 means “Back up the file.” Together, 손상이 더 심해지기 전에 means “before the damage gets worse,” and 데이터를 백업해 means “back up your data.” The whole utterance is an informal instruction: “Back up your data before the damage gets worse.”

3. 지금 할게. 깨진 유리 때문에 불안해.

   I will do that now. The broken glass is making me nervous.

   지금

   now

   할게

   I’ll do it

   깨진

   broken

   유리

   glass

   때문에

   because of

   불안해

   nervous

   More detail

   지금 means “now” and places the action at the present time. It commonly appears before the action: 지금 시작해. means “Start now.” 할게 comes from 하다 (“to do”) plus -ㄹ게, as in 할게요 in a polite style. Here, -ㄹ게 presents the speaker’s intention or commitment to do something, so 할게 means “I’ll do it” in this context. The subject is the speaker, and the omitted object is understood from the situation. Compare 할 거야, which more generally states “I’m going to do it” or “I will do it”; -ㄹ게 more directly sounds like a commitment to the other person. 깨진 is the form of 깨지다 (“to break; to become broken”) used before a noun. It describes a resulting state: 깨진 유리 is “broken glass.” The ending -ㄴ makes this verb an attributive form referring to a completed change or resulting condition. This is different from 깨는, from 깨다 (“to break something” or “to wake someone”), which would describe an ongoing or habitual action rather than the glass’s resulting state. 유리 means “glass.” In 깨진 유리, it is the noun being described by 깨진. A useful example is 유리문 (“glass door”), where 유리 specifies the material. 때문에 marks a cause and means “because of” when it follows a noun. Thus 깨진 유리 때문에 means “because of the broken glass.” A noun plus 때문에 can be used in other sentences as well: 비 때문에 늦었어. means “I was late because of the rain.” 불안해 is the informal plain form of the descriptive word 불안하다, meaning “to feel anxious” or “to be nervous.” The ending -해 is the present informal form of this 하다-type descriptive word. For example, 결과가 불안해. means “I’m anxious about the result.” The form describes the speaker’s anxious state here; it does not by itself specify a separate cause. Together, 지금 할게 means “I’ll do that now,” with -ㄹ게 expressing the speaker’s commitment. 깨진 유리 때문에 불안해 means “The broken glass is making me nervous”: 깨진 유리 identifies the cause, 때문에 marks that cause, and 불안해 describes the speaker’s resulting anxious state. The whole utterance is therefore: “I will do that now. The broken glass is making me nervous.”

4. 임시 화면 보호 필름을 붙이고, 화면을 세게 누르지 마.

   Put on a temporary screen protector and avoid pressing hard on it.

   임시

   temporary

   화면

   screen

   보호

   protection

   필름

   film

   붙이고

   put on; attach

   세게

   hard; strongly

   누르지 마

   don't press

   More detail

   임시 means “temporary” here and can be placed directly before a noun to describe something intended for limited or interim use. For example, 임시 비밀번호 means “temporary password.” 화면 means “screen.” It is a noun that commonly combines with words for screen-related actions or objects, such as 화면을 보다 (“look at the screen”). 보호 means “protection.” In 화면 보호, it functions as a noun modifier inside a compound meaning “screen protection.” Korean often places such modifying nouns before the noun they help specify. 필름 means “film.” In this utterance, 임시 화면 보호 필름 is a compound noun phrase: “a temporary screen-protection film,” or naturally, “a temporary screen protector.” The meaningful order is 임시 + 화면 보호 + 필름. 붙이고 comes from the transitive verb 붙이다, “to attach, stick on, or apply.” The ending -고 connects this action to the following instruction, so 붙이고 means “attach/apply it and then…” or “after attaching/applying it….” The intransitive related form 붙다 means “be attached/stick,” while 붙이다 describes someone attaching something. 세게 means “hard” or “strongly” as an adverb. It is the adverbial form of 세다, “to be strong.” Compare 세게 누르다, “press hard,” with 살살 누르다, “press gently.” 누르지 마 is a prohibition: “don’t press.” The verb is 누르다, “to press,” and -지 마 is a common pattern for telling someone not to do something. For example, 만지지 마 means “don’t touch.” Here, the object of pressing is omitted in Korean; the fixed translation makes clear that the instruction concerns the relevant screen-protector/screen surface. Together, 임시 화면 보호 필름을 붙이고 means “put on a temporary screen protector,” with -을 marking the film as the object of 붙이다. 화면을 세게 누르지 마 means “don’t press the screen hard,” with -을 marking the screen as the object of 누르다. The complete utterance is therefore: “Put on a temporary screen protector and avoid pressing hard on it.”

5. 수리 서비스에서 확인할 때까지 계속 사용해도 될까?

   Should I keep using it until a repair service checks it?

   수리 서비스

   repair service

   확인할 때까지

   until (someone) checks it

   계속

   continuously; keep on

   사용해도 될까?

   May I use it?

   More detail

   수리 서비스 means “repair service.” 수리 is “repair,” and 서비스 is “service”; together they name the service involved here. In 수리 서비스에서, 에서 marks the place or organization associated with an action. Here, the fixed translation presents the repair service as the one that checks the item. 확인할 때까지 means “until [the repair service] checks it.” 확인하다 is the base form “to check/verify,” and 확인할 is its modifier form before 때까지: 확인하다 → 확인할. 때까지 marks the endpoint up to which something continues. The subject of 확인할 is not separately stated in Korean; the fixed translation supports understanding it as the repair service. Example: 의사가 확인할 때까지 기다려. — “Wait until the doctor checks it.” 계속 means “continuously” or “keep on.” It describes an action continuing over time. Here it modifies 사용하다, so the intended idea is continuing to use the item rather than stopping immediately. Example: 비가 와도 계속 걸었어. — “I kept walking even though it rained.” 사용해도 될까? is a permission-seeking question: “Would it be okay if I use it?” 사용하다 means “to use.” In this form, 사용해도 되다 means “be allowed to use”; -아/어도 되다 expresses permission, and -ㄹ까? turns the speaker’s question or uncertainty into a request for confirmation. 사용해도 될까? is a less formal conversational form; a more polite version is 사용해도 될까요? The object is omitted in Korean and is understood here from the situation and the fixed translation as the item under discussion. Putting the parts together, 수리 서비스에서 확인할 때까지 sets the endpoint: until the repair service checks the item. 계속 사용해도 될까? asks whether continued use is permitted. The whole utterance therefore means, “Should I keep using it until a repair service checks it?” It asks for permission or confirmation about continuing to use the item during that interval.

6. 간단한 일에만 사용해. 떨어진 유리 조각에 손가락을 베일 수 있으니까.

   Use it only for simple tasks, because loose glass can cut your finger.

   간단한

   simple

   일

   task

   에만

   only for

   사용해

   use it

   떨어진

   loose

   유리

   glass

   조각

   shard

   손가락

   finger

   베일

   be cut

   수 있으니까

   because it can

   More detail

   간단한 comes from the adjective 간단하다, “to be simple.” The ending -한 makes it modify a following noun, so 간단한 일 means “simple tasks/work.” Compare 간단하다 in 일이 간단해요 (“The task is simple”); 간단한 is the noun-modifying form. 일 means “work” or “a task.” In this utterance, the translation supports the task-related meaning. A useful reusable pattern is 형용사 + 일, such as 어려운 일 (“a difficult task”), where 어려운 modifies 일. 에만 combines 에, which marks a relevant target or purpose such as “for,” with 만, “only.” Here it limits the permitted use to simple tasks: 간단한 일에만 means “only for simple tasks.” 만 attaches to the element being limited, so its placement helps show what is exclusive. 사용해 comes from 사용하다, “to use.” In this sentence it is an informal, non-honorific imperative meaning “use it”; the item is understood from the surrounding context. The ending -해 is the 해체 command form here, not a polite honorific form. For example, 이 도구를 사용해 means “Use this tool.” 떨어진 comes from 떨어지다, “to fall” or “to become detached.” Its -ㄴ form modifies 유리 조각, giving the sense “loose” or “detached” glass. The form describes the glass’s state; it does not itself mean that someone dropped it. For example, 바닥에 떨어진 책 means “a book that has fallen onto the floor.” 유리 means “glass.” It is placed before 조각 to specify the material of the piece: 유리 조각 is “a piece or shard of glass.” 조각 means “piece,” and with a hard material such as glass it can mean “shard” or “fragment.” The expression 유리 조각 therefore identifies the potentially sharp glass fragment, rather than glass as a general material. 손가락 means “finger.” In 손가락을, this noun identifies the finger affected in the cutting event intended by the fixed translation. The form does not specify which particular finger. 베일 comes from 베이다, commonly meaning “to be cut” or “to get cut.” It is distinct from transitive 베다, “to cut” something. In 베일 수 있다, 베일 is the form used before 수 있다 in the possibility construction. 수 있으니까 contains the possibility pattern -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 plus the reason ending -(으)니까. -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 expresses possibility or ability, and -으니까 gives a reason, “because.” Thus 손가락을 베일 수 있으니까 means “because [the glass] can cut your finger” in the fixed translation’s intended reading. The Korean wording presents a possible cutting event involving the finger; the translation makes the glass the cause and the finger the affected participant. Together, 간단한 일에만 사용해 gives the instruction “Use it only for simple tasks.” 떨어진 유리 조각에 손가락을 베일 수 있으니까 supplies the reason: loose glass can cut your finger. The whole utterance is therefore: “Use it only for simple tasks, because loose glass can cut your finger.”

7. 케이스에 넣고 조심해서 들고 다닐 수 있어.

   I can keep it in a case and carry it carefully.

   케이스

   case

   넣고

   put in, and

   조심해서

   carefully

   들고 다닐

   carry around

   수 있어

   can

   More detail

   케이스 means “case” here, specifically the container in which the item can be kept. It is a borrowed noun. In 케이스에, the particle -에 marks the destination or place: 케이스에 넣다 means “put [something] in a case.” The item being put in the case is understood from the context and is not stated in this utterance. 넣고 comes from 넣다, “to put in” or “insert.” The ending -고 connects this action to the next one: A하고 B하다 means “do A and B.” Thus 케이스에 넣고 means “put it in a case and …” The object is omitted because the fixed translation identifies it as “it.” 조심해서 comes from 조심하다, “to be careful” or “to handle with care.” The form 조심해서 makes this an adverbial instruction about how the following action is carried out: “carefully.” For example, 조심해서 열어. means “Open it carefully.” 들고 다닐 represents the reusable pattern 들고 다니다, “carry around” or “take along while holding.” 들다 means “hold” or “carry,” and 다니다 adds the idea of moving around while doing so. In this sentence, 들고 다닐 is the form used before 수 있다 in 들고 다닐 수 있다; it does not by itself mean that the carrying has already happened. For example, 이 가방은 매일 들고 다닐 수 있어. means “I can carry this bag around every day.” 수 있어 is the affirmative form of 수 있다, a construction expressing ability or possibility. Here, the fixed translation makes the intended reading personal ability: “I can.” The subject is omitted in Korean, as is common when it is understood from context. -ㄹ/을 수 있다 follows a verb form and means “can” or “be able to”; its negative counterpart is -ㄹ/을 수 없다, “cannot.” Together, 케이스에 넣고 gives the first action, 조심해서 describes the manner of the carrying, and 들고 다닐 수 있어 says that this is possible for the understood speaker. The whole utterance means: “I can put it in a case and carry it around carefully.”

8. 수리 일정을 잡는 동안에는 그렇게 하면 위험을 줄일 수 있을 거야.

   That should lower the risk while you arrange the repair.

   수리

   repair

   일정

   schedule

   잡는

   arranging; setting

   동안에는

   while; during

   그렇게

   that way

   하면

   if you do

   위험

   risk; danger

   줄일

   reduce

   수 있을 거야

   should be able to

   More detail

   수리 means “repair.” It is a noun and can modify another noun directly, as in 수리 일정, “repair schedule.” A useful contrast is 수리하다, “to repair,” which is the verb form; 수리 itself is the repair as a matter or event. 일정 means “schedule.” In 수리 일정, it specifies what the schedule is for. Example: 일정을 확인해요. — “I check the schedule.” 잡는 comes from 잡다, “to set, arrange, or book” in this context. The -는 form lets the verb modify a noun: 잡는 일정 would mean “a schedule that [someone] sets,” although here 수리 일정을 잡는 is the larger phrase “arranging the repair schedule.” The same verb can have other meanings, such as “hold” or “catch,” depending on context. 동안에는 means “while; during,” with -는 adding a topic or contrastive focus to 동안에. Here it frames the period in which the action takes place: “while arranging the repair.” 동안 can also be used without this ending, as in 기다리는 동안 — “while waiting.” 그렇게 means “that way” or “like that.” It is an adverb pointing to a manner of doing something. Its exact external referent is not specified in this sentence, so the supported meaning is simply “in that way.” Example: 그렇게 하지 마세요. — “Please don’t do that.” 하면 comes from 하다, “do,” plus -면, which marks a condition: “if [someone] does [it].” In 그렇게 하면, the combination means “if you do it that way.” -면 is a reusable conditional pattern: 가면 means “if/when [someone] goes,” and 먹으면 means “if/when [someone] eats.” 위험 means “risk” or “danger.” Here it is the thing whose level can be lowered. Example: 위험이 있어요. — “There is a risk.” 줄일 comes from 줄이다, “reduce” or “lower.” The -ㄹ form here modifies 수 in the construction 줄일 수 있다, literally “there is a way/possibility to reduce,” or naturally “can reduce.” 줄다, “decrease,” is a different verb: 위험이 줄어요 means “the risk decreases,” whereas 위험을 줄여요 means “reduce the risk.” 수 있을 거야 is a form of -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 plus -ㄹ 거야. -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility, and -ㄹ 거야 presents an expected or predicted result in this informal style. Thus 줄일 수 있을 거야 means “should be able to reduce” or “will probably be able to lower,” rather than asserting an unavoidable result. Example: 이 방법이면 시간을 줄일 수 있을 거야. — “With this method, we should be able to reduce the time.” Putting the parts together, 수리 일정을 잡는 동안에는 sets the time frame, 그렇게 하면 gives the condition “if you do that,” and 위험을 줄일 수 있을 거야 says that reducing the risk should be possible. The whole utterance means: “That should lower the risk while you arrange the repair.”

9. 기다리지 말고 수리를 예약할게.

   I will book a repair instead of waiting.

   기다리지 말고

   rather than waiting

   수리

   repair

   예약할게

   I’ll book it

   More detail

   기다리지 말고 contains 기다리다, “to wait,” in the pattern -지 말고. This pattern excludes the first action and presents another action as the alternative: “rather than doing X, do Y” or “don’t do X; instead, do Y.” In this sentence it frames waiting as the action the speaker will not choose; it is not necessarily a command to the listener. Example: 늦지 말고 일찍 와. — “Don’t be late; come early.” 수리 means “repair” and is a noun. Depending on context, it can refer to the repair work or the repair service/arrangement. The related verb 수리하다 means “to repair,” but 수리 itself does not specify who will perform the repair. Example: 수리가 필요해. — “A repair is needed.” 예약할게 comes from 예약하다, “to book” or “to make a reservation.” The form is 예약하- plus the ending -ㄹ게, which appears as -ㄹ게 after a vowel and expresses the speaker’s willingness or commitment to do the action. Thus 예약할게 presents booking as what the speaker will do. The subject is understood as the speaker from this ending and the fixed translation, rather than being stated as a separate word. Example: 내가 자리를 예약할게. — “I’ll book the seats.” Together, 기다리지 말고 sets waiting aside, 수리 identifies what is being booked, and 예약할게 expresses the speaker’s commitment to book it. The complete meaning is: “I will book a repair instead of waiting.”

10. 휴대폰을 계속 사용하면 작은 금도 더 퍼질 수 있어.

    Small cracks can spread if you keep using the phone.

    휴대폰을

    the phone

    계속

    continuously; keep on

    사용하면

    if someone uses

    작은

    small

    금

    crack

    더

    further; more

    퍼질 수 있어

    can spread

    More detail

    휴대폰을 means “the phone” here. 휴대폰 is a noun meaning “mobile phone,” and -을 marks it as the object of the following action. The object marker is selected because the noun ends in a consonant; after a vowel, Korean uses -를 instead. 계속 means “continuously” or “ 계속.” It describes an action that goes on without stopping. In this sentence it modifies 사용하면, so the condition is continued phone use, not just one use. 사용하면 comes from 사용하다 (“to use”): 사용하- + -면 gives “if [someone] uses.” The conditional ending -(으)면 expresses a condition; after a vowel stem, as here, it appears as -면. The subject is understood from context rather than stated in this form. 작은 is the noun-modifying form of the adjective 작다 (“to be small”). 작다 describes something as small, while 작은 is used directly before a noun: 작은 금 means “small crack(s)” in this sentence. Korean does not use this adjective form to mark the number of the noun. 금 means “crack” here, specifically a crack or split in a surface or object. Korean nouns generally do not require a separate plural ending, so the fixed translation’s “cracks” does not mean that 금 itself visibly marks plural number. 더 means “further” or “more.” It indicates an increase relative to the crack’s current extent, so it combines with 퍼질 to express spreading farther. It is not part of the meaning of 금 alone. 퍼질 수 있어 expresses “can spread.” 퍼지다 means “to spread” or “to widen/spread out”; its form before 수 is 퍼질. The pattern -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 expresses possibility or ability, and here 퍼질 수 있어 says that spreading is possible. 있어 is the informal ending of 있다 in this construction. The form does not itself assert that spreading will definitely happen. Together, 휴대폰을 계속 사용하면 gives the condition “if [someone] keeps using the phone,” and 작은 금도 더 퍼질 수 있어 gives the result “even a small crack can spread further.” The whole utterance therefore means: “Small cracks can spread if you keep using the phone.”