Rescheduling because of icy roads | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 도로가 얼어 있고 오늘 아침에는 시야도 좋지 않아요.

   The roads are icy, and visibility is poor this morning.

   도로

   road(s)

   얼어 있고

   is frozen, and

   오늘 아침에는

   this morning

   시야

   visibility

   좋지 않아요

   is not good; is poor

   More detail

   도로 means a road or roads in general; Korean does not require a plural ending here, so the context and translation support “the roads.” In the observed form 도로가, 가 marks 도로 as the subject of the first clause. The noun itself does not show number. 얼어 있고 comes from 얼다, “to freeze.” 얼어 is the connective form of that verb, and 있다 adds the idea of a resulting state being maintained: the roads are in a frozen or icy condition. The ending -고 connects this clause to the next one. A reusable pattern is 동사-고 ..., “do/be ..., and ...”; here the form specifically describes a state before linking onward. 오늘 아침에는 consists of 오늘 아침, “this morning,” plus 에는, a time expression marked with 에 and then 는. 에 places the situation in that time, while 는 presents that time as the topic or frame; it can also create contrast when the context supports one, but contrast is not required here. 시야 means visibility or the range one can see. In 시야도, the added 도 means “also/as well,” so visibility is another relevant condition in the sentence. The noun 시야 itself does not identify a particular person’s viewpoint; here it refers generally to visibility in the situation. 좋지 않아요 is the polite present form of the negative pattern 좋지 않다, from 좋다, “to be good.” The -지 않다 construction negates the adjective: 좋다 is “be good,” while 좋지 않다 is “not be good.” In this context, the natural result is “be poor” when describing visibility. -아요 gives the polite conversational ending; it does not add a separate past or future meaning. Together, 도로가 얼어 있고 says that the roads are frozen or icy, and 오늘 아침에는 시야도 좋지 않아요 adds that visibility is also poor this morning. The whole utterance therefore means: “The roads are icy, and visibility is poor this morning.”

2. 회의에 운전해서 가는 건 위험해 보여요.

   Driving to the meeting sounds risky.

   회의에

   to the meeting

   운전해서

   by driving

   가는 건

   going; as for going

   위험해

   risky; dangerous

   보여요

   looks; seems

   More detail

   회의에 means “to the meeting.” 회의 means “meeting,” and -에 marks a destination or endpoint. Example: 학교에 가요 means “I go to school.” 운전해서 comes from 운전하다, “to drive.” Here, -해서 connects the means of travel to 가다, so the meaning is “by driving.” The form results from 운전하- plus the -아서/어서 connective; with 하다, this contracts to 해서. Example: 버스를 타서 회사에 가요 means “I go to work by taking the bus.” 가는 건 is the shortened form of 가는 것은. 가다 means “to go,” and 가는 is its present attributive form before 것, turning the action into a noun-like expression: “going.” 것은 marks that expression as the topic, so 가는 건 means “as for going” or, more naturally here, “going.” The form 가는 belongs to 가다, not to 회의 or 운전. 위험해 comes from the descriptive verb 위험하다, “to be dangerous” or “to be risky.” Before 보여요, its -해 form connects with the construction -아/어 보이다, meaning “seem/look ….” Example: 길이 위험해 보여요 means “The road looks dangerous.” 보여요 comes from 보이다, “to appear” or “to look/seem.” In 위험해 보여요, it presents the assessment as an appearance or impression: “looks risky” or “seems dangerous,” rather than the more direct 위험해요, “is dangerous.” 보여요 is the polite present form used here. Together, 회의에 운전해서 means “by driving to the meeting,” and 가는 건 위험해 보여요 makes that activity the topic and says that it seems risky. The complete meaning is: “Driving to the meeting seems risky.”

3. 일정을 바꾸고 싶지는 않지만, 안전을 먼저 생각해야 해요.

   I hate to reschedule, but safety should come first.

   일정

   schedule

   바꾸고

   change; reschedule

   싶지는 않지만

   although I do not want to

   안전

   safety

   먼저

   first

   생각해야 해요

   should consider; must think about

   More detail

   일정 means a schedule or set of arrangements. In the sentence it appears as 일정을, with the object particle 을, so the schedule is what is being changed. Example: 일정을 확인해요. — “I check the schedule.” 바꾸고 comes from 바꾸다, “to change,” and its -고 form connects it to the following expression. Here, 바꾸고 싶다 is the reusable pattern “want to change,” so the context makes “reschedule” a natural translation. Example: 시간을 바꾸고 싶어요. — “I want to change the time.” 싶지는 않지만 combines 싶다 (“want to”), contrastive -지는 않다 (“do not, specifically”), and -지만 (“but/although”). With the preceding verb, 바꾸고 싶지는 않지만 means “although I do not want to change it.” The Korean wording expresses reluctance rather than literally saying “hate.” 안전 means “safety.” In 안전을, the object particle 을 marks safety as what is considered. Example: 안전을 생각하세요. — “Think about safety.” 먼저 means “first” or “before other considerations.” Here it indicates that safety is to be considered first in priority, not necessarily that it happens first in time. 생각해야 해요 is based on 생각하다, “to think” or “to consider.” The pattern -아/어야 하다 expresses necessity: 생각해야 하다 means “must consider.” 해요 is the polite present-style form of 하다, giving the sentence a polite tone. In this context, 생각해야 해요 is naturally rendered “should consider” or “must think about.” Example: 규칙을 생각해야 해요. — “We must consider the rules.” Together, 일정을 바꾸고 싶지는 않지만 says “although I do not want to reschedule,” while 안전을 먼저 생각해야 해요 says “safety must be considered first.” The whole utterance therefore means: “I hate to reschedule, but safety should come first.”

4. 지금 그들에게 메시지를 보내고 도로 상황을 분명하게 설명하세요.

   Message them now and explain the road conditions clearly.

   지금

   now

   그들에게

   to them

   메시지를

   a message

   보내고

   send and

   도로

   road

   상황

   conditions

   분명하게

   clearly

   설명하세요

   explain

   More detail

   지금 means “now” and places the action at the present time. It is a time adverb, so it can be moved to another position when the intended emphasis changes. 그들에게 means “to them.” 그들 is a third-person plural pronoun, and -에게 marks an animate recipient or target. The form 그들에게 therefore identifies the people who should receive the message; it is not the subject of the command. 메시지를 means “a message.” 메시지 is the noun, and the object particle -를 marks it as what is sent. A useful pattern is 명사 + 를/을 보내다, “send a noun.” 보내고 comes from 보내다, “to send,” plus the connective ending -고. Here -고 links “send” with the following command: “send … and explain ….” For example, 사진을 보내고 전화하세요 means “Send the photo and call.” 도로 means “road” in this sentence. It modifies the following noun in the compound 도로 상황, “road conditions.” 상황 means “situation” or “conditions.” In 도로 상황, it refers to the condition of the roads rather than to a person’s situation. The object particle is not attached directly to this noun because the whole noun phrase 도로 상황 is followed by the object marker in the source sentence. 분명하게 means “clearly.” It is the adverbial form of the descriptive verb 분명하다, “to be clear.” The ending -게 makes this form describe how an action is carried out: 분명하게 설명하다, “explain clearly.” 설명하세요 comes from 설명하다, “to explain,” with the polite command/request ending -세요. It addresses the listener respectfully and tells them to explain. The subject is understood from the command rather than stated in the sentence. Together, 지금 그들에게 메시지를 보내고 means “send them a message now,” and 도로 상황을 분명하게 설명하세요 means “explain the road conditions clearly.” The full utterance is a polite instruction: “Message them now and explain the road conditions clearly.”

5. 완전히 취소하는 대신 온라인으로 만나자고 제안해 볼까요?

   Should I suggest meeting online instead of canceling completely?

   완전히

   completely

   취소하는

   canceling

   대신

   instead of

   온라인으로

   online

   만나자고

   to meet, as a proposal

   제안해 볼까요?

   Shall I suggest it?

   More detail

   완전히 means “completely” here and modifies the cancellation action that follows. It is an adverb related to 완전하다 (“to be complete”). Example: 문을 완전히 닫았어요. — “I closed the door completely.” 취소하는 comes from the verb 취소하다 (“to cancel”). The ending -는 makes a present-action modifier; in 취소하는 대신, it presents canceling as the action being replaced. Example: 예약을 취소하는 대신 날짜를 바꿨어요. — “Instead of canceling the reservation, I changed the date.” 대신 forms the useful pattern 동사-는 대신(에), meaning “instead of doing something.” Here it connects canceling with the alternative that follows. 대신 can also mean “on someone’s behalf” in other constructions, but that is not its meaning here. 온라인으로 means “online.” The particle -으로 marks the method or medium, so 온라인으로 만나다 means “meet online.” Example: 우리는 온라인으로 수업을 들어요. — “We take a class online.” 만나자고 is built from 만나다 (“to meet”), the proposal ending -자 (“let’s ...”), and -고, which marks the content of a reported proposal. Thus 만나자고 제안하다 means “suggest meeting” or more literally “make a proposal saying, ‘Let’s meet.’” The -자 form proposes an action involving the speaker and the addressee; it is not the ordinary statement form for “meet.” 제안해 볼까요? contains 제안하다 (“to suggest/propose”) in its connected form 제안해, followed by auxiliary 보다 and -ㄹ까요?. The pattern -아/어 보다 presents trying an action, while -ㄹ까요? asks whether the speaker should do it or invites agreement about that action. In this sentence, the natural intended meaning is “Should I try suggesting it?” The object of 제안하다 is understood from the surrounding action: meeting online instead of canceling completely. Together, 완전히 취소하는 대신 sets up the replacement: “instead of canceling completely.” 온라인으로 만나자고 gives the content of the proposal: “that we meet online.” 제안해 볼까요? asks whether the speaker should make that suggestion. The whole utterance therefore means: “Should I suggest meeting online instead of canceling completely?”

6. 그러면 아무도 이동하지 않고도 일을 계속 진행할 수 있어요.

   That would keep the work moving without anyone traveling.

   그러면

   then; in that case

   아무도

   no one

   이동하지 않고도

   without traveling

   일

   work

   계속

   continuously; keep on

   진행할

   proceed; move forward

   수 있어요

   can; be able to

   More detail

   그러면 means “then” or “in that case.” It links this proposal to a condition or situation just mentioned. Example: 그러면 내일 만나요. — “Then let’s meet tomorrow.” 아무도 means “no one” in this sentence. 아무 (“any/no particular”) combines with 도; with a negative predicate, 아무도 means “no one.” Example: 아무도 오지 않았어요. — “No one came.” The negative meaning is completed by the following 않고도, not by 아무도 alone. 이동하지 않고도 means “without moving” or “without traveling.” 이동하다 is the base verb “to move/travel”; 이동하지 않다 negates it, and -고도 adds the meaning “even while/without doing.” The result says that the action can happen without anyone moving. Example: 집에서 이동하지 않고도 참여할 수 있어요. — “You can participate without traveling from home.” 일 means “work” or “the work.” In the full sentence, the following object marker 를 makes it the object of 진행하다; the quoted text itself contains only the noun 일. Example: 일이 많아요. — “There is a lot of work.” 계속 means “continuously” or “keep on.” It modifies the following action and shows that the work goes on rather than stopping. Example: 계속 공부해요. — “I keep studying.” 진행할 comes from the base verb 진행하다, “to proceed” or “to move forward.” Here 진행할 is the -ㄹ form used before 수 in the ability pattern -ㄹ 수 있다; it is not a separate verb. With 일을, 일을 진행하다 means “to carry out or keep the work moving.” 수 있어요 expresses ability or possibility in the polite present form. Together with the preceding 진행할, 진행할 수 있어요 means “can proceed” or “can keep the work moving.” The negative counterpart is 진행할 수 없어요, “cannot proceed.” The sentence assembles as 그러면 (“in that case”) + 아무도 이동하지 않고도 (“without anyone moving”) + 일을 계속 진행할 수 있어요 (“the work can continue to move forward”). Thus, the whole utterance means: “That would keep the work moving without anyone traveling.”

7. 화상으로 참여해도 괜찮을지 그들에게 물어볼 수 있어요.

   I can ask whether joining by video would work for them.

   화상으로

   by video

   참여해도 괜찮을지

   whether participating would be okay

   그들에게

   to them

   물어볼 수 있어요

   can ask

   More detail

   화상으로 means using video as the means of participation. 화상 refers to an image or video connection in this kind of expression, and -으로 marks the means or method: 온라인으로 means “online,” while 직접 means “in person.” 참여해도 괜찮을지 asks whether participating would be acceptable. The verb 참여하다 means “to participate”; its 해도 form combines 하다 with -아/어도, giving the pattern -아/어도 괜찮다 (“it is okay even if …” or “would it be okay to …”). The ending -을지 turns the clause into an embedded question about whether something is the case. For example, 지금 시작해도 괜찮을지 모르겠어요. means “I’m not sure whether it would be okay to start now.” 그들에게 means “to them.” 그들 is a pronoun meaning “they/them,” and -에게 marks a recipient or target that is a person or group. The form 그들에게 therefore identifies the people to whom the question will be directed; it does not itself specify their names. 물어볼 수 있어요 expresses ability or possibility: “can ask.” The reusable verb is 물어보다, meaning “to ask” or “to inquire”; 물어볼 is its form before 수 있다. The pattern 동사-(으)ㄹ 수 있다 means “can” or “be able to,” while 있어요 is the polite present form of 있다. For example, 담당자에게 물어볼 수 있어요. means “I can ask the person in charge.” Together, 화상으로 참여해도 괜찮을지 is the content of the question—whether participating by video would be acceptable. 그들에게 물어볼 수 있어요 says that the speaker can ask them about it. The complete utterance therefore means: “I can ask whether joining by video would work for them.”

8. 도로가 더 안전해지면 직접 만나자고도 제안하세요.

   Offer to meet in person once the roads are safer, too.

   도로가

   the roads

   더

   more

   안전해지면

   if/when they become safer

   직접

   in person

   만나자고도

   also: “let’s meet”

   제안하세요

   please offer or suggest

   More detail

   도로가 means “the road(s)” here. 도로 is the noun “road,” and 가 marks it as the subject of the following change. Korean does not have to mark plural number on this noun, so the translation’s “roads” comes from the intended context rather than a plural ending. 더 means “more” and makes the comparison explicit: 더 안전하다 is “be safer.” It modifies 안전해지면 here, not the noun 도로가 by itself. 안전해지면 combines 안전하다 (“be safe”) with -아/어지다 (“become”) and -면 (“if/when”). Thus, 안전해지다 means “become safer,” and 안전해지면 means “when/if [it] becomes safer.” The subject marked by 가 is what becomes safer. Example: 날씨가 따뜻해지면 출발하세요. — “Leave when the weather becomes warmer.” 직접 means “directly” or, in this sentence, “in person.” It specifies the manner of meeting: the proposal is to meet personally rather than through a remote method. 만나자고도 contains 만나다 (“meet”) in the proposal form 만나자 (“let’s meet”), followed by -고 for quoted or reported content and 도 meaning “also.” With 제안하다, the pattern V-자고 제안하다 means “suggest that [we] do V.” Here, 만나자고도 says that meeting in person is also being proposed. The -자 form expresses a shared proposal (“let’s meet”), not the final instruction to the listener. 제안하세요 comes from 제안하다 (“suggest” or “propose”). The ending -세요 makes this a polite directive, so in this sentence it means “offer” or “suggest,” addressed politely to the listener. The verb’s subject is understood from the directive; Korean does not require it to be stated. Together, 도로가 더 안전해지면 sets the condition “once the roads are safer,” 직접 만나자고도 supplies the proposed content “let’s meet in person too,” and 제안하세요 gives the polite instruction “offer/suggest.” The whole utterance is therefore: “Offer to meet in person once the roads are safer, too.”

9. 그들이 기다리고 싶어 한다면, 저에게는 내일도 괜찮아요.

   If they would rather wait, tomorrow also works for me.

   그들이

   they

   기다리고

   wait

   싶어 한다면

   if they want to

   저에게는

   for me

   내일

   tomorrow

   괜찮아요

   is okay; works

   More detail

   그들이 means “they” here. 그들 is a third-person plural pronoun, and -이 marks it as the subject. Korean subject marking is separate from the pronoun’s reference; the fixed translation identifies the participants as “they.” 기다리고 is the connective form of 기다리다, “to wait.” The ending -고 links this verb to the following expression, so it does not mean that the waiting is already completed. For example, 먹고 자요 means “I eat and sleep,” with -고 linking the two actions. 싶어 한다면 expresses a condition involving another person’s desire: “if they want to.” Korean commonly uses -고 싶다 for the speaker’s or grammatical subject’s desire, but -고 싶어 하다 describes an observed or attributed desire of a third person. Here, 기다리고 싶어 하다 is “to want to wait,” and -다면 makes the conditional “if.” The ending is attached to 한다, the form of 하다, not to 기다리다 directly. A first-person example is 기다리고 싶어요—“I want to wait.” 저에게는 means “for me” or “as for me.” 저 is the humble/polite first-person pronoun “I/me,” -에게 marks the person for whom something is relevant, and -는 gives that phrase a topic or contrastive frame. This does not by itself mean that the speaker is making a contrast with another person; it sets up the speaker’s perspective. 내일 means “tomorrow.” It is a time expression and does not need a separate preposition in this sentence. For example, 내일 만나요 means “Let’s meet tomorrow.” 괜찮아요 comes from 괜찮다, “to be okay” or “to be acceptable,” and is the polite present-style form. In this sentence, it evaluates the proposed time as acceptable, so “tomorrow works.” It is not a direct translation of “to work” in every context; the context supplies that sense. For example, 이 시간도 괜찮아요 means “This time is okay too.” Together, 그들이 기다리고 싶어 한다면 sets the condition “if they would rather wait.” The topic-like phrase 저에게는 establishes the speaker’s perspective, and 내일도 괜찮아요 says that tomorrow is also acceptable from that perspective. The whole utterance therefore means: “If they would rather wait, tomorrow also works for me.”

10. 선택지를 분명하게 제시하면 변경을 더 쉽게 받아들일 거예요.

    Clear options should make the change easier to accept.

    선택지를

    options

    분명하게

    clearly

    제시하면

    if [someone] presents

    변경을

    the change

    더

    more

    쉽게

    easily

    받아들일 거예요

    will accept

    More detail

    선택지를 means “options” as the object of the action. 선택지 is a noun meaning an available option or choice, and -를 marks the noun that is acted on. Example: 여러 선택지를 검토해요. — “I review several options.” 분명하게 means “clearly” here. It is the adverbial form of 분명하다 (“to be clear” or “clear”), describing how the options are presented. Korean commonly forms this kind of adverb with -하게: 정확하게 means “accurately.” 제시하면 means “if [someone] presents.” Its base verb is 제시하다, “to present” or “to put forward,” and -(으)면 marks a condition: 제시하다 + -면 → 제시하면. The subject is omitted, so this form does not identify who presents the options. The conditional clause is 선택지를 분명하게 제시하면: “if [someone] presents the options clearly.” 변경을 means “the change” as the object of acceptance. The noun 변경 refers to a change or alteration, and -을 marks it as the object of 받아들이다. Example: 변경을 알렸어요. — “I announced the change.” 더 means “more” and increases the degree expressed by the following adverb. Here it combines with 쉽게 as 더 쉽게, “more easily.” 쉽게 means “easily.” It is the adverbial form of 쉽다, “to be easy.” In 더 쉽게, 더 makes the degree comparative: “more easily.” Example: 이 방법이 더 쉽게 이해돼요. — “This method is easier to understand.” 받아들일 거예요 means “will accept” in this sentence. The base verb is 받아들이다, “to accept” or “to take in,” and its object is 변경을. -(으)ㄹ 거예요 expresses an expected or predicted future result: 받아들이다 + -ㄹ 거예요 → 받아들일 거예요. The spacing in the observed form is part of the normal construction. The person who will accept the change is not specified here. Together, 선택지를 분명하게 제시하면 sets the condition “if [someone] presents the options clearly.” The main clause, 변경을 더 쉽게 받아들일 거예요, says that the change will be accepted more easily. Thus the whole utterance means: “Clear options should make the change easier to accept.”