Staying Safe During Poor Air Quality | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 오늘은 공기가 답답하게 느껴지고 대기 질이 나쁠 수도 있어요.

   The air feels heavy today, and air quality may be poor.

   오늘은

   today

   공기가

   the air

   답답하게

   heavily; stuffily

   느껴지고

   feels, and

   대기 질

   air quality

   나쁠 수도 있어요

   may be poor

   More detail

   오늘은 means “today” with 은 marking today as the topic or time frame. The sentence is about conditions today; 은 does not itself mean “in” or add a numeric meaning. 공기가 means “the air” as the grammatical subject. 가 marks the subject here. The form 공기 is the noun “air”; 공기가 is that noun with the subject marker attached. 답답하게 comes from the descriptive verb 답답하다, meaning “to feel stuffy, constricted, or heavy.” Its -게 form makes it modify the following verb: 답답하게 느껴지다 means “to feel stuffy/heavy.” The exact nuance here is that the air feels heavy or oppressive, not that someone is deliberately making it feel that way. 느껴지고 comes from 느껴지다, “to be felt” or “to feel/seem,” followed by -고, which connects this clause to the next one. In this sentence, 공기가 답답하게 느껴지고 is “the air feels heavy, and …” The observed form is not the active verb 느끼다 (“to feel something”); 느껴지다 presents the quality as something that is experienced or perceived. 대기 질 is the noun phrase “air quality”: 대기 is “the atmosphere/air,” and 질 is “quality.” Together they refer to the condition of the air, rather than to the air as a physical substance alone. 나쁠 수도 있어요 means “may be poor.” 나쁠 is the prospective form of 나쁘다, “to be bad/poor,” used before the possibility construction -ㄹ 수도 있다. 나쁘다 changes to 나쁠 in this form. -ㄹ 수도 있어요 expresses a possible situation, so 대기 질이 나쁠 수도 있어요 says that the air quality may be poor; it does not assert that it is certainly poor. 있어요 is the polite present form of 있다 within this construction. Together, 오늘은 공기가 답답하게 느껴지고 sets today as the time frame and states that the air feels heavy. 대기 질이 나쁠 수도 있어요 adds the possibility that the air quality is poor. The complete meaning is: “The air feels heavy today, and air quality may be poor.”

2. 그렇다면 야외 운동은 좋은 생각이 아닐 수도 있겠네요.

   Outdoor exercise might not be a good idea, then.

   그렇다면

   then; in that case

   야외

   outdoor

   운동

   exercise

   좋은

   good

   생각

   idea; thought

   아닐 수도 있겠네요

   might not be

   More detail

   그렇다면 means “then” or “in that case.” It connects the utterance to an understood condition or conclusion. A useful related form is 그러면, which also means “then/if so,” while 그렇다면 more explicitly has the sense “if that is so.” 야외 means “outdoors” or “outdoor.” It commonly appears before a noun to specify that something takes place outside, as in 야외 활동 (“outdoor activities”). 운동 means “exercise” or “physical activity.” In 야외 운동, it combines with 야외 to mean exercise done outdoors. The same word can also refer more generally to physical exercise, depending on context. 좋은 is the noun-modifying form of the adjective 좋다 (“to be good”). The base-to-modifier pattern is 좋다 → 좋은: 좋은 생각 means “a good idea.” This form agrees with neither number nor gender; it is simply the form used before a noun. 생각 means “thought” or “idea.” In 좋은 생각, it means “idea,” and the adjective before it describes that idea. Example: 그건 좋은 생각이에요. — “That is a good idea.” 아닐 수도 있겠네요 expresses a tentative conclusion that something may not be the case. It contains 아니다 (“not to be; to not be”), the possibility pattern -(으)ㄹ 수도 있다 (“may/might also be”), and -겠네요, which presents the conclusion as a tentative realization or inference. The negative part is 아닐, not 좋은; therefore the meaning is “might not be good,” rather than “might be not-good” as a separate adjective form. The pattern V-(으)ㄹ 수도 있어요 can be reused for possibility: 비가 올 수도 있어요. — “It might rain.” Together, 야외 운동 is “outdoor exercise,” and 좋은 생각이 아닐 수도 있겠네요 says that it may not be a good idea. With 그렇다면 at the beginning, the complete utterance means: “Then, outdoor exercise might not be a good idea.” The ending is appropriately tentative rather than a firm declaration.

3. 공원에서 달리려고 했어요.

   I was planning to run in the park.

   공원

   park

   달리려고 했어요

   was planning to run

   More detail

   공원 means “park.” It is a noun; in 공원에서, the location particle 에서 marks the place where the action happens. The pattern 장소에서 + 행동 means “do an action at/in a place.” Example: 집에서 공부해요. — “I study at home.” 달리려고 했어요 expresses a past intention: “was planning to run.” 달리다 is the dictionary form “to run.” Adding -(으)려고 하다 to a verb expresses intending or planning to do it; because 달리다 ends in a vowel stem, it takes -려고: 달리려고 하다. Here, 했어요 is the polite past form of 하다, so the construction is in the past: 달리려고 했어요. This intention pattern is different from simply stating that the action happened. 달렸어요 means “ran,” whereas 달리려고 했어요 means “planned or intended to run,” without by itself asserting that the running actually happened. Example: 공부하려고 했어요. — “I was planning to study.” Together, 공원에서 identifies the place, and 달리려고 했어요 says that the speaker had the intention of running there. The whole utterance means: “I was planning to run in the park.”

4. 오염 때문에 불편하면 대신 실내 운동을 선택하세요.

   If pollution bothers you, choose an indoor workout instead.

   오염

   pollution

   때문에

   because of; due to

   불편하면

   if it is bothersome

   대신

   instead

   실내 운동

   indoor workout

   선택하세요

   please choose

   More detail

   오염 means “pollution.” It is a noun, so it can combine with 때문에 to mark a cause: 오염 때문에 = “because of pollution.” 때문에 follows a noun or noun phrase and gives the reason for something. For example, 비 때문에 늦었어요 means “I was late because of the rain.” 불편하면 is based on 불편하다, “to be uncomfortable” or “to be inconvenient,” plus -(으)면, “if/when.” Here it describes the condition in which the pollution bothers the person. The ending -면 is a reusable conditional pattern: 바쁘면 내일 만나요 means “If you are busy, let’s meet tomorrow.” 대신 means “instead” or “in place of.” It introduces the alternative being recommended. For example, 커피 대신 차를 마셔요 means “I drink tea instead of coffee.” 실내 운동 combines 실내, “indoors” or “indoor,” with 운동, “exercise” or “workout.” 실내 specifies the setting, while 운동 names the activity. A similar pattern is 실외 운동, “outdoor exercise.” 선택하세요 comes from 선택하다, “to choose,” with the polite directive ending -세요. It means “choose” in a polite recommendation or instruction. The plain dictionary form is 선택하다; 선택해요 means “choose/chooses” in a polite statement, while 선택하세요 directly tells or advises someone to choose. Together, 오염 때문에 gives the reason, 불편하면 sets the condition, and 대신 실내 운동을 선택하세요 recommends an alternative. The whole utterance therefore means: “If pollution bothers you, choose an indoor workout instead.”

5. 공원보다 덜 편안하게 느껴지긴 하지만 헬스장을 이용할 수도 있어요.

   I could use the gym, although it feels less relaxing than the park.

   공원

   park

   보다

   than; compared with

   덜

   less

   편안하게

   comfortably; in a relaxing way

   느껴지긴

   feel; seem

   하지만

   but; although

   헬스장

   gym

   이용할

   use

   수도 있어요

   could; may

   More detail

   공원 means “park” here. It is a noun and can be used with location particles such as 공원에서 (“at the park”) or with the comparison particle that follows it here. 보다 is attached to the comparison standard: A보다 B means “B than A” or “B compared with A.” Example: 차보다 기차가 빨라요. — “The train is faster than the car.” 덜 is an adverb meaning “less” or “to a lesser degree.” With a descriptive expression, it lowers the degree: 덜 어렵다 means “be less difficult.” Here it lowers the degree of comfort in comparison with 공원. 편안하게 is the adverbial form of the adjective 편안하다 (“to be comfortable” or, with an experience or setting, “to be relaxing”). The ending -게 lets the adjective describe how something is experienced or done. In 편안하게 느껴지다, the natural meaning is “feel comfortable” or “feel relaxing,” rather than simply “do something comfortably.” 느껴지긴 is the contracted form of 느껴지기는, from the verb 느껴지다, “to be felt” or “to feel/seem.” In this sentence, it describes how the setting feels; it does not describe a deliberate action by the speaker. Before 하지만, the pattern -기는 하지만 acknowledges the first point and then contrasts it: 느껴지긴 하지만 means “although it does feel/seem ...”. 하지만 means “but” or “although” and introduces the contrasting part of the sentence. The sequence -긴 하지만 is a reusable pattern meaning “although ...” or “it is true that ..., but ...”. Example: 비싸긴 하지만 좋아요. — “Although it is expensive, it is good.” 헬스장 means “gym.” It is a noun; in this sentence it is the place or facility that can be used. Example: 헬스장에 가요. — “I go to the gym.” 이용할 is the form of the verb 이용하다 (“to use” or “to make use of”) placed before 수. The -ㄹ form here helps create the possibility pattern 이용할 수 있다, “can use.” It is not the past form; the surrounding construction presents the use as a possible option. 수도 있어요 completes 이용할 수도 있어요. -ㄹ/을 수 있다 expresses possibility or ability, and 도 adds “also” or “even.” With the polite ending -어요, the whole chunk means “could also use” or “may also use.” In this sentence, 도 supports the meaning that using the gym is another possible choice, not that the speaker definitely uses it. Example: 오늘은 집에서 쉴 수도 있어요. — “I might also rest at home.” Together, 공원보다 덜 편안하게 느껴지긴 하지만 says “although it feels less relaxing than the park.” The comparison is between the degree of comfort associated with the gym situation and the park, with the park as the standard. 헬스장을 이용할 수도 있어요 then presents using the gym as another possible option. The full utterance therefore means: “I could use the gym, although it feels less relaxing than the park.”

6. 실내에서 운동하는 것이 오염된 공기를 마시는 것보다 건강에 더 좋아요.

   Training indoors is healthier than breathing poor air.

   실내에서

   indoors

   운동하는 것

   exercising

   오염된

   contaminated

   공기

   air

   마시는 것

   drinking

   보다

   than

   건강

   health

   더

   more

   좋아요

   is good

   More detail

   실내에서 means “indoors” here. 실내 is “inside/an indoor space,” and -에서 marks the place where an activity occurs. For example, 집에서 운동해요 means “I exercise at home.” 운동하는 것 turns 운동하다 (“to exercise”) into the noun-like expression “exercising.” The form 운동하는 is the present modifier form before 것; this pattern is reusable with action verbs: 읽는 것 means “reading,” and 걷는 것 means “walking.” In this sentence, 실내에서 운동하는 것 is the first compared activity. 오염된 means “contaminated” or “polluted” here. It comes from 오염되다, “to become/be contaminated,” and 오염된 is its form used before a noun. It modifies 공기, not 마시는 것: 오염된 공기 means “polluted air.” 공기 means “air.” The following object marker in the source, 를, makes 공기를 the object of 마시는; the selected quote contains only the noun itself. A useful example is 신선한 공기를 마셔요, “I breathe fresh air.” 마시는 것 means “drinking” or, in this context, “breathing in.” Its verb is 마시다, “to drink,” whose present modifier form is 마시는; with 것, it becomes a noun-like activity expression. Korean uses 마시다 for taking a drink and also for breathing in air or smoke, so the fixed translation supports the “breathing” sense here. 보다 after 오염된 공기를 마시는 것 marks the comparison standard, “than.” The reusable pattern is A보다 B가/는 더 ..., meaning “B is more ... than A.” Here the standard is the activity of breathing polluted air. 건강 means “health.” In 건강에 좋다, the particle -에 marks what something is beneficial for, so the expression means “be good for one’s health.” For example, 이 음식은 건강에 좋아요 means “This food is good for your health.” 더 means “more” and reinforces the comparison. It appears with 보다 in the pattern A보다 더 ..., “more ... than A.” 좋아요 means “is good” here, from 좋다 (“to be good”). With 건강에, 건강에 좋아요 means “is good for health,” and 더 좋아요 means “is better.” The polite ending -아요 makes the statement conversationally polite. Together, 오염된 공기를 마시는 것보다 sets up the activity used as the comparison standard, while 실내에서 운동하는 것이 identifies the activity being evaluated. 건강에 더 좋아요 says that it is better for health. The whole utterance therefore means: “Exercising indoors is healthier than breathing polluted air.”

7. 밖에 걸어 나가야 한다면 마스크를 써야 할까요?

   Should I wear a mask if I need to walk outside?

   밖에

   outside

   걸어 나가야 한다면

   if [someone] needs to walk out

   마스크

   mask

   써야 할까요

   should [I] wear?

   More detail

   밖에 means “outside” here. The particle -에 marks the place or direction relevant to the action, so 밖에 gives “outside/to outside” in this expression. Korean 밖에 can have another meaning, “only,” but that is not the meaning in this sentence. 걸어 나가야 한다면 combines 걸어 나가다 (“walk out”) with the obligation pattern -아/어야 하다 (“must/need to”) and a conditional ending. 걷다 is “to walk”; before the vowel-based ending, it appears as 걸어, and 나가다 adds the sense of going out. Thus 걸어 나가야 한다 means “need to walk out.” The ending in 한다면 turns that condition into “if that is necessary.” The subject is not stated in Korean; the fixed translation supplies “I” for this question. Reusable pattern: V-아/어야 한다면 = “if someone needs to/must V.” For example, 지금 가야 한다면 서두르세요. means “If you need to go now, hurry.” This example introduces a new situation and illustrates the same conditional pattern. 마스크 is the noun “mask.” It is a loanword used as an ordinary Korean noun. In 마스크를, the particle -를 marks it as the object of the following action. 써야 할까요 asks whether the speaker should wear it. The relevant verb is 쓰다, which means “to wear” with items such as a mask or hat in this context. Before -어야, 쓰다 becomes 써 through the regular contraction of 쓰어 to 써. Then 써야 하다 expresses necessity, and 할까요 adds a polite question asking for advice or the appropriate choice. The omitted subject is understood as the speaker, and the object is 마스크. A useful contrast is 써요 (“I/you wear it” or “wear it,” depending on context) versus 써야 해요 (“must/need to wear it”). 써야 할까요? is less a direct statement of obligation and more a polite question about whether wearing it is the right choice. Putting the parts together: 밖에 (“outside”) + 걸어 나가야 한다면 (“if I need to walk out”) establishes the condition; 마스크를 marks “a mask” as the object; and 써야 할까요? asks “should I wear it?” The complete meaning is: “Should I wear a mask if I need to walk outside?”

8. 마스크가 도움이 될 수 있고 지역 보건 안내에서 추가 예방 조치를 권할 수도 있어요.

   A mask can help, and local health advice may suggest extra precautions.

   마스크

   mask

   도움

   help

   될 수 있고

   can be, and

   지역

   local

   보건

   health

   안내

   guidance; advice

   추가

   additional; extra

   예방

   prevention

   조치

   measure; precaution

   권할

   recommend

   수도 있어요

   may; can also

   More detail

   마스크 means “mask.” It is a noun and can be reused with particles such as 마스크가 (“the mask” as the subject) or 마스크를 (“the mask” as the object). The sentence uses 가 because the mask is the subject of the following description. 도움 means “help” or “assistance.” In 도움이 되다, it forms the common pattern “to be helpful” or literally “to become help”: 이 정보가 도움이 돼요 means “This information is helpful.” Here 도움 is followed by the subject particle 이. 될 수 있고 comes from 되다 (“to become; to be”) plus -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 (“can; be possible”) and the connective -고 (“and”). Thus 도움이 될 수 있고 means “can be helpful, and …”. The observed form 될 is the future-looking/possibility form of 되다; the construction expresses possibility rather than a certain result. Example: 이 방법은 도움이 될 수 있어요. — “This method can be helpful.” 지역 means “local” or “regional.” It commonly modifies a following noun: 지역 병원 means “a local hospital.” In this sentence it modifies 보건 안내. 보건 means “public health” or “health care.” It is often used in formal or informational compounds, such as 보건 당국 (“health authorities”). Together, 지역 보건 안내 refers here to local health guidance or advice. 안내 means “guidance,” “information,” or “advice” when presented as instructions or official information. 보건 안내 is therefore “health guidance/advice,” not simply a person giving personal advice. Example: 안내를 확인하세요. — “Please check the guidance.” 추가 means “additional” or “extra.” It usually modifies a noun, as in 추가 정보 (“additional information”). Here it modifies 예방 조치. 예방 means “prevention” or “preventive.” It commonly appears before a noun to describe action intended to prevent harm or illness, as in 예방 접종 (“preventive vaccination”). In 예방 조치, it specifies the purpose of the measures. 조치 means “measure” or “action taken in response to a situation.” In this context, 예방 조치 means “preventive measures” or “precautions.” Example: 필요한 조치를 취하세요. — “Take the necessary measures.” 권할 comes from 권하다, “to recommend” or “urge.” The form 권할 is the -(으)ㄹ form used before 수도 있어요: 의사는 휴식을 권할 수 있어요 means “The doctor can recommend rest.” Here the recommended object is 추가 예방 조치. 수도 있어요 is the possibility pattern -(으)ㄹ 수도 있어요. It means “may,” “might,” or “can also,” depending on context. In 권할 수도 있어요, it says that recommending extra precautions is one possible outcome; it does not assert that the recommendation will definitely occur. 도 adds the sense of “also/as well” within this coordinated sentence. 있어요 is the polite spoken form of 있다. Putting the parts together: 마스크가 도움이 될 수 있고 says “a mask can be helpful,” while 지역 보건 안내에서 추가 예방 조치를 권할 수도 있어요 says that local health guidance may also recommend additional precautions. The complete utterance is therefore: “A mask can help, and local health advice may suggest extra precautions.” The polite ending -어요 makes the statement suitable for ordinary polite conversation.

9. 공기가 좋아질 때까지 달리기를 미루는 것이 더 안전해 보여요.

   Postponing the run until the air improves seems safer.

   공기

   air

   좋아질

   improve; become better

   때까지

   until

   달리기

   running; a run

   미루는

   postponing

   것이

   the act of ...

   더

   more

   안전해

   safe

   보여요

   seems

   More detail

   공기 means “air” here. The following subject marker makes 공기가 the thing that becomes better. As a noun, 공기 can be used for air in general or the air in a particular situation; the sentence does not specify a more precise referent. 좋아질 comes from 좋아지다, “to become good/better.” The form 좋아질 is the future/modifying form before 때까지, so 좋아질 때까지 means “until it gets better.” This describes a change of condition, not simply the state 좋다 (“be good”). Example: 날씨가 좋아지면 산책해요. — “When the weather gets better, I take a walk.” 때까지 means “until the time when.” It marks the endpoint up to which something is postponed or continues. In this sentence, it attaches to the clause 공기가 좋아질, giving “until the air improves.” 달리기 is formed from 달리다, “to run,” with -기, which turns the verb into an activity or action noun. Here it means “running” or “a run.” Example: 달리기가 좋아요. — “I like running.” 미루는 comes from 미루다, “to postpone, put off.” Its -는 form modifies the following noun-like expression: 달리기를 미루는 것 means “the act of postponing the run.” The object marker 를 shows that 달리기 is what is postponed. Example: 회의를 미뤄요. — “I postpone the meeting.” 것이 consists of 것, a noun meaning “thing” that can nominalize a preceding clause, plus the subject marker 이. Here 미루는 것이 makes “postponing [the run]” the subject of the evaluation. The marker 이 is attached because 것 ends in a consonant; this is distinct from 는, which marks the verb form in 미루는. 더 means “more.” It marks a comparison in 더 안전해 보여요, “seems safer.” The sentence gives the comparative judgment but does not state the comparison baseline explicitly. 안전해 is the informal connective form of the adjective 안전하다, “to be safe.” In 안전해 보여요, it combines with 보여요 to form the expression “seems safe.” The adjective is 안전하다; it is not derived from or based on the nearby noun 것. 보여요 comes from 보이다, “to appear” or “to seem,” and is polite in the present-tense style used here. After an adjective, -아/어 보이다 commonly means “seem/look [adjective],” rather than literally “see.” Thus 안전해 보여요 means “seems safe.” Example: 이 방법이 편해 보여요. — “This method seems convenient.” Together, 공기가 좋아질 때까지 sets the endpoint “until the air improves.” 달리기를 미루는 것이 turns “postponing the run” into the subject, and 더 안전해 보여요 says that this choice seems safer. The whole utterance means: “Postponing the run until the air improves seems safer.”

10. 그러면 운동 때문에 또 다른 건강 문제가 생기는 것을 막을 수 있어요.

    That keeps exercise from turning into another health problem.

    그러면

    then / in that case

    운동

    exercise

    때문에

    because of / due to

    또 다른

    another

    건강

    health

    문제

    problem

    생기는

    arising / developing

    막을 수 있어요

    can prevent

    More detail

    그러면 means “then” or “in that case.” It is used to connect the current result to a situation or condition already established. Example: 그러면 지금 시작해요. — “Then let’s start now.” 운동 means “exercise.” It is a noun and can combine with verbs such as 하다 (“to do”): 운동을 해요. — “I exercise.” 때문에 marks a cause or reason, so 운동 때문에 means “because of exercise” or “due to exercise.” The noun before 때문에 is presented as the cause. For a person’s reason or motivation, Korean also commonly uses -기 때문에 after a verb or adjective. 또 다른 means “another” or “a different additional one.” 또 contributes the sense of “again/additionally,” while 다른 is the adjective meaning “different.” Together, they modify the following noun: 또 다른 방법 — “another method.” 건강 means “health.” It is a noun and can modify another noun in a compound: 건강 문제 means “health problem.” 문제 means “problem” or “issue.” In this sentence, it is the head noun of 또 다른 건강 문제, “another health problem.” 생기는 comes from the base verb 생기다, “to arise,” “to occur,” or “to develop.” The ending -는 makes a present-attributive form, so 생기는 문제 means “a problem that arises/develops.” This form describes an event as connected to the noun; it does not mean that the problem has already arisen independently of the sentence’s prevention statement. Example: 새로 생기는 문제를 확인해요. — “I check the problems that arise.” 막을 수 있어요 means “can prevent” or “can stop.” The base verb is 막다, “to prevent,” “to block,” or “to stop.” In 막을 수 있어요, 막을 is the -(으)ㄹ form used before 수, and -ㄹ/을 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility. 있어요 is the polite present form of 있다 in this construction. Example: 사고를 막을 수 있어요. — “We can prevent an accident.” The sentence does not explicitly state who can prevent it; the actor is understood from context. The structure 운동 때문에 또 다른 건강 문제가 생기는 것을 nominalizes the clause “another health problem arises because of exercise.” Here 것 turns that situation into a noun-like object, and 을 marks it as the object of 막다. Thus, ...생기는 것을 막다 means “to prevent ... from arising.” Putting the parts together, 그러면 gives the consequence “then/in that case”; 운동 때문에 identifies exercise as the cause; 또 다른 건강 문제가 생기는 것 is the situation of another health problem arising; and 막을 수 있어요 says that this situation can be prevented. The whole utterance means: “Then, it is possible to prevent another health problem from arising because of exercise,” naturally matching “That keeps exercise from turning into another health problem.”