Describing cough symptoms before calling a clinic | Learn Korean in English

Korean lesson set in a contemporary Seoul everyday setting: At home before calling a clinic, two adults organize cough symptoms, recent changes, worries, and questions about urgent help..

EN → KO / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Describing cough symptoms before calling a clinic to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

기침이 나아지지 않아서 병원에 전화해야 해요.

gee-CHEE-mee na-AH-jee-jee a-NAH-suh byung-WUHN-eh juhn-HWA-hae-YOH I need to call the clinic because my cough is not getting better.
B

무엇이 달라졌고 무엇이 가장 걱정되는지 병원에 말해 보세요.

moo-UH-shi dal-LAH-jyut-koh moo-UH-shi gah-JAHNG guhK-JJUNG-dweh-neun-jee byung-WUHN-eh mal-HAE-boh-SEH-yoh Tell them what has changed and what worries you most.
A

더 심해졌고 열이 나는 것 같고 피곤해요.

duh shim-HAE-jyut-koh YUH-ree NA-neun gut GGAT-koh pee-GON-hae-YOH It has gotten worse, and I feel feverish and tired.
B

언제 시작됐는지, 도움이 된 것이 있었는지도 말해 보세요.

un-JEH shi-JAHNG-dwaet-neun-jee doh-OO-mee dwen GUH-shi ee-SUNG-neun-jee-doh mal-HAE-boh-SEH-yoh Mention when it started and whether anything has helped.
A

오늘 밤에 더 심해지면 어떻게 해야 하는지도 알고 싶어요.

oh-NEUL bah-MEH duh shim-HAE-jee-myun uh-TUH-keh HAE-ya HA-neun-jee-doh AL-goh SHEE-puh-yoh I also need to know what to do if it gets worse tonight.
B

빨리 도움이 필요하면 어디로 가야 하는지 물어보세요.

PPAL-lee doh-OO-mee PIL-lyoh-ha-myun UH-dee-roh gah-YAH HA-neun-jee moo-ruh-boh-SEH-yoh Ask where you should go if you need help quickly.
A

전화하기 전에 중요한 내용을 적어 둘게요.

juhn-HWA-ha-gee JUH-neh joong-YOH-han nae-YONG-eul juh-GUH DOOL-kkeh-yoh I will write the main points down before I call.
B

그러면 두 분 모두 통화가 더 명확해질 거예요.

guh-ruh-myun doo BOON moh-doo tong-HWA-ga duh myung-HWAK-hae-jil KKUH-yeh-yoh That should make the call clearer for both of you.

Word by Word

기침 기침 means “cough” here, as in 기침이 나아지지 않아서 병원에 전화해야 해요. It is the symptom being described before the clinic call. A reliable pattern is 기침이 나다 for having a cough, but this dialogue uses 기침이 as the subject of the sentence.
이 이 marks 기침 as the subject in 기침이 나아지지 않아서, showing that the cough is the thing that has not improved. It follows a noun ending in a consonant in this dialogue. The same subject-marking role appears in 열이 나는 것 같고 and 통화가 더 명확해질 거예요.
나아지지 나아지지 means “not getting better” in 기침이 나아지지 않아서. The 지지 form connects with 않아서 to express that the improvement does not happen. This is useful when describing a symptom that remains unimproved.
않아서 않아서 gives the reason “because it is not” in 기침이 나아지지 않아서 병원에 전화해야 해요. It connects the negative situation to the action that follows. A reliable reuse pattern is a reason clause ending in 않아서 before the resulting action.
병원 병원 means “hospital” or “clinic” here, in 병원에 전화해야 해요. It is the medical place being contacted. In this dialogue, 병원 is used with 에 to mark the destination or target of the call.
에 에 marks 병원 as the place or target in 병원에 전화해야 해요. With 전화하다, 병원에 전화하다 means to call the hospital or clinic. The same particle can mark a destination, as in 어디로 가야 하는지, although that sentence uses 로 for the direction.
전화해야 전화해야 contributes “need to call” in 병원에 전화해야 해요. It supplies the calling action before 해요, and the complete expression 해야 해요 conveys necessity. A reliable pattern is a place plus 전화해야 해요 when saying that one needs to call that place.
해요 해요 completes 전화해야 해요, the polite expression for needing to do something. Here it makes the speaker’s need to call the clinic sound polite and conversational. Do not read 해요 alone as the entire meaning “need to call”; that meaning comes from 전화해야 해요 together.
무엇 무엇 means “what” in 무엇이 달라졌고 무엇이 가장 걱정되는지. It asks which thing has changed or is most worrying. It can serve as the subject before 이, as it does in both clauses in this dialogue.
달라졌고 달라졌고 means “has changed, and” in 무엇이 달라졌고. It describes a change and uses 고 to connect this point to the next question about what is most worrying. This form is useful when listing one changed condition together with another related point.
가장 가장 means “most” in 무엇이 가장 걱정되는지. It marks 걱정되는 as the strongest or greatest concern among the relevant things. A reliable pattern is 가장 before the word describing the highest degree.
걱정되는지 걱정되는지 identifies what is worrying in 무엇이 가장 걱정되는지. The 지 ending makes this clause part of an embedded question, so the listener is asked to say what worries them most. This pattern is useful before 말해 보세요 when asking someone to report a concern.
말해 말해 means “tell” or “say” in 병원에 말해 보세요. It names the action of communicating the changed symptoms and worries to the hospital. Here it is followed by 보세요, which makes the request gentler.
보세요 보세요 completes 말해 보세요, a polite suggestion to try telling or to go ahead and tell. In this dialogue, it invites the listener to tell the hospital the relevant information. The meaning “please tell” comes from the whole expression 말해 보세요, not from 보세요 alone.
더 더 means “more” in 더 심해졌고 and 더 심해지면. It shows that the condition has increased in severity compared with before. A reliable pattern is 더 before a descriptive expression when describing an increase.
심해졌고 심해졌고 means “has become worse, and” in 더 심해졌고 열이 나는 것 같고 피곤해요. It describes a change to a more severe condition and connects that report to the following symptoms. This form is useful when reporting that a health problem has worsened.
열 열 means “fever” in 열이 나는 것 같고. It is the symptom that seems to be present. In this dialogue, it appears with 이 나는 것 같고 to describe feeling feverish.
나는 나는 describes 열 as coming on or being present in 열이 나는 것 같고. Together with 열이, it contributes to the meaning “fever seems to be present.” The exact form 나는 is used before 것 in this expression.
것 것 turns the preceding description 열이 나는 into something that can be followed by 같고 in 열이 나는 것 같고. The whole expression means that it seems the speaker has a fever. Here, 것 helps package the preceding situation rather than meaning a separate physical “thing.”
같고 같고 means “seems, and” in 열이 나는 것 같고 피곤해요. It expresses the speaker’s impression rather than a firm statement and connects that impression to 피곤해요. A reliable pattern is 것 같고 followed by another related description.
피곤해요 피곤해요 means “I feel tired” or “I am tired” here. It is a polite statement of another symptom in 더 심해졌고 열이 나는 것 같고 피곤해요. This form is useful for politely reporting tiredness to a doctor or another person.
언제 언제 means “when” in 언제 시작됐는지. It asks for the time at which the cough or problem began. It commonly appears at the beginning of a question clause about timing.
시작됐는지 시작됐는지 asks when something started in 언제 시작됐는지. The 지 ending makes it an embedded question that can be included in 말해 보세요. This is a useful pattern when reporting the beginning of a symptom.
도움 도움 means “help” in 도움이 된 것이 있었는지도 말해 보세요. It refers to something that may have helped the condition. It is used with 이 in 도움이 된 to form the expression “was helpful.”
된 된 describes something as having been helpful in 도움이 된 것. In this dialogue, 도움이 된 것 means “something that helped.” It comes before 것 to describe the thing being asked about.
있었는지 있었는지 asks whether there was or existed something in 도움이 된 것이 있었는지. The question is whether any helpful thing was present or had been tried. The 지 ending lets this question clause function as information to report.
도 도 means “also” in 도움이 된 것이 있었는지도 말해 보세요. It adds this question about helpful things to the earlier request to mention when the problem started. It attaches directly to the question-clause ending 지 here.
오늘 오늘 means “today” in 오늘 밤에 더 심해지면. It identifies the current day for the time being discussed. Here it combines with 밤 to specify tonight.
밤 밤 means “night” in 오늘 밤에 더 심해지면. Together, 오늘 밤 means “tonight,” the time when the condition might become worse. It is followed by 에 to mark the time.
심해지면 심해지면 means “if it gets worse” in 오늘 밤에 더 심해지면 어떻게 해야 하는지도 알고 싶어요. 면 marks the condition under which the speaker wants to know what action to take. This is a useful conditional pattern for discussing what to do if a symptom worsens.
어떻게 어떻게 means “how” or “in what way” in 어떻게 해야 하는지. In this dialogue, it asks what action should be taken if the condition gets worse. It appears before 해야 to form the question about the appropriate response.
해야 해야 contributes “need to do” in 어떻게 해야 하는지. It names the required action before 하는지 turns the phrase into an embedded question. The complete phrase 어떻게 해야 하는지 means “what to do,” so 해야 alone does not carry the whole question.
하는지 하는지 makes 어떻게 해야 하는지 an embedded question about what one should do. It allows that question to follow 알고 싶어요: the speaker wants to know the action. This pattern is useful when asking for instructions without stating the question as a separate sentence.
알고 알고 means “know, and” in 알고 싶어요. It connects knowing the answer to the expression of wanting. In this dialogue, 알고 싶어요 means that the speaker wants to know what to do.
싶어요 싶어요 expresses a polite desire in 알고 싶어요. Together, 알고 싶어요 means “would like to know.” A reliable pattern is an action or state before 싶어요 when saying that the speaker wants it.
빨리 빨리 means “quickly” in 빨리 도움이 필요하면. It describes needing help without delay. It is placed before the expression it modifies, here 도움이 필요하면.
필요하면 필요하면 means “if it is needed” in 빨리 도움이 필요하면 어디로 가야 하는지 물어보세요. It sets the condition that quick help is needed. A reliable pattern is a need expression followed by 면 when giving advice for that situation.
어디 어디 means “where” in 어디로 가야 하는지. It asks for the destination to go to if quick help is needed. Here it combines with 로 to make the directional question 어디로.
로 로 marks direction or destination in 어디로 가야 하는지. Together, 어디로 means “to where,” asking which place the person should go to. It is used here before 가야 to specify the destination.
가야 가야 contributes “must go” or “need to go” in 어디로 가야 하는지. It combines with 하는지 to form the embedded question about the required destination. The complete phrase 어디로 가야 하는지 means “where one should go.”
물어보세요 물어보세요 means “please ask” in 어디로 가야 하는지 물어보세요. It gives polite advice to ask the clinic or another informed person for the destination. A reliable pattern is the information being asked about followed by 물어보세요.
전화하기 전화하기 means “calling” as an action in 전화하기 전에. It names the call as the event that will happen later. This nominalized action can be followed by 전에 to mean “before calling.”
전에 전에 means “before” in 전화하기 전에 중요한 내용을 적어 둘게요. It places writing down the important points before the phone call. A reliable pattern is an action ending in 기 followed by 전에.
중요한 중요한 means “important” in 중요한 내용. It describes the information that should be written down before the call. Here it comes directly before 내용, the noun it modifies.
내용 내용 means “content” or “main points” in 중요한 내용을 적어 둘게요. It refers to the important information the speaker plans to write down. It takes 을 because it is the object of 적어 둘게요.
을 을 marks 내용 as the object in 중요한 내용을 적어 둘게요. It shows that the important points are what will be written down. In this dialogue, it follows 내용, which ends in a consonant.
적어 적어 means “write down” in 적어 둘게요. It leads into 둘게요, expressing that the written information will be kept ready. The phrase 적어 둘게요 is useful when preparing notes for later use.
둘게요 둘게요 completes 적어 둘게요 and expresses the speaker’s intention to write something down and keep it ready. In this dialogue, the notes will remain available for the call. The meaning comes from the whole expression 적어 둘게요, not from 둘게요 alone.
그러면 그러면 means “then” or “in that case” in 그러면 두 분 모두 통화가 더 명확해질 거예요. It introduces the expected result of writing down the important points. It is useful for linking a previous action or condition to its consequence.
분 분 is a respectful word for a person in 두 분 모두. Here it refers respectfully to the two adults involved in the call. The expression 두 분 means “both of you” in this dialogue.
모두 모두 means “all” or “both” in 두 분 모두. Because the group is two people, it means that the result applies to both people. It follows the group expression 두 분 and emphasizes everyone in that group.
통화 통화 means “phone call” or “phone conversation” in 통화가 더 명확해질 거예요. It refers to the conversation with the clinic. It is marked as the subject of becoming clearer by 가.
가 가 marks 통화 as the subject in 통화가 더 명확해질 거예요. It shows that the phone conversation is what will become clearer. In this dialogue, it follows 통화, which ends in a vowel.
명확해질 명확해질 means “will become clear” in 명확해질 거예요. It describes a future change toward greater clarity in the phone call. This form is useful before 거예요 when predicting that something will become clear.
거예요 거예요 completes 명확해질 거예요 as a polite prediction about the future. The full expression means that the call will become clearer for both people. The future meaning belongs to the complete expression, not to 거예요 alone.

Grammar Points

-아/어야

전화해야

juhn-HWA-hae-ya

must call

동사 어간에 붙어 반드시 해야 하는 일을 나타냅니다.

-는지

걱정되는지

guhk-JJUNG-dweh-neun-jee

whether it is concerning

상태나 사실을 확실히 알지 못할 때 ‘…인지 어떤지’라는 뜻을 나타냅니다.

Korean Vocabulary

걱정되다 adj
guhk-JJUNG-dweh-da to be worried; to be concerning 걱정되는지
기침 noun
gee-CHEEM cough
나아지다 verb
na-AH-jee-da to get better 나아지지
달라지다 verb
dal-LAH-jee-da to change; to become different 달라졌고
도움 noun
doh-OOM help
병원 noun
byung-WUHN clinic; hospital
시작되다 verb
shi-JAHK-dweh-da to start; to begin 시작됐는지
심해지다 verb
shim-HAE-jee-da to get worse; to become more severe 심해졌고
열이 나다 phrase
YUH-ree NA-da to have a fever; to feel feverish 열이 나는
전화하다 verb
juhn-HWA-ha-da to call 전화해야
피곤하다 adj
pee-GON-ha-da to be tired 피곤해요
필요하다 adj
peel-LYOH-ha-da to need; to be necessary 필요하면

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I need to call the clinic because my cough is not getting better.

Show Answer기침이 나아지지 않아서 병원에 전화해야 해요.

I will write the main points down before I call.

Show Answer전화하기 전에 중요한 내용을 적어 둘게요.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to change; to become different

Show Answer달라졌고

to be worried; to be concerning

Show Answer걱정되는지

to be tired

Show Answer피곤해요

to get worse; to become more severe

Show Answer심해졌고