Preparing for a Clinic Visit | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 병원 진료 예약이 있어.

   I have a clinic appointment.

   병원

   hospital

   진료

   medical consultation

   예약

   appointment

   있어

   have; be present

   More detail

   병원 means a hospital or medical clinic. In this sentence, it identifies the medical setting of the appointment, so the translation uses “clinic.” A useful pattern is 병원에 가다 (“go to the hospital/clinic”); 에 marks the destination. 진료 refers to medical consultation or medical care provided by a healthcare professional. In 병원 진료, it specifies the kind of service connected with the hospital or clinic. For example, 진료를 받다 means “receive medical care.” 예약 means a reservation or appointment. 진료 예약 is the reusable compound “medical appointment,” with 진료 describing what has been reserved. For example, 예약이 있어요 means “I have an appointment.” 있어 is the informal non-past form of 있다, whose basic meaning is “exist” or “be present.” With a subject omitted and an appointment as the thing that exists, it naturally expresses possession: “I have an appointment.” The same form can also describe presence in another place, as in 집에 있어 (“I’m at home”). 있어 is informal; 있어요 is a polite version. Together, 병원 진료 예약 means “a medical appointment at a hospital or clinic,” and 있어 says that this appointment exists for the speaker: “I have a clinic appointment.”

2. 하지만 무엇을 먼저 해야 할지 잘 모르겠어.

   But I am not sure what to do first.

   하지만

   but

   무엇을

   what

   먼저

   first

   해야 할지

   whether one should do it

   잘 모르겠어

   I’m not sure

   More detail

   하지만 means “but” and connects this sentence with a contrasting idea. For example, 하지만 시간이 없어. means “But there is no time.” 무엇을 means “what” as the object of an action. 무엇 is the question word “what,” and -을 marks the object here. In everyday Korean, 뭘 is a common contracted form of 무엇을. 먼저 means “first” or “before doing something else.” It is an adverb, so it modifies the action rather than a noun. 먼저 가세요. means “Please go first.” 해야 할지 expresses uncertainty about what action is necessary or appropriate. 해야 is 하다 (“to do”) with -아/어야, which presents the action as necessary or required in the relevant situation. 할지 is 하다 with -(으)ㄹ지, a form used when the speaker is uncertain about an option or decision. Together with the preceding object question word, 무엇을 해야 할지 is the reusable pattern “what one should do” or “what to do.” For example, 어디에 가야 할지 모르겠어요. means “I don’t know where I should go.” 잘 모르겠어 is an informal way to say “I’m not sure” or “I don’t really know.” 모르다 means “not know,” while -겠어 here presents the speaker’s current judgment or uncertainty; it does not necessarily express a future event. 잘 literally means “well,” and with 모르다 it softens the statement toward “not know clearly” or “be unsure.” The ending -어 makes the expression informal and is appropriate when speaking casually to someone with whom that level of speech is suitable. A more polite version is 잘 모르겠어요. Combining the parts, 하지만 sets up a contrast, 무엇을 먼저 해야 할지 identifies the uncertain decision (“what I should do first”), and 잘 모르겠어 states the speaker’s uncertainty. The whole utterance therefore means: “But I’m not sure what to do first.”

3. 먼저 접수처에 가서 보험 카드를 보여 줘.

   Start at reception and show them your insurance card.

   먼저

   first

   접수처

   reception desk

   가서

   go and then

   보험

   insurance

   카드

   card

   보여 줘

   show (someone)

   More detail

   먼저 means “first” here and sets the order of the instruction. It is useful for sequencing actions: 먼저 A, 그다음 B means “first A, then B.” 접수처 is the reception or registration desk, the place where visitors register or begin an administrative process. It is a compound of 접수 (“reception” or “registration”) and the place-designating suffix -처, so -처 should not be treated as an independent noun here. 가서 comes from 가다 (“to go”) plus -아서/어서. This connective links going with the next action: 가서 보여 줘 means “go and then show [it].” The form does not by itself say who goes; that is understood from the instruction. 보험 means “insurance.” It commonly combines with a following noun to specify something related to insurance, as in 보험 카드 (“insurance card”). 카드 means “card.” In 보험 카드, it is the head noun: 보험 identifies the type of card, while 카드 names the object. 보여 줘 is the informal spoken form of 보여 주다, “to show.” 보이다 can mean “to be seen” or “to appear,” while 보여 주다 means “to show something to someone.” Here, 줘 is the informal imperative form of 주다 in this helping construction, so the phrase is a direct but familiar instruction. The object is 보험 카드, and the recipient is understood from the situation; the fixed translation identifies that recipient as “them.” Together, 먼저 marks the first step, 접수처에 places the destination at the reception desk, 가서 connects going there to the next action, and 보험 카드를 보여 줘 instructs the listener to show the insurance card to the staff there. The whole utterance means: “Start at reception and show them your insurance card.”

4. 간호사를 만나기 전에 서류를 작성해야 하나?

   Will I need to fill out a form before I see the nurse?

   간호사

   nurse

   만나기

   meeting

   전에

   before

   서류

   form; document

   작성해야 하나?

   need to fill out?

   More detail

   간호사 means “nurse” here. It is a noun; the object marker 를 in 간호사를 marks the nurse as the person being met. Korean object marking is separate from the noun, so 간호사 itself does not change form. 만나기 comes from 만나다, “to meet,” plus -기, which turns a verb into an activity or event: 만나다 → 만나기, “meeting.” In 만나기 전에, this activity is the reference point for “before.” The form 만나기 does not itself indicate who meets the nurse; the sentence’s “I” is supplied by the fixed translation and context. 전에 means “before.” The pattern 동사-기 전에 means “before doing ...”: 집에 가기 전에 전화해요. — “Call before you go home.” Here, 만나기 전에 means “before meeting [the nurse].” 서류 means “form” or “document.” In this sentence it is the paperwork to be completed. The object marker 를 in 서류를 marks it as what is filled out. 서류 is a noun and has no change here for singular versus plural; the context determines the intended amount of paperwork. 작성해야 하나? asks whether the speaker needs to fill out the paperwork. 작성하다 means “to fill out” or “complete” a document. The pattern -아/어야 하다 expresses necessity: 작성해야 하다 means “need to fill out” or “must fill out.” In the question form 작성해야 하나?, -나? makes this a concise conversational question about whether that necessity applies. The 하나? here is part of the question ending, not a numeric word meaning “one.” Putting the parts together, 간호사를 만나기 전에 sets the time as “before seeing the nurse,” and 서류를 작성해야 하나? asks whether the speaker is required to complete the form. The whole utterance therefore means, “Will I need to fill out a form before I see the nurse?”

5. 아마 그럴 거야. 특히 이번이 첫 방문이면.

   Probably, especially if this is your first visit.

   아마

   probably

   그럴 거야

   will be so

   특히

   especially

   이번

   this time

   첫

   first

   방문

   visit

   이면

   if it is

   More detail

   아마 means “probably” here. It is an adverb placed before the prediction and signals that the speaker is not presenting it as certain. Example: 아마 늦을 거야. — “I’ll probably be late.” 그럴 거야 means “will be so” in this utterance. 그럴 is the future-attributive form of 그렇다 (“to be so”), and 거야 is the informal spoken form of 것이야; together, this pattern presents an expected result or situation. The uncertainty comes from the separate adverb 아마, so 아마 그럴 거야 means “It will probably be so.” 특히 means “especially” and highlights the condition that follows. It can modify a word or a whole clause. Example: 특히 주말에는 바빠. — “It’s especially busy on weekends.” 이번 means “this time” or “this occasion.” In 이번이, the subject marker 이 marks this occasion as the subject of the following description; it does not itself mean “your.” The translation identifies the occasion as the current visit, but the Korean form itself does not encode ownership. 첫 means “first” and comes directly before the noun it describes: 첫 방문 means “first visit.” It is a modifier rather than a form that changes for number or gender. Compare the reusable pattern 첫 수업 — “first class.” 방문 means “visit.” In 첫 방문, it is the noun being described by 첫; the phrase refers to the first visit, rather than to the act of visiting expressed as a verb. 이면 means “if it is.” It combines the copula 이다 (“to be”) with the conditional ending -면 (“if/when”). Here, 이번이 첫 방문이면 means “if this is your first visit.” The condition is placed at the end of the utterance, and the result is understood from 그럴 거야: “it will be so.” Putting the parts together: 아마 marks uncertainty, 그럴 거야 gives the expected result, and 특히 이번이 첫 방문이면 adds the condition “especially if this is your first visit.” Thus the whole utterance means: “Probably, especially if this is your first visit.” The second part is a conditional fragment; the result is supplied by the preceding prediction rather than repeated.

6. 그다음에는 대기실에서 기다리면 될까?

   Should I wait in the main waiting room after that?

   그다음에는

   after that; then

   대기실

   waiting room

   기다리면

   if [someone] waits

   될까?

   would it be okay?

   More detail

   그다음에는 means “after that” or “then.” 그다음 is “what comes next/after that,” and -에는 marks this time as the topic, with 는 adding a contrastive or focusing nuance. In this sentence, it sets the time for the proposed action. 대기실 means “waiting room.” It is a compound noun: 대기 means waiting, and 실 means room. The following particle 에서 marks the place where an action takes place, so 대기실에서 means “in the waiting room.” 기다리면 is the verb 기다리다 (“to wait”) with -면, a conditional form meaning “if/when [someone] waits.” The subject is understood from the context and translation as the speaker: “if I wait.” For example, 여기서 기다리면 돼요. means “You can wait here” or, more literally, “It is okay if you wait here.” 될까? comes from 되다 (“to become; to be acceptable/okay”) with the tentative question ending -ㄹ까?. In this construction, -면 되다 means “it is enough/okay if someone does …,” and -면 될까? asks tentatively whether that would be okay. The full pattern is V-면 될까? = “Would it be okay if I/we V?” Here, 기다리면 될까? asks, “Would it be okay if I wait?” Together, 그다음에는 sets the time, 대기실에서 gives the location, and 기다리면 될까? asks whether waiting there is the appropriate action. The complete utterance means: “Should I wait in the main waiting room after that?”

7. 접수처에서 다른 곳으로 가라고 하지 않으면 거기서 기다려.

   Stay there unless reception sends you somewhere else.

   접수처

   reception desk

   다른

   other; different

   곳

   place

   가라고 하지 않으면

   unless [someone] tells [someone] to go

   거기서

   there

   기다려

   wait

   More detail

   접수처 means a reception desk or reception office—the place where people check in or receive directions. It is a noun. Example: 접수처에 물어보세요. — “Please ask at reception.” 다른 means “other” or “different” and comes before the noun it describes. In 다른 곳, it describes 곳, so the phrase means “another place.” Its base form is 다르다, “to be different”; 다른 is the form used before a noun. Example: 다른 방법이 있어요. — “There is another way.” 곳 means “place.” It can be used on its own or with a modifier such as 다른: 다른 곳 (“another place”). Example: 조용한 곳에서 공부해요. — “I study in a quiet place.” 가라고 하지 않으면 expresses the condition “unless [someone] tells [someone] to go.” It contains 가다 (“to go”), the quoted-command form -라고 하다 (“say/tell someone to ...”), and -지 않으면 (“if ... does not” / “unless ...”). In this sentence, the understood people who might give the instruction are the reception staff, and the person being told to go is the listener, as supported by the fixed translation. The negative condition is attached to 하다: 하지 않으면 means “if [they] do not say/tell [you].” Example: 선생님이 들어오라고 하면 들어가세요. — “If the teacher tells you to come in, go in.” 거기서 means “there,” with -서 marking the place where the action happens. Here it refers to the place understood from the situation, while the form itself does not specify that place by name. Example: 여기서 기다리세요. — “Please wait here.” 기다려 comes from the verb 기다리다, “to wait.” It is an informal/plain-style imperative: “wait.” A more polite request is 기다리세요. Example: 잠깐 기다려. — “Wait a moment.” Together, 다른 곳으로 가라고 하지 않으면 means “unless [they] tell you to go to another place.” -으로 marks movement toward 다른 곳, and 거기서 기다려 means “wait there.” The whole utterance therefore means: “Stay there unless reception sends you somewhere else.” It is a direct instruction in informal speech.

8. 절차를 모르면 긴장돼.

   I feel nervous when I do not know the procedure.

   절차

   procedure

   모르면

   if [someone] does not know

   긴장돼

   feel nervous

   More detail

   절차 means “procedure” here. Its base form is 절차, a noun. In 절차를, 를 marks 절차 as the object of the verb that follows: “know the procedure.” 모르면 comes from the verb 모르다, “not know.” The ending -면 forms a condition such as “if” or “when”: 알면 means “if/when [someone] knows,” while 모르면 means “if/when [someone] does not know.” Korean does not state the subject here; the fixed translation identifies it as “I,” so this sentence means “when I do not know,” not that the form itself specifically means “I.” 긴장돼 is the conversational form of 긴장되다, meaning “feel/become nervous.” It is formed from 긴장되다 with the -어 ending: 긴장되어 contracts to 긴장돼. The related verb 긴장하다 also means “be nervous,” but 긴장되다 presents nervousness as a state that arises or is felt. For example, 시험 전에 긴장돼. means “I feel nervous before the exam.” The subject is again understood from context. Together, 절차를 모르면 means “when I do not know the procedure,” and 긴장돼 means “I feel nervous.” Thus the whole utterance is “I feel nervous when I do not know the procedure.” Its plain conversational ending is suitable for stating a personal feeling informally.

9. 그건 자연스러운 일이야. 직원에게 각 단계를 설명해 달라고 물어봐도 돼.

   That is normal. You can ask the staff to explain each step.

   그건

   that

   자연스러운

   normal; natural

   일이야

   is a matter; is a thing

   직원에게

   to the staff

   각 단계

   each step

   설명해 달라고

   requesting someone to explain

   물어봐도 돼

   may ask; can ask

   More detail

   그건 is the contracted form of 그것은: 그것 (“that thing”) plus the topic marker 은. Here, it refers to the situation under discussion and means “that” as the topic. In another sentence, 이건 means “this” as a topic. 자연스러운 means “normal” or “natural” here. Its base form is 자연스럽다, and 자연스러운 is the form used before a noun: 자연스러운 일 (“a normal thing”). The adjective carries this change; 일 is not its base form. Example: 자연스러운 반응 means “a natural reaction.” 일이야 consists of the noun 일 (“matter,” “thing,” or “event”) and 이야, the casual spoken form of “is” after a noun ending in a consonant. 자연스러운 일이야 therefore means “is a normal thing,” or more naturally here, “is normal.” After a vowel-final noun, 야 is used instead, as in 친구야 (“[someone] is a friend”). 직원에게 is 직원 (“staff member” or “employee”) plus 에게, a particle marking the recipient or person addressed. With 물어보다, it identifies the person asked, so it means “to the staff” here. Example: 선생님에게 물어봐요 means “I ask the teacher.” 각 단계 means “each step.” 각 is a determiner meaning “each/every,” and 단계 is the noun “step” or “stage.” 각 does not change for number or gender. Example: 각 단계를 확인하세요 means “Check each step.” 설명해 달라고 contains 설명하다 (“to explain”), the connected form 설명해, the request expression -아/어 달라, and -고, which marks the requested content before a verb such as 물어보다. The phrase presents a request for someone to explain something for the requester. A reusable pattern is V-아/어 달라고 말하다/부탁하다, meaning “say/ask someone to V for me.” 물어봐도 돼 uses the permission pattern 물어보다 + -아/어도 되다. 물어보다 means “to ask” or “to inquire”; 물어봐도 is its connected form plus -아/어도, and 돼 is the spoken form of 되다 (“be allowed” or “be okay”). Together, the phrase means “may ask” or “it is okay to ask.” Example: 여기 앉아도 돼요? means “May I sit here?” Putting the parts together, 그건 자연스러운 일이야 says “That is normal.” The second sentence identifies the staff as the person asked, 각 단계를 설명해 달라고 as the requested content, and 물어봐도 돼 as permission to make that request: “You can ask the staff to explain each step.”

10. 서류 작성에 충분한 시간이 있도록 일찍 도착할게.

    I will arrive early so I have enough time for the paperwork.

    서류

    paperwork; documents

    작성

    completion; preparation

    충분한

    enough; sufficient

    시간

    time

    있도록

    so that there is

    일찍

    early

    도착할게

    I’ll arrive

    More detail

    서류 means documents or paperwork. In this sentence it is the material being completed, not a specific document identified by the sentence. A useful combination is 서류 작성, “filling out paperwork.” 서류 is a noun; related nouns such as 문서 can also mean a document, but they are not interchangeable in every context. 작성 means completing or preparing something in written form. It is a noun often used in compounds such as 서류 작성 (“paperwork completion”) and 신청서 작성 (“application-form completion”). The phrase 서류 작성에 uses 에 to mark the activity or purpose for which the time is needed. 충분한 is the form of the adjective 충분하다 used directly before a noun: 충분하다 → 충분한 시간, “enough time.” The form agrees with neither person nor number; it is the attributive form required before 시간. For example, 충분한 준비 means “enough preparation.” 시간 means time. Here it is the time available for the paperwork, as specified by the surrounding phrase, not a stated clock time. 시간이 충분해요 means “There is enough time.” 있도록 combines 있다, “to exist / be available,” with -도록, which can mark a goal or intended arrangement: “so that there is” or “so as to have.” In 충분한 시간이 있도록, the speaker describes arriving early with the goal of making enough time available. This form is different from 있어서, which more commonly gives a reason or cause. 일찍 means early, especially earlier than the relevant expected or planned time. It is an adverb, so it modifies the arrival rather than a noun. 일찍 도착하다 means “arrive early”; 빨리 도착하다 instead emphasizes arriving quickly. 도착할게 comes from the verb 도착하다, “to arrive,” with the ending -ㄹ게. 도착하다 → 도착할게 expresses the speaker’s intention or commitment: “I’ll arrive.” The ending is used when the speaker presents an action as something they will do, often in relation to the listener. For example, 내일 연락할게 means “I’ll contact you tomorrow.” Together, 서류 작성에 충분한 시간이 있도록 means “so that there is enough time for the paperwork,” and 일찍 도착할게 means “I’ll arrive early.” The whole utterance is therefore: “I will arrive early so I have enough time for the paperwork.”

11. 시간을 더 넉넉히 잡으면 진료가 덜 촉박하게 느껴질 거야.

    Extra time should make the appointment feel less rushed.

    시간을

    time

    더

    more

    넉넉히

    with plenty of room

    잡으면

    if you allow or set aside

    진료

    medical consultation

    덜

    less

    촉박하게

    under time pressure

    느껴질 거야

    will feel

    More detail

    시간을 means “time” as the object of the verb. 시간 is a noun, and -을 marks it as the object; after a consonant-final noun such as 시간, -을 is used, while vowel-final nouns take -를. In this sentence, the amount of time is what is being set aside. 더 means “more” and increases the degree of the following description. It can be reused before adjectives or adverbs: 더 빨리 means “faster/more quickly,” and 더 편하게 means “more comfortably.” 넉넉히 means “generously” or “with plenty of room.” It is the adverbial form used to describe allowing enough extra time. The related adjective is 넉넉하다, “to be ample,” as in 시간이 넉넉해요 — “There is plenty of time.” 잡으면 comes from 잡다, whose basic meaning is “to hold” or “to take,” but in the expression 시간을 잡다 it means “to allow or set aside an amount of time.” -으면 makes a conditional clause: 잡으면 means “if [someone] allows/sets aside.” With a vowel-final stem, the same pattern is -면, as in 가면 — “if [someone] goes.” Together, 시간을 더 넉넉히 잡으면 means “if you allow more time” or, in a broader reusable pattern, “if [someone] sets aside a more generous amount of time.” The subject of this conditional is not stated in the Korean sentence. 진료 is a noun meaning medical care or a medical consultation. It commonly appears in expressions such as 진료를 받다, “receive medical care,” and 진료 시간, “consultation hours.” Here it identifies the medical appointment or consultation whose experience is being described. 덜 means “less” and reduces the degree of the following description. It forms a contrast with 더: 더 복잡하게 is “more complicated,” while 덜 복잡하게 is “less complicated.” 촉박하게 is an adverb meaning “under time pressure” or “in a rushed way.” It comes from the adjective 촉박하다, “to be pressing or tight in time.” For example, 일정이 촉박해요 means “The schedule is tight.” In this sentence, 덜 촉박하게 means “with less time pressure,” not simply “more slowly.” 느껴질 거야 expresses “will feel.” 느껴지다 means “to be felt” or “to feel,” with the experience presented as something perceived rather than as a deliberate action by the subject. -ㄹ 거야 is an informal form for an expected or predicted future; because 느껴지다 ends in a vowel, it takes -ㄹ 거야. A related present form is 느껴져 — “it feels/is felt.” The ending -야 gives the sentence an informal conversational tone. The sentence assembles as 시간을 더 넉넉히 잡으면 (“if more time is allowed”) + 진료가 (“the consultation,” marked as the subject of the feeling) + 덜 촉박하게 (“with less time pressure”) + 느껴질 거야 (“will feel”). Thus the intended meaning is: “Extra time should make the appointment feel less rushed.”