Reporting a Kitchen Sink Leak with Concrete Details | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 싱크대 아래에 축축한 얼룩이 생기고 있는 것을 발견했어요.

   I noticed a damp patch forming under the kitchen sink.

   싱크대

   kitchen sink

   아래에

   under; below

   축축한

   damp

   얼룩

   patch; stain

   생기고 있는

   forming

   발견했어요

   noticed

   More detail

   싱크대 means “kitchen sink.” It is a noun and can be followed by a location expression: 싱크대 아래 = “under the kitchen sink.” 아래에 means “under/below” in this sentence. 아래 is the location noun “underneath” or “the lower part,” and -에 marks the place where something is located or occurs. Pattern: N 아래에 = “under N.” Example: 책상 아래에 가방이 있어요. — “There is a bag under the desk.” 축축한 describes the 얼룩 as damp or slightly wet. Its base form is 축축하다; the form 축축한 is the form used before a noun, made with the attributive ending -ㄴ: 축축하다 → 축축한 얼룩. This is a descriptive verb in Korean, functioning here as an adjective before 얼룩. 얼룩 is a noun meaning a patch or stain. In this sentence, it refers to the damp patch itself, without asserting that it is a permanent stain. Example: 셔츠에 얼룩이 생겼어요. — “A stain appeared on the shirt.” 생기고 있는 expresses something that is currently forming or appearing. It comes from 생기다 (“to form,” “to appear”) plus -고 있다, which presents an action or change as ongoing: 생기다 → 생기고 있다. Here, 생기고 있는 modifies 얼룩: 생기고 있는 얼룩 = “a patch that is forming.” Example: 벽에 금이 생기고 있어요. — “A crack is forming in the wall.” 발견했어요 means “noticed” or “discovered” here. Its base form is 발견하다 (“to notice/discover”), and -했어요 marks the past tense in a polite style: 발견하다 → 발견했어요. The person who noticed the patch is understood from the sentence, but Korean does not state that subject overtly here. Together, 싱크대 아래에 locates the event under the kitchen sink, 축축한 얼룩이 생기고 있는 것 describes the damp patch that is in the process of forming, and 발견했어요 says that the speaker noticed it. The complete meaning is: “I noticed a damp patch forming under the kitchen sink.”

2. 수납장을 손상시키기 전에 조치를 취해야 해요.

   That needs attention before it damages the cabinet.

   수납장

   cabinet

   손상시키기 전에

   before damaging it

   조치

   action

   취해야 해요

   must take

   More detail

   수납장 means “cabinet,” specifically a storage cabinet. It is a noun; the source uses it as the object affected by the possible damage. 손상시키기 전에 means “before damaging it.” The base form is 손상시키다, “to damage”; the ending -기 turns the verb into an event noun, and 전에 means “before” that event. In this sentence, the understood subject of 손상시키다 is the leak or damp problem described in the context, and 수납장 is what may be damaged. Pattern: V-기 전에 = “before doing V.” Example: 나가기 전에 문을 잠가요. — “I lock the door before going out.” 조치 means “action” or “measure” taken to deal with a problem. A useful related expression is 조치를 취하다, literally “take an action,” and naturally “take measures” or “address the problem.” 조치 itself is a noun. 취해야 해요 means “must take” in this context. The base verb is 취하다, “to take” in expressions such as 조치를 취하다; -아/어야 하다 expresses necessity, and the polite ending -해요 gives the conversational form 해야 해요. Thus 조치를 취해야 해요 means “we need to take measures” or “action needs to be taken.” Example: 지금 조치를 취해야 해요. — “We need to take action now.” Together, 수납장을 손상시키기 전에 sets the deadline: action is needed before the leak or damp problem damages the cabinet. 조치를 취해야 해요 states the necessity of responding. The whole utterance means: “That needs attention before it damages the cabinet.”

3. 거기에 용기를 놓았지만 아직도 물이 조금씩 떨어지고 있어요.

   I placed a container there, but the leak is still dripping slowly.

   거기에

   there

   용기

   container

   놓았지만

   placed, but

   아직도

   still

   물

   water

   조금씩

   little by little

   떨어지고 있어요

   is dripping

   More detail

   거기에 means “there.” 에 marks the place connected with 거기; in this sentence, it identifies where the container was placed. 거기 means “there,” while 여기 means “here.” 용기 means “container.” It is a noun for a vessel or receptacle, and 용기를 in the sentence adds the object marker 를. The fixed translation identifies this object as a container. 놓았지만 comes from 놓다, “to put/place,” followed by -았- for a completed past action and -지만 for “but.” Thus, 놓았지만 presents the placement as completed and contrasts it with what follows. A reusable pattern is A-았/었지만 B — “Although A happened, B.” 아직도 means “still,” emphasizing that the situation continues up to the relevant time. 아직 can mean “still” or “yet”; 도 adds the sense of “even/also” and strengthens the continuation here. 물 means “water.” In 물이, the particle 이 marks 물 as the subject of the following predicate. The word itself does not mean “leak”; the fixed translation conveys the situation as a leak that is still dripping, while the Korean wording names the dripping water. 조금씩 means “little by little” or “in small amounts.” The repeated-sense form -씩 distributes something by small portions or intervals. For example, 조금씩 먹어요 means “Eat a little at a time.” 떨어지고 있어요 describes dripping as an ongoing process. It is based on 떨어지다, whose relevant meaning here is “fall” or “drop”; with liquid, it can describe drops falling or dripping. -고 있다 marks an action or process in progress, and 있어요 is the polite present form of 있다 in this construction. For example, 비가 오고 있어요 means “It is raining.” Together, 거기에 용기를 놓았지만 means “I placed a container there, but,” and 아직도 물이 조금씩 떨어지고 있어요 means “water is still dripping little by little.” The complete utterance therefore conveys the fixed meaning: a container was placed there, but the dripping problem continues.

4. 그곳에 접근을 막을 만한 물건이 보관되어 있나요?

   Is anything stored there that could block access?

   그곳에

   there

   접근을

   access

   막을

   block

   만한

   enough to; capable of

   물건이

   thing; object

   보관되어 있나요?

   is it stored?

   More detail

   그곳에 means “there/in that place.” 그곳 is a place noun, and -에 marks the location where something is or happens. For a more conversational “there,” Korean also commonly uses 거기에; the observed form is the more explicit 그곳에. 접근을 means “access” as the object of the following action. 접근 is a noun meaning access or approach, and -을 marks it as the object. In this sentence, it is the access that could be blocked. 막을 comes from the verb 막다, “to block” or “to obstruct.” The form 막을 is the verb’s attributive form used for a prospective or possible action before a noun-like expression: 막다 → 막을. Here it combines with 만한, rather than simply describing a definite future event. 만한 is part of the pattern -을/ㄹ 만한 + noun, meaning “a noun capable or suitable enough to do ...” or “a noun of a level to do ...”. Thus 접근을 막을 만한 물건 is an object capable of blocking access. This is different from using 만한 for something merely “worth doing”; the surrounding noun and verb here give it the capability/ suitability reading. 물건이 means “an object/thing” as the grammatical subject. 물건 is a general noun for a physical item, and -이 marks it as the subject because 물건 ends in a consonant. Korean does not mark this noun for singular versus plural here, so the fixed translation’s “anything” comes from the question context rather than from a special plural form. 보관되어 있나요? asks whether something is being kept or stored. 보관되다 means “to be stored/kept,” and 보관되어 있다 presents that storage as an existing state. The ending -나요? makes a polite question. The form does not itself identify who stored the item; the passive expression focuses on the item’s stored state. Putting the parts together: 그곳에 locates the item, 접근을 막을 만한 describes its capability, 물건이 supplies the subject, and 보관되어 있나요? asks whether it is stored there. The whole utterance means: “Is anything stored there that could block access?”

5. 기술자가 쉽게 점검할 수 있도록 주변을 치워 두었어요.

   I cleared the area, so the technician can inspect it easily.

   기술자

   technician

   쉽게

   easily

   점검할 수 있도록

   so that someone can inspect

   주변

   surroundings

   치워 두었어요

   cleared and left it that way

   More detail

   기술자 means “technician.” The -자 ending here is part of this noun; it is not the agent suffix in this sentence. This word names the person who will carry out the inspection. 쉽게 means “easily.” It is the adverbial form of 쉽다 (“to be easy”): 쉽다 → 쉽게. The adjective describes how the inspection can be carried out, not the technician. 점검할 수 있도록 expresses “so that [someone] can inspect.” 점검하다 means “to inspect” or “to check,” and 점검할 is its future/attributive form before 수. The pattern 동사-(으)ㄹ 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility: 점검할 수 있다 means “can inspect.” With -도록, 동사-(으)ㄹ 수 있도록 gives a purpose or intended result: “so that someone can…” Example: 잘 볼 수 있도록 불을 켰어요. — “I turned on the light so that [someone] could see well.” The omitted person is understood from context; Korean does not require an explicit subject here. 주변 means “the surrounding area” or “the area around [something].” It is a noun, so the phrase identifies the place that was cleared. The exact center or boundaries of this area are not specified by the sentence. 치워 두었어요 combines 치우다 (“to clear away” or “put away”) with -어 두다. 치워 is the connective form of 치우다, and 두다 adds the meaning that the result was deliberately left in place. 두었어요 is the polite past form of this combination, so 치워 두었어요 means “cleared it and left it cleared.” This is different from simply reporting the clearing action: the maintained result is relevant here. Together, 주변을 치워 두었어요 means “I cleared the surrounding area and left it that way.” The purpose clause 기술자가 쉽게 점검할 수 있도록 comes first in the target sentence and explains why: the area was left clear so that the technician could inspect it easily. The whole utterance is therefore “I cleared the area, so the technician can inspect it easily.”

6. 긴급한 건으로 표시할 수는 있지만, 일정을 잡는 데는 여전히 시간이 걸릴 수 있어요.

   I can mark it as urgent, although scheduling may still take time.

   긴급한

   urgent

   건으로

   as a matter/case

   표시할

   mark or display

   수는 있지만

   can, but

   일정을

   the schedule

   잡는

   schedule or arrange

   데는

   when it comes to

   여전히

   still

   시간

   time

   걸릴

   take (time)

   수 있어요

   may or can

   More detail

   긴급한 means “urgent” here. It is the attributive form of 긴급하다 (“to be urgent”), used before a noun: 긴급한 요청 means “an urgent request.” The form 긴급한 describes the matter that follows; it is not an inflection of that noun. 건으로 means “as a matter/case.” Here 건 is the noun 건 (件), “matter” or “case,” and 으로 marks the status or designation in which something is treated. Thus 긴급한 건으로 means “as an urgent matter.” This 건 should not be treated as the conversational contraction of 것은 in this sentence. 표시할 is the attributive form of 표시하다, “to mark” or “to label.” The ending -할 places the verb before 수 in the reusable pattern V-(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다, expressing ability or possibility. 표시하다 is the base form; 표시할 수 있다 means “can mark.” 수는 있지만 combines 수 (“way/possibility”) with -는 and 있지만 (“although there is/is possible, but”). In V-(으)ㄹ 수는 있지만, -는 gives the ability or possibility a contrastive focus: “can do it, but …” For example, 오늘은 만날 수는 있지만 오래 있을 수는 없어요 means “I can meet today, but I can’t stay long.” 일정을 means “the schedule” as the object marked by -을. 일정 is the noun “schedule,” and 일정을 확인하다 means “check the schedule.” 잡는 is the present attributive form of 잡다, whose relevant meaning here is “arrange” or “set” a time. In the combination 일정을 잡다, it means “schedule an appointment or event,” not literally “catch a schedule.” 잡다 becomes 잡는 before a following noun-like element: 잡는 방법 means “a way to schedule.” 데는 is 데 with the topic/contrast marker -는. After a verb in the form V-는 데, 데 makes the activity into the area or process being discussed; 일정을 잡는 데 means “in scheduling the appointment” or “when it comes to scheduling.” The added -는 in 데는 contrasts this process with the earlier ability to mark something urgent. 여전히 means “still” or “nevertheless,” indicating that the situation remains so despite the preceding point. Here it says that the time required for scheduling remains possible even though the item can be marked urgent. 시간 means “time.” In the pattern 시간이 걸리다, time is grammatically the subject: 시간이 걸려요 means “it takes time.” This differs from treating time as the object of an English-like verb “take.” 걸릴 is the form of 걸리다, “to take (time)” in this use, before 수. Its base form is 걸리다, and 걸릴 수 있다 means “may take” or “can take.” The relevant subject in the sentence is 시간, so 시간이 걸릴 수 있어요 means “it may take time.” 수 있어요 completes the possibility pattern V-(으)ㄹ 수 있어요, meaning “can” or “may.” In this sentence, because it concerns how long scheduling may require, “may take” is the natural meaning rather than a firm prediction. 비가 올 수 있어요 means “It may rain.” Together, 긴급한 건으로 표시할 수는 있지만 says that the item can be designated as an urgent matter, with -는 marking a contrast. 일정을 잡는 데는 여전히 시간이 걸릴 수 있어요 says that scheduling it may nevertheless still take time. The whole utterance therefore means: “I can mark it as urgent, although scheduling may still take time.”

7. 바닥이 휘기 시작했다고 꼭 언급해 주세요.

   Please mention that the floor is beginning to warp.

   바닥이

   the floor

   휘기 시작했다고

   that it is beginning to warp

   꼭

   definitely

   언급해 주세요

   please mention

   More detail

   바닥이 means “the floor” here. 바닥 is the noun “floor,” and -이 marks it as the subject because the noun ends in a consonant. A useful pattern is 명사이/가 ... for identifying what performs or has the stated action or condition. 휘기 시작했다고 says that it is beginning to warp. The base verb is 휘다, “to bend” or “to warp.” Here 휘기 uses -기 to turn the verb into the action “warping,” and 시작하다 means “to begin,” giving the reusable pattern 동사-기 시작하다, “to begin to do.” The ending -다고 presents the preceding content as something being reported or mentioned: ...다고 말하다/언급하다, “to say/mention that ...”. 꼭 adds firm emphasis: “surely,” “definitely,” or “be sure to.” It strengthens the request that the information be included, rather than merely suggesting it. 언급해 주세요 is a polite request meaning “please mention [it].” The base verb is 언급하다, “to mention,” and -해 주세요 is the polite request pattern formed with the verb’s -해 form plus 주세요 (“please do/give”). For example, 이 점을 언급해 주세요. means “Please mention this point.” Together, 바닥이 휘기 시작했다고 supplies the content to be mentioned: “that the floor is beginning to warp.” 꼭 makes the request emphatic, and 언급해 주세요 asks the listener politely to mention it. The whole utterance therefore means: “Please be sure to mention that the floor is beginning to warp.”

8. 그 내용은 보고서에 포함해야 해요.

   That detail should go in the report.

   그

   that

   내용

   detail; content

   보고서

   report

   포함해야 해요

   should/must include

   More detail

   그 means “that” here and comes before the noun it modifies. Korean demonstratives include 이 for “this,” 그 for “that,” and 저 for “that over there.” 내용 means “content” or, in this context, “detail.” It is a noun; 내용 itself is the basic form used in both the phrase and dictionary-style references. Which English noun is most natural depends on context, and the fixed translation supports “detail” here. 보고서 means “report.” The following particle 에 marks the place or target associated with the inclusion, so 보고서에 means “in the report” or “into the report.” 포함해야 해요 expresses that someone should or must include something. The verb is 포함하다, “to include.” The pattern -아/어야 하다 adds necessity or obligation, so 포함해야 하다 means “have to include.” 해요 is the polite conversational ending of 하다. The observed form is not morphologically passive: it literally has an active “include” structure. In this sentence, however, the topic 그 내용은 is the item to be included, and English naturally expresses the same requirement as “That detail should go in the report.” Together, 그 내용은 sets “that detail” as the topic, 보고서에 identifies the report as the destination, and 포함해야 해요 states the obligation to include it. The whole utterance therefore means: “That detail should go in the report.”

9. 그것은 안전과 수리 계획에 영향을 줘요.

   It affects safety and the repair plan.

   그것은

   it / that

   안전

   safety

   수리

   repair

   계획

   plan

   영향을 줘요

   affects

   More detail

   그것은 combines 그것 (“that thing” or “it”) with topic marker 은. Here it is the topic of the sentence, and the translation identifies it as “it.” The form 그것 is a demonstrative pronoun; its specific referent is not named in the supplied sentence. 안전 means “safety.” In 안전과, 과 links this noun to the following noun phrase, giving “safety and …”. 수리 means “repair.” Before 계획, it specifies the plan’s purpose or subject: 수리 계획 means “repair plan.” This is a noun-noun combination, so 수리 is not an inflected adjective. 계획 means “plan.” The ending 에 marks the target affected in the construction N에 영향을 주다. 영향을 줘요 is the polite present form of 영향을 주다, literally “give influence” and naturally “affect” in this pattern. 영향 means “influence” or “effect,” 을 marks it as the object, and 줘요 is the polite present form of 주다 (“to give”). The useful pattern is A가 B에 영향을 줘요: “A affects B.” Putting the parts together, 그것은 sets the topic, 안전과 수리 계획에 identifies two affected targets—“safety and the repair plan”—and 영향을 줘요 says that the topic affects them. The complete meaning is: “It affects safety and the repair plan.”