Describing a Possible Heating Problem | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 난방이 켜지기는 하지만 방이 전혀 쾌적해지지 않아요.

   The heating switches on, but the room never becomes comfortable.

   난방

   heating

   켜지기는 하지만

   does switch on, but

   방

   room

   전혀

   not at all

   쾌적해지지 않아요

   does not become comfortable

   More detail

   난방 means “heating” here and functions as the subject. It is a noun, so it can be reused with forms such as 난방이 필요해요 (“Heating is needed”) or 난방을 켜요 (“I turn on the heating”). 켜지기는 하지만 combines 켜지다 (“be switched on / turn on”) with -기는 하지만 (“although it does ..., but ...”). 켜지다 is an intransitive form describing the heating coming on, rather than the transitive action of someone switching it on; compare 난방을 켜요 (“I switch on the heating”) with 난방이 켜져요 (“the heating switches on”). The pattern -기는 하지만 acknowledges the first fact while setting it against the following result: 비싸기는 하지만 좋아요 means “It is expensive, but it is good.” 방 means “room” and is the subject of the second part. The noun can be placed in other patterns such as 방이 추워요 (“The room is cold”) or 방을 청소해요 (“I clean the room”). 전혀 strengthens a negative statement to “not at all” or “never” in the relevant situation. It normally appears with a negative form, as here with 쾌적해지지 않아요; it is not itself the negative verb. 쾌적해지지 않아요 is based on 쾌적하다 (“be comfortable / pleasant”) plus -아/어지다, which expresses a change into a state, and -지 않아요, which negates that change in a polite present-style form. Thus 쾌적해져요 means “becomes comfortable,” while 쾌적해지지 않아요 means “does not become comfortable.” The adjective is 쾌적하다; 방 is not its base form. A reusable example is 날씨가 따뜻해져요 — “The weather becomes warm.” Together, 난방이 켜지기는 하지만 says that the heating does switch on, while 방이 전혀 쾌적해지지 않아요 says that the room does not become comfortable at all. The complete meaning is: “The heating switches on, but the room never becomes comfortable.”

2. 온도 조절기는 작동하지만 라디에이터 밸브는 여전히 고착되어 있을 수도 있어요.

   The thermostat may be working, while the radiator valve remains stuck.

   온도 조절기

   thermostat

   작동하지만

   works, but

   라디에이터 밸브

   radiator valve

   여전히

   still

   고착되어

   stuck

   있을 수도 있어요

   may be

   More detail

   온도 조절기는 means “the thermostat” here. 온도 조절기 is a compound noun for a device that controls temperature, and -는 marks it as the topic. The topic marker can also support a contrast, but it does not by itself require one. 작동하지만 comes from 작동하다, “to operate” or “to work.” The ending -지만 connects this clause to a contrasting or limiting clause: “works, but …” Example: 기계는 작동하지만 소리가 커요. means “The machine works, but it is loud.” In the supplied translation, the first clause is rendered as “the thermostat may be working”; the observed form itself is the connective form of 작동하다, not a separate modal form. 라디에이터 밸브는 means “the radiator valve,” with -는 marking this topic. 라디에이터 밸브 is a noun phrase. The pattern A는 …, B는 … can set two topics against each other. 여전히 means “still” or “even now.” It presents the following condition as continuing at the relevant time. Example: 문은 여전히 닫혀 있어요. means “The door is still closed.” 고착되어 comes from 고착되다, meaning “to become stuck” or “to be fixed in place.” Its -어 connective form links it to the following 있다. In 고착되어 있다, the stuck condition is presented as a continuing state; this does not describe the valve as actively doing something. 있을 수도 있어요 contains 있다 and the possibility pattern -(으)ㄹ 수도 있다, meaning “may” or “it is possible that.” With 고착되어 before it, the expression describes the possibility of the valve’s being in a continuing stuck state. -어요 makes the ending polite. Example: 문이 잠겨 있을 수도 있어요. means “The door may be locked.” Together, 온도 조절기는 작동하지만 introduces the thermostat’s operation as the contrasting first part, while 라디에이터 밸브는 여전히 고착되어 있을 수도 있어요 presents the radiator valve as possibly still stuck. Following the supplied translation, the whole utterance means: “The thermostat may be working, while the radiator valve remains stuck.”

3. 벽 근처의 파이프가 따뜻하게 느껴져서 저도 그 점이 궁금했어요.

   I wondered about that, because the pipe feels warm near the wall.

   벽

   wall

   근처

   vicinity; nearby area

   파이프

   pipe

   따뜻하게

   warmly; so that it is warm

   느껴져서

   because it feels

   저도

   I too; I also

   그

   that

   점

   point; aspect

   궁금했어요

   wondered; was curious

   More detail

   벽 means “wall.” It is a noun and can combine with location expressions: 벽 근처 means “near the wall.” 근처 means “vicinity” or “nearby area.” In 벽 근처의, 의 links this location phrase to the following noun: 벽 근처의 파이프 means “the pipe near the wall.” 파이프 means “pipe,” a noun. In this sentence it is the subject of the clause, marked by 가. 따뜻하게 comes from the descriptive word 따뜻하다, “to be warm.” The ending -게 makes it adverbial, so it describes how something is perceived: 따뜻하게 느껴지다 means “to feel warm.” 느껴져서 comes from 느껴지다, “to be felt” or “to feel.” The form -어서 connects this clause to the following one with a meaning such as “because” or “so”: 따뜻하게 느껴져서 means “because it feels warm.” The passive-like form 느껴지다 presents the warmth as something perceived, rather than saying directly that the pipe intentionally feels it. 저도 combines 저, the polite first-person pronoun “I,” with 도, “also/too.” Here it means that the speaker also wondered about the matter identified by 그 점. 그 is a demonstrative meaning “that” before a noun. Its grammatical role here is to point to the relevant matter, while 점 supplies the noun being pointed to. 점 literally means “point,” but in 그 점 it means an aspect, matter, or detail: “that point” or “that aspect.” 궁금했어요 comes from the descriptive word 궁금하다, “to be curious” or “to wonder.” -었어요 marks a past state or experience in a polite style, so here it presents the speaker as having wondered about it. This form is not the same as 궁금해요, which presents the curiosity as current. Putting the parts together, 벽 근처의 파이프가 identifies “the pipe near the wall,” 따뜻하게 느껴져서 gives the reason “because it feels warm,” and 저도 그 점이 궁금했어요 says “I also wondered about that aspect.” The whole utterance means: “I wondered about that too, because the pipe feels warm near the wall.”

4. 그렇다면 전원보다는 순환이 문제일 가능성이 크겠네요.

   Then the problem is probably circulation rather than power.

   그렇다면

   then; in that case

   전원

   power

   보다는

   rather than

   순환

   circulation

   문제

   problem

   가능성

   possibility; likelihood

   크겠네요

   is probably high

   More detail

   그렇다면 means “then” or “in that case.” 그렇다 means “to be so,” and -다면 presents a condition: “if that is the case.” For example, 그렇다면 시작하죠. means “Then let’s start.” 전원 means electrical power or the power supply in this context. It is a noun; it is not the noun for a person’s “full attendance,” which can have the same spelling in other contexts. A useful related expression is 전원을 끄다, “turn off the power.” 보다는 marks a comparison in which the first item is presented as the alternative being set aside: “rather than” or “instead of.” It consists of 보다 plus -는; here 보다 is the comparison marker, not the verb meaning “to see.” For example, 차보다는 버스가 편해요. means “The bus is more convenient than the car.” 순환 means circulation, such as the movement of air, water, or another system through a circuit. It is a noun. 순환이 잘되다 means “circulation works well” or “circulation is good.” 문제 means problem or issue. It is a noun and can combine with a noun modifier: 전원 문제 means “a power problem,” while 순환 문제 means “a circulation problem.” 가능성 means possibility or likelihood. In 문제일 가능성, the noun phrase means “the possibility that it is the problem” or, more naturally here, “the likelihood that it is the problem.” The pattern -일 가능성이 있다 expresses that something may be the case. For example, 고장일 가능성이 있어요. means “There is a possibility that it is broken.” 크겠네요 is the form of 크다, “to be big/high,” with -겠- and the conversational ending -네요. Here 크다 describes the degree of 가능성, so it means that the likelihood seems high. -겠- marks the speaker’s inference or expectation, and -네요 presents that conclusion conversationally. The adjective’s base form is 크다; the observed form is not an inflection of 가능성. For example, 비용이 크겠네요. means “The cost must be high.” Together, 전원보다는 순환 contrasts circulation with electrical power, and 문제일 가능성이 크겠네요 says that the likelihood of circulation being the problem seems high. With 그렇다면, the complete utterance means: “Then the problem is probably circulation rather than power.”

5. 기술자가 모든 방에 들어가지 않고도 확인할 수 있을까요?

   Could a technician check it without entering every room?

   기술자가

   a technician (subject)

   모든

   every; all

   방

   room

   들어가지 않고도

   without entering

   확인할

   check

   수 있을까요?

   could ...?

   More detail

   기술자가 marks 기술자 (“technician”) as the subject with the particle 가. The fixed translation presents this as “a technician,” not as a specifically identified “the technician.” The noun 기술자 can be reused for a technician or technical worker. 모든 means “every” or “all” and comes before the noun it determines. Here it combines with 방 to mean “every room,” not a stated numerical count. A useful contrast is 어떤 방 (“which room” or “a certain room”), where 어떤 asks for or specifies the type or identity rather than covering the whole set. 방 means “room.” In 모든 방에, the particle 에 marks the place entered: 방에 들어가다 means “to enter a room.” The noun itself is not inflected for this role; 에 supplies the location/destination marking. 들어가지 않고도 is built from 들어가다 (“to enter/go in”), the negative pattern -지 않다, and -고도. 들어가지 않다 means “not enter,” while -고도 adds the meaning “even without doing that” or “despite not doing that.” Thus, this form says that entering every room is not required for the checking to be possible. The observed form is not a general noun or adjective; it is a negative connective form of the verb 들어가다. 확인할 comes from the verb 확인하다, “to check” or “to verify.” Its -ㄹ form is the attributive form used before 수 in 확인할 수 있다, a construction expressing possibility or ability. In this sentence, 확인할 does not itself mean “could”; that possibility comes from the larger -ㄹ 수 있다 construction. For example, 자료를 확인할 수 있어요 means “I can check the materials.” 수 있을까요? contains 수 있다 (“be able to; be possible”) with the polite question ending -을까요?. After a verb’s attributive form, -ㄹ/을 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility; here the question asks whether checking is possible. -을까요? can also be used for a suggestion in other contexts, but with 확인할 수 here it asks about possibility: “Could a technician check...?” Together, 모든 방에 들어가지 않고도 sets the condition “without entering every room,” and 확인할 수 있을까요? asks whether checking is possible under that condition. With the subject 기술자가, the whole utterance means: “Could a technician check it without entering every room?” The Korean sentence leaves the object of 확인하다 unstated; the fixed translation supplies it as “it.”

6. 기술자가 아파트 여러 곳의 온도를 비교하려면 방에 들어갈 수 있어야 할 수도 있어요.

   They may need access to compare temperatures across the apartment.

   기술자가

   technician

   아파트

   apartment

   여러 곳의

   of several places

   온도를

   temperature

   비교하려면

   to compare; if one wants to compare

   방에

   into a room

   들어갈

   enter

   수 있어야 할 수도 있어요

   may need to be able to

   More detail

   기술자가 means “the technician” here. 기술자 is a noun meaning a technician or technical worker, and -가 marks it as the subject of the clause. The translation identifies this participant as the one who may need access. Example: 기술자가 확인해요. — “The technician checks it.” 아파트 means “apartment” or “apartment building.” It is a loanword noun; in this sentence it is followed by 여러 곳의, which describes locations within or associated with the apartment. 여러 곳의 means “of several places” and describes the locations whose temperatures are being compared. 여러 means “several” or “various,” while 곳 is a counter-like noun for places or spots and -의 marks a possessive or descriptive relation. The phrase does not by itself specify exactly how many places there are. 온도를 means “the temperature” as the object of the comparison. 온도 is “temperature,” and -를 marks it as the object of 비교하다 (“to compare”). Korean object marking is attached directly to the noun: 온도를 비교해요. — “They compare the temperature.” 비교하려면 means “in order to compare” or, more literally, “if one wants to compare.” Its base form is 비교하다 (“to compare”). The pattern -려고 하다 expresses an intention, and -려면 presents the condition or requirement for carrying out that intention. Here it links the goal of comparing temperatures to the access that may be needed. Example: 사진을 비교하려면 밝은 곳이 필요해요. — “To compare the photos, a bright place is needed.” 방에 means “into a room” in this sentence. 방 is “room,” and the particle -에 marks a destination with a movement verb such as 들어가다 (“to enter/go in”). It does not itself say which particular room. Example: 방에 들어가요. — “They go into the room.” 들어갈 is the form of 들어가다 (“to enter; to go in”) used before 수. The ending -(으)ㄹ creates the form in the ability pattern -ㄹ/을 수 있다; after the vowel-ending stem 들어가-, it appears as 들어갈. This form is not a past tense. Example: 들어갈 수 있어요. — “They can enter.” 수 있어야 할 수도 있어요 builds several meanings in layers. -ㄹ/을 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility, so 들어갈 수 있다 means “be able to enter.” -아/어야 하다 adds necessity: 들어갈 수 있어야 하다 means “need to be able to enter.” The outer pattern -ㄹ/을 수도 있다 expresses possibility, giving “may need to be able to enter.” In this form, 있어야 carries the necessity part, 할 is the form of 하다 used before 수, and the final 있어요 supplies the outer possibility construction. Example: 예약을 확인할 수 있어야 할 수도 있어요. — “They may need to be able to check the reservation.” Together, 기술자가 아파트 여러 곳의 온도를 비교하려면 sets up the technician’s goal: comparing temperatures in several locations in the apartment. 방에 들어갈 수 있어야 할 수도 있어요 says that, for that goal, being able to enter a room may be necessary. The complete meaning is: “They may need access to compare temperatures across the apartment.”

7. 기술자가 적절한 사전 통보를 해 준다면 그렇게 조정할 수 있어요.

   I can arrange that if they give reasonable notice.

   기술자가

   the technician

   적절한

   appropriate; reasonable

   사전

   advance; prior

   통보

   notice

   해 준다면

   if [someone] provides it

   그렇게

   that way; like that

   조정할

   adjust; arrange

   수 있어요

   can; be able to

   More detail

   기술자가 means “the technician” here. It is 기술자 (“technician”) plus the subject marker 가. Korean does not mark article choice or number on this form. In the sentence, this subject is the party giving the notice. 적절한 means “reasonable” here. Its base form is 적절하다 (“to be appropriate”), and 적절한 is the form used before a noun: 적절한 통보 means “reasonable notice.” 사전 means “advance” or “prior” in this sentence. Together with 통보, it forms 사전 통보, “advance notice.” In another context, 사전 can mean “dictionary,” but that is not its meaning here. 통보 means “notice” or “notification.” 사전 통보 is a reusable noun phrase for notice given beforehand. Example: 사전 통보가 필요해요. means “Advance notice is necessary.” 해 준다면 combines 하다 (“to do”), the auxiliary 주다, and the conditional ending -ㄴ다면. 해 주다 presents an action as being done for someone’s benefit; with 통보, 통보를 해 주다 means “to give or provide notice.” The pattern V-ㄴ다면 means “if” or “if it is the case that V.” Here, the technician is the subject understood to provide the notice. 그렇게 means “that way” or “like that.” It points to a manner or arrangement understood from context, without specifying that arrangement inside this word itself. 조정할 comes from 조정하다, “to adjust” or “arrange.” The ending -ㄹ creates the form that modifies 수 in the ability construction; it does not by itself mean that the arranging will happen in the future. Example: 일정을 조정할 수 있어요. means “I can adjust the schedule.” 수 있어요 is part of the polite pattern V-(으)ㄹ 수 있다, meaning “can” or “be able to.” Here, the main-clause subject is omitted in Korean and is rendered as “I” by the fixed translation. 있어요 also gives the sentence a polite conversational tone. Together, 기술자가 적절한 사전 통보를 해 준다면 means “if the technician gives reasonable advance notice.” 그렇게 조정할 수 있어요 means “I can arrange it that way.” The whole utterance is therefore: “I can arrange that if they give reasonable notice.”

8. 확정하기 전에 방문 가능한 시간대를 명확히 정해 달라고 요청해야겠어요.

   We should request a clear time window before we confirm.

   확정하기 전에

   before confirming

   방문

   visit

   가능한

   possible; available

   시간대

   time slot

   명확히

   clearly

   정해 달라고

   to ask someone to set

   요청해야겠어요

   should request

   More detail

   확정하기 전에 means “before confirming.” 확정하다 is “to confirm/finalize,” and 확정하기 uses -기 to turn that verb into an activity or event. -기 전에 is a reusable pattern meaning “before doing …”: 출발하기 전에 means “before departing.” 방문 means “a visit” or “visiting.” In this sentence it identifies the activity for which availability is being considered. As a noun, it can combine with other words, for example 방문 일정 means “visit schedule.” 가능한 means “possible” or, with a time or resource, “available.” It is the form of 가능하다 used before a noun: 가능한 시간 means “an available time.” Here it modifies 시간대, so the intended meaning is a time period when a visit can take place. 시간대 means “time slot” or “time window.” It refers to a range or period of time rather than one exact moment. Together, 방문 가능한 시간대 is “a time window available for the visit.” 명확히 means “clearly.” It is the adverbial form used to describe how an action is done. Here it modifies the act of setting the time window: the window should be set clearly. 정해 달라고 contains 정하다, “to decide” or “set,” followed by -아/어 달라고. This pattern reports or frames a request for someone to do something for the speaker or the relevant group. 시간을 정해 달라고 하다 means “to ask someone to set a time.” The object being set here is 방문 가능한 시간대; 명확히 describes the manner of setting it. 요청해야겠어요 means “should request” in this context. 요청하다 means “to request,” and -아/어야겠다 expresses a conclusion, intention, or felt need that the speaker should do something. The polite ending -어요 makes the utterance suitable for ordinary polite conversation. The speaker’s own group is included in the English “we,” while the Korean form itself does not separately mark a plural subject. The sentence builds as 확정하기 전에 (“before confirming”) + 방문 가능한 시간대를 명확히 정해 달라고 (“to set a clear time window available for the visit”) + 요청해야겠어요 (“we should request”). Overall: “We should request a clear time window before we confirm.”