Verifying an unexpected maintenance visitor | Learn Korean in English

Korean lesson set in a contemporary Seoul everyday setting: At home, a tenant asks building staff to verify an unexpected maintenance visitor before allowing anyone inside..

EN → KO / Level: B2

About This Lesson

Use Verifying an unexpected maintenance visitor to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

누군가 아까 문을 두드리더니 환기 시설을 점검하러 왔다고 했어요.

noo-goon-GAH ah-KKAH moo-neul doo-duh-ree-duh-nee hwan-GHEE shee-SUHL-eul juhm-GUHM-hah-ruh WATT-tah-go heh-SSUH-yo. Someone knocked earlier and said they were here to inspect the ventilation.
B

유지 보수 방문은 보통 건물 시스템을 통해 미리 공지돼요.

yoo-JEE boh-SOO bang-MOON-uhn boh-TOONG GUHN-MOOL SHEE-suh-TEM-eul tong-HEH mee-REE gong-JEE-DWEH-yo. Maintenance visits are usually announced through the building system.
A

그래서 조심스러워져서 그 사람들을 안으로 들이지 않았어요.

geu-RAE-suh joh-SHEEM-suh-ruh-WUH-jyuh-suh guh sah-RAHM-deu-reul AH-nuh-ro duh-REE-jee ah-NAH-SSUH-yo. That made me cautious, so I did not let them in.
B

그게 옳은 판단이었어요. 먼저 그들이 들어올 권한이 있는지 확인해야 해요.

guh-GEH oh-REUN pahn-DAHN-ee-uh-SSUH-yo. MUHN-juh guh-deu-REE duh-ruh-OL gwuhn-ha-nee een-neun-jee hwa-GHEEN-hae-yah HEH-yo. That was the right call. Their authorization to enter should be verified first.
A

실제로 점검 일정이 잡혀 있는지 확인해 주실 수 있나요?

shil-JJEH-ro juhm-GUHM eel-JJUNG-ee jah-PYUH een-neun-jee hwa-GHEEN-hae joo-SHEEL soo een-NAH-yo. Could you check whether an inspection is actually scheduled?
B

기록을 확인한 다음 포털을 통해 메시지를 보내 드릴게요.

gee-ROO-geul hwa-GHEEN-han dah-um POH-tuhl tong-HEH meh-SHEE-jee-reul boh-NEH duh-REEL-GEH-yo. I will check the records and send you a message through the portal.
A

누군가 다시 오기 전에 미리 알고 싶어요.

noo-goon-GAH DAH-shee oh-GHEE juh-NEH mee-REE ahl-GO SHEE-puh-yo. I would rather know before anyone comes back.
B

확인될 때까지는 오기로 알고 있던 사람이 아니라면 아무도 들이지 마세요.

hwa-GHEEN-dwel TTAE-KKAH-jee-neun oh-GHEE-ro ahl-go eet-TTUHN sah-RAHM-ee ah-nee-rah-myun ah-MOO-doh duh-REE-jee mah-SEH-yo. Until it is confirmed, do not let anyone in unless you were expecting them.

Word by Word

누군가 누군가 means someone, referring to an unspecified person who knocked. In 누군가 아까 문을 두드리더니, the person’s identity is not known or important. Use it when introducing an unknown person.
아까 아까 means earlier or a little while ago, referring to a recent time before the conversation. It places 문을 두드리더니 in the earlier part of the situation. Use it to point back to a recent event.
문을 문을 means the door as the object of the knocking action. The form appears in 문을 두드리더니, where 문 is what was knocked on and 을 marks it as the object. Use it when the door is the thing affected by an action.
두드리더니 두드리더니 means knocked and then, linking the earlier knocking to what followed. It comes from 두드리다 with a connective ending and appears in 문을 두드리더니 환기 시설을 점검하러 왔다고 했어요. Use it to connect an observed earlier action with a later event or report.
환기 환기 means ventilation in this dialogue. It combines with 시설 in 환기 시설, identifying the type of facility that the visitor came to inspect. Use it when discussing ventilation or air circulation facilities.
시설을 시설을 means the facility as the object of the inspection. In 환기 시설을 점검하러, 환기 specifies the facility and 을 marks it as what will be inspected. Use it when a facility is the target of an inspection or other action.
점검하러 점검하러 means for the purpose of inspecting. It combines 점검하다 with a purpose ending and appears in 점검하러 왔다고, explaining why the visitor came. Use it to state the purpose of coming or going.
왔다고 왔다고 means that someone came, presenting the visitor’s words as reported information. It is based on 왔다 from 오다 followed by the reported-speech ending 고, as in 점검하러 왔다고 했어요. Use it when reporting that someone said they came.
했어요 했어요 means said here because it follows the reported content 왔다고. It is the polite past form of 하다 and completes 왔다고 했어요. Use this construction to report what someone said.
유지 유지 means maintenance or keeping something in working condition. It appears with 보수 in 유지 보수, referring to maintenance and repair work. Use it in this compound when discussing building upkeep.
보수 보수 means repair or maintenance work in 유지 보수. Together, 유지 보수 describes the type of visits being discussed. Use it with 유지 when referring to building maintenance and repairs.
방문은 방문은 means visits as the topic of the sentence. In 유지 보수 방문은, 은 marks the visits as the topic before their usual announcement process is described. Use it when setting visits or appointments as the subject of discussion.
보통 보통 means usually or normally. It describes the typical announcement procedure in 유지 보수 방문은 보통 건물 시스템을 통해 미리 공지돼요. Use it for a general practice that is not presented as absolute.
건물 건물 means building. In 건물 시스템, it specifies that the system belongs to or is used by the building. Use it before a noun when identifying something related to a building.
시스템을 시스템을 means the system as the channel used for the announcement. In 건물 시스템을 통해, 을 marks 시스템 as the noun followed by 통해. Use it when identifying a system through which information is delivered.
통해 통해 means through or via. In 건물 시스템을 통해, it identifies the building system as the medium for the announcement. Use it after a noun to describe a route, channel, or means.
미리 미리 means in advance or beforehand. It shows that the announcement should happen before the maintenance visit. Use it when an action is completed before a relevant event.
공지돼요 공지돼요 means are announced or are notified. The form presents maintenance visits as information that is announced through the system in 미리 공지돼요. Use it when information or plans are officially announced.
그래서 그래서 means so or therefore. It connects the lack of the usual announcement to the speaker becoming cautious in 그래서 조심스러워져서. Use it to introduce a consequence of the previous statement.
조심스러워져서 조심스러워져서 means became cautious, so. It combines the idea of becoming cautious with a connective ending and links that change to not letting the visitors in. Use it when a change in feeling or attitude leads to an action.
그 그 means that or the previously mentioned. In 그 사람들을, it identifies the people already mentioned in the situation. Use it before a noun when referring to a specific known person or thing.
사람들을 사람들을 means those people as the object of the action. 들 marks people as plural and 을 marks them as the object in 그 사람들을 안으로 들이지 않았어요. Use it when people receive an action such as being let inside.
안으로 안으로 means inside or inward, emphasizing the direction of movement. In 안으로 들이지 않았어요, it identifies where the people would have been let. Use it with movement or with an action of letting someone enter.
들이지 들이지 contributes the meaning let in or admit inside in 안으로 들이지 않았어요. It comes from 들이다 and appears before 않다 to negate the act of letting the people inside. Use it when describing whether someone is admitted into a place.
않았어요 않았어요 means did not in this sentence. After 들이지, it forms the polite past negative expression 들이지 않았어요, stating that the speaker did not let them in. Use it to report a polite past non-action.
그게 그게 means that as the subject of the evaluation. It refers back to the speaker’s decision in 그게 옳은 판단이었어요. Use it to refer to a situation or action that was just mentioned.
옳은 옳은 means right or correct and modifies 판단 in 옳은 판단. It is the noun-modifying form of 옳다 and evaluates the previous decision positively. Use it before a noun when describing something as correct.
판단이었어요 판단이었어요 means was a judgment or decision. In 그게 옳은 판단이었어요, it characterizes the earlier choice as the right call. Use it after a noun or noun phrase to describe what a past decision was.
먼저 먼저 means first or before anything else. It places verification before allowing the visitors to enter in 먼저 그들이 들어올 권한이 있는지 확인해야 해요. Use it to order actions in a sequence.
그들이 그들이 means they as the subject of the clause. It refers to the unexpected visitors in 그들이 들어올 권한이 있는지. 이 marks them as the subject. Use it when identifying who has or performs something.
들어올 들어올 means to come in or enter and comes from 들어오다 with a noun-modifying ending. In 들어올 권한, it specifies the action covered by the authorization. Use it before a noun when describing an expected or possible entering action.
권한이 권한이 means authorization or the right as the subject of the existence question. In 그들이 들어올 권한이 있는지, it asks whether the visitors have permission to enter. Use it with 있다 or 없다 when discussing whether someone has authorization.
있는지 있는지 means whether there is or whether someone has something. It combines 있다 with a question-ending form and turns 권한이 있다 into an indirect yes-or-no question in 권한이 있는지 확인해야 해요. Use it when checking whether something exists, is available, or is true.
확인해야 확인해야 means must verify or needs to check. It comes from 확인하다 with an obligation ending and is completed by 해요 in 확인해야 해요. Use it to state that something needs to be checked before proceeding.
해요 해요 completes 확인해야 해요 and gives the meaning need to verify or should check. It is the polite present form of 하다. Use it after 해야 to express a required action politely.
실제로 실제로 means actually or in reality. It emphasizes whether the inspection is genuinely scheduled in 실제로 점검 일정이 잡혀 있는지. Use it when distinguishing a confirmed fact from an assumption.
점검 점검 means inspection or checking. In 점검 일정, it identifies the type of schedule being checked. Use it to name an inspection activity or maintenance check.
일정이 일정이 means the schedule as the subject of the question. In 점검 일정이 잡혀 있는지, it is the schedule that may or may not be set. Use it when asking whether an event has a planned schedule.
잡혀 잡혀 means is set or scheduled in 일정이 잡혀 있는지. It comes from 잡히다 in a form that combines with 있다 to describe a scheduled state. Use it when referring to an appointment, inspection, or plan that has been arranged.
확인 확인 means checking or verification as an action or task. In 확인해 주실 수 있나요, it names the checking the speaker is requesting. Use it with 하다 when asking someone to check something.
해 해 means do or check here as the connective form of 하다 in 확인해 주실 수 있나요. It links 확인 to the favor-request expression that follows. Use it to connect an action with an expression meaning do it for someone.
주실 주실 contributes the meaning do for someone in 확인해 주실 수 있나요. It is the honorific form of 주다 with the ending that leads into the possibility question, making the request respectful. Use it when politely asking whether another person can perform an action for the speaker.
수 수 means ability or possibility in 해 주실 수 있나요. It is used with the preceding action and 있다 to ask whether that action is possible. Use it as part of a polite request about someone’s ability to do something.
있나요 있나요 completes 해 주실 수 있나요 and gives the question meaning can you do it or is it possible. It is the polite question form of 있다. Use it at the end of a possibility question.
기록을 기록을 means the records as the object of checking. In 기록을 확인한 다음, 을 marks the records as what will be checked. Use it when records or written information are the target of an inspection.
확인한 확인한 means having checked or after checking. It comes from 확인하다 with a noun-modifying ending and appears in 확인한 다음. Use it to mark an action that is completed before the next action.
다음 다음 means next or after that in 확인한 다음. The full construction means after checking the records. Use it after a completed-action form to order two actions.
포털을 포털을 means the portal as the channel used to send the message. In 포털을 통해, 을 marks the portal before the expression meaning through. Use it when identifying an online portal as the medium for communication.
메시지를 메시지를 means a message as the object of sending. In 메시지를 보내 드릴게요, 을 marks the message as what will be sent. Use it when specifying the message or notification being sent.
보내 보내 means send in this dialogue. It is the connective form of 보내다 and links 메시지를 보내 to the polite offer 보내 드릴게요. Use it when connecting the item being sent with a following promise or offer.
드릴게요 드릴게요 means I will do or send it for you as a polite offer or promise. In 메시지를 보내 드릴게요, it shows that the speaker will send the message for the listener. Use it when committing politely to an action that benefits the other person.
다시 다시 means again or back. In 다시 오기 전에, it shows that the visitor may come back another time. Use it to mark a repeated action or return.
오기 오기 means coming or to come as a nominalized action. It comes from 오다 with 기 and appears in 다시 오기 전에, turning coming back into the event that is preceded by another action. Use it before 전에 when expressing before doing something.
전에 전에 means before. In 다시 오기 전에, it establishes that the speaker wants to know before the person returns. Use it after an event or action to set an earlier time boundary.
알고 알고 means know in the connective form used before 싶어요. In 알고 싶어요, it identifies knowing as the state the speaker wants. Use it with 싶어요 to express a desire to know something.
싶어요 싶어요 means want to in 알고 싶어요. The full expression means I want to know, while 싶어요 shows the speaker’s desire. Use it after a verb form to express a wish or preference politely.
확인될 확인될 means be confirmed and comes from 확인되다 with a noun-modifying ending. In 확인될 때까지는, it describes the confirmation that has not yet happened and sets the time limit for the advice. Use it before a time expression when waiting for confirmation.
때까지는 때까지는 means until that time, with 는 adding a topic or contrastive emphasis. In 확인될 때까지는, it defines the period during which no one should be let in. Use it after an event or state to establish an until-point.
오기로 오기로 contributes the meaning as having been arranged or understood to come in 오기로 알고 있던 사람. It comes from 오다 with the ending 기로 and describes an expected or agreed arrival. Use 기로 with an action when referring to an agreed or decided plan.
있던 있던 means had been or was in the earlier state expressed by 알고 있던. In 오기로 알고 있던 사람, it describes a previous state of knowing or expecting that the person would come. Use it before a noun to describe a prior background state.
사람이 사람이 means a person as the subject of the conditional phrase. In 오기로 알고 있던 사람이 아니라면, it identifies the person who may or may not be the expected visitor. Use 이 to mark a person as the subject of a description or condition.
아니라면 아니라면 means if it is not or if someone is not. It comes from 아니다 with a conditional ending and appears in 오기로 알고 있던 사람이 아니라면. Use it after a noun phrase to set a condition that the person or thing does not match it.
아무도 아무도 means anyone or no one depending on the predicate, and with the prohibition in 아무도 들이지 마세요 it means no one. It excludes every person from being let inside until confirmation. Use it with a negative expression when excluding all people.
마세요 마세요 means please do not. It is the polite prohibitive form of 말다 and completes 들이지 마세요, meaning do not let anyone in. Use it after an action phrase to give a polite prohibition.

Grammar Points

V-더니

누군가 문을 두드리더니 안으로 들어왔어요.

noo-goon-GAH moo-neul doo-duh-ree-duh-nee AH-nuh-ro duh-ruh-WASS-uh-yo.

Someone knocked on the door and then came inside.

이전에 일어난 일을 보고 알게 된 뒤의 변화나 결과를 말할 때 사용해요.

V-(으)ㄹ 때까지는

권한이 확인될 때까지는 아무도 안으로 들이지 마세요.

gwon-ha-nee hwa-GHEEN-dwel TTAE-KKAH-jee-neun ah-MOO-doh AH-nuh-ro duh-REE-jee mah-SEH-yo.

Until the authorization is confirmed, do not let anyone inside.

어떤 일이 완료되는 시점까지 계속되는 조건이나 제한을 나타내요.

Korean Vocabulary

건물 시스템 noun
GUHN-MOOL SHEE-suh-TEM building system
공지되다 verb
gong-JEE-dweh-dah to be announced 공지돼요
누군가 pron
noo-goon-GAH someone
두드리다 verb
doo-duh-REE-dah to knock 두드리더니
미리 adv
mee-REE in advance
방문 noun
bang-MOON visit
보통 adv
boh-TOONG usually
아까 adv
ah-KKAH earlier
유지 보수 noun
yoo-JEE boh-SOO maintenance
점검하다 verb
juhm-GUHM-hah-dah to inspect 점검하러
조심스럽다 adj
joh-SHEEM-suh-ruh-p-ttah to be cautious 조심스러워져서
환기 시설 noun
hwan-GHEE shee-SUHL ventilation facilities

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to knock

Show Answer두드리더니

to inspect

Show Answer점검하러

to be cautious

Show Answer조심스러워져서

to be announced

Show Answer공지돼요