Negotiating Lease Renewal Terms | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 계약 갱신 안내문을 받았고 조건에 대해 논의하고 싶습니다.

   I received the renewal notice and would like to discuss terms.

   계약

   contract

   갱신

   renewal

   안내문

   notice

   받았고

   received and

   조건

   terms; conditions

   에 대해

   about; regarding

   논의하고

   discuss and

   싶습니다

   would like

   More detail

   계약 means “contract.” It is a noun and can combine with another noun to specify the kind of contract or contract-related matter. Here, 계약 갱신 means “contract renewal”: 계약 identifies what is being renewed, while 갱신 names the renewal. 갱신 means “renewal” in this sentence. The related verb is 갱신하다, “to renew.” Korean commonly forms noun compounds such as 계약 갱신; the noun itself does not show tense here. 안내문 means a written notice or information document. It is a compound noun used for a document that gives guidance or information. Thus 계약 갱신 안내문 is a “contract-renewal notice,” with the preceding words specifying the notice’s subject. 받았고 comes from 받다, “to receive.” The form 받았- marks past time, and -고 connects this clause to the next one with an “and” relationship. 받다 is regular here: 받았다 is the plain past form, while 받았고 is the past connective form. The Korean subject is omitted; the fixed translation identifies that subject as “I.” 조건 means “terms” or “conditions.” In this sentence, “terms” is the natural meaning because the word concerns the provisions being discussed. It is a noun and can be used in compounds or with particles to show its relation to another part of the sentence. 에 대해 is the reusable pattern “about” or “regarding.” After a noun, N에 대해 marks the topic or object of discussion, opinion, or information. Here, 조건에 대해 means “about the terms.” The phrase does not itself mean “the terms” without the surrounding noun 조건. 논의하고 comes from 논의하다, “to discuss.” The form 논의하- is followed by connective -고, producing 논의하고. In 논의하고 싶습니다, this connective form links the verb to the desire pattern -고 싶다: “want to do” or, in this formal context, “would like to do.” 싶습니다 is the formal polite form of 싶다 in the pattern -고 싶습니다. Following a verb with -고 싶다 expresses the speaker’s desire to perform that action. For example, 확인하고 싶습니다 means “I would like to check it.” The formal ending -습니다 gives the sentence a polite, businesslike tone. Together, 계약 갱신 안내문을 받았고 means “I received the contract-renewal notice,” with 을 marking the notice as the object of 받다 and -고 connecting this fact to the next clause. 조건에 대해 논의하고 싶습니다 means “I would like to discuss the terms”: 조건에 대해 marks what the discussion concerns, and 논의하고 싶습니다 expresses the speaker’s desire to discuss it. The complete utterance is therefore, “I received the renewal notice and would like to discuss the terms.”

2. 함께 갱신 내용을 살펴보고 조정할 수 있는 부분이 있는지 알아볼 수 있습니다.

   We can look at the renewal together and see where there is room to adjust.

   함께

   together

   갱신

   renewal

   내용

   details; content

   살펴보고

   look over, then

   조정할 수 있는

   adjustable

   부분

   part; area

   있는지

   whether there is

   알아볼 수 있습니다

   can find out

   More detail

   함께 means “together” here. It is an adverb, so it describes the shared manner of the following activity. Example: 함께 확인해요. — “Let’s check it together.” 갱신 is “renewal” in this sentence. It is a noun; with -하다, it also forms the verb 갱신하다, “to renew.” Here it combines with 내용 as 갱신 내용, “renewal details/content.” 내용 means the details or content of something. In 갱신 내용을, the object marker -을 is attached to 내용, marking what is looked over. Example: 계약 내용을 확인합니다. — “I check the contract details.” 살펴보고 comes from 살펴보다, “to look over” or “to examine,” plus -고. The ending links this action to the next one, giving “look over … and then/while doing so ….” The form 살펴보다 is a useful alternative to the shorter 보다 when careful examination is intended. 조정할 수 있는 is a modifier meaning “that can be adjusted.” 조정하다 means “to adjust”; 할 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility, and -는 makes the clause modify the following noun. The person who can make the adjustment is understood from the context rather than stated in this phrase. Example: 변경할 수 있는 조건이 있습니다. — “There are terms that can be changed.” 부분 means a part, section, or area. In 조정할 수 있는 부분, it is the noun modified by the preceding clause: “an area that can be adjusted.” The construction -ㄹ/을 수 있는 부분 can be reused for “a part that can be ….” 있는지 comes from 있다, “to exist” or “to be present,” plus -는지, which marks an embedded yes-or-no question. Here it means “whether there is,” referring to the existence of an adjustable area. Example: 문제가 있는지 확인해 보세요. — “Please check whether there is a problem.” 알아볼 수 있습니다 comes from 알아보다, “to find out” or “look into,” followed by -(으)ㄹ 수 있다, “can,” and the formal polite ending -습니다. Thus 알아볼 수 있습니다 means “can find out” or “can look into it.” 알아보다 is one verb, not merely 알다 plus a separate ordinary verb in this use. Example: 자세한 내용을 알아볼 수 있습니다. — “You can find out the details.” Together, 함께 갱신 내용을 살펴보고 means “look over the renewal details together.” The following 조정할 수 있는 부분이 있는지 asks whether an adjustable area exists, and 알아볼 수 있습니다 says that this can be found out or looked into. The whole utterance therefore means: “We can look at the renewal together and see where there is room to adjust.”

3. 저는 믿을 만한 세입자였고 아파트를 꼼꼼히 관리해 왔습니다.

   I have been a reliable tenant and maintain the apartment carefully.

   저는

   as for me; I

   믿을 만한

   reliable; trustworthy

   세입자

   tenant

   아파트

   apartment

   꼼꼼히

   carefully; thoroughly

   관리해 왔습니다

   have maintained

   More detail

   저는 sets the topic as the speaker: 저 is the humble first-person pronoun “I,” and -는 marks the topic. The form 저 is used when referring to oneself politely; it is different from the less-formal 나. Example: 저는 학생입니다. — “I am a student.” 믿을 만한 means reliable or trustworthy here. It is built from 믿다 (“to trust, believe”) and -(으)ㄹ 만하다, a pattern meaning that someone or something is worth trusting, considering, or judging suitable. The ending changes to -을 after a consonant and -ㄹ after a vowel: 믿을 만한, 볼 만한 (“worth seeing”). Here it modifies the following noun 세입자. 세입자 means “tenant,” a person who rents a home or other property. It is a noun; the word for the landlord is 집주인. Example: 그는 좋은 세입자입니다. — “He is a good tenant.” 였고 is the past form of 이다 (“to be”) followed by -고, which connects this description to the next clause: “was … and …”. In this sentence, it links being a reliable tenant with having managed the apartment. The fixed translation presents the speaker’s reliability as part of the continuing overall meaning, while the observed Korean form itself is the past 였고. 아파트 means “apartment.” It is a noun naming the property being managed. Example: 아파트를 찾고 있습니다. — “I am looking for an apartment.” 꼼꼼히 means carefully and thoroughly, with attention to details. It is an adverb, so it describes how the management was carried out. Example: 서류를 꼼꼼히 확인하세요. — “Please check the documents carefully.” 관리해 왔습니다 means “have maintained” or “have been managing.” 관리하다 means “to manage, maintain, or take care of”; 관리해 is its connective form, and -아/어 오다 adds the idea that an activity began earlier and has continued up to the relevant present. 왔습니다 is the formal-polite form of 오다 within this pattern. Example: 이 정원을 오랫동안 관리해 왔습니다. — “I have maintained this garden for a long time.” Together, 저는 믿을 만한 세입자였고 says “I was a reliable tenant,” and 아파트를 꼼꼼히 관리해 왔습니다 says “I have carefully maintained the apartment.” 아파트를 marks the apartment as the object of 관리하다, while 꼼꼼히 explains the manner and -해 왔습니다 presents the management as continuing from the past to the relevant present. The whole utterance therefore conveys: “I have been a reliable tenant and maintain the apartment carefully.”

4. 그 점을 알고 있으면 집주인과 이야기하기 전에 상황을 파악하는 데 도움이 됩니다.

   That gives me helpful context before I speak with the owner.

   그

   that

   점

   point or fact

   알고 있으면

   if you know it

   집주인

   owner or landlord

   이야기하기 전에

   before talking

   상황

   situation

   파악하는 데

   in understanding

   도움이 됩니다

   is helpful

   More detail

   그 points to something already identified in the discourse. Here it combines with 점 as 그 점, “that point/fact”; the form itself does not identify exactly which fact beyond the supplied context. 점 means a point, fact, or aspect. In 그 점, it refers to a particular matter rather than introducing a new one. Example: 이 점을 기억하세요. — “Please remember this point.” 알고 있으면 comes from 알다 (“to know”) plus -고 있다 (“be in the state of”) and -으면 (“if/when”). Thus it presents being aware of the point as the condition: “if/when [someone] knows that.” Korean commonly leaves the subject unspoken when it is recoverable; the form itself does not specify the person here. 집주인 means “landlord” or “property owner.” The following 과 in the full sentence marks this person as the partner in the conversation: 집주인과 means “with the landlord.” 이야기하기 전에 is 이야기하다 (“to talk”) with -기 전에, “before doing.” The -기 form turns the action into the activity “talking” for use with 전에. Example: 출발하기 전에 확인하세요. — “Check before departing.” 상황 means “situation” or “circumstances.” It is a noun that can combine with verbs such as 파악하다 (“grasp or assess”) to describe understanding the circumstances. 파악하는 데 uses 파악하다 in its -는 form, 파악하는, followed by 데. In this pattern, -는 데 도움이 되다 means “be helpful for doing something” or “help with doing something.” 파악하는 데 therefore means “in understanding or assessing [it].” The object of 파악하다 is understood from the context as the situation: 상황을 파악하는 데. 도움이 됩니다 is the polite present form of 도움이 되다, literally “become help,” used naturally as “be helpful” or “help.” 도움 is the noun “help,” and 이 marks it as the subject of 되다. Example: 이 정보가 도움이 됩니다. — “This information is helpful.” Putting the parts together: 그 점을 알고 있으면 means “if/when you know that point,” 집주인과 이야기하기 전에 means “before talking with the landlord,” and 상황을 파악하는 데 도움이 됩니다 means “it helps with understanding the situation.” The complete utterance means: “Knowing that point helps me understand the situation before I speak with the landlord.”

5. 더 안정적인 조건의 장기 임대차 계약을 바라고 있습니다.

   I am hoping for a longer lease with more stable terms.

   더 안정적인

   more stable

   조건

   terms; conditions

   장기

   long-term

   임대차 계약

   lease agreement

   바라고 있습니다

   am hoping for

   More detail

   더 안정적인 describes the 조건 as more stable. 더 is the comparative adverb “more,” while 안정적인 is the form used before a noun from 안정적이다, “to be stable.” The comparison is expressed by 더; the adjective itself is not a plural or tense form. For example, 더 조용한 방 means “a quieter room.” 조건 means the terms or conditions of an arrangement. In this sentence, 조건의 links it to the following noun phrase: “a lease contract of/with those terms.” The particle 의 marks this modifying relationship; it does not itself mean “more.” 장기 means “long-term” and functions here as a modifier of 임대차 계약. Its useful contrast is 단기, “short-term”: 장기 계약 is “a long-term contract,” whereas 단기 계약 is “a short-term contract.” 임대차 계약 is a compound noun meaning “lease agreement” or “rental contract.” 임대차 concerns leasing or renting, and 계약 means “contract,” but this established combination is the natural term for the agreement itself. In the fixed sentence, it is the thing being hoped for. 바라고 있습니다 comes from 바라다, “to hope for” or “wish for.” The pattern -고 있다 with the polite formal form of 있다 presents the hoping as an ongoing state, giving “am hoping for.” It is different from a simple past form such as 바랐습니다, “hoped for.” Together, 더 안정적인 조건의 modifies 장기 임대차 계약: it is a long-term lease agreement with more stable terms. The object marker 을 marks that agreement as what is hoped for, and 바라고 있습니다 says that the speaker is currently hoping for it. Thus the whole utterance means, “I am hoping for a longer lease with more stable terms.”

6. 더 장기 계약을 약속하실 수 있다면 더 예측 가능한 조건에 대해 물어볼 수 있습니다.

   If you can commit to a longer lease, I can ask about more predictable terms.

   더 장기 계약

   a longer-term lease

   약속하실 수 있다면

   if you can commit

   더 예측 가능한

   more predictable

   조건

   terms

   물어볼

   ask about

   수 있습니다

   can

   More detail

   더 장기 계약 means a longer-term contract; in this leasing context, the fixed translation supports “a longer lease.” 더 marks comparison with a relevant baseline, while 장기 means “long-term” and 계약 means “contract” or “agreement.” 약속하실 수 있다면 expresses “if you can commit.” The lexical verb is 약속하다, “to promise” or “to commit.” In 약속하실, -시- honorifically marks the person who commits. -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility, and -다면 makes the condition: “if that is the case.” 더 예측 가능한 describes terms as more predictable. 예측하다 means “to predict,” and 가능하다 means “to be possible”; together, 예측 가능한 is the adjective-like expression “predictable.” The modifier ending -ㄴ lets it describe the following noun. 더 makes the comparison explicit: more predictable than the relevant alternative or baseline. 조건 means “terms” or “conditions.” Here it refers to the contractual terms being discussed, consistent with the fixed translation. The surrounding pattern N에 대해 means “about N.” 물어볼 comes from 물어보다, “to ask” or “to inquire about.” In the ability pattern V-(으)ㄹ 수 있다, its final -ㄹ form appears before 수; here, 물어볼 수 있습니다 means “can ask.” The verb 물어보다 contains 묻다 “to ask” plus 보다 in a compound expression. In 묻다, the final ㄷ changes to ㄹ before the vowel of -어, producing 물어-; 보다 remains part of the compound. Example: 가격을 물어봐요. — “I ask about the price.” 수 있습니다 completes V-(으)ㄹ 수 있다, a construction meaning “can V” or “be able to V.” Here 있습니다 is the formal polite form of 있다, and the preceding 물어볼 supplies the action. Putting the parts together, 더 장기 계약을 약속하실 수 있다면 means “if you can commit to a longer lease,” and 더 예측 가능한 조건에 대해 물어볼 수 있습니다 means “I can ask about more predictable terms.” The whole utterance is therefore: “If you can commit to a longer lease, I can ask about more predictable terms.” The formal polite endings suit a respectful negotiation.

7. 실제로 협상할 수 있는 조건이 무엇인지 설명해 주시겠어요?

   Could you outline which terms are actually negotiable?

   실제로

   actually; in practice

   협상할 수 있는

   that can be negotiated

   조건

   terms; conditions

   무엇인지

   what ... is

   설명해 주시겠어요?

   could you explain ...?

   More detail

   실제로 means “actually” or “in practice” here. It sets the question against what is merely theoretical. A useful contrast is 실제로 “in practice” versus 이론적으로 “theoretically.” Example: 실제로 가능한가요? — “Is it actually possible?” 협상할 수 있는 describes something that can be negotiated. The lexical verb is 협상하다 “to negotiate.” In 협상할 수 있다, -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 expresses possibility or ability; with 있는 attached to the following noun, the whole form modifies that noun: 협상할 수 있는 조건 = “conditions that can be negotiated.” Example: 이 가격은 협상할 수 있어요. — “This price can be negotiated.” 조건 means a condition or term. In a contract or negotiation, its plural-like English translation “terms” is natural, but the Korean noun itself does not need a separate plural ending here. Example: 계약 조건을 확인하세요. — “Please check the contract terms.” 무엇인지 presents an embedded question meaning “what it is” or, with the preceding noun, “what the conditions are.” 무엇 is the question word “what,” and the ending -인지 turns the question into an embedded clause. The relevant pattern is N이/가 무엇인지 알다 — “to know what N is.” Example: 가장 중요한 조건이 무엇인지 알려 주세요. — “Please tell me what the most important condition is.” 설명해 주시겠어요? is a polite request meaning “could you explain?” 설명하다 means “to explain,” and -해 주다 presents the action as something done for the requester. In 주시겠어요, -시- marks honorific respect toward the person being asked, while -겠어요? makes the request tentative and polite. The construction is not a bare command. Example: 이 부분을 설명해 주시겠어요? — “Could you explain this part?” Together, 실제로 marks the practical focus, 협상할 수 있는 조건 means “conditions that can be negotiated,” and 무엇인지 makes that content an embedded “what” question. 설명해 주시겠어요? politely asks the listener to explain it for the speaker. The complete utterance therefore means: “Could you outline which terms are actually negotiable?”

8. 일반적인 정책은 정해져 있지만 계약 갱신 조건에는 어느 정도 융통성이 있을 수 있습니다.

   The general policy is fixed, but the renewal conditions may have some flexibility.

   일반적인

   general

   정책

   policy

   정해져 있지만

   is fixed, but

   계약

   contract

   갱신

   renewal

   조건

   conditions

   어느 정도

   to some extent

   융통성

   flexibility

   있을 수 있습니다

   may be possible

   More detail

   일반적인 means “general” here and describes 정책. It is the noun-modifying form of 일반적이다: 일반적이다 → 일반적인 정책 (“a general policy”). The ending -적인 is part of this adjective pattern; it is not an inflection of 정책. 정책 is “policy.” In Korean, it can be modified by a descriptive word before it, as in 일반적인 정책. Example: 새 정책이 발표되었습니다. — “A new policy was announced.” 정해져 있지만 presents the policy as set while adding a contrast. 정해지다 means “be decided” or “be set”; 정해져 있다 describes the resulting state, and -지만 adds “but/although.” Example: 일정은 정해져 있지만 변경할 수 있습니다. — “The schedule is set, but it can be changed.” 계약 means “contract.” It forms a useful compound with the following words: 계약 갱신 means “contract renewal,” and 계약 조건 means “contract terms/conditions.” Example: 계약을 검토합니다. — “I review the contract.” 갱신 means “renewal” or “renewing,” especially for an existing contract or agreement. Its related verb is 갱신하다, “to renew.” Here it specifies what kind of conditions are being discussed: conditions connected with renewal. 조건 means “condition,” “term,” or “requirement.” In 갱신 조건, it refers to the terms for renewing the contract. The plural-like English translation “conditions” does not require a special plural ending in this Korean noun. 어느 정도 is a degree expression meaning “to some extent” or “to a certain degree.” It limits the amount of flexibility rather than asserting unlimited flexibility. Example: 어느 정도 조정할 수 있습니다. — “It can be adjusted to some extent.” 융통성 means “flexibility,” especially room to adjust a rule, condition, or arrangement. The common pattern 융통성이 있다 means “there is flexibility” or “something is flexible”; 융통성이 없다 means “there is no flexibility.” Example: 이 조건에는 융통성이 있습니다. — “There is flexibility in this condition.” 있을 수 있습니다 expresses possibility with the pattern 있다 + -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 + the formal polite ending -습니다. Literally, it presents flexibility as something that may exist or be available here; it does not assert that flexibility definitely exists. In this sentence, -ㄹ 수 있습니다 expresses possibility, not a person’s ability. Example: 변경 사항이 있을 수 있습니다. — “There may be changes.” Together, 일반적인 정책은 정해져 있지만 means “the general policy is fixed, but,” while 계약 갱신 조건에는 어느 정도 융통성이 있을 수 있습니다 says that the contract-renewal conditions may allow some flexibility. The topic marker -은 marks the general policy as the first topic, and -에는 marks the renewal conditions as the area in which flexibility may exist. The complete meaning is: “The general policy is fixed, but the renewal conditions may have some flexibility.” This is a formal, polite way to describe a fixed rule together with limited possible flexibility.