Clarifying Repair Responsibility | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 이 수리가 제 책임인지 잘 모르겠습니다.

   I am unsure whether this repair is my responsibility.

   이

   this

   수리가

   repair

   제

   my

   책임

   responsibility

   인지

   whether it is

   잘 모르겠습니다

   am not sure

   More detail

   이 points to a nearby or contextually identified thing and directly modifies the following noun: 이 수리 means “this repair.” It is a demonstrative determiner, so its specific referent is not identified beyond the repair being discussed here. 수리가 means “the repair” as the subject of the clause. 수리 is the noun “repair” or “repair work,” and 가 is the subject particle used after a vowel-final noun. The particle marks 수리 as the thing whose status is uncertain. 제 means “my” in this sentence. It is the polite/humble possessive form of 저 (“I”), corresponding to 저의; 제 is used before a noun, as in 제 책임 (“my responsibility”). 책임 means “responsibility” or “accountability.” A useful pattern is 제 책임이다, “it is my responsibility.” Here it is followed by 인지, so the sentence questions whether the repair belongs within the speaker’s responsibility. 인지 attaches to a noun phrase to form an embedded “whether it is …” clause. In 책임인지, it is 책임 plus the copular element 이다 and the connective form -ㄴ지: “whether it is responsibility.” With a noun, this pattern can be reused as N인지 모르다, “not know whether it is N.” 잘 모르겠습니다 is a formal-polite way to say “I am not sure” or “I do not know.” 모르겠습니다 comes from 모르다, “not know,” with the formal-polite ending -습니다; here -겠- presents the speaker’s uncertainty rather than a future prediction. 잘 literally means “well,” and with 모르다 it softens the statement into “I do not know well / I am not sure.” Together, 이 수리가 identifies “this repair” as the subject, 제 책임인지 asks whether it is “my responsibility,” and 잘 모르겠습니다 states the speaker’s uncertainty. The complete meaning is: “I am unsure whether this repair is my responsibility.” The ending is formal and polite.

2. 정상적인 사용으로 생긴 손상인지에 따라 달라집니다.

   It depends on whether the damage came from normal use.

   정상적인

   normal

   사용

   use

   생긴

   arisen / caused

   손상

   damage

   인지

   whether it is

   에 따라

   depending on

   달라집니다

   depends / varies

   More detail

   정상적인 means “normal” here and describes 사용. It is the attributive form of 정상적이다 (“to be normal”): 정상적이다 → 정상적인 before a noun. Example: 정상적인 상태 — “a normal condition.” 사용 is the noun “use.” It commonly appears in the pattern N을/를 사용하다 (“to use N”) and in compounds such as 사용 방법 (“method of use”). 생긴 is the past attributive form of 생기다, “to arise” or “to be formed.” Here it describes damage that arose from normal use: 생기다 → 생긴 before a noun. In 사용으로 생긴, -으로 marks the cause or source, so the phrase means “that arose from use.” Example: 사용 중에 생긴 문제 — “a problem that arose during use.” 손상 means “damage” or “physical deterioration.” It is a noun and can combine with 이/가 생기다: 손상이 생겼습니다 — “Damage occurred.” In this sentence, 정상적인 사용으로 생긴 modifies it, producing “damage caused by normal use.” 인지 is the form used for an indirect yes-or-no question after a noun: N인지 means “whether it is N.” Here, 손상인지 means “whether it is damage,” with the preceding words specifying what kind of damage is under consideration. This differs from -는지, which follows a verb or adjective, as in 고장 났는지 (“whether it broke/is broken”). 에 따라 is a reusable pattern meaning “depending on” or “according to.” After 손상인지, 손상인지에 따라 means “depending on whether it is damage [from normal use].” Example: 상황에 따라 달라집니다 — “It varies depending on the situation.” 달라집니다 comes from 달라지다, “to become different” or “to vary.” Its formal polite present-style form is 달라지다 → 달라집니다. This is different from 다르다 (“to be different”), whose corresponding form is 다릅니다; 달라집니다 should not be analyzed as a form of 다르다. Together, 정상적인 사용으로 생긴 손상인지 asks whether the damage arose from normal use, and -에 따라 달라집니다 says that the result varies depending on that determination. The whole utterance therefore means: “It depends on whether the damage came from normal use.”

3. 누군가 특별히 힘을 가하지 않았는데 시설물이 서서히 느슨해졌습니다.

   The fixture loosened gradually, without any unusual force.

   누군가

   someone

   특별히

   particularly

   힘

   force

   가하지 않았는데

   did not apply, but

   시설물

   fixture

   서서히

   gradually

   느슨해졌습니다

   loosened

   More detail

   누군가 means “someone”: an unspecified person, used when the identity is not given. It is a useful indefinite pronoun, unlike a form that identifies a particular person. Example: 누군가 문을 열었습니다. — “Someone opened the door.” 특별히 modifies the following action and gives the intended sense “specially” or “unusually.” Here it helps express that no unusual force was applied; it does not by itself state a quantity of force. 힘 means “force” or “strength.” In this sentence it is the force involved in the action of applying force. 힘을 가하다 is a reusable expression meaning “to apply force.” 가하지 않았는데 comes from 가하다, “to apply” or “exert,” with the object understood from 힘. -지 않다 makes the verb negative, and -았- marks the past, giving 가하지 않았다, “did not apply.” The ending -는데 connects that clause to what follows with a concessive or background meaning, so here the combined idea is “although no force was applied” or “without applying force.” The subject is understood from 누군가 in the sentence. Example: 힘을 가하지 않았는데 문이 움직였습니다. — “The door moved even though no force was applied.” 시설물 means “fixture” or “facility structure,” referring here to the physical item that became loose. It is the subject of the later change, not the person associated with the earlier action. Example: 시설물을 정기적으로 점검합니다. — “We inspect the fixture regularly.” 서서히 means “gradually” or “slowly over time.” It describes the rate of the change expressed by 느슨해졌습니다, rather than identifying its cause. 느슨해졌습니다 is the formal-polite past form of 느슨해지다, “to become loose.” The base adjective 느슨하다 means “to be loose,” while 느슨해지다 describes a change into that state; -었- marks the completed past change and -습니다 gives formal politeness. Because this is a change-of-state verb, the fixture is presented as becoming loose, not as someone directly loosening it. Example: 나사가 점점 느슨해졌습니다. — “The screw gradually became loose.” Together, 누군가 특별히 힘을 가하지 않았는데 supplies the background that no unusual force was applied, and 시설물이 서서히 느슨해졌습니다 states the result: “The fixture loosened gradually, without any unusual force.” The sentence presents the loosening as a gradual change of state and does not identify a more specific cause.

4. 그렇다면 정기적인 유지 관리에 해당할 수도 있습니다.

   Then it may fall under routine maintenance.

   그렇다면

   then; in that case

   정기적인

   routine; regular

   유지 관리

   maintenance

   에 해당할 수도 있습니다.

   may fall under

   More detail

   그렇다면 means “then” or “in that case.” It connects the current statement to a condition or situation already being considered. 그러면 is a common related form with a similar function, while 그렇다면 more explicitly has the sense “if that is so.” 정기적인 describes something done at regular intervals, so here it means “routine” or “regular.” It is the noun-modifying form of 정기적이다 (“to be periodic/regular”): 정기적이다 → 정기적인 before a noun. For example, 정기적인 점검 means “regular inspection.” 유지 관리 is a noun phrase meaning “maintenance” or “upkeep.” 유지 refers to keeping something in its existing condition, and 관리 refers to managing or taking care of it. Together, the phrase names the activity of maintaining something; it does not by itself specify who performs it or exactly what work is done. 에 해당할 수도 있습니다 expresses that something may be classified as or fall under a category. 해당하다 is the base form, and the particle 에 marks the category or classification that something belongs to. The form 해당할 is used here because -ㄹ 수도 있다 means “may” or “could”; 수도 marks possibility, and 있습니다 is the formal polite form of 있다. For example, 이 작업은 정기 점검에 해당할 수도 있습니다. means “This work may fall under regular inspection.” Together, 그렇다면 links the statement to the situation under consideration, 정기적인 유지 관리 names the category “routine maintenance,” and 에 해당할 수도 있습니다 says that the situation may be classified in that category. The whole utterance therefore means: “Then it may fall under routine maintenance.”

5. 그 판단 내용을 문서로 남겨 주셨으면 합니다.

   I would prefer the assessment to be documented.

   그

   that

   판단

   assessment

   내용

   content

   문서

   document

   남겨

   leave on record

   주셨으면 합니다

   would like you to

   More detail

   그 points to an already identifiable item and modifies 판단, giving 그 판단 the meaning “that assessment.” Korean demonstratives such as 그 are chosen for the relevant referent in context; the form itself does not identify which assessment without that context. 판단 means “assessment” or “judgment.” It is a noun here, and 그 판단 내용 refers to the content/details of that assessment. 내용 means “content” or “details”; the combination 판단 내용 is a noun phrase meaning “the content of the assessment.” The whole phrase is marked as the object of the requested action by the following object marker 을. 문서 means “document.” In 문서로, 로 marks the form or medium, so this means “in a document” or “as a document.” The sentence therefore presents documentation as the way the assessment content should be retained. 남겨 is the connective form of 남기다, “to leave” or “to retain.” Here 남기다 is used for leaving something recorded or on file, not for physically leaving a place. Its connective form links it to the following auxiliary/request expression: 남겨 주다 means “to do the leaving/recording as a service for someone.” 주셨으면 합니다 is a highly polite way to express a wish or preference for the addressee to do something. In this sentence it follows 남겨, making 남겨 주셨으면 합니다 mean “I would like you to leave it recorded” or, naturally, “I would prefer it to be documented.” The honorific element 시 and the past-looking -었- are part of this polite wish construction; they do not turn the request into a report that the documentation already happened. The implicit actor is the respectfully addressed person, while the requested action is recording the assessment content. Putting the parts together, 그 판단 내용을 identifies the content of that assessment, 문서로 specifies documentation as the medium or resulting form, and 남겨 주셨으면 합니다 politely expresses the speaker’s preference that the addressee record it. The complete meaning is: “I would prefer the assessment to be documented.”

6. 원인에 따라 책임을 정해야 하니 그렇게 하는 것이 맞습니다.

   That makes sense, since responsibility should be based on the cause.

   원인에 따라

   based on the cause

   책임

   responsibility

   정해야 하니

   since it must be determined

   그렇게

   that way; so

   하는 것이 맞습니다

   it is right to do

   More detail

   원인에 따라 means “according to the cause” or “based on the cause.” 에 따라 is a reusable pattern meaning that a decision, action, or result follows a standard or changes in accordance with something. Here, 원인 is the noun “cause”; it is not claiming that the cause itself is being assigned responsibility. 책임 means “responsibility.” It is a noun and can combine with verbs such as 책임을 지다 (“bear responsibility”) or, as here, 책임을 정하다 (“determine responsibility”). 정해야 하니 contains the verb 정하다, “to decide” or “determine.” Its form 정해야 하다 expresses necessity: “must determine” or “need to determine.” The final -니 connects this reason to the following statement, giving “since/because it is necessary to determine.” In this sentence, 책임을 정해야 하니 means “since responsibility must be determined.” 그렇게 is an adverb meaning “that way” or “so.” It points to the manner just described—determining responsibility according to the cause—without naming a separate action. The combination 그렇게 하다 means “do so” or “do it that way.” 하는 것이 맞습니다 uses 하다, “to do,” in the form 하는 것, which turns the action into a noun-like expression: “doing [so].” 맞다 means “to be right” or “to be appropriate”; 맞습니다 is its formal polite present form. Thus, 하는 것이 맞습니다 says that doing so is right or appropriate. The pattern [verb]-는 것이 맞다 is reusable for saying that a particular action is the correct one. For example, 지금 출발하는 것이 맞습니다 means “It is right to leave now.” Together, 원인에 따라 책임을 정해야 하니 gives the reason: “since responsibility must be determined according to the cause.” 그렇게 하는 것이 맞습니다 then gives the judgment: “doing so is right” or, naturally in the fixed translation, “That makes sense, since responsibility should be based on the cause.”

7. 유지 관리 요청서와 함께 사진을 보낼 수 있습니다.

   I can send photos with the maintenance request.

   유지 관리 요청서

   maintenance request form

   와 함께

   together with; along with

   사진

   photo(s)

   보낼

   send

   수 있습니다

   can; be able to

   More detail

   유지 관리 요청서 means “maintenance request form.” It is a compound noun: 유지 관리 is “maintenance,” and 요청서 is a written request/form. The form 요청서 is useful in compounds for a document that makes a request; it is not the verb “to request.” 와 함께 means “together with” or “along with.” 와 is the form of the particle 과/와 used after a vowel-final noun, and 함께 adds the meaning “together.” This construction attaches the accompanying item to the main action: 서류와 함께 보내요 means “I send it along with the documents.” 사진 means “photo” or “photos.” Korean commonly leaves number unmarked, so the singular/plural interpretation comes from context; in this utterance, the fixed translation supports “photos.” 사진을 marks 사진 as the object of the verb, using 을 after a consonant-final noun. A useful contrast is 사진이, where 이 marks 사진 as a subject rather than an object. 보낼 is the form of 보내다, “to send,” used before 수 있다. The stem 보내- combines with the prospective modifier ending -ㄹ to form 보낼. In the pattern 동사-(으)ㄹ 수 있다, this form expresses ability or possibility: 보낼 수 있다 means “can send.” The related past form 보냈다 means “sent,” while 보내다 is the dictionary form “to send.” 수 있습니다 is the polite formal form of 수 있다, “can” or “be able to.” 수 is a dependent noun meaning a way or possibility, and 있다 completes the construction; the preceding verb form is required. Its formal polite ending is 습니다 after the consonant-final 있다. In this sentence, the construction expresses the speaker’s ability to send the photos, not a completed sending. Together, 유지 관리 요청서와 함께 identifies the item accompanying the action, 사진을 identifies the photos being sent, and 보낼 수 있습니다 expresses ability. The whole utterance therefore means, “I can send photos with the maintenance request.”

8. 사진을 첨부하시고 문제가 어떻게 생겼는지 설명해 주세요.

   Please attach them and describe how the problem developed.

   사진을

   photo(s)

   첨부하시고

   attach, and

   문제가

   problem

   어떻게

   how

   생겼는지

   developed; arose

   설명해

   explain

   주세요

   please do/give

   More detail

   사진을 means “the photo(s)” here, referring to the photos in the fixed translation and preceding context. 사진 is “photo,” and 을 marks it as the object of the following action. This marker does not by itself state how many photos there are. Example: 사진을 보내요. — “I send the photo(s).” 첨부하시고 means “attach, and.” Its base verb is 첨부하다 (“to attach”), used here as 첨부하시고: 하시 includes the honorific marker 시, and 고 links this action to the next one. The honorific form presents the addressee’s action respectfully; 고 means that the next instruction is coordinated with it. Example: 파일을 첨부하시고 보내 주세요. — “Please attach the file and send it.” 문제가 means “the problem” here. 문제 is “problem,” and 가 marks it as the subject of 생겼는지, the embedded clause that follows. The form does not identify any additional details about the problem. Example: 문제가 있어요. — “There is a problem.” 어떻게 means “how.” It asks about the manner or development of the event expressed by the following verb. Example: 어떻게 만들었어요? — “How did you make it?” 생겼는지 means “how it developed” in this sentence. Its base verb is 생기다, “to arise, form, or develop”; 생겼- is its past form, and -는지 embeds the question or issue for explanation. With 어떻게, 어떻게 생겼는지 asks how the problem arose or developed, rather than simply asking whether it arose. Example: 무슨 일이 생겼는지 말해 주세요. — “Please tell me what happened.” 설명해 means “explain.” Its base verb is 설명하다, and 설명해 is the form used before 주세요 in a polite request. The verb takes the embedded clause 문제가 어떻게 생겼는지 as the thing to explain. Example: 이 부분을 설명해 주세요. — “Please explain this part.” 주세요 completes a polite request. It comes from 주다 (“to give”) and, in this construction, asks the listener to carry out the preceding action; it is not a request to give a separate object here. The reusable pattern is 동사-아/어 주세요 (“please do ...”). Example: 기다려 주세요. — “Please wait.” Together, 사진을 첨부하시고 asks the listener respectfully to attach the photo(s) and links that action to the next request. 문제가 어떻게 생겼는지 설명해 주세요 asks the listener to explain how the problem developed or arose. The complete utterance is therefore: “Please attach them and describe how the problem developed.”