Korean · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 9 of 12
Directions and transport
교통과 길 안내Gyotonggwa gil annae
Find your way on the Seoul subway: have to with -아야 돼요, you just need to with -(으)면 돼요, steps with -아서, and station announcements.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Ask how to get somewhere and how long it takes
- Say what you have to do: 갈아타야 돼요
- Understand simple instructions: -(으)면 돼요, -아서 / -어서
- Understand announcements on the subway
Listen
At Seoul Station, Baek Seonyeong, a student from Daegu, asks a station attendant how to get to Gangnam. Later she hears the announcements on the train. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Seonyeong
실례합니다. 여기에서 강남에 어떻게 가요?
Sillyehamnida. Yeogieseo Gangname eotteoke gayo?
Excuse me. How do I get to Gangnam from here?
Attendant
4호선을 타고 사당에서 2호선으로 갈아타면 돼요.
Sahoseoneul tago Sadangeseo ihoseoneuro garatamyeon dwaeyo.
Just take Line 4 and change to Line 2 at Sadang.
Seonyeong
사당에서 갈아타야 돼요? 몇 분 걸려요?
Sadangeseo garataya dwaeyo? Myeot bun geollyeoyo?
I have to change at Sadang? How long does it take?
Attendant
네, 삼십 분쯤 걸려요.
Ne, samsip bunjjeum geollyeoyo.
Yes. It takes about thirty minutes.
Seonyeong
그리고 교통카드를 충전하고 싶어요.
Geurigo gyotongkadeureul chungjeonhago sipeoyo.
And I'd like to top up my transport card.
Attendant
저기에서 충전하면 돼요. 현금만 돼요.
Jeogieseo chungjeonhamyeon dwaeyo. Hyeongeumman dwaeyo.
You can do it over there. It's cash only.
Seonyeong
4호선은 어디에서 타요?
Sahoseoneun eodieseo tayo?
Where do I get Line 4?
Attendant
저쪽으로 쭉 가서 오이도 방향으로 타세요.
Jeojjogeuro jjuk gaseo Oido banghyangeuro taseyo.
Go straight that way and take the train towards Oido.
Seonyeong
감사합니다. 아, 막차는 몇 시예요?
Gamsahamnida. A, makchaneun myeot siyeyo?
Thank you. Oh, what time is the last train?
Attendant
보통 밤 열두 시쯤이에요. 늦지 마세요.
Botong bam yeoldu sijjeumieyo. Neutji maseyo.
Usually around midnight. Don't be late.
Announcement
이번 역은 사당입니다. 내리실 문은 왼쪽입니다.
Ibeon yeogeun Sadangimnida. Naerisil muneun oenjjogimnida.
(On the train) This stop is Sadang. The doors will open on the left.
Announcement
2호선으로 갈아타실 분은 이번 역에서 내리시기 바랍니다.
Ihoseoneuro garatasil buneun ibeon yeogeseo naerisigi baramnida.
Passengers changing to Line 2, please get off at this stop.
Understand
Have to and just need to: -아야 돼요, -(으)면 돼요
-아야 / -어야 돼요 means “have to, must”. Take the present form, drop 요 and add (ya dwaeyo): → (garataya dwaeyo), you have to change; → (naeryeoya dwaeyo), I have to get off; → (haeya dwaeyo). -아야 해요 (-aya haeyo) means exactly the same and is just as correct.
-(으)면 돼요 literally means “if you do…, it works”: you just need to, all you have to do is. It's the friendly way to tell someone what to do: (ihoseoneul tamyeon dwaeyo), just take Line 2; (jeogieseo chungjeonhamyeon dwaeyo), you can top it up over there. As a question, it asks what to do: (eodieseo naerimyeon dwaeyo?), where should I get off?
- 사당에서 갈아타야 돼요.Sadangeseo garataya dwaeyo.You have to change at Sadang.
- 교통카드를 충전해야 돼요.Gyotongkadeureul chungjeonhaeya dwaeyo.I have to top up my transport card.
- 몇 번 출구로 나가면 돼요?Myeot beon chulguro nagamyeon dwaeyo?Which exit should I take?
Get off and change: -아서 / -어서 for steps
In chapter 3, -아서 / -어서 gave a reason. It also links two steps when the first leads into the second, so that you do the second thing there or after arriving. It's formed the same way: (gaseo), (naeryeoseo), (nagaseo), from (nagada), to go out. (jeojjogeuro gaseo taseyo), go that way and get on there; (Sadangeseo naeryeoseo garataseyo), get off at Sadang and change.
With -고, the actions just follow each other. Getting on or into something keeps -고, because you stay on it: (sahoseoneul tago gaseyo), go on Line 4.
(georeoseo), on foot, comes from (geotda), to walk. It's a ㄷ verb: the ㄷ becomes ㄹ before a vowel, so (georeoyo), (georeosseoyo), (georeoseo o bun), a five-minute walk.
- 사당에서 내려서 2호선으로 갈아타세요.Sadangeseo naeryeoseo ihoseoneuro garataseyo.Get off at Sadang and change to Line 2.
- 11번 출구로 나가서 쭉 가세요.Sibil beon chulguro nagaseo jjuk gaseyo.Go out of exit 11 and go straight on.
- 역에서 걸어서 오 분 걸려요.Yeogeseo georeoseo o bun geollyeoyo.It's a five-minute walk from the station.
By, towards and how long: (으)로, 걸리다
(으)로 (로 after a vowel or ㄹ, 으로 after other consonants) has three meanings when you travel: by (a means of transport), towards (a direction), and to (the line you change to). See the table.
(geollida) means to take (time): (myeot bun geollyeoyo?), how many minutes does it take?; (samsip bunjjeum geollyeoyo), it takes about thirty minutes. (jjeum) after a number means about. Minutes use Sino-Korean numbers and hours native ones: (han sigan), an hour.
On the subway, announcements are in the formal style: (ibeon yeogeun Sadangimnida), this stop is Sadang; (naerisil muneun oenjjogimnida), the doors will open on the left; (naerisigi baramnida), please get off. Times at night use (bam), night: (bam yeoldu si), midnight.
| Meaning | Korean | English |
|---|---|---|
| by | (jihacheollo gayo) | I go by subway |
| by | (beoseuro wayo) | I come by bus |
| towards | (Oido banghyangeuro) | towards Oido |
| towards | (oreunjjogeuro gaseyo) | go right |
| to (a line) | (ihoseoneuro garatayo) | I change to Line 2 |
More in the grammar: 을/를, 에, 에서 and (으)로 · Linking actions: -고, -아서/-어서, -(으)면서, -다가 · Must, may and must not · Requests and suggestions: -(으)세요, -아/어 주세요, -(으)ㄹ까요?
New words
- 어떻게eotteokehow · (eotteoke gayo?), how do I get there?
- 호선hoseon(subway) line · with Sino-Korean numbers, usually written in digits: (ihoseon), Line 2
- 갈아타다garatadato change (trains, buses) · (ihoseoneuro garatayo), I change to Line 2
- 걸리다geollidato take (time) · (samsip bunjjeum geollyeoyo), it takes about thirty minutes
- 교통카드gyotongkadeutransport card · one card for the subway and buses
- 충전하다chungjeonhadato top up; to charge (a phone)
- 방향banghyangdirection · (Oido banghyang), towards Oido; platforms are signed by the last stop of the line
- 막차makchathe last train or bus · the first one is (cheotcha)
- 늦다neutdato be late · (neutji maseyo), don't be late; (neujeosseoyo), I'm late
- 이번 역ibeon yeokthis stop, the stop we're arriving at · (daeum yeok), the next stop
- 내리다naeridato get off · (naeryeoyo), (naeryeoseo); it also means to fall, for rain and snow
- 걸어서georeoseoon foot · from (geotda), to walk: (georeoseo gayo), I walk there
- 출구chulguexit · (ipgu), entrance
- 번beonnumber (with Sino-Korean numbers) · (sibil beon chulgu), exit 11; (myeot beon?), which number?
Practise
1.The attendant says (ihoseoneul tamyeon dwaeyo). What does she mean?
2.Match the transport words with their meanings.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
3.Put the words in order: get off at Sadang and change.
Tap the words below in the right order.Get off at Sadang and change.
4.Say “I have to change trains.”
5.How do you say “It's a five-minute walk”?
6.Put the words in order: ask how long it takes.
Tap the words below in the right order.How many minutes does it take?
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
강남에 어떻게 가요?
Gangname eotteoke gayo?
How do I get to Gangnam?
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.