Learning & Education

Korean Basic Conversation 4

Chapter 5 · Learning & Education: Courses, Studying & Exams

🎓 Learning & Education — 공부와 시험

In this chapter you sign up for a course, talk about study plans and exams, and ask about the Korean language test (TOPIK). The grammar: -(으)려면 ("if you want to…"), -도록 ("so that…" and "until…") and a revision of -기 전에 / -(으)ㄴ 다음에 ("before" / "after"). For the background see Korean Grammar 2 6 (Purpose, Time, Condition). Course details, fees and test dates change, so the figures here are illustrations: check the school's or the test's own website.

① Signing Up for a Course — 수강 신청

A:안녕하세요. 한국어 수업을 신청하려면 어떻게 해야 해요?Hello. What do I have to do to sign up for a Korean class?

B:먼저 레벨 테스트를 보셔야 해요. 시험을 본 다음에 반이 정해져요.First you need to take a level test. After the test, your class is decided.

A:레벨 테스트는 어떻게 봐요?What is the level test like?

B:필기시험이 삼십 분, 그리고 간단한 면접이 있어요.There's a written test of thirty minutes, and a short interview.

A:등록금은 얼마예요? 교재도 포함되어 있어요?How much is the tuition? Is the textbook included?

B:교재는 따로 사셔야 해요. 등록하기 전에 수업 시간표를 확인해 보세요.You have to buy the textbook separately. Before you register, please check the class timetable.

Hard words: 수강 신청 su-gang sin-cheong course registration · 레벨 테스트 re-bel te-seu-teu level test · 정해지다 jeong-hae-ji-da be decided · 면접 myeon-jeop interview · 시간표 si-gan-pyo timetable

② An Academy — 학원 상담

A:토픽 시험을 준비하는 반이 있어요?Do you have a class that prepares for the TOPIK test?

B:네, 평일 저녁반과 주말반이 있어요. 일주일에 세 번, 한 번에 두 시간이에요.Yes, there's a weekday evening class and a weekend class. Three times a week, two hours each time.

A:퇴근하고 갈 수 있는 저녁반이 좋겠어요.An evening class I can go to after work would be good.

B:그럼 저녁 7시 반을 추천해요. 한 달에 이십오만 원이에요.Then I recommend the 7:30 pm class. It's 250,000 won a month.

A:시험에 합격하려면 몇 달쯤 공부해야 할까요?About how many months should I study to pass the test?

B:사람마다 달라요. 하지만 매일 복습하면 훨씬 빨리 늘어요.It differs from person to person. But if you review every day, you improve much faster.

Hard words: 학원 hak-won private academy · 평일 저녁반 pyeong-il jeo-nyeok-ban weekday evening class · 추천하다 chu-cheon-ha-da recommend · 복습하다 bok-seu-pa-da review · 늘다 neul-da improve

③ A Study Plan — 공부 계획

A:시험이 두 달 남았는데 어떻게 공부하면 좋을까요?The exam is two months away. How should I study?

B:우선 매일 같은 시간에 공부하도록 하세요.First, make sure you study at the same time every day.

A:단어는 어떻게 외워요?How do I memorise vocabulary?

B:잊어버리지 않도록 모르는 단어를 노트에 적어 놓으세요.Write down the words you don't know in a notebook so you don't forget them.

A:듣기는 어떻게 연습해요?How do I practise listening?

B:드라마를 보면서 들으세요. 귀가 트이도록 매일 삼십 분씩 들으면 좋아요.Listen while watching dramas. It's good to listen for thirty minutes every day until your ears open up.

Hard words: 남다 nam-da remain · 외우다 oe-u-da memorise · 듣기 deut-gi listening · 귀가 트이다 gwi-ga teu-i-da begin to understand by ear

④ Exam Day and Results — 시험 날

A:내일 시험인데 준비물이 뭐예요?The exam is tomorrow. What do I need to bring?

B:수험표하고 신분증, 컴퓨터용 사인펜을 지참하셔야 해요.You must bring your admission ticket, ID and a computer marking pen.

A:시험은 몇 시에 시작해요?What time does the exam start?

B:오전 9시에 입실해야 해요. 늦으면 들어갈 수 없으니까 일찍 가세요.You must be seated by 9 am. If you're late you can't go in, so go early.

A:결과는 언제 나와요?When do the results come out?

B:한 달쯤 후에 홈페이지에서 성적을 확인할 수 있어요.After about a month you can check your score on the website.

Hard words: 수험표 su-heom-pyo admission ticket · 준비물 jun-bi-mul things to bring · 입실하다 ip-sil-ha-da take one's seat · 성적 seong-jeok score, grade

⑤ Further Study — 대학원과 자격증

A:졸업한 다음에 대학원에 가고 싶어요.After I graduate I'd like to go to graduate school.

B:대학원에 들어가려면 어떤 준비가 필요해요?What preparation do you need to get into graduate school?

A:학점이 좋아야 하고 한국어 성적도 있어야 해요.You need good grades, and a Korean language score too.

B:장학금을 받을 수도 있어요? 등록금이 비싸서요.Is it possible to get a scholarship? The tuition is expensive.

A:성적이 좋으면 받을 수 있어요. 자격증이 있으면 더 유리하고요.If your results are good you can get one. And having a qualification helps even more.

B:그럼 방학 동안 자격증 공부도 시작해 봐야겠어요.Then I should start studying for a qualification during the holidays too.

Hard words: 대학원 dae-hak-won graduate school · 학점 hak-jeom credits, grades · 장학금 jang-hak-geum scholarship · 자격증 ja-gyeok-jeung qualification · 유리하다 yu-ri-ha-da be advantageous

⑥ Between Friends (casual) — 시험 어땠어?

A:야, 시험 어땠어?Hey, how was the exam?

B:망쳤어. 밤새도록 공부했는데 쓰기에서 시간이 모자랐어.I messed it up. I studied all night, but I ran out of time on the writing.

A:괜찮아. 합격하려면 평균만 넘으면 되잖아.It's okay. To pass, you only need to get over the average, right?

B:그러게. 결과 나올 때까지 기다려 보자.True. Let's wait until the results come out.

Hard words: 망치다 mang-chi-da ruin, mess up · 밤새도록 bam-sae-do-rok all night long · 모자라다 mo-ja-ra-da be short · 평균 pyeong-gyun average · 그러게 geu-reo-ge true, I know

🔑 Key Phrases — 중요한 표현

English	Polite (-요)	Casual (friends)
To pass, you have to study.	합격하려면 공부해야 해요.	합격하려면 공부해야 돼.
Write it down so you don't forget.	잊어버리지 않도록 적어 놓으세요.	안 잊어버리게 적어 놔.
I studied all night.	밤새도록 공부했어요.	밤새도록 공부했어.
How was the exam?	시험 어땠어요?	시험 어땠어?
I passed!	합격했어요!	붙었어!
I failed.	불합격했어요. / 떨어졌어요.	떨어졌어.

🔤 Three Verbs — 동사

Verb	Dictionary	Polite present	Past	-(으)려면
to study	공부하다	공부해요	공부했어요	공부하려면
to pass (an exam)	합격하다	합격해요	합격했어요	합격하려면
to register	등록하다	등록해요	등록했어요	등록하려면

🧰 Grammar Tools — 문법

1. -(으)려면: "if you want to…"

Add -려면 to a vowel stem (or ㄹ-stem) and -으려면 to a consonant stem to say "if you intend to do X": 합격하려면 열심히 공부해야 해요. (If you want to pass, you must study hard.) The part after -(으)려면 is what you need to do or should do: -아/어야 해요, -세요, 필요해요 or 좋아요. It is a short form of -(으)려고 하면, so the subject is the same person in both parts, and the tense is not used inside the clause.

If you want to…	…you need to	Meaning
신청하려면	서류가 필요해요.	To apply, you need documents.
한국어를 잘하려면	매일 연습해야 해요.	To speak Korean well, you must practise daily.
역에 가려면	버스를 타세요.	To get to the station, take the bus.
늦지 않으려면	일찍 출발하세요.	To avoid being late, set off early.

2. -도록: "so that…" and "until…"

Add -도록 to a verb or adjective stem to express a goal ("so that it will…") or an extent ("until, to the point that"). For a negative goal use -지 않도록: 잊어버리지 않도록 적어 놓으세요. (Write it down so that you don't forget.) For an extent: 밤새도록 공부했어요. (I studied all night.) 목이 쉬도록 노래했어요. (I sang until my voice went hoarse.) The two clauses may have different subjects, and the second may be an order or request: 아이가 잘 들을 수 있도록 천천히 말해 주세요.

Meaning	Example
so that (goal)	늦지 않도록 일찍 일어나세요. Get up early so you aren't late.
so that (goal)	모두가 볼 수 있도록 크게 쓰세요. Write it big so everyone can see.
until (extent)	밤새도록 이야기했어요. We talked all night.
-도록 하다 (make sure to)	내일은 일찍 오도록 하세요. Make sure you come early tomorrow.

Watch out: -(으)려고 or -도록? -(으)려고 is "in order to" for your own intention and needs the same subject: 합격하려고 공부해요. -도록 is "so that" and can have a different subject, or an order: 아이가 잘 보도록 앞에 앉혔어요. If the two parts have different subjects, use -도록.

3. Before and after, revisited

You met -(으)ㄴ 다음에 ("after") in Chapter 2. Pair it with -기 전에 ("before") to put study steps in order. -기 전에 never changes: 시험을 보기 전에 복습하세요. (Review before you take the exam.) -(으)ㄴ 다음에 uses -ㄴ after a vowel stem and -은 after a consonant stem: 시험을 본 다음에 쉬세요. (Rest after you take the exam.)

Before	After
등록하기 전에 시간표를 보세요.	등록한 다음에 교재를 사세요.
자기 전에 단어를 외워요.	수업이 끝난 다음에 복습해요.

4. School and exam words

Korean	English
듣기 / 말하기 / 읽기 / 쓰기	listening / speaking / reading / writing
합격 / 불합격	pass / fail
붙다 / 떨어지다	to pass (spoken) / to fail (spoken)
방학 / 학기	school holiday / term
숙제 / 복습 / 예습	homework / review / preparation

📰 Reading — 읽기

Read the text, then check the English and the word list. Then answer the true/false questions.

시험 준비 이야기

저는 한국 회사에서 일하고 싶어서 한국어능력시험을 보기로 했어요. 합격하려면 매일 공부해야 해서 학원에 등록했어요. 학원은 평일 저녁에 있어서 퇴근한 다음에 갈 수 있어요. 모르는 단어는 잊어버리지 않도록 매일 노트에 적어요. 주말에는 한국 드라마를 보면서 듣기를 연습해요. 시험은 석 달 후예요. 조금 걱정되지만 열심히 하면 할수록 실력이 늘고 있어요.

English: I decided to take the Korean language test because I want to work at a Korean company. To pass, I have to study every day, so I registered at an academy. The academy has classes on weekday evenings, so I can go after I finish work. I write down the words I don't know in a notebook every day so that I don't forget them. At weekends I practise listening while watching Korean dramas. The test is in three months. I'm a little worried, but the harder I work, the more my ability grows.

Words: 실력 ability, skill · 석 달 three months · 퇴근하다 finish work · 걱정되다 be worried

1. The writer wants to work at a Korean company.

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True: 한국 회사에서 일하고 싶어서.

2. The academy classes are in the morning.

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False: they are on weekday evenings (평일 저녁).

3. The writer writes new words in a notebook every day.

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True: 매일 노트에 적어요.

4. The test is in one week.

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False: it is in three months (석 달 후).

📖 Vocabulary — 어휘

20 key words for study and exams.

#	Korean	Say it	English	Type
1	수강 신청	su-gang sin-cheong	course registration	noun
2	학원	hak-won	private academy	noun
3	수업	su-eop	class, lesson	noun
4	교재	gyo-jae	textbook	noun
5	시험	si-heom	exam	noun
6	합격	hap-gyeok	passing	noun
7	불합격	bul-hap-gyeok	failing	noun
8	성적	seong-jeok	score, grade	noun
9	학점	hak-jeom	credits, grade points	noun
10	등록금	deung-nok-geum	tuition fee	noun
11	장학금	jang-hak-geum	scholarship	noun
12	대학원	dae-hak-won	graduate school	noun
13	자격증	ja-gyeok-jeung	qualification, certificate	noun
14	한국어능력시험	han-gu-geo-neung-nyeok-si-heom	Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK)	noun
15	수험표	su-heom-pyo	exam admission ticket	noun
16	등록하다	deung-no-ka-da	register	verb
17	합격하다	hap-gyeo-ka-da	pass	verb
18	떨어지다	tteo-reo-ji-da	fail, fall	verb
19	복습하다	bok-seu-pa-da	review	verb
20	준비하다	jun-bi-ha-da	prepare	verb

As Heard in Dramas — "시험 망쳤어" School dramas are full of exam talk: 시험 망쳤어 ("I messed up the exam"), 공부 좀 해! ("Study a bit!") from parents, and 합격이다! when the result is good. Students also use 붙었어! ("I got in!") for passing.

Real Korean Tip — 학원, 엿 and the Big Exam Many Korean students go to a private academy (학원) after school as well as to their ordinary school, and adults use academies for language, certificates and test preparation. Before important exams people wish each other luck with 엿 (sticky toffee) and 찹쌀떡 (sticky rice cakes), because the verb 붙다 means both "to stick" and "to pass". The national university entrance exam is called 수능.

Register — Studying To a teacher or academy staff use polite -요 or -ㅂ니다 and 선생님. Classmates use 반말 or soft -요 depending on age: 시험 어땠어? between close friends, 시험 어땠어요? to someone you don't know well.

✍️ Try It Yourself — 연습

Say each answer out loud first, then click to check.

1. Say "To pass, you have to study every day."

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합격하려면 매일 공부해야 해요.

2. Say "Write it down so that you don't forget."

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잊어버리지 않도록 적어 놓으세요.

3. Say "Please check the timetable before you register."

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등록하기 전에 시간표를 확인해 보세요.

4. Say "I studied all night."

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밤새도록 공부했어요.

5. Ask a friend casually "How was the exam?"

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시험 어땠어?

6. Why is 합격하려면 열심히 공부했어요 wrong?

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After -(으)려면 you need a request, advice or necessity (for example 공부해야 해요), not a statement of what you did.