집과 생활 문제Housing and Daily Problems
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Describe rooms, furniture, and the condition of a home or apartment using position and location vocabulary such as 위, 아래, 안, 밖, 옆, 앞, and 뒤.
- Explain a household problem, such as something that is broken, noisy, or not working.
- Make a polite request using -아/어 주세요, softened with 좀 where appropriate.
- Make a polite complaint without sounding rude, using softening and indirectness strategies already practiced in earlier chapters.
- Use repair language, such as asking someone to repeat or clarify something, in a service or neighbor interaction.
- Read and listen to short exchanges about housing problems and requests for repair.
- Write a short message reporting a household problem and requesting help.
Communication Scenario
Unit II begins with 독립적인 일상생활, "independent daily life." 라일라 has just moved into a small apartment near school. The boiler is not working properly, a window will not close all the way, and the neighbor upstairs has been very noisy at night. 라일라 needs to describe these problems clearly to her landlord, 김 선생님, and to ask politely for help — without simply memorizing a list of complaints. This chapter builds on everyday polite -아요/어요 speech level and the request and softening patterns already introduced, and it adds vocabulary and functional language for describing household spaces, problems, and repairs.
- This chapter introduces new vocabulary and functional language for housing and daily problems.
- It does not introduce a new grammar system. Requests, softening, and speech level all continue from Chapters 1 through 5.
- Assessment in this chapter focuses on describing a household problem clearly and requesting help politely.
Core Vocabulary
The vocabulary below supports describing a home, naming a household problem, and requesting help. Approximately 30–50 productive items are expected for this chapter; the table shows a representative core set.
| Korean | Meaning | Use / Pattern | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 방 | room | 방이 좁아요. | native Korean |
| 부엌 | kitchen | 부엌에 냉장고가 있어요. | final ㅋ batchim |
| 화장실 | bathroom | 화장실이 더러워요. | Sino-Korean compound |
| 거실 | living room | 거실에 소파가 있어요. | |
| 창문 | window | 창문이 안 닫혀요. | |
| 문 | door | 문이 고장 났어요. | |
| 보일러 | boiler / heater | 보일러가 안 돼요. | loanword |
| 수도 | water supply / tap | 수도에서 물이 새요. | Sino-Korean |
| 전기 | electricity | 전기가 안 들어와요. | Sino-Korean |
| 고장 나다 | to break down | action verb; 고장 났어요 (past) | irregular-free stem |
| 고치다 | to fix, repair | action verb; 고쳐 주세요 | |
| 수리하다 | to repair (formal) | action verb | Sino-Korean compound |
| 집주인 | landlord / homeowner | 집주인한테 말해요. | native + Sino compound |
| 이웃 | neighbor | 이웃이 시끄러워요. | |
| 소음 | noise | 소음이 심해요. | Sino-Korean |
| 시끄럽다 | to be noisy | descriptive verb; ㅂ irregular | 시끄러워요 |
| 조용하다 | to be quiet | descriptive verb | 조용해요 |
| 깨끗하다 | to be clean | descriptive verb | 깨끗해요 |
| 더럽다 | to be dirty | descriptive verb; ㅂ irregular | 더러워요 |
| 넓다 | to be spacious | descriptive verb | double batchim ㄼ |
| 좁다 | to be cramped | descriptive verb | |
| 불편하다 | to be inconvenient | descriptive verb | 불편해요 |
| 위 / 아래 | above / below | 냉장고 위에 있어요. | position noun |
| 안 / 밖 | inside / outside | 방 안에 있어요. | position noun |
| 옆 | next to, beside | 부엌 옆에 있어요. | position noun |
| 앞 / 뒤 | in front of / behind | 문 앞에 있어요. | position noun |
| -아/어 주세요 | please do (for me) | 고쳐 주세요. | request pattern, recycled |
| 죄송하지만 | I'm sorry, but… | softening opener | register: polite |
| 다시 한번 | one more time | 다시 한번 말씀해 주세요. | repair language |
| 잠깐만요 | just a moment | repair / turn-taking |
Receptive support in this chapter includes a small, clearly marked set of additional household nouns encountered in the reading and listening passages. These items are not required for independent production.
Pronunciation Focus
This chapter reinforces final consonant neutralization and batchim behavior before particles, using household vocabulary. It introduces no new sound-change rule.
부엌 ends in the batchim ㅋ, which is pronounced as an unreleased [k] sound in isolation, the same neutralized sound as batchim ㄱ. Before a vowel-initial particle, however, the ㅋ resurfaces through liaison: 부엌이 is pronounced with the ㅋ carried into the next syllable. Compare this with 방이, where the batchim ㅇ simply attaches to the following syllable without changing quality.
보일러가 고장 났어요 · 창문이 안 닫혀요 · 이웃이 너무 시끄러워요
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
This chapter introduces no new grammar system. It expands the use of position nouns with the existential pattern already taught, and it develops requests, complaints, and repair language using patterns from earlier chapters.
Review and expansion: position nouns with 에
Position nouns such as 위, 아래, 안, 밖, 옆, 앞, and 뒤 combine with 의-less noun phrases and the existential particle 에, following the pattern already introduced with 책상 위에 책이 있어요.
| Pattern | Example | Gloss |
|---|---|---|
| [장소] 위에 | 냉장고 위에 상자가 있어요. | There is a box on top of the refrigerator. |
| [장소] 안에 | 방 안에 짐이 많아요. | There is a lot of luggage inside the room. |
| [장소] 옆에 | 부엌 옆에 화장실이 있어요. | The bathroom is next to the kitchen. |
| [장소] 앞/뒤에 | 문 앞에 신발이 있어요. | There are shoes in front of the door. |
Review: polite requests with -아/어 주세요
- 보일러 좀 고쳐 주세요. Please fix the boiler. softening 좀 + -아/어 주세요 (recycled from earlier chapters)
- 창문을 확인해 주시겠어요? Could you check the window? softened request with -아/어 주시겠어요
Review: polite complaints with softening
A direct complaint can sound abrupt. Softening it with an opener such as 죄송하지만 ("I'm sorry, but…") or 그런데 ("by the way…") keeps the tone polite while still stating the problem clearly.
- 죄송하지만, 보일러가 안 돼요. I'm sorry, but the boiler isn't working. softening opener + descriptive statement
- 그런데 창문이 잘 안 닫혀요. By the way, the window doesn't close well. softening opener + negation 안
Repair language
Repair language helps a conversation continue smoothly when something is not heard or understood clearly.
| Korean | Function |
|---|---|
| 다시 한번 말씀해 주시겠어요? | Ask someone to repeat politely |
| 천천히 말씀해 주세요. | Ask someone to speak slowly |
| 잠깐만요. | Ask for a moment |
| 네? 뭐라고 하셨어요? | Ask what was said |
The request pattern -아/어 주세요, the softening particle 좀, and everyday polite speech level were all introduced in earlier chapters. This chapter's task is to apply them to a new communicative domain — housing and daily problems — rather than to learn new grammar. Learners should recognize familiar tools being reused for a new purpose.
Practice — Building complaint-and-request sentences
- Choose a household item from the vocabulary list and state that it is broken.
- Add a softening opener before your statement.
- Add a polite request asking someone to fix or check it.
- Add one position-noun phrase describing where the problem is located.
Model Dialogue
Setting: 라일라 calls her landlord, 김 선생님, to report a problem with the boiler and a noisy neighbor.
내용 이해 — Comprehension questions:
- What two problems does 라일라 report first?
- Where is the window located, according to 라일라?
- What third problem does 라일라 mention?
- What does 김 선생님 promise to do?
Guided Practice
Complete each task using vocabulary and patterns from this chapter and earlier chapters.
- Write a sentence describing a room using a descriptive verb (넓다, 좁다, 깨끗하다, 더럽다).
- Write a sentence naming a broken appliance using 고장 나다.
- Write a softened complaint using 죄송하지만 or 그런데.
- Write a polite request using -아/어 주세요 or -아/어 주시겠어요.
- Write a sentence using a position noun (위/아래/안/밖/옆/앞/뒤) to describe where something is.
Listening Practice
Ask your instructor, a language partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following passage aloud. Listen twice without reading, then complete the tasks below.
수진의 새 아파트
수진이 새 아파트로 이사했어요. 아파트는 넓고 깨끗해요. 그런데 문제가 좀 있어요. 화장실 문이 잘 안 닫혀요. 그리고 부엌 안에 있는 냉장고도 소리가 좀 시끄러워요. 수진은 집주인한테 전화해서 죄송하지만 문제가 있다고 말했어요. 집주인은 이번 주말에 사람을 보내서 고쳐 준다고 했어요.
듣기 과제 — Listening task: Listen and answer in English.
| 질문 | 답 |
|---|---|
| How does 수진 describe her new apartment overall? | ______ |
| What two problems does 수진 mention? | ______ |
| What does the landlord promise to do? | ______ |
받아쓰기 — Dictation: Your partner or instructor reads two sentences from the passage above, once each at natural speed. Write what you hear in Hangeul, then check your spacing, particles, and speech-level consistency.
- (the sentence describing the bathroom door)
- (the sentence describing the refrigerator noise)
Reading Practice
Below is a short message that 라일라 wrote to her landlord before calling him. Read it and answer the questions below. No romanization is provided.
집주인께 드리는 메시지
안녕하세요, 선생님. 저는 3층에 사는 라일라예요. 죄송하지만 문제가 몇 가지 있어요. 먼저, 부엌 옆에 있는 보일러가 고장 났어요. 그리고 화장실 안에 있는 전등도 안 들어와요. 마지막으로, 위층 이웃이 밤마다 너무 시끄러워요. 시간 있으실 때 확인해 주세요. 감사합니다.
This passage recycles polite speech level, softening with 죄송하지만, sequence words 먼저/그리고/마지막으로 from Chapter 4, position nouns, and the request pattern -아/어 주세요. Only vocabulary and grammar activated through Chapter 6 are used.
내용 이해 — Comprehension questions:
- How many problems does 라일라 report, and what are they?
- Where exactly is the boiler located, according to the message?
- Which problem is not about a broken object?
Writing Workshop
This chapter's writing task is a short message reporting a household problem and requesting help: 문제 보고 메시지 ("A Problem Report Message").
- Open politely. Greet the reader and identify yourself.
- State the problem. Use 고장 나다, 안 되다, or a descriptive verb, softened with 죄송하지만 or 그런데.
- Locate the problem. Use a position noun to say where it is.
- Make a request. Use -아/어 주세요 or -아/어 주시겠어요.
- Close politely. Thank the reader.
- Revise. Check your draft against the editing checklist below.
체크리스트 — Editing checklist:
- The message names at least one specific household problem.
- At least one softening opener (죄송하지만 or 그런데) is used.
- At least one position noun (위/아래/안/밖/옆/앞/뒤) is used correctly.
- At least one polite request (-아/어 주세요 or -아/어 주시겠어요) is used.
- Speech level is consistent everyday polite -아요/어요 throughout.
- Only Hangeul is used; no romanization appears in the final draft.
- No grammar, particle, or vocabulary item beyond Chapter 6 appears in the text.
Speaking Practice
통제 연습 — Controlled practice: 문제 말하기
Practice saying three household problems aloud, each with a softening opener, a position-noun phrase, and a polite request, until the pattern feels automatic.
의사소통 과제 — Communicative task: 집주인과 통화하기
With a partner, role-play the Model Dialogue situation using your own invented household problems. One partner plays the tenant reporting problems; the other plays the landlord, who should ask at least one repair-language question, such as 다시 한번 말씀해 주시겠어요?
혼자 하는 연습 — Solo alternative
Record yourself describing three problems in your own home (real or imagined), each with a position-noun phrase and a polite request for repair.
Culture and Communication
In many South Korean rental arrangements, tenants commonly contact the landlord (집주인) directly by phone or message for repairs, especially in smaller residential buildings. Softening a complaint with an opener such as 죄송하지만 is a common and expected politeness strategy in this kind of interaction, though exact norms vary by building, landlord, and relationship.
Noise between apartment units, particularly footstep noise from units above, is a widely discussed topic in South Korean apartment living and is sometimes referred to using the specific term 층간소음 ("inter-floor noise"). This chapter uses the simpler general word 소음 ("noise"); learners who want the more specific term may encounter it later as receptive vocabulary.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: 보일러가 고장 났어요. 고쳐 주세요. stated with no softening opener in a first contact with a landlord or service provider.
Correction: Add a softening opener, as in 죄송하지만, 보일러가 고장 났어요. 좀 고쳐 주시겠어요?, to keep the request polite.
Error: Using 못 돼요 to describe a broken appliance.
Correction: Use 안 돼요 ("it doesn't work" / "it's not working") for a malfunctioning object. 못 describes inability tied to a person, not a broken machine.
Error: 부엌 옆에 안에 위에 냉장고가 있어요. (stacking multiple position nouns without a clear structure)
Correction: Use one position noun per location phrase: 부엌 옆에 냉장고가 있어요. Add a second sentence if more detail is needed.
Chapter Review
Section A — 어휘 (Vocabulary)
1. List three household problem words and three position nouns from this chapter.
Section B — 문법 (Grammar)
1. Combine a position noun, a household object, and 있어요 into one correct sentence.
2. Correct the error: 보일러가 못 돼요.
Section C — 독해 이해 (Reading Comprehension)
1. According to 라일라's message, what three problems does she report, and where is each one located?
Section D — 쓰기 (Writing)
1. Write your problem report message following the Writing Workshop steps and checklist.
Section E — 말하기 (Speaking)
1. Role-play or record a landlord phone call describing at least two household problems and one repair-language exchange.
누적 복습 — Cumulative review
This chapter recycles everyday polite speech level, softening with 좀 and 죄송하지만, the request pattern -아/어 주세요, sequence words from Chapter 4, and the existential pattern with 에, while adding household vocabulary, position nouns, and repair language. If any earlier system still feels uncertain, review the relevant chapter before continuing.
Practical Performance Task
수행 과제
집 문제 보고하기 — Reporting a Household Problem
You will describe at least two household problems, locate each one using a position noun, and request help politely, in both written and spoken form.
- Written: Write your problem report message from the Writing Workshop.
- Spoken: Present the same content aloud as a phone call to a landlord, as in the Model Dialogue, including at least one repair-language exchange.
- Reflection: Write one English sentence identifying which part of this chapter — vocabulary, position nouns, softened complaints, or repair language — you feel most confident using.
| Criterion | What is evaluated |
|---|---|
| Problem description | At least two household problems are clearly named |
| Position nouns | At least one position noun is used correctly to locate a problem |
| Softened complaint | At least one softening opener is used before a complaint |
| Polite request | At least one -아/어 주세요 or -아/어 주시겠어요 request is used correctly |
| Repair language | At least one repair-language expression appears in the spoken task |
| Speech-level consistency | Everyday polite -아요/어요 maintained throughout |
| Hangeul and spacing accuracy | Accurate spelling and level-appropriate spacing throughout, no romanization |
| Scope discipline | No structures used beyond this chapter and earlier chapters |
Answer Key
Grammar Practice — Building Complaint-and-Request Sentences
1. Sample answer: 냉장고가 고장 났어요.
2. Sample answer: 죄송하지만, 문제가 있어요.
3. Sample answer: 고쳐 주시겠어요?
4. Sample answer: 부엌 옆에 있어요.
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- The boiler is not working, and the window doesn't close well.
- It is next to the kitchen.
- The neighbor is too noisy.
- He promises to fix the boiler and window and to look into the noise problem.
Listening comprehension
- 수진 describes the apartment as spacious and clean overall.
- The bathroom door doesn't close well, and the refrigerator is noisy.
- The landlord promises to send someone to fix the problems over the weekend.
Reading comprehension
- She reports three problems: the boiler, the bathroom light, and a noisy upstairs neighbor.
- It is located next to the kitchen.
- The noisy neighbor is not a broken object.
Chapter Review — Section B
1. Sample answer: 부엌 옆에 냉장고가 있어요.
2. Correction: 보일러가 안 돼요.
Section D — Sample problem report message
안녕하세요, 선생님. 저는 2층에 사는 준호예요. 죄송하지만 문제가 있어요. 화장실 안에 있는 전등이 안 들어와요. 그리고 창문 옆에 있는 벽도 좀 더러워요. 시간 있으실 때 확인해 주세요. 감사합니다.
Check that: at least two problems appear, at least one position noun and one softening opener are used correctly, at least one polite request appears, speech level is consistent, and no structures beyond this chapter appear.
Looking Ahead
지금 할 수 있는 것 — What you can do now
You can describe a home, name a household problem, locate it using position nouns, make a polite request for repair, and use repair language when something is not heard clearly, all in consistent everyday polite speech level.