Word
시험관은 교차로에서 양보하라고 말했습니다.siheomgwaneun gyocharo-eseo yangboharago malhaessseupnida.
Meaning
The test examiner told me to yield at the crossroads.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of siheomgwaneun gyocharo-eseo yangboharago malhaessseupnida.
말하다malhada
to speak
교차로gyocharo
crossroads
시험관siheomgwan
the test examiner
양보하다yangbohada
to yield to another road user
Questions & Answers about siheomgwaneun gyocharo-eseo yangboharago malhaessseupnida.
What does 시험관 mean here? I thought it could also mean test tube.
Yes, 시험관 has two common meanings:
- examiner / proctor / test administrator
- test tube
In this sentence, it clearly means examiner, because the person is giving an instruction at an intersection. In context, it is most likely a driving test examiner.
Why is there 은 after 시험관?
은 is the topic particle.
So 시험관은 means something like:
- as for the examiner
- the examiner, ...
In natural English, you usually just translate it as the subject: the examiner.
Why 은 and not 이?
- 은/는 often marks something already known in the conversation, or adds a slight topic/contrast feeling.
- 이/가 is more purely a subject marker and often sounds more neutral or more focused.
In this sentence, 시험관은 sounds like the examiner is the topic being talked about.
Why is it 교차로에서 and not 교차로에?