Breakdown of ellibeiteoga jakdonghaji anhayo.
~가~ga
subject particle
않다anhda
to not do
엘리베이터ellibeiteo
elevator
작동하다jakdonghada
to operate
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Questions & Answers about ellibeiteoga jakdonghaji anhayo.
Why is 가 attached to 엘리베이터?
In Korean, 가 (or 이 after a consonant) marks the subject of a sentence. 엘리베이터 ends in a vowel sound, so we use 가 to indicate that “the elevator” is the thing doing or experiencing the action—in this case, “not operating.”
What does 작동하다 mean, and why do we use it here?
작동하다 literally means “to operate” or “to function,” and it’s used for machines, devices, or systems. Saying 엘리베이터가 작동하지 않아요 specifically conveys that the elevator is not functioning.
What’s the difference between 작동하지 않아요 and 안 작동해요?
Both mean “doesn’t work,” but they use different negation patterns.
• 작동하지 않아요 uses the verb ending -지 않다 for negation.
• 안 작동해요 puts 안 before the verb stem.
They’re equally polite and common; choosing one over the other is mostly personal preference or rhythm.
Could I instead say 엘리베이터가 고장 났어요?
Absolutely. 고장 나다 means “to break down” or “to be out of order.” 엘리베이터가 고장 났어요 is a perfectly natural way to say “the elevator is broken,” with almost the same nuance as 작동하지 않아요.
Why is the sentence in the -아요/-어요 form?
The -아요/-어요 ending is the polite informal style used in everyday conversation with people you’re not super close to. It’s more polite than the plain form (no ending) but less formal than the -ㅂ니다 style you’d use in announcements or formal speeches.
How is 엘리베이터 pronounced in Korean?
Although it’s a loanword, it’s adapted to Korean phonetics: el-li-bei-teo. Each syllable is equally stressed, and the final -어 sounds like “uh.”
How would you say this casually among close friends?
In casual speech you can drop particles and shorten endings:
• 엘리베이터 작동 안 해
• 엘리베이터가 작동 안 해
Either way, it feels more relaxed and is common among friends.