Breakdown of jihacheoreseoneun inteones yeongyeori jal an doeneun dega isseo.
Questions & Answers about jihacheoreseoneun inteones yeongyeori jal an doeneun dega isseo.
지하철에서 means in/on the subway (location where something happens).
Adding -는 → 지하철에서는 adds a topic/contrast nuance:
- 지하철에서는 = as for on the subway / when it comes to the subway (at least there)
It often implies comparison, like: On the subway, (but maybe not elsewhere)...
So the sentence feels like: On the subway, there are places where the internet connection doesn’t work well.
이/가 marks the grammatical subject of the clause 잘 안 되는 (doesn’t work well).
- 인터넷 연결이 잘 안 되다 = the internet connection doesn’t work well
- Here, that whole idea becomes a modifier describing 데 (places).
If you used 은/는 instead (인터넷 연결은), it would shift toward a broader topic/contrast about internet connection in general, and it can sound less natural in this specific structure.
잘 안 되다 is a very common pattern meaning to not work well / to not go well.
Breakdown:
- 잘 = well
- 안 = not
- 되다 = to work out / to function / to become
- 잘 안 되다 = doesn’t work well / isn’t working properly
Here it modifies 데:
- 인터넷 연결이 잘 안 되는 데 = a place where the internet connection doesn’t work well
It’s closer to malfunction/poor reception than to “not allowed” or “impossible.”
안 되는 is the present descriptive (modifier) form of 안 되다:
- Dictionary: 안 되다
- Modifier: 안 되는 + noun = a noun where it doesn’t work / that doesn’t work
Because it’s describing a general ongoing situation (some sections of the subway), the present modifier is natural.
If you said 안 됐던 데 that would mean places where it didn’t work (in the past).
Also, 데/곳 is what’s being modified; 되는 곳 is also possible, but the original uses 데 (see next question).
데 literally means place, and -가 있어 means there exists / there are.
- 데가 있어 = there are places (where...)
So the full structure is:
- [인터넷 연결이 잘 안 되는] 데가 있어
= There are places where the internet connection doesn’t work well.
Using 있어 (casual) makes it sound conversational. The dictionary form is 있다, and the polite form would be 있어요/있습니다.
Both can mean place, but the nuance differs a bit:
- 곳 is a more straightforward “physical place.”
- 데 is very common in speech and can feel more like a spot / an area / a place (in the sense of a situation/section).
In subway context, 데 sounds natural for certain sections/spots where reception is bad.
You can say:
- 인터넷 연결이 잘 안 되는 곳이 있어요.
It’s just slightly more concrete/formal-feeling than 데.
In standard spacing:
- 안 되다 is normally written with a space: 안 되다
- Modifier: 안 되는 데
So 잘 안 되는 데가 있어 is standard.
Some people write 안되다/안되는 붙여쓰기 in informal contexts, but for learners, it’s best to follow the standard: 안 되다 / 안 되는.
In Korean, 지하철에서/지하철에서는 covers both English options depending on context:
- If you mean inside the subway system / while riding, English often says on the subway.
- If you mean within the subway environment (stations/tunnels), English might say in the subway.
Korean doesn’t force that distinction here; -에서 just marks the location/context.
With 데(=place), the default meaning is places/spots/sections.
If you wanted times/occasions, Korean usually uses 때:
- 지하철에서는 인터넷 연결이 잘 안 될 때가 있어.
= On the subway, there are times when the internet connection doesn’t work well.
So 데가 있어 → places; 때가 있어 → times.
Common polite versions:
- 지하철에서는 인터넷 연결이 잘 안 되는 데가 있어요. (polite, casual)
- 지하철에서는 인터넷 연결이 잘 안 되는 데가 있습니다. (more formal)
Everything else stays the same; you mainly change 있어 → 있어요/있습니다.