Breakdown of hoeui junge keompyuteoga gapjagi kkeojyeo beoryeoseo bogoseoreul mos bonaesseoyo.
Questions & Answers about hoeui junge keompyuteoga gapjagi kkeojyeo beoryeoseo bogoseoreul mos bonaesseoyo.
What does 회의 중에 mean, and why use 중에?
회의 중에 means during the meeting / in the middle of the meeting.
- 중 = in the middle of / during (a time or activity)
- 중에 is commonly used when you mean at some point within that time (often when something happens unexpectedly during it).
You’ll also see 회의 중 without 에; it’s similar and often interchangeable in casual speech, but 중에 can feel a bit more like while (it was going on).
Why is it 회의 중에 and not 회의 중에서?
Because this is a time/occasion meaning (during), so 에 is the natural particle.
- -에서 typically marks a location where an action happens (e.g., 회의실에서 발표했어요 = I presented in the meeting room).
Here, the focus isn’t the physical place; it’s the time context during the meeting.
Why is 컴퓨터가 used instead of 컴퓨터는?
가 marks the computer as the subject of what happened: the computer is what turned off.
- 컴퓨터가 꺼졌다 = The computer turned off.
If you used 는 (컴퓨터는), it would sound more like a topic contrast (e.g., As for the computer, it turned off (unlike something else)), which isn’t necessary here.
What’s the difference between 꺼지다 and 끄다?
- 꺼지다 = to turn off (intransitive: it turns off by itself / becomes off)
- 컴퓨터가 꺼졌어요 = The computer turned off.
- 끄다 = to turn off (something) (transitive: someone turns it off)
- 제가 컴퓨터를 껐어요 = I turned off the computer.
In your sentence, the computer turning off is presented as something that happened (not something you did), so 꺼지다 is correct.
- 제가 컴퓨터를 껐어요 = I turned off the computer.
What does 꺼져 버리다 mean, and what nuance does 버리다 add?
-아/어 버리다 adds a feeling like (it) ended up… / unfortunately… / completely… / unexpectedly….
So 꺼져 버렸어요 is stronger than 꺼졌어요 and often implies the speaker is annoyed, regretful, or that it happened unintentionally:
- 컴퓨터가 꺼졌어요 = The computer turned off. (neutral)
- 컴퓨터가 꺼져 버렸어요 = The computer ended up turning off / turned off on me. (more emotional/negative)
Why is it 버려서 here?
버려서 is 버리다 + -어서 (because/so), connecting cause → result:
- 컴퓨터가 꺼져 버려서 = Because the computer ended up turning off / since it shut off (unexpectedly)
Then the result follows: 보고서를 못 보냈어요.
How does -아/어서 work here? Is it always “because”?
-아/어서 links two clauses and often means because/so, especially when the first clause explains the reason for the second:
- (reason) 꺼져 버려서 (result) 못 보냈어요
Depending on context, -아/어서 can also feel like and then, but here it clearly gives the reason the report couldn’t be sent.
What does 못 보냈어요 mean exactly? Is it “didn’t send” or “couldn’t send”?
못 보냈어요 means couldn’t send (it) due to inability/circumstances.
It’s different from intentionally not sending:
- 못 보냈어요 = I couldn’t send it. (something prevented it)
- 안 보냈어요 = I didn’t send it. (choice/decision)
Why is 못 separated: 못 보냈어요 (not 못보냈어요)?
못 is an adverb meaning cannot, and it’s normally written separately from the verb:
- 못 + 보내다 → 못 보냈어요
The same applies to many adverbs: 잘 했어요, 빨리 갔어요, etc.
Why is 보고서를 marked with 를? Can it be omitted?
보고서를 uses the object particle (을/를) because the report is what you send/submit.
You can omit it if it’s obvious from context:
- 보고서를 못 보냈어요 (clear and complete)
- 못 보냈어요 (natural if everyone knows you mean the report)
What does 보내다 mean here—“send” or “submit”?
Why does the sentence end with -었어요?
-었어요 is the polite past ending in the informal-polite style (often called 해요체).
- 못 보냈어요 = I couldn’t send (it).
For a more formal setting (e.g., to a boss/client), you might say: - 못 보냈습니다 (more formal)
Is the word order fixed? Could I move 갑자기 or omit parts?
Korean word order is flexible as long as particles/grammar make roles clear. 갑자기 can appear in different positions:
- 회의 중에 컴퓨터가 갑자기 꺼져 버려서… (very natural)
- 회의 중에 갑자기 컴퓨터가 꺼져 버려서… (also natural)
Subjects/objects can also be dropped if understood: - 회의 중에 갑자기 꺼져 버려서 못 보냈어요. (if it’s clear it’s the computer and the report)
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