Korean for Beginners: Report a Broken AC or No Hot Water
Learn to say 'The air conditioning isn't working' in Korean, ask for repairs, and understand repair timelines. Practice polite issue reports for AC and hot water problems.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When something breaks in your room, you need to report it clearly and politely in Korean. This lesson teaches you how to say that the air conditioning isn't working, that there is no hot water, and how to ask when it will be fixed. You will learn the key pattern '안 돼요' (an dwaeyo) meaning 'doesn't work', and how to use it with different appliances. You will also practice asking about repair timelines with '언제 고쳐 주세요?' (eonje gochyeo juseyo?) meaning 'When will you fix it, please?' This is different from asking for items like towels or soap; here you are reporting a malfunction and requesting a repair. By the end, you can handle a basic maintenance call in Korean.
By the end, you can…
- say that the air conditioning isn't working in Korean.
- say that there is no hot water in Korean.
- ask when a repair will be done using polite Korean.
- understand simple repair timeline responses like 'one hour' or 'today'.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
에어컨이 안 돼요.
The air conditioning isn't working.
e-eo-keon-i an dwae-yo
Use this to report a broken AC. '안 돼요' means 'doesn't work' or 'is not okay'.
온수가 안 나와요.
There is no hot water. (Hot water doesn't come out.)
on-su-ga an na-wa-yo
Use this for no hot water. Literally 'hot water doesn't come out'.
고장 났어요.
It's broken. (It has broken down.)
go-jang na-sseo-yo
General phrase for 'it's broken'. Use for machines or appliances.
언제 고쳐 주세요?
When will you fix it, please?
eon-je go-chyeo ju-se-yo?
Polite way to ask for repair timeline. Use with staff or maintenance.
한 시간 걸려요.
It takes one hour.
han si-gan geol-lyeo-yo
Common response for repair time. Replace '한' with other numbers.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern 'Noun + 이/가 안 돼요' means 'Noun doesn't work'. Use '이' after a consonant and '가' after a vowel. For example: '에어컨이 안 돼요' (The AC doesn't work), '온수가 안 돼요' (The hot water doesn't work). For 'no hot water', you can also say '온수가 안 나와요' (Hot water doesn't come out). To ask for repair, use '고쳐 주세요' (please fix it). Combine with '언제' (when) to ask '언제 고쳐 주세요?' (When will you fix it, please?). Note that '언제 고쳐 주세요?' is a polite request for a timeline, not a question about the listener's preference; to ask when the other person can do it, say '언제 고쳐 드릴까요?' (When shall I fix it for you?).
When to use it
Use these phrases when you need to report a problem to a landlord, hotel front desk, or maintenance staff. For example, if the AC is broken, say '에어컨이 안 돼요.' If there is no hot water, say '온수가 안 나와요.' If you want to ask for repair, say '고쳐 주세요.' To ask when, say '언제 고쳐 주세요?' This is not for requesting extra items like towels; that would be '수건 주세요' (Please give me a towel). Here you are reporting a malfunction and asking for a fix.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
에어컨이 안 돼요.
The air conditioning isn't working.e-eo-keon-i an dwae-yo네, 언제 고쳐 드릴까요?
Okay, when would you like it fixed?ne, eon-je go-chyeo deu-ril-kka-yo?오늘 오후에 고쳐 주세요.
Please fix it this afternoon.o-neul o-hu-e go-chyeo ju-se-yo네, 한 시간 걸려요.
Okay, it takes one hour.ne, han si-gan geol-lyeo-yoA little context goes a long way
In Korea, when reporting a problem, it is common to use polite speech (존댓말, jondaemal) with staff or landlords. Using '안 돼요' is neutral and polite. Avoid blunt '안 돼' without '요' as it can sound rude. If you are close to the person, casual speech is fine, but in service situations, keep '-요' endings. Also, '고쳐 주세요' is a polite request; adding '주세요' makes it respectful.
One thing to watch for
Using '없어요' (eopseoyo) for 'The AC isn't working' as in '에어컨이 없어요'.
Try this instead: '없어요' means 'there is no AC' (it doesn't exist). To say it's broken, use '안 돼요' or '고장 났어요'. For example: '에어컨이 안 돼요' (The AC isn't working) vs. '에어컨이 없어요' (There is no AC).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'There is no hot water' in Korean?
Show a sample answer
온수가 안 나와요.
This uses '온수' (hot water) + '가' (subject marker) + '안 나와요' (doesn't come out). You can also say '온수가 안 돼요' but '안 나와요' is more specific for water.
2What does '언제 고쳐 주세요?' mean?
Show a sample answer
When will you fix it, please?
'언제' means 'when', '고쳐' is the stem of '고치다' (to fix), and '주세요' means 'please give/do'. Together it's a polite request for repair timeline.
3If the repair person says '한 시간 걸려요', what does that mean?
Show a sample answer
It takes one hour.
'한 시간' means 'one hour', '걸려요' means 'it takes'. This is a common way to give a repair timeline.
Use '안 돼요' for 'doesn't work' and '안 나와요' for 'doesn't come out' when reporting AC or hot water issues. Ask '언제 고쳐 주세요?' for repair timeline. Keep it polite with '-요' endings.
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