헬스장에서 (At the Gym)
Going to the gym · a free Korean immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
오늘 헬스장에 처음 왔어요.
I came to the gym for the first time today.
Literal Today gym-to first came.
A natural opener for introducing yourself as a newcomer. The topic marker after '오늘' is commonly dropped in polite speech.
- -에 marks destination or direction
- 처음 means 'for the first time'
- 왔어요 is past tense of 오다 (to come)
지금 어떤 운동을 하고 있어요?
What kind of workout are you doing right now?
Literal Now what-kind exercise doing are?
Uses the present progressive -고 있다 to ask what someone is currently doing. 어떤 asks about the type or nature of something.
- -고 있어요 expresses present progressive (am/is/are doing)
- 어떤 means 'what kind of'
- 운동을 하다 = 'to exercise' (noun + 하다 construction)
저는 매일 삼십 분씩 러닝머신에서 뛰어요.
I run on the treadmill for thirty minutes every day.
Literal I topic-marker every-day thirty minutes-each treadmill-location run.
씩 after a quantity means 'each time' or 'per session', a key pattern for describing regular habits with consistent amounts. The particle -에서 marks the location where an action takes place, which is the natural choice when running on or using equipment.
- -씩 attaches to quantities meaning 'each/per instance'
- 매일 means 'every day'
- 뛰다 means 'to run'
- -에서 marks the location of an action; use it with equipment or places where activity occurs, not the object marker -을/를
덤벨이 어디에 있어요?
Where are the dumbbells?
Literal Dumbbell-subject where-at exist?
A direct, practical question for navigating the gym. 있어요 with -에 expresses the location of something.
- -이 is the subject marker after a consonant
- -에 marks a static location with 있다/없다
- 있어요 means 'there is/are' (to exist)
체중을 줄이기 위해 규칙적으로 운동해요.
I exercise regularly in order to lose weight.
Literal Weight reduce-in-order-to regularly exercise.
The -기 위해 construction expresses purpose clearly. It is slightly more formal than -(으)려고 and fits both spoken and written contexts.
- -기 위해 means 'in order to' (purpose clause)
- 줄이다 means 'to reduce or decrease'
- 규칙적으로 means 'regularly'
트레이너한테 자세를 교정받을 수 있어요?
Can I get my form corrected by the trainer?
Literal Trainer-from posture correction-receive can?
Combines -을 수 있다 (ability) with a passive compound verb. -한테 marks the person from whom something is received.
- -을 수 있다 expresses ability or possibility ('can')
- -한테 marks the source when receiving something from a person
- 교정받다 means 'to have something corrected' (receive correction)
같이 스트레칭 해볼래요?
Would you like to try stretching together?
Literal Together stretching try-would-you?
-아/어 볼래요 is a warm, casual invitation to try something together. It is softer and more inviting than a direct command.
- -아/어 보다 means 'to try doing'
- -ㄹ래요 is a casual-polite invitation or suggestion
- 같이 means 'together'
주로 어떤 부위를 운동해요?
Which body part do you mainly work out?
Literal Mainly which area exercise?
A natural gym conversation starter. 부위 refers to a specific area or region of the body, essential for fitness talk.
- 주로 means 'mainly' or 'primarily'
- 부위 means 'area/part' (of the body)
- 어떤 asks 'what kind' or 'which'
운동 후에 단백질 쉐이크를 꼭 마셔요.
I always drink a protein shake after working out.
Literal Workout after protein shake definitely drink.
꼭 adds emphasis to a personal habit, meaning 'definitely' or 'without fail'. -후에 marks an event that happens after another.
- -후에 means 'after' (following a noun)
- 꼭 is an adverb meaning 'definitely/always/without fail'
- 마시다 means 'to drink'
헬스장 카페에서 스무디 한 잔 주문할게요.
I'll order a smoothie at the gym café.
Literal Gym café-at smoothie one-cup order-will.
-ㄹ게요 expresses the speaker's intention in first person. 한 잔 uses the native Korean number 하나 (one) with the counter 잔 (cup/glass).
- -ㄹ게요 expresses the speaker's intention ('I will...')
- -에서 marks the location where an action takes place
- 한 잔 = one glass/cup (native numeral + counter)
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
헬스장
gym / fitness center
저는 주 3회 헬스장에 가요.
I go to the gym three times a week.
Pronunciation: hel-seu-jang. 헬 (health) + 장 (place). Also commonly called 피트니스 센터. Example: jeo-neun ju sam-hoe hel-seu-jang-e ga-yo.
운동하다
to exercise / to work out
매일 아침 운동해요.
I exercise every morning.
Pronunciation: un-dong-ha-da. 운동 (exercise) + 하다 (to do). Can be split: 운동을 해요. Example: mae-il a-chim un-dong-hae-yo.
러닝머신
treadmill
러닝머신에서 5킬로미터를 뛰었어요.
I ran 5 kilometers on the treadmill.
Pronunciation: reo-ning-meo-shin. Borrowed from English 'running machine'. Also called 트레드밀. Example: reo-ning-meo-shi-ne-seo o kil-lo-mi-teo-reul ttwi-eo-sseo-yo.
자세
posture / form
스쿼트할 때 자세가 중요해요.
When doing squats, form is important.
Pronunciation: ja-se. Covers both everyday posture and exercise technique/form. Example: seu-kwo-teu-hal ttae ja-se-ga jung-yo-hae-yo.
체중
body weight
체중을 5킬로 줄이고 싶어요.
I want to lose 5 kilograms.
Pronunciation: che-jung. 체중 (體重). The more casual synonym 몸무게 is also widely used. Example: che-jung-eul o kil-lo jul-i-go si-peo-yo.
규칙적으로
regularly / consistently
규칙적으로 운동하면 건강해져요.
If you exercise regularly, you become healthy.
Pronunciation: gyu-chik-jeok-eu-ro. From 규칙적 (regular/systematic) + -으로 (adverbial ending). Example: gyu-chik-jeok-eu-ro un-dong-ha-myeon geon-gang-hae-jyeo-yo.
단백질
protein
운동 후에 단백질이 필요해요.
After exercising, you need protein.
Pronunciation: dan-baek-jil. 단백질 (蛋白質). Core vocabulary in Korean health and fitness culture. Example: un-dong hu-e dan-baek-ji-ri pi-ryo-hae-yo.
부위
body part / area
오늘은 상체 부위를 집중적으로 운동해요.
Today I'm working out the upper body area intensively.
Pronunciation: bu-wi. Used for regions of the body and for targeting specific muscle groups. Example: o-neu-reun sang-che bu-wi-reul jip-jung-jeok-eu-ro un-dong-hae-yo.
트레이너
trainer / coach
트레이너한테 조언을 받았어요.
I got advice from the trainer.
Pronunciation: teu-re-i-neo. Often shortened to PT (피티) in gyms. 퍼스널 트레이너 = personal trainer. Example: teu-re-i-neo-han-te jo-eon-eul ba-da-sseo-yo.
스트레칭
stretching
운동 전에 스트레칭을 꼭 해야 해요.
You must stretch before exercising.
Pronunciation: seu-teu-re-ching. 스트레칭하다 is the verb form. Treating it as a noun + 하다 is very natural. Example: un-dong jeo-ne seu-teu-re-ching-eul kkok hae-ya hae-yo.
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
지수는 건강을 유지하기 위해 일주일에 네 번 헬스장에 가요. 도착하면 먼저 가볍게 스트레칭을 하고, 러닝머신에서 이십 분 동안 뛰어요. 그 다음에는 트레이너한테 자세를 확인받으면서 웨이트 트레이닝을 해요. 운동이 끝난 후에는 헬스장 카페에서 단백질 쉐이크를 마시며 친구와 그 날 운동에 대해 이야기해요.
Sentence by sentence
건강을 유지하기 위해
in order to maintain her health
Purpose clause: 유지하다 (to maintain) + -기 위해 (in order to). This structure is the focus of this lesson's grammar pattern.
일주일에 네 번
four times a week
Frequency expression: 일주일에 (per week) + 네 번 (four times). 번 is the counter for occurrences or instances.
가볍게 스트레칭을 하고
stretches lightly and (then)
-고 connects two sequential actions: 'does X and then Y'. 가볍게 is the adverb form of 가볍다 (to be light).
자세를 확인받으면서
while getting her form checked
-(으)면서 means 'while doing simultaneously'. 확인받다 = to have something verified/checked (literally: receive confirmation).
운동이 끝난 후에는
after the workout ends
끝나다 (to end/finish) + -ㄴ 후에 (after...). The -는 adds a topic or contrastive nuance to the time clause.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
-기 위해 (In order to / For the purpose of)
Attach -기 위해 directly to a verb stem to express purpose — 'in order to do something'. It is slightly more formal than -(으)려고 and works naturally in both spoken and written Korean. The subject performing the purpose and the main action is typically the same person.
Verb stem + -기 위해 + main clause
살을 빼기 위해 매일 운동해요.
I exercise every day in order to lose weight.
근육을 키우기 위해 단백질을 많이 먹어요.
I eat a lot of protein in order to build muscle.
건강해지기 위해 야채를 더 먹으려고 해요.
I'm trying to eat more vegetables in order to get healthier.
자세를 교정하기 위해 트레이너한테 도움을 받아요.
I get help from a trainer in order to correct my form.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to Korean: "I run on the treadmill for thirty minutes every day."
Hint Use 씩 to express a recurring amount (thirty minutes at a time).
Translate to English: "체중을 줄이기 위해 규칙적으로 운동해요."
Hint Look for the -기 위해 grammar pattern — it expresses purpose.
Complete the sentence using -기 위해: "건강해지___ 헬스장에 다녀요." (to become healthy, I go to the gym)
Hint Attach -기 위해 directly to the verb stem 건강해지다.
Which sentence best asks where the dumbbells are?
Combine these two ideas using -기 위해: "단백질 쉐이크를 마셔요. 근육을 키우고 싶어요." (I drink a protein shake. I want to build muscle.)
Hint Put the purpose clause (-기 위해) first, then the main action.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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