Breakdown of chaeksang wie keompyuteoga isseoyo.
~에~e
destination particle
~가~ga
subject particle
컴퓨터keompyuteo
computer
책상chaeksang
desk
위wi
top
있다issda
to exist
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Questions & Answers about chaeksang wie keompyuteoga isseoyo.
What does 책상 위에 literally mean, and how is it formed?
책상 means “desk,” 위 is a bound noun meaning “top,” and -에 is the locative particle marking a static place. Put together, 책상 위에 literally means “at/on the top of the desk,” or simply “on the desk.”
Why is -에 used after 위 instead of -에서?
-에 marks a static location—where something exists or stays. -에서 marks the place where an action happens or the starting point of movement. Since 있다 here shows existence (a static state), you use 위에, not 위에서.
Why is 컴퓨터 followed by -가 (컴퓨터가) and not -는?
In Korean existential sentences that introduce new information, the noun takes the subject marker 이/가. Here, 컴퓨터가 is “the thing that exists.” Using -는 would make it a topic and often imply contrast or known information, e.g. “As for the computer (already mentioned), …”
What does 있어요 mean in this sentence, and how is it conjugated?
있어요 is the polite present form of the verb 있다, meaning “to exist” or “there is/are.” You take the stem 있- and add the polite ending -어요. In Korean SOV order, the verb (or adjective) always comes at the end.
If I just say 컴퓨터가 있어요, what does that mean?
Without a location phrase, 컴퓨터가 있어요 normally means “I have a computer” or simply “there’s a computer” in context. Korean often drops the subject (“I,” “we,” etc.) when it’s clear from conversation.
How do I turn this into a question like “Is there a computer on the desk?”
Either raise your intonation at the end or explicitly mark a polite question:
- 책상 위에 컴퓨터가 있어요?
- More formally: 책상 위에 컴퓨터가 있습니까?
How do I make it negative—“There isn’t a computer on the desk”?
Replace 있다 with its antonym 없다: 책상 위에 컴퓨터가 없어요.
Can I change the word order, for example say 컴퓨터가 책상 위에 있어요?
Yes. Korean word order is fairly flexible so long as the verb stays at the end. 컴퓨터가 책상 위에 있어요 conveys the same meaning: “There’s a computer on the desk.”
Is there a more formal way to say 책상 위에 컴퓨터가 있어요?
In very formal or written contexts, use -습니다 instead of -어요: 책상 위에 컴퓨터가 있습니다.
How can I topicalize or emphasize the location “on the desk”?
Attach -는 to the locative phrase:
책상 위에는 컴퓨터가 있어요.
This stresses “as for on the desk, there is a computer,” perhaps contrasting with elsewhere.