Word
책상 위에 컴퓨터가 있어요.chaeksang wie keompyuteoga isseoyo.
Meaning
There is a computer on the desk.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
Breakdown of chaeksang wie keompyuteoga isseoyo.
~에~e
destination particle
~가~ga
subject particle
컴퓨터keompyuteo
computer
책상chaeksang
desk
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.