doseogwaneseo keompyuteoreul sseoyo.

I use the computer at the library.

Breakdown of doseogwaneseo keompyuteoreul sseoyo.

• ~에서: location particle
• ~를: object particle
• 도서관: library
• 컴퓨터: computer
• 쓰다: to use

Questions & Answers about doseogwaneseo keompyuteoreul sseoyo.

What role does 에서 play in 도서관에서?

에서 marks the location where an action takes place. In 도서관에서, it tells you the action (“using the computer”) happens at/in the library.

Why can’t we use 에 instead of 에서?

에 indicates a static location (“I am at the library”), while 에서 is used for where an action happens. Since 써요 (“use”) is an action verb here, you need 도서관에서.

What does 를 do in 컴퓨터를?

를 (or 을 after consonants) is the object particle, marking 컴퓨터 as the direct object of the verb 써요 (“use the computer”).

Why is the verb 쓰다 used here? Doesn’t 쓰기 also mean “to write”?

쓰다 has multiple meanings depending on context:

• “to use” (컴퓨터를 쓰다)
• “to write” (편지를 쓰다)
• “to wear” (모자를 쓰다)
  Here, context tells you it means “to use.”

Can I say 컴퓨터를 도서관에서 써요 instead of 도서관에서 컴퓨터를 써요?

Korean word order is somewhat flexible, but placing the location first (“도서관에서”) is more natural. 컴퓨터를 도서관에서 써요 is still understandable but sounds less typical.

Why is there no subject in this sentence?

Korean often omits subjects when they’re clear from context. Here, the implied subject is “I” (or “we”), so you don’t need to say 저는 or 우리는 explicitly.

What does the ending -요 mean in 써요?

The -요 ending makes 쓰다 polite and present tense. 써요 is the polite (해요체) present tense form of 쓰다.

Could we use 사용하다 instead of 쓰다?

Yes. 도서관에서 컴퓨터를 사용해요 is perfectly correct and slightly more formal. 사용하다 is a Sino-Korean verb meaning “to use,” while 쓰다 is more colloquial.