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

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 ?