naneun achime keopireul masyeoyo.

(I drink coffee in the morning.)

Breakdown of naneun achime keopireul masyeoyo.

• ~에: destination particle
• 마시다: to drink
• ~를: object particle
• ~는: topic particle
• 나: I
• 아침: morning
• 커피: coffee

Questions & Answers about naneun achime keopireul masyeoyo.

Why is 나는 used instead of just 나?

In Korean, 나 is “I,” but when you attach -는, it becomes 나는, marking “I” as the topic of your sentence. This topic marker tells listeners that what follows is information about “me.” In casual speech or when context is clear, speakers sometimes drop 나는, but in standard polite sentences it’s more natural to include it.

What’s the difference between the subject marker -가 and the topic marker -는?

• -가 (subject marker) highlights the grammatical subject, focusing on who performs the action.
• -는 (topic marker) sets the theme or topic of the conversation.
  Using 나는 (“as for me”) emphasizes “me” as the context for what you’re saying, whereas 내가 would simply identify “I” as the doer of the verb.

Why is 아침에 placed before 커피를, and what does -에 indicate?

Korean typically orders elements as Topic – Time – Object – Verb. Here, 아침에 (“in the morning”) is a time expression, so it comes before the object 커피를. The particle -에 after 아침 indicates a point in time (“at/in the morning”).

What role does the particle -를 play in 커피를?

-를 is the object marker. It attaches to 커피 to show it’s the direct object of the verb 마셔요 (“drink”). Without -를, listeners might not immediately know which noun is the object.

How do we form 마셔요 from the dictionary form 마시다?

To conjugate 마시다 into the polite present tense:

1. Remove -다 → 마시-
2. Since the stem ends in ㅣ, you attach -어요, which phonologically becomes -여요.
3. Combine them: 마시- + 여요 → 마셔요.

Can you omit 나는 here? Does that change the meaning?

Yes. You can say 아침에 커피를 마셔요 without 나는, especially if context makes it clear who you’re talking about. The core meaning (“(I) drink coffee in the morning”) stays the same; the subject is just implied.

What’s the nuance between 마셔요 and 마십니다?

• 마셔요 is the informal polite ending (–아/어요 style) used in everyday conversation.
• 마십니다 is the formal polite ending (–습니다 style) used in speeches, formal announcements, or when showing extra respect. Both mean “drink,” but formality levels differ.

How would you say “I drink coffee every morning” to emphasize that it’s a habitual action?

Add 매일 (every day) before the time expression:
나는 매일 아침에 커피를 마셔요.
This makes it clear that drinking coffee in the morning is a daily routine.