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Questions & Answers about hoesa-eseo ilhaeyo.
Why is there no subject in 회사에서 일해요?
Korean is a “pro-drop” language, which means subjects (and objects) are often omitted when they’re clear from context. In 회사에서 일해요, the implied subject is usually I (저/나는), so it literally means “(I) work at a company/office.”
What does the particle 에서 indicate in 회사에서 일해요?
에서 marks the location where an action takes place. Here, 회사에서 means “at (the) company” or “in (the) office.” You need 에서 whenever you say “do something at a place.”
What’s the difference between 에 and 에서?
- 에 marks a static existence or destination, e.g. 학교에 있어요 (“I am at school”) or 학교에 가요 (“I go to school”).
- 에서 marks the place of an action, e.g. 학교에서 공부해요 (“I study at school”).
Why is it 일해요 and not 일아요 or 일하다요?
The verb 일하다 is a 하다-verb, and 하다 + 아요 contracts to 해요. So:
일하 + 아요 → 일해요
How can I explicitly include “I” or another subject?
You can add a subject marker before the verb phrase:
- 저는 회사에서 일해요. (I work at a company.)
- 그는 회사에서 일해요. (He works at a company.)
But when it’s clear who you’re talking about, leaving it out is more natural.
How do I change the politeness level of 일해요?
- Informal polite (standard): 일해요
- Formal polite: 일합니다 (하 → 합 + 니다)
- Informal casual (to close friends): 일해
How do I express the continuous or progressive aspect (“I am working at the company”)?
Use -고 있어요 after the verb stem:
일하 + 고 있어요 → 일하고 있어요.
So: 회사에서 일하고 있어요.
Can I say 회사에 일해요 without 에서?
No. 회사에 일해요 would be ungrammatical because 에 alone doesn’t mark the location of an action. Always use 회사에서 일해요 to mean “work at a company.”
What’s the difference between 회사에서 일해요 and 회사에 다녀요?
- 회사에서 일해요 focuses on the action “to work” at the company.
- 회사에 다녀요 literally means “I (regularly) attend/go to the company,” implying you go there for work but doesn’t emphasize the work itself.