Breakdown of hoesa-eseo iri kkeutnamyeon toegeunhaeyo.
~이~i
subject particle
~에서~eseo
location particle
끝나다kkeutnada
to end
~면~myeon
when
회사hoesa
company
일il
work
퇴근하다toegeunhada
to leave work
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Questions & Answers about hoesa-eseo iri kkeutnamyeon toegeunhaeyo.
What does the particle 에서 in 회사에서 indicate?
에서 marks the location where the action happens. So 회사에서 means “at the company.”
Why is 일이 끝나면 used here, and what does the ending -면 mean?
끝나다 means “to end,” and 일이 (work) is its subject. The connective -면 attaches to the verb stem to create a conditional/time clause meaning “when” or “if.” In a routine statement like this, it’s best translated “when work ends.”
Why is the subject (“I”) missing from 회사에서 일이 끝나면 퇴근해요?
Korean often omits the subject when it’s clear from context. Here, it’s understood that the speaker is talking about themselves leaving work, so 저는 (I) is dropped.
What exactly does 퇴근해요 mean, and how is it different from 나가요 or 집에 가요?
퇴근하다 literally means “to finish work and leave the workplace.”
- 나가요 could mean “go out” (any exit).
- 집에 가요 means “go home.”
So 퇴근해요 is the specific routine of getting off work.
What speech level is used in 퇴근해요, and could I change it?
-해요 form is polite informal. You could change it to:
• 퇴근한다 (plain/declarative written style)
• 퇴근해 (casual)
• 퇴근합니다 (formal polite)
Can I reorder the sentence, for example, put 퇴근해요 before 회사에서 일이 끝나면?
Yes, you can say 퇴근해요 회사에서 일이 끝나면, but the most natural order is to state the time/condition first (회사에서 일이 끝나면) and then the main action (퇴근해요).
What’s the nuance if I add 다 to say 회사를 다 끝나면 퇴근해요?
You wouldn’t say 회사를 다 끝나면. Instead, you could say 일이 다 끝나면 to emphasize “when all the work is completely finished.” The 다 goes after 일이, not 회사.
Could I use 직장에서 instead of 회사에서, and would it change the meaning?
Yes, 직장에서 means “at the workplace” and is more formal. 회사에서 is “at the company.” They’re largely interchangeable, but 직장 is broader (any workplace), while 회사 specifically means a company.