Breakdown of ucheguk ape hoengdanbodoga isseoyo.
~가~ga
subject particle
~에~e
location particle
있다issda
to exist
우체국ucheguk
post office
앞ap
front
횡단보도hoengdanbodo
crosswalk
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Questions & Answers about ucheguk ape hoengdanbodoga isseoyo.
What does 우체국 앞에 mean and how is it formed?
우체국 = post office, 앞 = front, plus the location particle 에. Together 우체국 앞에 means in front of the post office.
Why is the particle 에 used after 앞 instead of 에서?
에 marks a static location for existence. Since you’re stating that something exists there, you use 에. 에서 marks where an action happens (e.g., 우체국에서 편지를 보내요).
What is the function of 횡단보도가 and why is 가 attached?
횡단보도 means crosswalk. The particle 가 is the subject marker, showing what exists. We attach 가 (instead of 이) because 횡단보도 ends in a vowel.
Why do we use 있어요 here and what nuance does it carry?
있어요 is the polite informal form of 있다, the existence verb meaning to exist / there is. It politely states there is a crosswalk.
Can I replace 있어요 with 있습니다, and when would I do that?
Yes. 있습니다 is the formal/deferential form. Use 있습니다 in formal settings, speeches, or written announcements.
Why are there two particles (에 and 가) in this sentence?
In existence sentences, the structure is:
• [location + 에] marks where something is.
• [subject + 이/가] marks what exists.
So 에 attaches to 앞 (location) and 가 to 횡단보도 (subject).
Why is there no separate word for there like in the English “there is”?
Korean uses 있다/없다 to express existence, so you don’t need a separate word for “there.” The verb itself covers that function.
Can I change the word order to 횡단보도가 우체국 앞에 있어요?
Yes. 횡단보도가 우체국 앞에 있어요 means the crosswalk is in front of the post office, emphasizing the crosswalk (subject-first). The original order (location first) is more common when pointing out that something exists there.