Breakdown of ohue keopireul masyeoyo.
마시다masida
to drink
~를~reul
object particle
~에~e
time particle
커피keopi
coffee
오후ohu
afternoon
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Questions & Answers about ohue keopireul masyeoyo.
What does 오후에 mean, and why is 에 attached to 오후?
오후 means afternoon, and the particle 에 marks 오후 as a point in time—so 오후에 means “in the afternoon” or “at afternoon time.”
Why is 커피를 used instead of just 커피?
The particle 를 (object marker) indicates that 커피 (“coffee”) is the direct object of the verb 마셔요 (“drink”). Without 를, the listener might not immediately identify 커피 as the thing being drunk.
Why does the verb end with -요 (i.e., 마셔요)?
The ending -요 makes the verb polite and informal (존댓말). It’s how you express present-tense actions politely among friends, classmates, or in casual everyday situations.
How do you know it’s present tense and not past or future?
The verb stem 마시- plus -어요 (contracted to -요 here) indicates present tense.
• Past would be 마셨어요.
• Future can be 마실 거예요.
Can the word order change? For example, could we say 커피를 오후에 마셔요?
Yes. Korean is SOV, but time expressions can move around fairly freely for emphasis or style. 커피를 오후에 마셔요 is also correct and means the same thing.
What’s the difference between 마셔요 and 마십니다?
Both are polite present-tense forms of 마시다 (“to drink”).
• 마셔요 is polite informal (반말/존댓말 mix), used in everyday conversation.
• 마십니다 is polite formal, used in presentations, news, lectures, or with people you don’t know well in formal contexts.
Could we omit the subject (“I”) in this sentence?
Yes. In Korean, subjects are often dropped when they’re clear from context. 오후에 커피를 마셔요 naturally implies “I drink coffee in the afternoon” without stating 저는.
If I want to say “I will drink coffee in the afternoon,” how would I change the sentence?
You’d use the future tense construction: 오후에 커피를 마실 거예요.
Here, 마실 is the future modifier of 마시다, and 거예요 marks future intention.