Learn Hardcore Korean: hotel geuncheo eunhaengeseo hwanjeonhal su isseoyo. - You can exchange money at a bank near the hotel.

근처 means “vicinity” or “area around.” In Korean, you attach it directly after a place noun to say “near that place.” For example, 호텔 근처 means “near the hotel” or “in the vicinity of the hotel.”

Why isn’t there a particle between 호텔 and 근처?

In the pattern [Place] + 근처, the first noun directly modifies 근처 like an adjective. You don’t need a particle (such as 의) between them. So 호텔 근처 literally means “hotel vicinity,” which we interpret as “vicinity of the hotel.”

Why do we use 에서 after 은행 instead of 에?

에서 marks the location where an action happens.
에 marks a destination or static location.

Since 환전하다 (to exchange money) is an action performed “at the bank,” you say 은행에서 (“at the bank”). If you just wanted to express existence or direction (e.g., “go to the bank” – 은행에 가다), you’d use 에.

How is 환전할 수 있어요 formed, and what does it mean?

Base verb: 환전하다 (“to exchange currency”)
Drop -다, add potential suffix -ㄹ 수 있다 → 환전할 수 있다 (“can exchange”)
Use polite informal ending -어요 → 환전할 수 있어요

So the whole means “(You) can exchange (money).”

Why is the object “money” (돈) omitted in this sentence?

환전하다 already implies exchanging money, so 돈 is obvious and can be dropped. If you want to specify or emphasize it, you can say 돈을 환전할 수 있어요, adding the object marker 을 on 돈.

What level of politeness is -어요 in 환전할 수 있어요?

The -어요 ending (also called the polite informal style) is polite yet friendly. It’s appropriate for talking to strangers or service staff. In a more formal setting, you could use 환전할 수 있습니다 (polite formal).

Could I say 호텔 근처에 있는 은행에서 환전할 수 있어요 instead?

Yes. 호텔 근처에 있는 은행 means “the bank that is located near the hotel.” You’re just adding 에 있는 (“that is at”) to explicitly link 호텔 근처 and 은행. The meaning remains the same, but the original sentence is more concise.

How do I turn this statement into a question?

Use rising intonation when speaking:
호텔 근처 은행에서 환전할 수 있어요?
Or add -나요? for a slightly more formal question:
호텔 근처 은행에서 환전할 수 있나요?

Both ask “Can I exchange money at the bank near the hotel?”

Why is the word order 호텔 근처 은행에서 instead of 은행에서 호텔 근처?

Korean uses modifiers before the noun they describe. Here:

호텔 근처 modifies 은행 → “bank near the hotel”
Then you add the location particle: 은행에서 → “at the bank”
Putting 은행에서 first would break that modifier-noun relationship and sound unnatural.

Can I add a topic marker like 은행에서는 in this sentence?

Yes, you can say 호텔 근처 은행에서는 환전할 수 있어요. Using -에서는 emphasizes “as for the bank near the hotel…” It’s not required, but adds a nuance of “speaking of that bank…” rather than simply marking location.