Breakdown of gonghang kapeeseo keopireul masyeosseoyo.
~을~eul
object particle
마시다masida
to drink
~에서~eseo
location particle
커피keopi
coffee
카페kape
cafe
공항gonghang
airport
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Questions & Answers about gonghang kapeeseo keopireul masyeosseoyo.
Why is there no subject in this sentence?
Korean is a “pro-drop” language. When the subject (like I, you, or we) is clear from context, it’s often omitted. Here the speaker “I” is understood without being stated.
What does the particle -에서 after 카페 mean?
-에서 marks the location where an action takes place. So 카페에서 literally means “at the café.”
What’s the difference between 에 and 에서?
- 에 indicates a static location or a direction (e.g., “to” or “in”).
- 에서 indicates where an action occurs (“at” when you do something).
Example: 도서관에 있어요 = “I am at the library” (state), vs. 도서관에서 공부해요 = “I study at the library” (action).
Why is 공항 카페 written without a particle between 공항 and 카페?
That’s a compound noun meaning “airport café.” In Korean, one noun can directly modify another like an adjective: 공항 카페 = “a café at the airport.”
What role does -를 have in 커피를?
-를 is the object marker. It tells you that 커피 (“coffee”) is the direct object of the verb 마시다 (“to drink”).
What does 마셨어요 mean and how is it formed?
마셨- is the past stem of 마시다, and -어요 is the polite ending. Together 마셨어요 means “(I) drank” in polite past tense.
Why is the verb placed at the end of the sentence?
Korean follows a Subject–Object–Verb (SOV) order. Verbs (and adjectives) typically come at the very end.
Can you say 공항에서 커피를 마셨어요 instead? Does it change the meaning?
Yes, you can.
- 공항에서 커피를 마셨어요 = “I drank coffee at the airport” (anywhere in the airport).
- 공항 카페에서 커피를 마셨어요 = “I drank coffee at the airport café” (specifically in the café).