Breakdown of suyeongjange sugeoni isseoyo.
~이~i
subject particle
있다issda
to have
~에~e
location particle
수건sugeon
towel
수영장suyeongjang
pool
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Korean grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about suyeongjange sugeoni isseoyo.
Why is 에 used after 수영장 instead of 에서?
에 marks the static location where something exists with the verb 있다. 에서 marks the location of an action or event. For example:
- 수영장에서 수영해요. (“I swim at the pool.”) uses 에서 because swimming is an action.
- 수영장에 수건이 있어요. (“There is a towel at the pool.”) uses 에 because it’s stating existence, not an action.
What is the function of 이 in 수건이?
This is the subject marker, showing that 수건 (“towel”) is the thing that exists. You attach 이 after a noun ending in a consonant (or 가 after a vowel).
Could I use 수건은 instead of 수건이? How would that change the nuance?
Yes. 은/는 is the topic marker, which shifts the focus or sets up contrast.
- 수건은 수영장에 있어요. might imply “As for towels, they’re at the pool (but something else might not be).”
- 수건이 수영장에 있어요. simply states existence: “A towel is at the pool.”
Why is there no subject like “it” or “there” in the sentence?
Korean doesn’t require dummy subjects. The verb 있다 itself conveys “there is/are,” so you just state the location and the thing directly.
How would I say “There aren’t any towels at the pool”?
Use the negative verb 없다 instead of 있다:
수영장에 수건이 없어요.
Can I switch the word order, e.g. 수건이 수영장에 있어요?
Yes. Korean is relatively flexible:
- 수영장에 수건이 있어요. (Location first)
- 수건이 수영장에 있어요. (Subject first)
Both mean “A towel is at the pool,” though the first is the most neutral word order for existence statements.
What’s the difference between 있어요 and 있습니다?
Both are polite forms of 있다:
- 있어요 is polite-informal (used in everyday conversation).
- 있습니다 is polite-formal (used in announcements, presentations, or very polite contexts).
Why is there no article like “a” or “the” in 수건이 있어요?
Korean has no articles. Context tells you whether it’s definite or indefinite. 수건이 있어요 can mean “There’s a towel” or “The towel is there” depending on the situation.
How do I ask “Is there a towel at the pool?”
Just change the intonation or add a question mark:
수영장에 수건이 있어요?