Learn Hardcore Korean: geosil byeoge sajineul georeoyo. - I hang a photo on the living room wall.

• 거실 = “living room”
• 벽에 = “on the wall” (벽 “wall” + location particle 에)
• 사진을 = “picture” + object marker 을
• 걸어요 = “hang” in the polite present tense (from 걸다)

What role does the particle 에 play in 벽에?

The particle 에 marks a static location or target. Here, it tells us where you hang something: “on/at the wall.”

Why is 사진을 used instead of 사진은?

을 is the direct-object marker, showing that 사진 is what’s being acted upon by the verb 걸어요.
If you used 은/는, you’d be marking 사진 as a topic, which changes the nuance to something like “As for the picture, …” rather than “I hang the picture.”

What does 걸어요 mean, and how do you form it from 걸다?

The dictionary form 걸다 means “to hang.” To make the polite present tense:

Drop 다 → 걸
Add 어요 → 걸어요
So 걸어요 = “(I/you/we) hang.”

Could you use 달아요 instead of 걸어요 when talking about hanging a picture?

Yes, 달다 can also mean “to hang/attach.” However:

걸다 is more common for pictures that rest on a nail or hook.
달다 often implies attaching hardware or sticking something on (e.g. putting up decorations).
Both are understood, but 사진을 걸어요 sounds most natural for “hang a picture.”

Why is there no subject like “I” or “you” in 거실 벽에 사진을 걸어요?

In Korean, the subject is often omitted when it’s clear from context. Here, it’s understood that the speaker (“I”) is the one hanging the picture.

Is the word order fixed? Could you say 사진을 거실 벽에 걸어요?

Yes. Korean uses particles to show grammatical roles, so you can swap the object and location phrases:
– 거실 벽에 사진을 걸어요
– 사진을 거실 벽에 걸어요
Both mean “(I) hang a picture on the living‐room wall.”