Breakdown of noteureul chaekjang wie dueosseoyo.
~을~eul
object particle
두다duda
to put
위에wie
on
노트noteu
the notebook
책장chaekjang
the bookshelf
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Questions & Answers about noteureul chaekjang wie dueosseoyo.
Why is 노트를 marked with -를 instead of -가?
-를 is the direct-object particle, used because 노트 is what’s being put (the object of 두다 “to put”). -가 is a subject particle, so it wouldn’t fit here.
Why do we use 책장 위에 instead of 책장 위에서?
-에 marks the location or destination where something ends up—“on top of the bookshelf.” -에서 would indicate the place where an action occurs, not the target location of placement.
What does 위에 mean and how is it formed?
It’s 위 (top/above) plus the location particle -에, so 위에 literally means “on top of.”
Why is the verb 두었어요 in this form?
The dictionary form is 두다. To make a polite past tense, attach -었- (past marker) and -어요 (polite ending): 두 + 었 + 어요 = 두었어요.
Can we shorten 두었어요 to 뒀어요, and why?
Yes. In spoken Korean the vowel sequence 두 + 었어요 contracts to 뒀어요, which sounds more natural in everyday conversation.
What’s the difference between 두다 and 놓다?
Both mean “to place” or “to put.” 놓다 often emphasizes setting something down gently, whereas 두다 more broadly covers putting and leaving something in a certain state or spot. In many contexts they’re interchangeable.
Why is there no subject like 저는 or 나는?
Korean often omits subjects when they’re clear from context. Here the understood subject is “I.” You could say 저는 노트를 책장 위에 두었어요 for clarity, but it isn’t required.
How would I say “The notebook is on the bookshelf” (describing a state)?
Use the existential verb 있다:
노트가 책장 위에 있어요
Here -가 marks 노트 as the subject because you’re stating where it exists.
How do I say “I am putting the notebook on the bookshelf right now”?
Use the progressive form -고 있다 to show an ongoing action:
노트를 책장 위에 두고 있어요
How can I politely ask someone to put the notebook on the bookshelf?
Use a request form with -아/어 주세요:
노트를 책장 위에 놓아 주세요
(You could also say 두어 주세요, but 놓아 주세요 is more common for requests.)