Breakdown of yeogi gwailgwa keikeuga isseoyo.
~가~ga
subject particle
과일gwail
fruit
과gwa
and
있다issda
to exist
여기yeogi
here
케이크keikeu
cake
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Questions & Answers about yeogi gwailgwa keikeuga isseoyo.
What does 여기 mean, and what role does it play in the sentence?
여기 means “here” and functions as a locative adverb (or place noun) that tells you where something is. By putting 여기 at the front, you specify the location for the verb 있어요 (“there is/are”).
What does the particle 과 do in 과일과 케이크?
과 is the formal conjunctive particle meaning “and,” used after a noun ending in a consonant. Since 과일 ends in ㄹ (a consonant), you attach 과. If the noun ends in a vowel, you would use 와 instead.
Why is 케이크 followed by 가 instead of a topic marker like 은/는?
In existential sentences using 있다, the thing that exists is marked with the subject particle 이/가 (here 케이크가, but it actually marks the whole phrase 과일과 케이크). You could use 은/는 for contrast or topic emphasis, but the default for “there is/are” is 이/가.
What does 있어요 mean here?
있어요 is the polite present-tense form of the verb 있다, which in this sentence means “to exist” (i.e., “there is/are”). It can also mean “to have,” but here it expresses existence at a location.
Why can’t we say 과일과 케이크이에요 or 과일과 케이크예요?
이에요/예요 is the copula 이다, used for equating or defining (“A is B”). To express that something exists somewhere (“there is/are”), you must use the verb 있다 (hence 있어요), not the copula.
Why isn’t there a plural marker like 들 on 과일 or 케이크?
Korean usually omits the plural marker 들 when the exact number is unspecified or when plurality is understood from context. In an existential sentence, it’s natural to leave out 들 unless you want to emphasize “multiple.”
Can we leave out 여기? If so, how does the meaning change?
Yes. Saying 과일과 케이크가 있어요 without 여기 still means “There are fruits and cake,” but you no longer specify where—you just state their existence in context.
Are there more colloquial ways to say “and” instead of 과?
Absolutely. In spoken Korean you often hear:
- 과일하고 케이크가 있어요.
- 과일이랑 케이크가 있어요. Both 하고 and (이)랑 are less formal than 과/와.
What’s the difference between 있어요 and 있습니다?
They are both polite forms of 있다, but at different speech levels:
- 있어요: mid-level polite, used in everyday conversation.
- 있습니다: high-level/formal polite, used in announcements, presentations, or very formal contexts.