hwajangsil wichireul mureobwasseo.

I asked where the restroom is.

Breakdown of hwajangsil wichireul mureobwasseo.

• ~를: object particle
• 화장실: restroom
• 위치: location
• 물어보다: to ask

Questions & Answers about hwajangsil wichireul mureobwasseo.

Why does the sentence use 화장실 위치를 instead of just 화장실을?

Because 화장실 위치 literally means “restroom location.” By adding 위치 you specify that you’re asking where the restroom is, not just inquiring about the restroom in general. If you said 화장실을 물어봤어, it would sound like “I asked about the restroom” without focusing on its location.

What is the function of the particle 를 after 위치?

The particle 를 marks 위치 as the direct object of the verb 물어봤어 (“asked”). It tells us “the location” is what was being asked about. In contrast, 은/는 or 이/가 would change the nuance (topic or subject marking), but here you need an object marker to show what you asked.

How is 물어봤어 formed, and why not just say 물었어?

물어봤어 comes from the verb 물어보다, which combines 묻다 (to ask) + 보다 (to try). The past tense casual ending -았어 attaches to 보다. So grammatically:

1. 묻다 → 물어 (stem change)
2. • 보다 → 물어보다 (to try asking)
3. • -았어 → 물어봤어 (I asked / I tried asking)

People often say 물어봤어 instead of 물었어 because 물어보다 is the common colloquial verb for “to ask,” while 물었다 sounds more formal or literary.