pyeonuijeomeseo mureul sayo.

I buy water at the convenience store.

Breakdown of pyeonuijeomeseo mureul sayo.

• ~을: object particle
• 물: water
• ~에서: location particle
• 사다: to buy
• 편의점: convenience store

Questions & Answers about pyeonuijeomeseo mureul sayo.

What is the function of 에서 in 편의점에서?

에서 is the location particle that indicates “at” or “in” where an action takes place. Here 편의점에서 means “at the convenience store.”

What does the particle 을 do in 물을?

을 (pronounced [eul]) is the object-marking particle. It marks 물 (“water”) as the direct object of the verb 사요 (“buy”).

What form is 사요, and which verb does it come from?

사요 is the polite present-tense form of the verb 사다 (“to buy”) in the 해요 style. You take the stem 사-, add 요, and get 사요.

Why is there no subject like “I” in the Korean sentence?

Korean often omits the subject when it’s obvious from context. In this sentence, it’s implied that “I” (or “we”) am/are buying the water, so no pronoun is necessary.

What does 편의점 literally mean?

편의점 is a Sino-Korean compound: 便(편) means “convenient,” 宜(의) also means “convenience,” and 店(점) means “store.” Put together, it literally means “convenience store.”

Can I use 에 instead of 에서 here?

No. 에 marks a static location or destination (“to,” “in”), whereas 에서 specifically marks the place where an action occurs. Since you’re buying at the store, you need 에서.

Can I change the word order to 물을 편의점에서 사요?

Yes. Korean word order is fairly flexible. Moving 물을 to the front is grammatically okay, though the default pattern is Subject-Location-Object-Verb. Changing the order shifts emphasis but doesn’t break the meaning.

How would I say “I will buy water at the convenience store”?

Use the future construction -ㄹ 거예요:
편의점에서 물을 살 거예요.

How can I make the sentence more polite or formal?

You can attach the honorific polite ending -세요 to the verb:
편의점에서 물을 사세요.