Learn Hardcore Korean: jeonsihoe ipjangryoreul naesseoyo. - I paid the admission fee for the exhibition.

In Korean, you can omit the subject when it’s clear from context. Here 저 (I) is understood. The full sentence would be (저는) 전시회 입장료를 냈어요, meaning I paid the exhibition entrance fee.

What does 전시회 입장료 mean?

전시회 = exhibition
입장료 = entrance fee
Combined, 전시회 입장료 means exhibition entrance fee.

What is the role of the particle -를 in this sentence?

-를 marks the direct object of an action. Here, 입장료 is the object of 내다 (to pay), so we attach -를 to show that 입장료 is being paid.

What does 냈어요 mean, and why is it used here?

냈어요 is the polite past tense form of 내다 (to pay). It indicates that the action happened in the past and is expressed in the informal polite style.

Can I use 냈다 or 냈습니다 instead of 냈어요?

Yes.

냈다 is the plain style, common in writing or among close friends.
냈습니다 is the formal polite style, used in formal speeches or with superiors.
냈어요 is polite informal, perfect for everyday conversation.

Why don’t we use 에 after 전시회? Could we say 전시회에 입장료를 냈어요?

전시회 입장료 is a compound noun (“exhibition entrance fee”), so no extra particle is needed between 전시회 and 입장료. If you say 전시회에 입장료를 냈어요, it sounds like you’re paying a fee to or at the exhibition. To emphasize location, you could say 전시회에서 입장료를 냈어요, meaning I paid the entrance fee at the exhibition.

Can I drop 전시회 and just say 입장료를 냈어요?

Yes. If the context already makes clear which entrance fee you mean, you can simply say 입장료를 냈어요, meaning I paid the entrance fee.

How does word order in Korean differ from English in this sentence?

Korean follows Subject-Object-Verb (SOV):
(저는) 전시회 입장료를 (Object)
냈어요 (Verb)

English follows Subject-Verb-Object (SVO): I (S) paid (V) the exhibition entrance fee (O).

What nuance do you get if you change -를 to -는 as in 전시회 입장료는 냈어요?

Using -는 makes 전시회 입장료 the topic rather than just the object. 전시회 입장료는 냈어요 implies As for the exhibition entrance fee, I did pay it, possibly contrasting with something else you didn’t do or emphasizing that particular fee.