heubyeon guyeogeseoneun dambaereul piwodo dwaeyo.

You can smoke in the designated smoking area.

Breakdown of heubyeon guyeogeseoneun dambaereul piwodo dwaeyo.

• ~에서: location particle
• ~를: object particle
• ~는: topic particle
• 흡연: smoking
• 구역: area
• 담배: cigarette
• 피우다: to smoke
• ~어도 되다: to be allowed to

Questions & Answers about heubyeon guyeogeseoneun dambaereul piwodo dwaeyo.

What does the particle sequence 에서는 do here? Why not just 에서?

• 에서는 = 에서 + 는. It “topic-izes” the location: “as for in the smoking area…”
• Nuance: contrast or emphasis (implies “there, yes; elsewhere, maybe not”).
• Without 는 (just 에서) it’s a neutral location: “in the smoking area, (you may…)”
• Colloquial shortening 에선 is fine: 흡연 구역에선…

Why use 에서 instead of 에 for the location?

• 에서 marks where an action happens (study, smoke, eat).
• 에 marks a static location/existence or destination.
  • 학교에서 공부해요 = I study at school.
  • 학교에 있어요 = I am at school.

What is the pattern -아/어도 되다, and what does it mean?

• It expresses permission: “it’s okay/allowed to V.”
• Form: verb stem + -아/어도 (“even if/though”) + 되다 (“be acceptable/okay”) → “may/can.”
  • 앉아도 돼요, 들어가도 돼요, 사용해도 돼요.
• The 도 here is part of the connective -아/어도 (not the separate particle “also”).
• Politeness: 돼요 (polite), 됩니다 (formal), 돼 (casual).
• Common negative counterpart: -면 안 돼요 (“must not / not allowed”).

Why is it 피워도 and not 피우어도?

• From 피우다
  • -어도 → 피우어도 → contracts to 피워도 (우 + 어 → 워).
• Same contraction: 배우다 → 배워요, 주우다 → 주워요.

Is spelling 되요 okay, or must it be 돼요?

• Standard spelling is only 돼요 (from 되어요 → 돼요).
• 되요 is a common misspelling. Pronunciation is like “dwe-yo.”

How do I turn this into a question to ask permission?

• Polite: 여기서 담배 피워도 돼요?
• Softer/more deferential: 여기서 담배 피워도 될까요?, …되나요?
• Very formal: 여기서 담배를 피워도 되겠습니까?

Do I need the object marker 를 after 담배?

• It’s optional in conversation. 담배(를) 피워도 돼요 are both natural.
• Keeping 를 is a bit more explicit/careful. Dropping it is very common speech.

Which is correct: 담배를 피우다 or 담배를 피다?

• Both are acceptable in standard Korean.
• 피우다 is a bit more formal/standard in writing; 피다 is very common colloquially.
• Note 피다 also means “to bloom” (꽃이 피다), but context prevents confusion.

What exactly does 되다 mean here? I thought it meant “to become.”

• 되다 also means “to be acceptable/possible/permitted.”
• In permission sentences, it’s like “That works/That’s okay.”
• Negative: 안 되다 = “not okay/not allowed.”

Is 되세요 correct for giving permission?

• Not in this pattern. Say:
  • Neutral: 피우셔도 돼요 / 피우셔도 됩니다 (add honorific -시- to the main verb for respect).
  • Avoid 되세요 for permission; it sounds off here.

Can 에서는 be shortened to 에선?

• Yes. 에서는 → 에선 is a common contraction in speech and casual writing.
• Meaning and nuance are the same.

How would I say “Only in the smoking area may you smoke”?

• Use 에서만: 흡연 구역에서만 담배를 피워도 돼요.
• To stress the contrast: 흡연 구역에서만 피워도 돼요. 다른 데서는 안 돼요.

What’s the difference between 구역, 지역, and 장소?

• 구역: a designated zone/section (often by rules or boundaries). Ex: 금연 구역, 주차 구역.
• 지역: a larger area/region (geographic/administrative). Ex: 서울 지역, 산간 지역.
• 장소: a place/spot (generic “place”). Ex: 만남의 장소.

Pronunciation tips: how do I say 흡연, 구역, 피워도, 돼요?

• 흡연: the final ㅂ links to the next syllable → sounds like “흐변” (heu-byeon).
• 구역: “구-역” (gu-yeok).
• 피워도: “피-워-도” (pi-weo-do).
• 돼요: “돼-요” (dwe-yo). Don’t pronounce or write it as “되요.”

Why is there 에서는 instead of just 에서—what nuance does the topic marker add?

• 에서는 implies a contrast: “As for the smoking area (yes, allowed)…” and hints that elsewhere it may not be.
• 에서 is a plain, factual location with no contrast implied.

Is it okay to drop 담배를 entirely?

• Yes, context often makes “smoke (cigarettes)” clear: 여기서는 피우면 안 돼요 is common on signs.
• In careful writing or when clarity matters, keep 담배를.

How do I say it’s not allowed in a non‑smoking area?

• 금연 구역에서는 담배를 피우면 안 돼요.
• Imperative alternative: 담배 피우지 마세요. (Don’t smoke.)

Is it 흡연 구역 or 흡연구역 (spacing)?

• You’ll see both. As a compound noun, it’s often written solid in signage (흡연구역), but 흡연 구역 also appears and is readable/acceptable.