Learn Hardcore Korean: jeoneun kapeeseo chareul masyeoyo.

는 marks the topic, setting up “as for me.” It frames what you’re talking about and can imply contrast. 가 is a subject marker that often highlights or identifies the subject (“it’s I who…”).

Neutral/habitual statement: 저는 카페에서 차를 마셔요.
Emphasizing who does it (contrast/focus): 제가 카페에서 차를 마셔요.

Why use 저 instead of 나?

저 is the polite/humble “I,” used with -요 endings. 나 is the casual “I,” used with plain endings. In polite speech (with -요), prefer 저. In casual speech, you’d say 나 카페에서 차 마셔.

Why is it 카페에서 and not 카페에?

Use 에서 for the place where an action happens (dynamic verbs). Use 에 for location of existence or destination.

Action location: 카페에서 마셔요. (drink at the cafe)
Existence/location: 카페에 있어요. (be at the cafe)
Destination: 카페에 가요. (go to the cafe)

What does 를 in 차를 do, and can I drop it?

를/을 marks the direct object. After a vowel, use 를 (e.g., 차를); after a consonant, use 을 (e.g., 밥을). In conversation, you can often drop it if context is clear:

카페에서 차 마셔요.

Does 차 mean tea or car here?

It means tea. 차 can mean both, but with the verb 마시다 (to drink), it clearly means tea. For car, people often say 자동차. Context disambiguates.

How is 마셔요 formed from 마시다, and how do I pronounce it?

Base verb: 마시다 (to drink). Polite present: stem + -어/아요 → 마시 + 어요. The vowels contract: 마셔요. Pronunciation: ma-shyeo-yo. Revised Romanization: masyeoyo.

What exact time meaning does 마셔요 have?

It’s the general present: habitual/generic (“I drink”) or near-future (“I’ll drink”). To stress “I am drinking (right now),” use the progressive: 마시고 있어요.

Can I change the word order?

Yes, non-verb elements can move around; the verb stays at the end.

카페에서 차를 마셔요. (original)
차를 카페에서 마셔요.
저는 차를 카페에서 마셔요. Keeping the verb last is important; 마셔요 차를 is unnatural.

Can I omit the subject or particles?

Yes. Korean often drops known information:

(저는) 카페에서 차(를) 마셔요.
If the context is clear, even 카페에서 마셔요 may be fine. Dropping 를 is common in speech; dropping everything relies on context.

How polite is this sentence, and what are other levels?

마셔요 is the standard polite (해요체). More formal: 마십니다. Casual: 마셔. If the subject deserves honorifics, use 드시다:

할아버지께서 카페에서 차를 드세요.

Where does 도 (also) go?

Attach 도 to the word you want to mark as “also.”

I also: 저도 카페에서 차를 마셔요.
Also at the cafe: 저는 카페에서도 차를 마셔요.
Also tea (in addition to other drinks): 저는 카페에서 차도 마셔요. Note: With objects, 도 replaces 를/을 (→ 차도, not 차를도).

How do I pronounce and romanize the whole sentence?

Revised Romanization: Jeoneun kape-eseo chareul masyeoyo. Pronunciation tips:

저는 jeo-neun
카페에서 ka-pe-e-seo (smoothly “kape-eseo”)
차를 cha-reul (the 를 is light)
마셔요 ma-shyeo-yo 카페 is “ka-pe,” not French café with an accented final vowel.

Can I use 카페에서요 by itself?

Yes, as a short answer to a “where” question.

A: 어디에서 마셔요? (Where do you drink?)
B: 카페에서요. (At a cafe.)

Are the spaces correct?

Yes. No spaces between a noun and its particle.

저는 = 저 + 는
카페에서 = 카페 + 에서
차를 = 차 + 를
마셔요 = 마시 + 어요 → 마셔요 You may see 전 as a contraction of 저는 in casual writing.

How do I say it in the past and future?

Past: 저는 카페에서 차를 마셨어요.
Future/probable: 저는 카페에서 차를 마실 거예요.

How do I say “at the cafe” versus “at a cafe”? Does Korean use articles?

Korean has no articles. 카페에서 is neutral (“at a cafe/the cafe”). To specify:

A particular/that cafe: 그 카페에서
Some (unspecified) cafe: 어느 카페에서 or 한 카페에서

How do I say “a cup of tea” in this sentence?

Use the counter 잔:

저는 카페에서 차 한 잔(을) 마셔요. Particles like 를 after the counter phrase are optional in speech.

How do I say “I go to a cafe and drink tea”?

Use -아서/어서 with 가다:

저는 카페에 가서 차를 마셔요. Here 에 marks the destination; 에서 marks where the drinking happens.