Learn Hardcore Korean: oneul hoesik jarie anjeul jari isseo? - Is there a seat at the company dinner today?

회식 자리 = the occasion/setting of the company dinner (자리 = occasion/setting).
앉을 자리 = a seat/spot to sit (자리 = physical seat/space). So the sentence literally asks: “At the company-dinner occasion, is there a seat to sit in?”

Why is the particle 에 used after 회식 자리 and not 에서?

에 marks the location of existence with 있다/없다. Since the verb is 있어, we use 에: 회식 자리에 … 있어?
에서 marks where an action happens. You’d use it with action verbs (먹다, 마시다, 이야기하다).
With 앉다:
- Seat itself: 의자에 앉다 (sit on the chair)
- Broader place: 식당에서 앉아 있다 (be sitting in the restaurant)

What is 앉을 grammatically?

It’s the future/potential adnominal form -(으)ㄹ modifying a noun: 앉을 자리 = “a seat to sit (in)” / “a sit-able seat.” This form often expresses purpose/possibility, like:

마실 물 (water to drink)
읽을 책 (a book to read)
갈 사람 (a person who will go)

Could I say 앉는 자리 instead of 앉을 자리?

Different nuance:

앉을 자리: a seat available/fit for sitting (prospective/potential; most natural here).
앉는 자리: a seat that someone sits in (habitually/currently). It can imply an occupied seat or a type of seat, not necessarily availability.
앉던 자리: the seat one used to sit in / was sitting in before (past/retrospective).

Should there be a subject marker 가 after 앉을 자리?

Canonical is 앉을 자리가 있어? In casual speech, 이/가 is often dropped, so 앉을 자리 있어? is very natural. Both are fine in conversation.

Is the politeness level okay? How do I make this polite or more formal?

Casual (to a close peer): 오늘 회식 자리에 앉을 자리 있어?
Polite: 오늘 회식 자리에 앉을 자리 있어요?
Formal: 오늘 회식 자리에 앉을 자리 있습니까?
Softer/more tentative: 오늘 회식 자리에 혹시 앉을 자리가 있을까요?
Very casual/rough (often male speech): … 자리 있냐? (use with care)

Do I need to say “for me” explicitly?

Context usually implies “for me.” To be explicit, add 나:

오늘 회식 자리에 나 앉을 자리 있어? For “us,” use 우리:
오늘 회식 자리에 우리 앉을 자리 있어?

Could I just say 자리 instead of 앉을 자리?

Yes. 자리 있어? is very common and natural in context. You can also say:

빈자리 있어? (any empty seats?)
자리 남아 있어? (are there seats left?)

What’s the difference between 자리 and 좌석?

자리: general, casual “seat/spot/space”; also “occasion/setting.”
좌석: formal “seat” (numbered/assigned seats, tickets, transport). In your sentence, 자리 is correct. For assigned seating: 지정 좌석 or 배정된 좌석.

Why is it 회식 자리 and not just 회식?

회식 자리 is a set phrase meaning “the company-dinner setting/occasion.” 자리 adds the nuance of the social occasion. You can say 회식에 too (e.g., 회식에 참석하다), but 회식 자리 is very idiomatic when talking about dynamics at the event.

Is the spacing 회식 자리 or 회식자리?

Both appear. As a lexicalized compound, 회식자리 (no space) is common and acceptable. You’ll also see 회식 자리 in writing. Either is fine in everyday usage.

Can I move 오늘 around, or change the word order?

Natural options:

오늘 회식 자리에 앉을 자리 있어?
오늘은 회식 자리에 앉을 자리 있어? (topic-emphasis on “today”) Putting 오늘 after 회식 자리에 is less natural here because 오늘 modifies the event. Keep 오늘 early.

How is 앉을 and 있어 pronounced?

앉을: [안즐] (the ㅈ is carried over; the ㅊ/ㅈ sound is voiced between vowels)
있어: [이써] (ss sound; ㄷ assimilation gives a strong s)

How would I ask this to a server at a restaurant or to colleagues more naturally?

To staff: 자리 있어요? / 두 분 자리 있나요? / 혹시 빈자리 있을까요?
To colleagues (polite but relaxed): 오늘 회식 자리에 자리 좀 있어요? or 혹시 앉을 자리 남아 있어요?

What’s the role of 은/는 here? Could I say 자리는 있어?

Yes. 자리는 있어? topicalizes “the seat(s),” implying contrast or emphasis (“As for seats, are there any?”). It can sound like you’re contrasting seats with other things that might not be available. Use 이/가 (or omit it) for neutral new information; 는 for contrast/emphasis.