sseuregitongeseo naemsaega nayo.

There is a smell coming from the trash can.

Breakdown of sseuregitongeseo naemsaega nayo.

• ~에서: location particle
• ~가: subject particle
• 쓰레기통: trash can
• 냄새: smell

Questions & Answers about sseuregitongeseo naemsaega nayo.

What does each part of 쓰레기통에서 냄새가 나요 mean literally?

• 쓰레기통 = trash can / garbage bin
• -에서 = from, out of, at/from a place
• 냄새 = smell / odor
• -가 = subject marker
• 나요 = comes out / occurs / is produced, in polite style

So the sentence is literally something like A smell is coming from the trash can.
That is why it is naturally translated as The trash can smells or There is a smell coming from the trash can.

Why is -에서 used after 쓰레기통?

In this sentence, -에서 marks the source the smell is coming from.

So 쓰레기통에서 냄새가 나요 means:

• From the trash can, a smell is coming out

Korean often describes smells, sounds, and other sensations as something that comes from a place.

Compare:

• 부엌에서 냄새가 나요 = A smell is coming from the kitchen
• 방에서 소리가 나요 = A sound is coming from the room

Even though English often says The trash can smells, Korean commonly uses this source + 에서 pattern.

Why does 냄새 take -가 instead of -를?