Your goal
어디에 있어요? asks location. Now answer where an action happens and what you do there.
Before you start
- 밥
- a meal here; also cooked rice
- 집
- home
- 회사
- company or workplace
- 학교
- school
- 도서관
- library
- 책
- book
- 읽다
- to read
- 마시다
- to drink
- 물
- water
| Dictionary form | Polite statement |
|---|---|
| 읽다 | 읽어요 |
| 마시다 | 마셔요 |
마셔요 is the contracted form of 마시어요. Learn 마셔요 as a useful form here.
Explore the situation
- Object
- 밥
- Action
- 먹어요
- Object
- 책
- Action
- 읽어요
- Object
- 한국어
- Action
- 공부해요
- Object
- —
- Action
- 일해요
These fictional scenes show reading in a library and studying Korean at school. A place name alone does not prove what someone does there.
Learn the expressions
| Function | Form and example |
|---|---|
| Where the action happens | 도서관에서 책을 읽어요. |
| Object: noun with a final consonant | 밥을 먹어요. / 책을 읽어요. / 물을 마셔요. |
| Object: noun without a final consonant | 한국어를 공부해요. |
물 ends in ㄹ, so use 물을. 한국어 has no final consonant, so use 한국어를. 일해요 does not need a separate object here.
| Different meanings | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Where someone is | 도서관에 있어요. |
| Where an action happens | 도서관에서 책을 읽어요. |
| Destination | 도서관에 가요. |
Read the conversation
At the library
어디에서 책을 읽어요?
Show meaning
Where do you read books?
도서관에서 책을 읽어요.
Show meaning
I read books at the library.
At home
집에서 밥을 먹어요?
Show meaning
Do you eat at home?
네. 집에서 밥을 먹어요.
Show meaning
Yes, I eat at home.
Build a sentence
Build place, object and action. Some sentences, such as 회사에서 일해요, need no object.
Sentence-piece practice
1. Build a sentence about reading a book at the library.
Sentence pieces
- 책
- 읽어요.
- 도서관
- 을
- 에서
2. Build a sentence about studying Korean at school.
Sentence pieces
- 를
- 학교
- 공부해요.
- 한국어
- 에서
Practice
Check the situation and the expressions learned in this lesson before answering.
1. Scene: library / reading a book. Choose the sentence.
- 도서관에서 책을 읽어요.
- 도서관에 책을 읽어요.
- 도서관에서 책를 읽어요.
2. Complete 한국어___ 공부해요.
- 한국어을 공부해요.
- 한국어에서 공부해요.
- 한국어를 공부해요.
3. Complete 물___ 마셔요.
- 물에서 마셔요.
- 물을 마셔요.
- 물를 마셔요.
4. You are going to school. Choose the sentence with 가요.
- 학교에 가요.
- 학교에서 공부해요.
- 학교에 있어요.
Try a new situation
Read four scenes and include the place in your sentence. Distinguish being somewhere from doing something there.
Tasks
Try the tasks first, then compare with the answers and examples in step 10.
1. Include the place and action, and include the object when shown.
- Object
- —
- Action
- 일해요
Show a hint
Use 에서 for an action location, 을/를 for an object and 에 for a destination.
2. Include the place and action, and include the object when shown.
- Object
- 한국어
- Action
- 공부해요
Show a hint
Use 에서 for an action location, 을/를 for an object and 에 for a destination.
3. Include the place and action, and include the object when shown.
- Object
- 밥
- Action
- 먹어요
Show a hint
Use 에서 for an action location, 을/를 for an object and 에 for a destination.
4. Include the place and action, and include the object when shown.
- Object
- 책
- Action
- 읽어요
Show a hint
Use 에서 for an action location, 을/를 for an object and 에 for a destination.
Check your learning
Hide the model and choose an expression for the new details.
1. You eat a meal at home. Choose the sentence.
- 집에서 밥를 먹어요.
- 집에 밥을 먹어요.
- 집에서 밥을 먹어요.
2. Answer 어디에서 책을 읽어요?
- 세 개예요.
- 도서관에서 책을 읽어요.
- 책이에요.
3. Say that the work takes place at the company.
- 회사에서 일해요.
- 회사예요.
- 회사를 일해요.
4. Choose the action form for reading a book.
- 읽아요.
- 읽다예요.
- 읽어요.
5. Choose the learned form of 마시다.
- 마셔요예요.
- 마셔요.
- 마시요.
6. Distinguish 도서관에 있어요 from 도서관에서 공부해요.
- location of presence / location of action
- past / future
- price / quantity
Reflect on your reading
Tick only what you actually checked. Feedback from another person is optional and is not required to finish the lesson.
Answers and explanations
Show answers and explanations
Practice questions
1. Scene: library / reading a book. Choose the sentence.
Answer: 도서관에서 책을 읽어요.
Use 에서 for the action location and 을 after 책.
- 도서관에 책을 읽어요. — The place of reading takes 에서 here.
- 도서관에서 책를 읽어요. — 책 ends with ㄱ, so use 책을.
2. Complete 한국어___ 공부해요.
Answer: 한국어를 공부해요.
한국어 has no final consonant, so use 를.
- 한국어을 공부해요. — Use 를, not 을, after 한국어.
- 한국어에서 공부해요. — 한국어 is the language studied, not a location here.
3. Complete 물___ 마셔요.
Answer: 물을 마셔요.
물 ends in ㄹ and takes 을.
- 물에서 마셔요. — Water is the object being drunk, not the location.
- 물를 마셔요. — 물 has a final consonant, so not 를.
4. You are going to school. Choose the sentence with 가요.
Answer: 학교에 가요.
Use 에 for the destination.
- 학교에서 공부해요. — This says studying at school, not moving there.
- 학교에 있어요. — This says being at school, not going there.
Learning check
1. You eat a meal at home. Choose the sentence.
Answer: 집에서 밥을 먹어요.
집에서 is the location and 밥을 the object.
- 집에서 밥를 먹어요. — 밥 ends in ㅂ and takes 을.
- 집에 밥을 먹어요. — Mark the eating location with 에서.
2. Answer 어디에서 책을 읽어요?
Answer: 도서관에서 책을 읽어요.
This answers the place of reading.
- 세 개예요. — A quantity does not answer a place question.
- 책이에요. — This names the object without a place.
3. Say that the work takes place at the company.
Answer: 회사에서 일해요.
The work location is 회사에서.
- 회사예요. — This only names the place.
- 회사를 일해요. — Do not mark the work location as the object.
4. Choose the action form for reading a book.
Answer: 읽어요.
읽- takes 어요.
- 읽아요. — The stem vowel ㅣ takes 어요 here.
- 읽다예요. — Do not add 예요 to the dictionary action form.
5. Choose the learned form of 마시다.
Answer: 마셔요.
This contracts 마시어요.
- 마셔요예요. — Do not add 예요 after the action ending.
- 마시요. — The practiced polite form is 마셔요.
6. Distinguish 도서관에 있어요 from 도서관에서 공부해요.
Answer: location of presence / location of action
에 있어요 gives location; 에서 공부해요 gives the studying location.
- past / future — Their difference is not tense.
- price / quantity — Neither sentence gives a price or count.
Example answers
Written responses are examples. Other wording can also meet the same conditions.
1. Include the place and action, and include the object when shown.
회사에서 일해요.
저는 회사에서 일해요.
The action happens at 회사, so use 회사에서.
2. Include the place and action, and include the object when shown.
학교에서 한국어를 공부해요.
저는 학교에서 한국어를 공부해요.
The action happens at 학교, so use 학교에서.
3. Include the place and action, and include the object when shown.
집에서 밥을 먹어요.
저는 집에서 밥을 먹어요.
The action happens at 집, so use 집에서.
4. Include the place and action, and include the object when shown.
도서관에서 책을 읽어요.
저는 도서관에서 책을 읽어요.
The action happens at 도서관, so use 도서관에서.
Sentence-piece practice
1. Build a sentence about reading a book at the library.
도서관에서 책을 읽어요.
Use 에서 for an action location, 을/를 for an object and 에 for a destination.
2. Build a sentence about studying Korean at school.
학교에서 한국어를 공부해요.
Use 에서 for an action location, 을/를 for an object and 에 for a destination.
Review and continue
Come back to these
Rebuild without an example
Compare 에 있어요, 에 가요 and 에서 읽어요 with one place.
Change one detail
Change a time, place or action and make the sentence again. Revisit expressions you marked as difficult.
Review what felt difficult
Review expressions and examplesReview a model and rewrite it with one change. →Written checks and your attempt to speak are recorded separately.