Today, we're learning how to describe exactly where things are in Korean. This is one of the most practical skills you'll learn, allowing you to move from "I am at school" to "I am in front of the school."
We will cover the basic location words like 위에 (on), 아래에 (under), 앞에 (in front of), 뒤에 (behind), 옆에 (next to), 안에 (inside), 밖에 (outside), and 사이에 (between).
1. The Core Grammar Rule: How to Use Location Words
This is the most important concept to understand: In Korean, location words (like "on," "in," "front") are nouns, not prepositions.
Because they are nouns, we must follow a specific formula. The basic sentence structure to say "Something is [location] the [object]" is:
Let's break that down with an example: "The book is on the desk."
- [Item]이/가: "The book is..." → 책이
- [Reference Noun]: "...the desk." → 책상
- [Location Word]: "...on" → 위
- ...에 있어요: "...is at/on." → 에 있어요
Combine them all: 책이 책상 위에 있어요. (Literally: "The book exists at the top-side of the desk.")
2. The Core Location Words (The Vocabulary)
Here are the 9 most essential location words. Remember, you will almost always add the location particle `에` after them to mean "at that location."
-
위 (on, above)
Example: 책상 위에 (on the desk) -
아래 (below, under)
Example: 의자 아래에 (under the chair) -
앞 (in front of)
Example: 학교 앞에 (in front of the school) -
뒤 (behind)
Example: 집 뒤에 (behind the house) -
옆 (next to, beside)
Example: 친구 옆에 (next to my friend) -
안 (inside)
Example: 가방 안에 (inside the bag) -
밖 (outside)
Example: 집 밖에 (outside the house) -
사이 (between)
Example: 학교와 집 사이에 (between the school and house) -
밑 (underneath)
Example: 침대 밑에 (underneath the bed)
3. Example Sentences
Let's practice by seeing these words in full sentences.
- Korean: 고양이가 의자 아래에 있어요.
English: The cat is under the chair. - Korean: 은행은 학교 옆에 있어요.
English: The bank is next to the school. - Korean: 가방 안에 뭐가 있어요?
English: What is inside the bag? - Korean: 우리 집은 편의점 뒤에 있어요.
English: My house is behind the convenience store. - Korean: 선생님이 학생들 앞에 서 있어요.
English: The teacher is standing in front of the students. - Korean: 지금 집 밖에 비가 와요.
English: It is raining outside the house now. (Note: The particle `에` is sometimes dropped in casual speech). - Korean: 약국은 병원과 마트 사이에 있어요.
English: The pharmacy is between the hospital and the mart. - Korean: 침대 밑에서 양말을 찾았어요.
English: I found my sock underneath the bed. (Here, `에서` is used because the "action" of finding happened there). - Korean: 저 앞에 있는 사람이 제 친구예요.
English: The person in front of me (over there) is my friend.
4. Key Rules and Comparisons
Here are a few crucial nuances to remember.
Rule 1: Always add `에` (when static)
The most common mistake is forgetting the particle. Remember the formula: [Reference Noun] + [Location Word] + 에.
You only drop `에` in very casual speech.
Rule 2: `아래에` vs. `밑에`
Both 아래에 and 밑에 mean "under." They are 99% interchangeable in daily conversation.
- 아래에 is a more general "below" or "under."
- 밑에 has a slightly stronger nuance of being "directly underneath" or at the "base" of something.
For beginners, you can treat them as the same word.
Rule 3: Using `사이에` (Between)
The word 사이 (between) requires two reference points. You connect these two nouns using -와/과 (formal) or -하고 (common).
[Noun 1] + -와/과/하고 + [Noun 2] + 사이에
English: It is between the bank and the pharmacy.
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