6.5. Place Nouns

You have seen in this lesson a number of nouns denoting specific place relationships. With 에 in, at, on after them, they mean in [a certain place relationship]. Here is a list:

    • 안에 inside
    • 속에 inside
    • 밖에 outside
    • 위에 above, over, on (top)
    • 밑에 at the bottom, below under(neath)
    • 아래(에) below, lower, down
    • 앞에 in front
    • 뒤에 at the back; behind
    • 근처에 near, in the vicinity of
    • 옆에 next to, beside
    • 편(or 쪽) side, direction
    • 왼편/쪽에 on the left
    • 오른편/쪽에 on the right
    • 맞은편에 across from, opposite
    • 건너편 across from, opposite
    • 사이에 between

These are PLACE NOUNS. They are most frequently used in phrases with other nouns (refer again to section 5.6, noun use (c) if necessary), as in:

  • 대학교 앞에 in front of the university
  • 대사관 옆에 next to the embassy

It is important to put these nouns in the right order. If the place noun comes before the other noun, the meaning is changed -the place noun modifies the noun that follows it. This point is best illustrated by example. There are many, but the following are typical:

  • 문 앞에 in front of the door
  • 앞문 the front door
  • 방 옆에 next to the room
  • 옆방 the next room

The place noun 사이 (사이에 between) by the nature of its meaning usually requires two nouns before it; these are linked with 하고 and:

  • 학교하고 집 사이에 between the school and the house

Some place nouns are also used as time nouns: 사이 can refer to an interval of time as well as of space; 앞 can refer ahead in time (앞으로 in future); 안 can mean within (a certain time), and 다음 most commonly means next (in order or time).

General location is marked with the particle 에: 옆 방에 있어요. Its in the next room. or 집에 있어요. She’s at home.But Korean has two place nouns -안 and 속 -for the same more specific English gloss: inside. It is difficult to distinguish the nuances, but 안 tends to mean the inside of loosely filled spaces -a room, a building, a garden, for example- things which generally have more air than substance filling their interior, while 속 tends to mean the inside of things which are normally well filled, or which are easily filled up -a suitcase, a drawer, etc.

Corresponding to such English expressions as where in this room – requests for more specific locations -there are Korean phrases like these:

    • 이 교실 안 어디(요)?
      • (in what place of this classroom’s inside? =) where in this classroom?
    • 책상 위 어디(요)?
      • where on (top of) the desk?

You may have noticed the relationship between a special set of place nouns and the set of noun-modifying nouns you learned:

  • 이this
  • 여기this place, here
  • 그that  (nearby, aforementioned)
  • 거기that place, there (nearby, aforementioned)
  • 저that (over there)
  • 저기that place, (over) there

You will hear these words occasionally pronounced 요, 고, 조 and 요기,고기, 조기. These add a connotation of smallness or cuteness (“this li’l. . .”)or of deprecation (“this ole”).

Here are further examples of the usage of place nouns:

  1. 광화문 근처에는 무슨 건물이 있어요?
    What kind of buildings are there in the vicinity of Kwanghwamun?
  2. 백화점 건너편에 무엇이 있어요?
    What is there across from the department store?
  3. 대학교 정문 앞에 가방가게 있어요?
    Is there a briefcase shop outside [‘in front of’] the main gate of the university?
  4. 이 건물 안에 커피숍이 있어요?
    Is there a coffee shop in(side of) this building?

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