에서는 (location + topic) - At/In (Topic)

This pattern is a "particle sandwich." You take a noun that represents a place. You add 에서 to show that an action is happening there. Finally, you slap on 는 to turn that location into the topic. It is essentially saying, "As for [doing something] at [place]..." Most of the time, this emphasis implies a contrast. If you say, "In Korea, we do this," you are often hinting that "In my country, we do something else." It is a subtle way to compare two things without saying "but" every five seconds. Even native speakers use this constantly to clarify their points. It helps avoid confusion in busy conversations. Think of 에서는 as the difference between a flat photo and a 3D image. It adds depth and focus to your speech.

1. 1Pick a noun that represents a location or a physical space.
2. 2Add the suffix 에서는 directly to the end of the noun.
3. 3There are no special rules for final consonants or vowels. It is always the same!
4. 4For example, 집 (home) becomes 집에서는.
5. 5학교 (school) becomes 학교에서는.
6. 6In casual speech, you can shorten it to 에선 to sound more natural.
7. 7서울에서는 and 서울에선 mean the exact same thing.
8. 8Use the long version in writing or formal situations like job interviews.

Use this when you want to compare two different places. For example, "At this restaurant, the food is spicy, but at that one, it is sweet." It is also perfect for stating general rules or customs. If you are explaining culture, use 에서는 to mark the country. "In Korea, we take off our shoes." This tells the listener you are talking about Korean customs specifically. Another great scenario is a job interview. You might say, "In my previous company, I handled marketing." This emphasizes where you gained your experience. Use it whenever you want to clarify a specific context. It works well when someone asks a broad question and you want to give a specific answer. "How is the weather?" "Well, in Seoul, it is raining." This implies it might be sunny elsewhere. It is all about narrowing the focus.

Do not use 에서는 for simple location questions. If someone asks, "Where is the cat?" just say 방에 있어요 or 방에서 놀아요. Using 에서는 here would sound like, "As for in the room, the cat is playing (but maybe not in the kitchen)." It is too much drama for a simple question! Also, avoid using it with verbs like 있다 (to be/exist) or 없다 (to not exist) if you are just stating a fact. In those cases, 에는 is the standard choice. 에서는 requires an active verb, like eating, studying, or working. If no action is taking place, stick to 에는. Do not use it when the location is not important to the main point. If you are just describing a sequence of events, a simple 에서 is much smoother. Keep the spotlight for when you actually need it.

One big mistake is forgetting the 에서 and just using 는. Saying 서울는 instead of 서울에서는 changes the meaning entirely. 서울는 sounds like "Seoul is..." while 서울에서는 means "In Seoul, [action] happens." Another common slip-up is using it with time. You cannot say "In 2 o'clock" using 에서는. Use 에는 for time and 에서는 for physical places. Some students also forget that it can be shortened. If you always use the long version in a cafe, you might sound like a textbook. Try using 에선 when chatting with friends. Also, don't use it twice for the same location in one sentence. It sounds repetitive and confusing. Finally, make sure the verb at the end is an action verb. Using 에서는 with a descriptive adjective like "pretty" is rare and often grammatically awkward.

Let's look at 에서 vs 에서는. 에서 is just a plain map coordinate. It tells us where. 에서는 is a highlighter. It tells us where *and* why we are talking about it. Now, compare it to 에는. 에는 is usually for existence or static states. "There is a chair in the room" uses 에는. "I study in the room" uses 에서는. It is the difference between "being" and "doing." What about 는 on its own? That marks the subject or a general topic. 에서는 specifically targets the *setting* of the action. Think of it like a play. The subject is the actor, the verb is the script, and 에서는 describes the stage. Without the stage, the actors have nowhere to stand. But if you make the stage too bright, no one looks at the actors. Use it wisely to balance your sentences.