TOPIK I Core Vocabulary · Position & Direction ②

Inside, outside & nearby — 안, 밖, 사이, 가운데, 근처

These five words describe location. 안 and 밖 are opposites. The other three show where one thing sits next to another.

01안an

inside · within something enclosed.

Note A different 안 makes a verb negative, so the action does not happen, as in 안 가요 (I am not going). The position word 안 can take 에 after it. The negative 안 comes right before a verb.

Examples 가방 안에 있다 (to be in the bag) · 집 안에서 쉬다 (to rest indoors)

지갑이 가방 안에 있어요. My wallet is in the bag.  |  지갑 = wallet

02밖bak🔊 [박]

outside · not inside a place or enclosed space. The opposite is 안.

Pronunciation [박]. The final consonant ㄲ sounds like ㄱ.

Examples 밖에 나가다 (to go out) · 밖에서 기다리다 (to wait outside) · 창밖 (outside the window)

밖에 비가 오고 있어요. It's raining outside.  |  -고 있다 marks something happening right now

03사이sai

between · also a relationship, or a gap in time.

Note 사이 can describe a position, a relationship, or a period of time. 친한 사이 means a close relationship. 그 사이에 means in the meantime.

Examples A와 B 사이에 있다 (to be between A and B) · 사이가 좋다 (to have a good relationship)

우체국은 은행과 학교 사이에 있어요. The post office is between the bank and the school.  |  와/과 links the two places, like English and

04가운데gaunde

the middle · also among when choosing from a group.

Note 사이 is the space between two things. 가운데 is the center of a space.

Examples 방 가운데에 있다 (to be in the middle of the room) · 이 가운데에서 고르다 (to choose from among these)

탁자를 방 가운데에 놓았어요. I put the table in the middle of the room.  |  탁자 = table · 놓다 = to place

05근처geuncheo

nearby, around here · the general area.

Note 주변 and 부근 mean much the same thing. 근처 is the common word in daily conversation.

Examples 근처에 있다 (to be nearby) · 이 근처 (around here) · 집 근처 (near my home)

이 근처에 편의점이 있어요? Is there a convenience store around here?  |  편의점 = convenience store  |  You can use this sentence as it is when you ask someone on the street

Quick check3 questions

Fill in each blank in Korean. Every answer appears above.

1. 지갑이 가방 __________에 있어요. (My wallet is ______ the bag.)
2. 우체국은 은행과 학교 __________에 있어요. (______ the bank and the school.)
3. 이 __________에 편의점이 있어요? (Is there one around ______?)

Show answers

1. 안   2. 사이   3. 근처

Study tip 안 has two uses. In 가방 안에, it shows a position. In 안 가요, it makes the verb negative. To tell them apart, check whether 에 or a verb comes next.