I can say who I give a gift to, call, and write to, who I got a letter from, wish someone a happy birthday, and send a letter at the post office.
To whom and from whom: 에게 and 한테
To whom and from whom: 에게 and 한테
What for: to say who you give a gift to, call, and write to, and who you got something from.
에게 and 한테 mean “to” a person; they're the same after any sound: 친구에게, 동생한테. 에게 is used in speech and in writing; 한테 in conversation.
Only with people and animals. An institution, a country, a place takes the familiar 에: 병원에 전화해요, 미국에 편지를 보내요. English “to” is one word for both.
“From” a person is 에게서 / 한테서: 친구한테서 편지를 받았어요. In conversation people also say just 한테.
To an elder, say 드리다 instead of 주다: 할아버지에게 선물을 드려요.
도와주다 is “to help someone”, and, as in English “help a friend”, the person takes 을 / 를: 친구를 도와줘요.
축하해요 is read [추카해요]: ㅎ next to ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅈ merges with them into an aspirated sound (as in 못해요 [모태요]). Spell it as in the dictionary.
Common mistakes:
• NOT 학교에게 전화해요 → 학교에 전화해요.
• NOT 친구에게 도와줘요 → 친구를 도와줘요.
• NOT 할머니에게서 선물을 드렸어요 → 할머니에게 선물을 드렸어요 (에게서 is “from”).
• NOT 추카해요 in writing → 축하해요.
To whom, from whom, where to
에게 / 한테 is only for people and animals. An institution, a country, or a place takes 에.
| What to say | Particle or verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| to whom | 에게 (also in writing) / 한테 (in conversation) | 동생에게 · 동생한테 |
| from whom | 에게서 / 한테서 | 동생한테서 |
| not a person | 에 | 회사에 |
| to an elder | 드리다 instead of 주다 | 할아버지에게 드려요 |
Lesson notes
To whom and from whom: 에게 and 한테
What for: to say who you give a gift to, call, and write to, and who you got something from.
에게 and 한테 mean “to” a person; they're the same after any sound: 친구에게, 동생한테. 에게 is used in speech and in writing; 한테 in conversation.
Only with people and animals. An institution, a country, a place takes the familiar 에: 병원에 전화해요, 미국에 편지를 보내요. English “to” is one word for both.
“From” a person is 에게서 / 한테서: 친구한테서 편지를 받았어요. In conversation people also say just 한테.
To an elder, say 드리다 instead of 주다: 할아버지에게 선물을 드려요.
도와주다 is “to help someone”, and, as in English “help a friend”, the person takes 을 / 를: 친구를 도와줘요.
축하해요 is read [추카해요]: ㅎ next to ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅈ merges with them into an aspirated sound (as in 못해요 [모태요]). Spell it as in the dictionary.
Common mistakes:
• NOT 학교에게 전화해요 → 학교에 전화해요.
• NOT 친구에게 도와줘요 → 친구를 도와줘요.
• NOT 할머니에게서 선물을 드렸어요 → 할머니에게 선물을 드렸어요 (에게서 is “from”).
• NOT 추카해요 in writing → 축하해요.