Place, time and direction
에, 에서, (으)로, 부터, 까지 and 한테.
Particles after a noun say where, when, how and to whom.
| Particle | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 에 | at, in, on (where something is); to (a place); at (a time) | 집에 jibe at home, to home |
| 에서 | at, in (where something happens); from (a place) | 집에서 jibeseo at home |
| (으)로 | toward; by means of; into (a change) | 오른쪽으로 oreunjjogeuro to the right |
| 부터 | from (a time) | 아침부터 achimbuteo from the morning |
| 까지 | until; as far as | 저녁까지 jeonyeokkkaji until the evening |
| 한테, 에게 | to (a person) | 친구한테 chinguhante to a friend |
| 한테서, 에게서 | from (a person) | 친구한테서 chinguhanteseo from a friend |
에 or 에서
에 marks where something is and where it goes. 에서 marks where something happens, and where it comes from.
- goyangiga bange isseoyo.The cat is in the room.
- naeil busane gayo.I'm going to Busan tomorrow.
- doseogwaneseo gongbuhaeyo.I study at the library.
- migugeseo wasseoyo.I'm from America.I came from America.
Verbs of being and moving (있다, 없다, 살다, 가다, 오다) take 에; verbs of doing take 에서. 살다 "to live" takes both: 서울에 살아요 and 서울에서 살아요 both mean "I live in Seoul".
Time
에 also marks a point in time: 세 시에 se sie "at three o'clock", 월요일에 woryoire "on Monday", 아침에 achime "in the morning". 오늘 "today", 내일 "tomorrow", 어제 "yesterday" and 지금 "now" take no particle.
(으)로
으로 follows a consonant other than ㄹ; 로 follows a vowel or ㄹ.
- Direction: 왼쪽으로 가세요 "go to the left", 학교로 "toward school".
- Means: 버스로 "by bus", 지하철로 "by subway", 한국어로 "in Korean", 손으로 "by hand".
- Change: 원으로 바꾸다 "to change into won".
부터 and 까지
부터 "from" and 까지 "until, up to" mark the ends of a stretch of time; for places, "from" is 에서: 서울에서 부산까지 "from Seoul to Busan".
- ahop sibuteo yeoseot sikkaji ilhaeyo.I work from nine to six.
To a person
A person, not a place, takes 한테 in speech and 에게 in writing: 친구한테 전화했어요 "I called my friend". To someone you honour, 께: 할머니께 "to Grandmother".
Cards from this guide
10 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Particles cards.
에 or 에서: which goes on 도서관 (library) in 'I study at the library'?
에서: 도서관에서 공부해요.
에 or 에서: which goes on 방 (room) in 'The cat is in the room'?
에: 고양이가 방에 있어요.
How do you say 'to school' with 가다 (to go)?
학교에 가요.
How do you say 'at three o'clock'?
세 시에 (se sie).
How do you say 'by bus' with 버스?
버스로 (beoseuro).
로 or 으로 after 지하철 (subway)?
로: 지하철로.
How do you say 'from nine until six' with 아홉 시 and 여섯 시?
아홉 시부터 여섯 시까지.
How do you say 'from Seoul to Busan'?
서울에서 부산까지.
How do you say 'to my friend' in speech, as in 'I called my friend'?
친구한테.
How do you say 'I'm from America' with 미국 (America)?
미국에서 왔어요.