Last time, I showed you "from" and "to," by using 한테 and 한테서. Today, I'll show you another set of markers 에게 and 에게서.
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1. 에게 Grammar
Meaning
에게 is a marker (also called a particle). So it is attached to a noun. It shows that the noun is receiving the action. You can translate it as "to".
You can attach it only to an animate noun, people, or animals. 에게 is well used in both spoken and written language.
This word is frequently utilized with verbs like the ones below.
주다 to give
가르치다 to teach
보내다 to send
전화하다 to call
말하다 to talk
선물하다 to give a gift
전하다 to deliver
던지다 to throw
에게 is also utilized in a letter. When starting a letter, you include the recipient's name followed by 에게. It is like "dear" or "to".
민지에게 Dear Minji (To Minji).
Conjugation
It only has one form. You don't have to worry about the final consonant of the noun. Here are some nouns you can memorize with 에게.
친구(friend) → 친구에게
학생(student) → 학생에게
동생(younger sibling) → 동생에게
고양이(cat) → 고양이에게
강아지(puppy) → 강아지에게
개(dog) → 개에게
Abbreviation
When it is attached to a certain pronoun, we can use the shortened version. The abbreviation is usually used in a spoken language.
polite I: 저 | 저에게 | 제게 |
nonpolite I: 나 | 나에게 | 내게 |
nonpolite you: 너 | 너에게 | 네게 |
Examples
1
잭 씨에게 연필을 줬어요.
I gave a pencil to Jack.
줬어요 came from 주다(to give). 잭(Jack) is the one who received it, so we need 에게.
2
저는 고양이에게 밥을 줬어요.
I gave food to a cat.
밥 means food. 고양이 is a cat.
3
주아 씨에게 전화를 했어요.
I called Jua.
전화를 했어요 came from 전화를 하다(to make a phone call). 주아 is the one who received the call, so we need 에게.
4
저는 학생들에게 한국어를 가르쳐요.
I teach Korean to students.
가르쳐요 came from 가르치다 (to teach). 학생들 is a combination of 학생(students) and the plural marker 들.
2. 에게서 Grammar
Meaning
에게서 is the combination of 에게 and 서. It shows the starting point of the action. You can translate it as "from" in English.
This marker is often used with 받다(to receive), 배우다(to learn), 듣다(to listen). Just like 에게, you can attach only to a living noun like a person or animal.
Conjugation
It only has one form. No matter how a noun ends, you will attach 에게서. Here I'll show you some family terms. If you want to learn more family words, please click here to read my other lesson.
딸(daughter) → 딸에게서
아들(son) → 아들에게서
오빠(older brother to a female) → 오빠에게서
형(older brother to a male) → 형에게서
언니(older sister to a female) → 언니에게서
누나(older brother to a male) → 누나에게서
동생(younger sibing) → 동생에게서
Abbreviation
polite I: 저 | 저에게서 | 제게서 |
nonpolite I: 나 | 나에게서 | 내게서 |
nonpolite you: 너 | 너에게서 | 네게서 |
Examples
1
민주 씨에게서 전화가 왔어요.
I got a call from Minju.
전화 is a noun, meaning "phone." 전화하다 is to make a phone call. 전화가 오다 means to receive a phone call.
2
언니에게서 용돈을 받았어요.
I received an allowance from my older sister.
용돈 is money you get from your parents or someone older than you. 받았어요 came from the verb 받다(to receive).
3
저는 친구에게서 편지를 받았어요.
I received the letter from my friend.
편지 is a letter.
4
저는 그 말을 친구에게서 들었어요.
I heard that from my friend.
말 has many meanings. It means word, language, speech, talk, phrase, etc. 그 means "that" and it describes 말.
5
저는 학교에서 한국어를 배웠어요.
I learned Korean from my school.
3. Extension
Various Meanings of 에게
Let's take a look at some advanced grammar! 에게 has many uses other than just "to." As you can guess, 에게 is very similar to 한테.
① With a movement verb like 가다 or 오다, you can show a direction with 에게. Again, you still have to use a person or an animal for 에게. You can also use 에게로.
I went to Minji. (I went toward Minji.)
저는 민지에게 갔어요.
저는 민지에게로 갔어요.
② It can show a belonging. A noun has something. In this case, you'll see verbs like 있다(to have) and 없다(not to have).
그 책은 수지에게 있어요. That book is with Suji. (Suji has that book.)
그 책은 저에게 없어요. That book is not with me. (I don't have that book.)
③ It indicates a standard of comparison. In this case, you'll see words like 맞다(to be right/correct), 알맞다(to be proper), 어울리다(to suit), etc.
저에게 맞는 직장을 찾았어요. I found the work that was right for me.
이 옷은 민지에게 잘 어울려요. These clothes suit Minji.
④ It indicates where the action starts. Yes, just like 에게서(from). So, 에게 can mean both "from" and "to". You have to judge the meaning by context. When 에게 is used with 받다(to receive), 얻다(to get), or 배우다(to learn), you can guess 에게 means "from"!
I received an allowance from my older sister.
언니에게서 용돈을 받았어요.
=언니에게 용돈을 받았어요.
I received the letter from my friend.
저는 친구에게서 편지를 받았어요.
=저는 친구에게 편지를 받았어요.
⑤ You can show a person that is being ordered to do something. In this case, you use 한테 with a causative verb.
선생님이 리나에게 재시험을 치게 했어요. The teacher made Rina take a make-up test.
⑥ 에게 can indicate a subject that holds a feeling. You can also show the subject that made you feel that way.
저에게 정말 쉬웠어요. It was really easy for me.
→ "I" am the one who feels it is easy. So, we can attach 에게 to 저(I).
저는 친구에게 실망했어요. I was disappointed in my friend.
→ 친구(friend) made you feel "disappointed." So, we can attach 에게 to 친구.
Comparison: 에게 vs. 에
에 and 에게 can indicate the object affected by the action. 에게 is attached to a noun that can move like a person or an animal. 에 is attached to an inanimate noun.
(O) 나무에 물을 줬어요. I gave water to the tree.
(X) 나무에게 물을 줬어요.
(O) 강아지에게 물을 줬어요. I gave water to a puppy.
(X) 강아지에 물을 줬어요.
There is one exception. 에게 can also be used with an inanimate noun when it is personified. In a story, a tree can talk like a human. In this case, you can consider it as an animate noun.
(O) 나무에게 물을 줬어요.
Comparison: 한테 vs. 에게
한테 and 한테서 are usually used in spoken language. In other words, it is usually used in daily conversation.
에게 and 에게서 are both well-used in spoken and written language. You can use in talking situations or writing situations!
4. Examples
1
친구에게 전화를 했어요. I called my friend.
친구에게서 전화가 왔어요. I received a phone call from my friend.
Can you see how 에게 and 에게서 different?
2
민지에게 책을 빌려줬어요. I lent a book to Minji.
로라에게서 책을 빌렸어요. I borrowed a book from Laura.
빌려주다 means "to lend" while 빌리다 means "to borrow" or "rent." Depending on the context, you can have to use the appropriate marker.
3
어제 친구 생일이었어요. 그래서 친구에게 생일 선물을 줬어요.
Yesterday was my friend's birthday. So, I gave a birthday gift to my friend.
생일-birthday, 선물-gift, present
5. Wrap-up & Worksheet
Let's review what you learn today!
I prepared the free and printable worksheet. Write 에게 or 에게서. Once you finish, please come back to this lesson and check your answers as you read through again!
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