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Korean grammar - To and from a person - 에게/한테 and 에게서/한테서

To and from a person - 에게/한테 and 에게서/한테서

The dative particles 에게/한테 and 에게서/한테서 are used to indicate 'to' or 'from' from someone - for example when giving and taking, or sending and receiving.

에게 and 한테 mean 'to' or 'for' someone. 한테 is a little more colloquial.

에게서 and 한테서 mean 'from' someone. These two are interchangeable.

Note that the thing being given or received does not have to be a physical object. It can also be speech, a phone call, advice or even an illness.

Note that there are polite equivalents that honour the person they attach to. This will be covered in a later topic.

Examples:
어제 친구한테서 선물을 받았어요.
Yesterday (I) received a gift from a friend.
누구한테 돈을 주었어요?
To whom did (you) give the money?
개한테 소시지를 줄 거예요.
(I) will give a sausage to the dog.
오늘 아침에 아기에게 우유를 주었어요.
This morning (I) gave milk to the baby.
저는 할머니한테 편지를 보낼 거예요.
I will send a letter to (my) grandmother.
형님에게서 책을 받았어요.
(I) received a book from (my) older brother.
배달원에게 이야기할 거예요.
(I) will talk to a delivery person.

배달원 means 'delivery person'

누구한테서 독감을 옮았어요?
From whom did (you) get the flu?

독감 means 'flu' or 'bad cold'

옮다 means 'to contract' or 'to become infected'

아빠한테서 전화를 받았어요.
(I) got a call from (my) dad.
미나한테 줄 생일 선물을 샀어요.
(I) bought a birthday gift that (I) will give to Mina.
그는 저에게 한국어를 가르쳐 줬어요.
He taught Korean to me.
어제 동생한테 준 것이 뭐예요?
What is the thing that (you) gave (your) younger sibling yesterday?
친구한테 말한 것이 후회돼요.
(I) have come to regret having told (my) friend.

후회하다 means 'to regret'

옛날 친구에게 연락해 봤어요.
(I) attempted to contact an old friend.

연락하다 means 'to contact' or 'to communicate with'

다른 사람한테 물어보는 게 어때요?
How about asking other people?

is a contraction of 것이