Learn Korean for Free | Beginner Korean Grammar #18
You give a gift to a friend, send a message to a teacher, or mail a package to a school. Korean chooses the particle according to who or what receives it.
What Does N에게 / N에 Mean?
Use 에게 after a person or animal that receives something or is the target of an action. Use 에 for a place, institution, or non-person destination in expressions such as sending a package to the office.
The Rule
Attach the particle directly to the noun: 친구에게, 선생님에게, 강아지에게; 회사에, 학교에. The particle does not change for consonants or vowels. In conversation, 한테 often replaces 에게.
Useful Korean Words
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 친구 | friend |
| 선생님 | teacher |
| 동생 | younger sibling |
| 강아지 | dog/puppy |
| 학교 | school |
| 회사 | company/office |
| 선물 | gift |
| 메시지 | message |
Korean Grammar Examples
친구에게 선물을 줘요.
I give a gift to a friend.
선생님에게 이메일을 보내요.
I send an email to the teacher.
동생에게 한국어를 가르쳐요.
I teach Korean to my younger sibling.
강아지에게 물을 줘요.
I give water to the dog.
회사에 서류를 보내요.
I send documents to the office.
A Short Dialogue
A: 누구에게 메시지를 보내요? — Who are you sending a message to?
B: 선생님에게 보내요. — I’m sending it to my teacher.
A: 선물도 보내요? — Are you sending a gift too?
B: 네, 학교에 작은 선물도 보내요. — Yes, I’m also sending a small gift to the school.
A Common Mistake to Avoid
Do not confuse the recipient with the object. In 친구에게 책을 줘요, 친구 is the recipient and 책 is the thing given. 에 also marks destinations and locations in other lessons, so the verb and noun type matter. For a respected recipient, 께 is the honorific alternative: 선생님께 이메일을 보내요.
Quick Quiz 🎯
Choose 에게 or 에: ① 친구__ 편지를 써요. ② 학교__ 책을 보내요. ③ 고양이__ 밥을 줘요. ④ 회사__ 서류를 보내요.
Answers and Explanation
① 친구에게 ② 학교에 ③ 고양이에게 ④ 회사에. People and animals take 에게 in these examples; institutions and places take 에.
Try It in Your Own Life
Say or write two original sentences with N에게 / N에. Use a person, place, food, class, or daily routine that is real for you. Then change one detail and say the new sentence aloud. This small change helps you practice the grammar as a speaking tool rather than memorizing only one example.
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