Grammar · Particles

한테 / 에게, to a person

Pattern

[Person] 한테 / 에게 [verb]

When you give, send, phone or say something to a person or an animal, they take 한테 in speech or 에게 in writing. 에 does the same job for places and things. The honorific version is 께, used for parents, teachers and older people.

The mistake to avoid

Do not use 에 for people. It is 친구한테 전화해요, not 친구에 전화해요.

Examples

Romanisation help

친구한테 전화했어요.

chinguhante jeonhwahaesseoyo.

I phoned a friend.

동생에게 선물을 줬어요.

dongsaengege seonmureul jwosseoyo.

I gave my younger brother a present.

어머니께 편지를 보냈어요.

eomeonikke pyeonjireul bonaesseoyo.

I sent my mother a letter.

이거 누구한테 줄 거예요?

igeo nuguhante jul geoyeyo?

Who are you going to give this to?