에게서 / 한테서

Build it

When to use it

Where 에서 gives the place something came from, 에게서 and 한테서 give the person. The 서 is doing the same work in both: it marks an origin. 한테서 belongs to speech, 에게서 to writing.

It turns up with the verbs of receiving and learning: 받다, 듣다, 배우다, 빌리다, 얻다. 친구한테서 책을 빌렸어요.

One thing to know before you drill it: in everyday speech Koreans very often drop the 서 and say 친구한테 받았어요. The verb makes the direction obvious, so no confusion follows. Keep the 서 in writing, where the sentence has to stand on its own.

How to attach it

In use

1. 친구한테서 그 소식을 들었어요.

   I heard the news from a friend.

2. 동생한테서 우산을 빌렸어요.

   I borrowed an umbrella from my younger sibling.

3. 선배에게서 많은 것을 배웠습니다.

   I learned a great deal from my senior.

4. 부모님께 편지를 받았어요.

   I received a letter from my parents.

5. 고양이한테서 이상한 소리가 났어요.

   A strange sound came from the cat.

6. 누구한테서 그 이야기를 들었어요?

   Who did you hear that story from?

Compared with

• 에게 / 한테

  Without 서 the person receives; with 서 the person supplies. The verb usually settles which one you need.

  친구한테 줬어요. (gave to a friend)  /  친구한테서 받았어요. (received from a friend)

• 에서

  Same job, different kind of source. Places and organisations take 에서; people and animals take 에게서 or 한테서.

  회사에서 연락이 왔어요.  /  친구한테서 연락이 왔어요.

• 께

  There is no honorific form ending in 서. When the source deserves respect, 께 covers both directions and the verb carries the rest of the politeness.

  선생님께 배웠어요. (learned from the teacher)  /  선생님께 드렸어요. (gave to the teacher)

Watch out

• 회사한테서 연락을 받았어요.

  회사에서 연락을 받았어요.

  Organisations are places. Keep 한테서 and 에게서 for people and animals.

• 선생님한테서 배웠어요.

  선생님께 배웠어요.

  한테서 is too casual for someone you are honouring, and there is no 께서 form for sources. 께 handles both directions.

• 친구한테서 선물을 줬어요.

  친구한테 선물을 줬어요.

  주다 sends something outward, so the friend is the target, not the source. Drop the 서.

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