에게 vs 한테: Korean To Someone Particles

When an action is directed to a person, Korean commonly uses 에게 or 한테.

• 친구에게 선물을 줬어요. → I gave a gift to a friend.
• 친구한테 물어봤어요. → I asked a friend.

The core meaning is similar. The biggest practical difference is register: 에게 is neutral and common in writing; 한테 is extremely common in conversation.

For the wider system, review the Korean particles overview and practice noun roles with the particle checker.

에게: neutral, common in writing

Examples:

• 학생에게 설명했어요. → I explained it to the student.
• 친구에게 메시지를 보냈어요. → I sent a message to my friend.
• 동생에게 책을 줬어요. → I gave a book to my younger sibling.

You will see 에게 often in textbooks, writing, formal explanations, and neutral speech.

한테: conversational

Examples:

• 엄마한테 전화했어요. → I called Mom.
• 친구한테 물어봐요. → Ask your friend.
• 민지한테 말했어요. → I told Minji.

In ordinary conversation, 한테 often feels less bookish than 에게.

The verb decides whether a recipient makes sense

These particles frequently appear with verbs such as:

• 주다 → give
• 보내다 → send
• 말하다 → tell/say
• 물어보다 → ask
• 전화하다 → call
• 가르치다 → teach

Example structure:

저는 친구한테 한국어를 가르쳐요. → I teach Korean to my friend.

Here 친구한테 is the recipient/person affected, 한국어를 is the object, and 가르쳐요 is the verb.

Review 을/를 if these noun roles blur together.

“From someone”: 에게서 and 한테서

Add 서 when the person is the source:

• 친구에게서 편지를 받았어요. → I received a letter from a friend.
• 친구한테서 들었어요. → I heard it from a friend.

Again, 한테서 is especially common in conversation.

Do not use them for ordinary destinations

For places, use the location/direction system:

• 학교에 가요. → I go to school.
• 카페에서 공부해요. → I study at a cafe.

Not: 학교한테 가요.

Read 에 vs 에서 for that contrast.

What about 께?

You will also meet 께, an honorific recipient particle used toward someone deserving respect.

• 선생님께 질문했어요. → I asked the teacher a question.

It belongs with the broader honorific system, so review the Korean honorifics guide once 에게/한테 feels comfortable.

Mini practice

1. I called my friend. → 친구한테 전화했어요.
2. I sent a message to the teacher. → 선생님에게 메시지를 보냈어요.
3. I heard it from Minji. → 민지한테서 들었어요.
4. I go to school. → 학교에 가요.

Related guides

• 을/를 object marker
• 에 vs 에서
• Honorifics
• Particle checker
• Grammar map

The useful beginner distinction is simple: recipient person → 에게/한테; destination place → 에.