한테/에게 in Korean: “to (a person)”
한테/에게
hante/ege
to (a person)
Beginner · Particles
한테 (hante) and 에게 (ege) mean "to" a person or animal, as in giving, telling or sending something to someone. 한테 is the everyday spoken form and 에게 sounds more written or formal. For places and things, Korean uses 에 instead.
How to form it
| When | Add | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Person or animal noun (speech) | + 한테 | 친구 → 친구한테 |
| Person or animal noun (writing, formal) | + 에게 | 동생 → 동생에게 |
| Respected person (honorific) | + 께 | 할머니 → 할머니께 |
How to use it
Use 한테 or 에게 with verbs like 주다 (give), 말하다 (tell), 전화하다 (call), 보내다 (send) and 묻다 (ask): 친구한테 전화했어요 (I called my friend).
한테 and 에게 mean the same thing. 한테 is relaxed and common in conversation; 에게 is common in writing, speeches and news. Neither one is rude.
When the person is someone you show respect to, like a grandparent or teacher, use 께 and an honorific verb: 할머니께 드렸어요 (I gave it to Grandma).
These only work with living things. For a place or an organization, use 에: 회사에 전화했어요 (I called the company).
Examples
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Explaining what you did
Talking about a birthday
Checking with a roommate
Asking about a letter
Don’t mix it up with
에: 에 is "to" for places and things (학교에 가요), while 한테/에게 is "to" for people and animals (친구한테 줘요).
한테서: 한테서 means "from" a person (친구한테서 받았어요), while 한테 means "to" a person. In speech 서 is often dropped, so the verb tells you which one is meant.
Common mistakes
Using 한테 with a place, as in 학교한테 전화했어요. For places and organizations use 에: 학교에 전화했어요.
Want the basics first? Read 에 vs 에서.
Questions learners ask
What is the difference between 한테 and 에게?
They mean the same thing. 한테 is more casual and spoken, and 에게 is more common in writing or formal speech.
When do I use 께 instead?
Use 께 for people you show respect to, such as grandparents, teachers or customers, usually with an honorific verb like 드리다.