한테서/에게서 in Korean: “from (a person)”
한테서/에게서
hanteseo/egeseo
from (a person)
Beginner · Particles
한테서 (hanteseo) and 에게서 (egeseo) mean "from" a person, as in getting, hearing or learning something from someone. 한테서 is the spoken form and 에게서 sounds more written. For places, Korean uses 에서 instead.
How to form it
| When | Add | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Person or animal noun (speech) | + 한테서 | 친구 → 친구한테서 |
| Person or animal noun (writing, formal) | + 에게서 | 언니 → 언니에게서 |
| Short spoken form | + 한테 (with 받다, 듣다, 배우다) | 친구한테 받았어요 |
How to use it
Use 한테서 or 에게서 with verbs like 받다 (receive), 듣다 (hear), 배우다 (learn) and 빌리다 (borrow): 형한테서 배웠어요 (I learned it from my older brother).
In everyday speech, people often drop 서 and just say 한테: 친구한테 받았어요. The verb 받다 already makes it clear the thing came from the friend.
These are only for people and animals. For a place, use 에서: 학교에서 연락이 왔어요 (I got a message from the school).
Examples
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Checking your phone
Asking about gossip
Talking about an outfit
Explaining a skill
Don’t mix it up with
한테/에게: 한테 and 에게 mean "to" a person, while 한테서 and 에게서 mean "from" a person.
에서: 에서 is "from" a place (회사에서 왔어요), while 한테서 is "from" a person.
Common mistakes
Using 한테서 with a place, as in 회사한테서 연락이 왔어요. For places use 에서: 회사에서 연락이 왔어요.
Want the basics first? Read 에 vs 에서.
Questions learners ask
Can I just say 한테 instead of 한테서?
Often yes. With verbs like 받다, 듣다 and 배우다, people commonly drop 서 because the meaning is clear.
Is 에게서 more polite than 한테서?
Not more polite, just more formal and written. In conversation 한테서 or 한테 is normal at any politeness level.