부터 / 에서
Starting Point
Use -부터 for time or order (from Monday, from here). Use -에서 for actions starting from a place (came from Seoul).
How It Works
Understanding the difference between -부터 and -에서 is key to correctly expressing starting points in Korean.
1. -부터 (From - Time/Order/Sequence)
Use -부터 to mark the starting point of time or the beginning of a range or sequence. It is often paired with -까지 (until, to).
- Time:
월요일부터(from Monday),오전 9시부터(from 9 AM) - Sequence/Range:
1페이지부터 10페이지까지(from page 1 to page 10),여기부터 시작합시다(Let's start from here).
2. -에서 (From - Location of Origin)
Use -에서 to mark the location where an action starts. It's most commonly used with verbs of movement like 오다 (to come), 가다 (to go), and 출발하다 (to depart).
서울에서 왔어요.(I came from Seoul.)집에서 출발했어요.(I departed from home.)미국에서 편지를 보냈어요.(I sent a letter from America.)
Key Distinction:
Think of it this way: if you are talking about a duration or a sequence, use -부터. If you are talking about the place an action physically began, use -에서.
Combining them: -에서부터
Sometimes you might see -에서 and -부터 combined as -에서부터. This is used to strongly emphasize the starting location of a journey or range.
집에서부터 학교까지 걸어왔어요.(I walked all the way from home to school.)
In this case, -에서 marks the location, and -부터 adds the 'starting point' emphasis.
Examples (5)
- 수업은 아침 9시부터 시작해요.
The class starts from 9 AM.
Word by Word: Class as for morning 9 o'clock from starts.
-부터 is used here because '9 AM' is a starting point in time.
- 저는 캐나다에서 왔어요.
I came from Canada.
Word by Word: I Canada from came.
-에서 is used because 'Canada' is the physical location of origin for the action 'to come' (왔어요).
- 여기부터 저기까지 뛰어갈 거예요.
I'm going to run from here to there.
Word by Word: Here from there to will run.
-부터 marks the starting point of a physical range or sequence ('from here'). It is paired with -까지 (to).
- 친구가 부산에서 선물을 보냈어요.
My friend sent a gift from Busan.
Word by Word: Friend Busan from gift sent.
The action of sending (보냈어요) originated from the location 'Busan', so -에서 is used.
- 어제부터 계속 비가 와요.
It has been raining continuously since yesterday.
Word by Word: Yesterday from continuously rain comes.
'Yesterday' is a point in time, so -부터 is the correct particle.
Common Mistakes
Using -부터 for the origin of movement.
Different Meaning저는 학교부터 왔어요.Better저는 학교에서 왔어요.When indicating the place you came from (the origin of movement), you must use -에서. -부터 is for time or sequence.
Using -에서 for a starting point in time.
Not Quite회의는 3시에서 시작합니다.Better회의는 3시부터 시작합니다.-에서 marks the location where an action happens. For a starting time like '3 o'clock', you must use -부터.
Learn This First
This comparison helps you understand the differences between 부터 and 에서. Study each pattern individually first.
Related Patterns
- 까지To, Until, By
-부터 and -까지 are a common pair used to express a range, meaning 'from A to B'. -부터 marks the start, and -까지 marks the end.
- 에To, At
While -에서 marks the origin of an action, -에 often marks the destination (e.g.,
학교에 가요- I go to school). They are a fundamental pair for describing movement. - 에 / 에서 / 로Location Particles
This comparison provides a broader context for location particles. It helps clarify how -에서 (origin/action location) differs from -에 (static location/destination) and -로 (direction/means).
- Core sentence particles
Both -부터 and -에서 are particles. Understanding the concept of sentence particles is essential for knowing how to attach them to nouns and their role in the sentence.