한테 / 에게 / 께
Recipient Particles
Particles meaning 'to' a person, used with different levels of politeness: 께 (honorific), 에게 (formal/written), and 한테 (casual/spoken).
How It Works
These three particles are crucial for indicating the direction of an action towards a person or living being. Choosing the correct one depends entirely on the context and your relationship with the person you are talking to and about.
1. 한테 (Casual/Spoken)
This is the most common particle in daily conversation among friends, family, or people of similar age. It feels natural and friendly.
- 친구한테 전화했어요. (I called my friend.)
2. 에게 (Formal/Written)
You will often see 에게 in books, emails, formal speeches, and news articles. While it can be used in speech, it sounds slightly more formal or neutral than 한테.
- 모든 학생에게 공지사항을 전달했습니다. (We delivered the notice to all students.)
3. 께 (Honorific)
께 is used exclusively for people you must show a high level of respect to, such as grandparents, professors, or a company president. When using 께, you often need to use other honorific words in the sentence, like the verb 드리다 (to give, honorific) instead of 주다.
- 사장님께 보고서를 드렸습니다. (I gave the report to the company president.)
Important Note: These particles are only for animate beings (people, animals). For inanimate objects or places, you must use the particle 에.
- 학교에 가요. (I go to school.) - Correct
- 학교한테 가요. - Incorrect
Examples (4)
- 동생한테 문자를 보냈어.
I sent a text message to my younger sibling.
Word by Word: Younger sibling-to text message sent.
한테 is used because the speaker is talking casually to or about their younger sibling.
- 고양이한테 밥을 줬어요.
I gave food to the cat.
Word by Word: Cat-to food gave.
한테 can also be used for animals.
- 저는 선생님에게 질문을 했습니다.
I asked the teacher a question.
Word by Word: I teacher-to question did.
에게 is used here for a more neutral or slightly formal context, suitable for a teacher-student relationship in a written or formal setting.
- 부모님께 선물을 드렸어요.
I gave a present to my parents.
Word by Word: Parents-to (honorific) present gave (honorific).
The honorific particle 께 is used for parents to show respect. Note that the verb also changes from 주다 to the honorific form 드리다.
Common Mistakes
Using 한테/에게/께 for places or inanimate objects.
Not Quite저는 회사에게 이메일을 보냈어요.Better저는 회사에 이메일을 보냈어요.한테, 에게, and 께 are only used for people and animals. For companies, buildings, or objects, you must use the particle 에.
Mismatching the formality level of the particle and the verb.
Not Quite할아버지께 선물을 줬어요.Better할아버지께 선물을 드렸어요.When using the honorific particle 께, you should also use the corresponding honorific verb. The honorific version of 주다 (to give) is 드리다. Using 줬어요 with 께 is a politeness mismatch.
Using 에게 in very casual conversation.
Different Meaning친구에게 밥 먹자고 했어.Better친구한테 밥 먹자고 했어.While not grammatically incorrect, using 에게 with a close friend in casual speech can sound a bit stiff or distant. 한테 is much more natural in this context.
Learn This First
This comparison helps you understand the differences between 한테 and 에게 and 께. Study each pattern individually first.
Related Patterns
- -에게서From (A Person)
These are the counterparts to 에게 and 한테, meaning 'from (a person)'. -에게서 is formal/written, while -한테서 is the casual/spoken equivalent.
- 에To, At
에 also means 'to', but it is used for places and inanimate objects. Learners often confuse it with 에게/한테. Remember: 에게/한테 is for people/animals, 에 is for places/things.
- -아/어 드리다Do for (Honorific)
This is the honorific version of -아/어 주다 ('to do something for someone'). It is almost always used together with the honorific particle 께 to show respect.
- Honorific forms
The particle 께 is a key part of the Korean honorifics system. Understanding it requires knowing about other honorific forms, such as special nouns and verbs.