Korean grammar · Beginner (A1)
을/를, 에, 에서 and (으)로
The object particle 을/를 and when it's dropped, 에 for place, destination and time, 에서 for where things happen, and (으)로 for direction and means.
을/를: the object
The object is the thing an action is done to: the coffee you drink, the friend you meet. It takes 을 after a consonant and 를 after a vowel: (mureul masyeoyo), I drink water; (keopireul masyeoyo), I drink coffee.
Some verbs take an object in Korean where English uses a preposition: (chingureul mannayo), I meet (with) a friend; (beoseureul tayo), I take (literally “ride”) the bus.
In everyday speech 을 / 를 is often dropped, especially in short sentences and when ordering: (keikeu juseyo), cake, please. Keep it when you want to be clear or to stress the object.
| After a consonant: 을 | After a vowel: 를 |
|---|---|
| (mureul) water | (keopireul) coffee |
| (ppangeul) bread | (keikeureul) cake |
| (chaegeul) a book | (yeonghwareul) a film |
| (eumageul) music | (hangugeoreul) Korean |
- 케이크를 주세요.Keikeureul juseyo.Cake, please.
- 저는 매일 책을 읽어요.Jeoneun maeil chaegeul ilgeoyo.I read books every day.
- 주말에 친구를 만나요.Jumare chingureul mannayo.I'm meeting a friend at the weekend.
- 커피 마셔요?Keopi masyeoyo?Do you drink coffee?
에: where something is, where you go, when
에 has one form after consonants and vowels alike. It marks the place where something is (with , , ), the place you go or come to, and the time when something happens.
Don't use 에 with (oneul, today), (naeil, tomorrow), (eoje, yesterday) or (jigeum, now): (naeil mannayo), see you tomorrow. With days and clock times it is needed: (woryoire, on Monday), (se sie, at three).
에 also means “per” with prices and frequency: (han gaee cheon won), a thousand won each; (iljuire du beon), twice a week.
| Use | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| where something is | (jibe isseoyo) | I'm at home. |
| where you go | (hoesae gayo) | I'm going to work. |
| when | (ilgop sie ireonayo) | I get up at seven. |
| per | (han gaee cheon wonieyo) | They're a thousand won each. |
- 화장실은 이 층에 있어요.Hwajangsireun i cheunge isseoyo.The toilet is on this floor.
- 토요일에 부산에 가요.Toyoire Busane gayo.I'm going to Busan on Saturday.
에서: where something happens, and “from”
에서 marks the place where an action happens: (hoesaeseo ilhaeyo), I work at the office. Compare (hoesae isseoyo), I'm at the office: being somewhere takes 에, doing something somewhere takes 에서.
에서 also means “from” a place: (Kaenadaeseo wasseoyo), I'm from Canada (literally “I came from Canada”). For “from” a time, use 부터 instead: (ahop sibuteo), from nine o'clock.
| 에 | 에서 |
|---|---|
| (jibe isseoyo) I'm at home. | (jibeseo swieoyo) I'm resting at home. |
| (hakgyoe gayo) I'm going to school. | (hakgyoeseo gongbuhaeyo) I study at school. |
| (Seoure sarayo) I live in Seoul. | (Seoureseo wasseoyo) I'm from Seoul. |
- 카페에서 친구를 만나요.Kapeeseo chingureul mannayo.I'm meeting a friend at a café.
- 어디에서 왔어요?Eodieseo wasseoyo?Where are you from?
- 저는 은행에서 일해요.Jeoneun eunhaengeseo ilhaeyo.I work at a bank.
(으)로: towards, by, as
로 goes after a vowel or ㄹ, and 으로 after any other consonant. It shows the direction you move in: (oreunjjogeuro gaseyo), go to the right. 에 names the destination; (으)로 stresses the way you're heading.
It also shows the means, what you use or travel by: (jihacheollo gayo), I go by subway; (kadeuro gyesanhalgeyo), I'll pay by card. And it marks a choice: (igeollo juseyo), I'll have this one.
| After a vowel | After ㄹ | After another consonant |
|---|---|---|
| (beoseuro) by bus | (jihacheollo) by subway | (oreunjjogeuro) to the right |
| (kadeuro) by card | (igeollo) this one | (hyeongeumeuro) in cash |
| (hakgyoro) towards school | (Seoullo) towards Seoul | (ihoseoneuro) on line 2 |
- 오른쪽으로 가세요.Oreunjjogeuro gaseyo.Go to the right.
- 지하철로 가요.Jihacheollo gayo.I go by subway.
- 이걸로 주세요.Igeollo juseyo.I'll have this one, please.
- 카드로 계산할게요.Kadeuro gyesanhalgeyo.I'll pay by card.