Particle 에게/한테 (to a person)

These particles are what linguists call "post-positions." This just means they come after the noun. They don't care if the noun ends in a vowel or a consonant. This is great news for you! You don't have to worry about tricky conjugation rules here. You just stick them onto the end of the person's name or title. It is like putting a sticker on a package. The package is the person, and the sticker says "To: This Person." You mainly use these for people and animals. Basically, if it has a heartbeat, these particles are usually the right choice. They help clarify who the "indirect object" is in your sentence. It is a simple way to make your Korean sound much more organized and natural. Yes, even native speakers mess up other particles, but these are pretty straightforward once you get the hang of the vibe.

1. 1Pick the noun you want to target. This should be a person or an animal.
2. 2Decide on the "vibe" or level of formality you need for the situation.
3. 3If you are writing an email, a formal paper, or giving a speech, choose 에게.
4. 4If you are chatting with a friend, family member, or speaking out loud in a casual setting, choose 한테.
5. 5Attach the particle directly to the end of the noun. Do not leave any spaces!
6. 6친구 (friend) + 한테 = 친구한테 (to a friend)
7. 7선생님 (teacher) + 에게 = 선생님에게 (to a teacher)
8. 8고양이 (cat) + 한테 = 고양이한테 (to a cat)

Use these particles when an action moves toward someone. Think about verbs like "to give" (주다), "to send" (보내다), "to call" (전화하다), or "to teach" (가르치다). If you are ordering food for a friend at a cafe, you might say "Give this to my friend." In Korean, that's 친구한테 주세요. If you are sending a text to your mom, use 엄마한테. It also works perfectly for animals! You can give a snack 강아지한테 (to the puppy). It is all about the recipient of the action. Even if the action isn't physical, like "telling a secret" or "asking a question," the information is moving toward someone. So, you need 한테 or 에게 to show the path. It’s like a grammar traffic light guiding the flow of your words.

Do not use these for places or inanimate objects. If you are going "to the park," do not use 공원한테. Use the place particle 에 instead. Parks don't have feelings or ears to hear you! Similarly, you don't give a gift "to a table." Also, watch out for social hierarchy. If you are talking to someone much older or in a significantly higher position, like a CEO or your grandfather, 에게 and 한테 are a bit too casual. In those cases, you should use the honorific version, 께. It is like the "VIP" version of "to." Using 한테 with your grandfather might make him raise an eyebrow, so keep 께 in your back pocket for those respectful moments.

The most common mistake is using 한테 for places. It sounds very strange to a Korean ear. It’s like saying "I’m going to my friend" when you actually mean "I’m going to my friend's house." Another common slip-up is using it for inanimate objects like a company or a school. Remember, these particles are for living things. Also, watch your spacing. There should be no space between the noun and the particle. Writing 친구 한테 is a small mistake, but 친구한테 is the correct way. Finally, don't use these when you are the one receiving the action. These particles only show who you are giving or doing something TO. If someone gives something to you, they will use the particle on your name!

Let's look at the "To" family. 에 is for places and non-living things. 에게 is for people and animals in formal or written settings. 한테 is for people and animals in casual or spoken settings. 께 is the polite, honorific version for elders or superiors. Think of it like a ladder. 한테 is the bottom rung (casual conversation), 에게 is the middle (standard or written), and 께 is the top (high respect). If you use 에 for a person, you are treating them like a building. If you use 한테 for a building, you are treating it like a person. Both are pretty funny mistakes that will make people smile, but you want to get it right to sound like a pro!