1 · Particles
에서: where something happens, and "from"
the particle of the place of action
에서 marks the place where an action happens and the place a movement starts from.
에서 has one shape after vowels and consonants: 학교에서, 카페에서. After 여기, 거기, 저기 and 어디 speech shortens it to 서: 여기서, 어디서. Its first job is to mark the stage of an action: 도서관에서 공부해요, 식당에서 밥을 먹어요.
The choice between 에 and 에서 is decided by the verb. If it only says that someone or something is there or arrives there, the place takes 에; if something is done there, 에서. 회사에 있어요, "I am at the office"; 회사에서 일해요, "I work at the office". English uses "at" for both, which is why English speakers mix them up.
Its second job is "from": with verbs of movement, 에서 marks the starting point. 어디에서 왔어요?, "where did you come from?", is the usual way to ask where someone is from, and the answer is 영국에서 왔어요. Together with 까지 it gives "from … to" for places: 집에서 학교까지.
Two limits. "From" a person is not 에서 but 에게서 or 한테서, and "from" a point in time is 부터. 에서 is for places — and for organisations, which are a kind of place: 회사에서 연락이 왔어요, "the company got in touch".
The form
| where an action happens | 카페에서 친구를 만나요. |
| where you come from | 영국에서 왔어요. |
| from one place to another | 집에서 회사까지 |
| shortened after here, there, where | 여기서, 어디서 |
| compare: just being there | 카페에 있어요. |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
에서 marks the place where an action happens.
저는 학교 식당에서 점심을 먹어요.I have lunch in the school canteen.
If the verb only says that something is there, use 에; if something is done there, use 에서.
언니는 병원에서 일해요.My older sister works at a hospital.
With verbs of coming and leaving, 에서 marks where the movement starts.
저는 런던에서 왔어요.I am from London.
After 여기, 거기, 저기 and 어디, speech shortens it to 서.
어디서 만날까요?Where shall we meet?
A closer look
Pairs that turn on the particle
Set side by side, the two particles show their logic. 방에 있어요, "I am in my room", but 방에서 자요, "I sleep in my room". 의자에 앉아요, "I sit down on the chair" — the chair is where the body arrives — but 의자에서 일어나요, "I get up from the chair" — the chair is where the movement starts.
In news reports and notices, 에서 on an organisation works almost like a subject: 학교에서 안내문을 보냈어요, "the school sent out a notice". Korean treats the school as the place the action came from, where English makes it the doer.
Exceptions and special cases (2)
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the verb is 살다 (live)
both 에 and 에서 are correct.
저는 서울에 살아요.I live in Seoul.
Living is both a state of being somewhere and something you do there.
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the verb is 앉다, 서다 or 눕다 (sit, stand, lie down)
the place takes 에, although something is done.
여기에 앉으세요.Please sit here.
The body moves onto the place, so Korean treats it as a destination, like the end point of going somewhere.
How to spot it
- 에서
- 여기서
- 어디서
- 에서 … 까지
Example sentences
우리는 공원에서 산책해요.We go for a walk in the park.
저는 도서관에서 숙제를 해요.I do my homework in the library.
어디에서 왔어요?Where are you from?
동생은 백화점에서 옷을 샀어요.My younger sibling bought clothes at the department store.
집에서 학교까지 멀어요?Is it far from home to school?
여기서 사진을 찍어도 돼요?May I take photos here?
7 more example sentences
친구하고 카페에서 이야기했어요.I talked with a friend in a cafe.
아이들이 운동장에서 놀아요.The children are playing in the playground.
저는 인터넷에서 책을 자주 사요.I often buy books online.
이 버스는 시청에서 출발해요.This bus departs from City Hall.
거기서 잠깐만 기다려 주세요.Please wait there a moment.
부엌에서 좋은 냄새가 나요.There is a nice smell coming from the kitchen.
저는 한국에서 한국어를 배웠어요.I learned Korean in Korea.
Worth knowing (1)
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에서 for a place, 부터 for a time
English "from" covers both, Korean does not: a starting place takes 에서, a starting time takes 부터. Both pair with 까지.
아홉 시부터 다섯 시까지 회사에서 일해요.I work at the office from nine to five.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
Studying is something done in a place, so the place takes 에서. English "at" covers both cases, but Korean asks: is something happening there (에서), or is someone simply there or going there (에)?
Eseo is the stage: where things are done, and where they start from.
Your turn
10 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.