Object and Place

Korean Grammar 1

Course 1 Β· Chapter 4 Β· Object, Place and Direction Particles

πŸ“ Object, Place and Direction Particles β€” 을/λ₯Ό, 에, μ—μ„œ, 으둜, 와/κ³Ό, 도

Korean Grammar 1, chapter 3 gave you the particles that mark the topic and the subject. This chapter adds the rest of the everyday set: the one that marks the object, the ones that say where, by what means and with whom, and the one that means also. Where English uses word order and prepositions (to, at, with), Korean attaches a small particle to the noun.

The rule in one box Some particles have two forms, chosen by the last sound of the noun, exactly as in Chapter 3: 을/λ₯Ό (object), 으둜/둜 (direction, means) and κ³Ό/와 (with, and). The others are one form only: 에 (to, at, in), μ—μ„œ (at, from) and 도 (also).

The object particle 을/λ₯Ό

The particle marks the thing that the verb acts on: 을 after a noun that ends in a consonant, λ₯Ό after a noun that ends in a vowel. The object comes before the verb (Korean Grammar 1, chapter 1).

Noun+ objectExample sentence
사과 sagwa apple 사과λ₯Ό 사과λ₯Ό λ¨Ήμ–΄μš”.
sagwa-reul meogeoyo. (I) eat an apple.
λ¬Ό mul water 물을 mul-eul [무λ₯Ό] 물을 λ§ˆμ…”μš”.
mul-eul masyeoyo. (I) drink water.
μ±… chaek book 책을 chaeg-eul [채글] 책을 μ½μ–΄μš”.
chaeg-eul ilgeoyo. (I) read a book.
친ꡬ chingu friend 친ꡬλ₯Ό 친ꡬλ₯Ό λ§Œλ‚˜μš”.
chingu-reul mannayo. (I) meet a friend.
Watch out: the Korean object is not always an English object Some verbs that take a preposition in English take 을/λ₯Ό in Korean. 친ꡬλ₯Ό λ§Œλ‚˜μš” is "meet a friend" (no "with"), and 사과λ₯Ό μ’‹μ•„ν•΄μš” sagwa-reul joahaeyo is "(I) like apples". The reverse also happens, so learn each verb with its particle.
Watch out: 을/λ₯Ό is often dropped in speech In casual conversation λ¬Ό λ§ˆμ…”μš” is as common as 물을 λ§ˆμ…”μš”. Write it in full while learning; expect it missing when you listen.

에: to, at, in (a place or a time)

에 never changes. It marks the destination of going and coming, the place where something is or exists, and a time.

UseExampleMeaning
destination 학ꡐ에 κ°€μš”.
hakgyo-e gayo.		 (I) go to school.
where something is 집에 μžˆμ–΄μš”.
jib-e isseoyo.		 (I) am at home.
where someone lives μ„œμšΈμ— μ‚΄μ•„μš”.
seoul-e sarayo.		 (I) live in Seoul.
a time of day 아침에 컀피λ₯Ό λ§ˆμ…”μš”.
achim-e keopi-reul masyeoyo.		 (I) drink coffee in the morning.

μ—μ„œ: where an action happens, or where it starts

μ—μ„œ also never changes. It marks the place where an action takes place (reading, eating, working) and the place something comes from.

UseExampleMeaning
where an action happens λ„μ„œκ΄€μ—μ„œ 책을 μ½μ–΄μš”.
doseogwan-eseo chaeg-eul ilgeoyo.		 (I) read a book at the library.
where it starts (from) μΉœκ΅¬κ°€ ν•œκ΅­μ—μ„œ μ™€μš”.
chingu-ga hanguk-eseo wayo.		 My friend comes from Korea.
Watch out: 에 or μ—μ„œ? Ask what the verb does. If the verb is about being, living or going to a place (μžˆλ‹€ to be, μ‚΄λ‹€ to live, κ°€λ‹€ to go, μ˜€λ‹€ to come), use 에. If the verb is an action carried out in a place (read, eat, study, work), use μ—μ„œ. Compare 집에 μžˆμ–΄μš” (I am at home) with μ§‘μ—μ„œ λ¨Ήμ–΄μš” (I eat at home).

으둜/둜: direction and means

The particle marks the direction something moves in ("toward") and the means or tool used ("by, with"). The form depends on the last sound:

Noun ends inParticleExample
a vowel 둜 ro λ²„μŠ€λ‘œ κ°€μš”. beoseu-ro gayo. (I) go by bus.
the consonant γ„Ή 둜 ro μ„œμšΈλ‘œ κ°€μš”. seoul-lo gayo. (I) go to Seoul.
any other consonant 으둜 euro μ†μœΌλ‘œ λ¨Ήμ–΄μš”. son-euro meogeoyo. (I) eat with my hands.
any other consonant 으둜 euro μ§‘μœΌλ‘œ κ°€μš”. jib-euro gayo. (I) go home (toward home).
Watch out: γ„Ή counts as a vowel for this particle Nouns ending in γ„Ή take 둜, not 으둜: μ„œμšΈλ‘œ, 물둜 (with water). This is the one place where the "consonant means 으" rule has an exception. Also compare 학ꡐ에 κ°€μš” (the school is the destination) with ν•™κ΅λ‘œ κ°€μš” (heading toward the school): 에 names the goal, 으둜/둜 stresses the direction.

κ³Ό/와: with, and

The particle links nouns ("A and B") or says who accompanies you ("with"). The form depends on the last sound: κ³Ό after a consonant, 와 after a vowel. Careful: unlike 은/λŠ” and 을/λ₯Ό, the consonant form κ³Ό itself begins with a consonant, so its pairing looks "backwards" at first.

ExampleMeaningNote
μΉœκ΅¬μ™€ κ°€μš”.
chingu-wa gayo.		 (I) go with a friend. vowel β†’ 와
μ±…κ³Ό μ—°ν•„
chaek-gwa yeonpil		 a book and a pencil consonant β†’ κ³Ό

In speech you will mostly hear ν•˜κ³  hago instead, which has one form for every noun (μΉœκ΅¬ν•˜κ³  κ°€μš”, μ±…ν•˜κ³  μ—°ν•„), and in casual talk (이)λž‘ (i)rang. κ³Ό/와 is the neater form in writing.

도: also, too

도 is one form and goes after any noun. It replaces 은/λŠ”, 이/κ°€ and 을/λ₯Ό and adds the meaning "also".

ExampleMeaningReplaces
저도 ν•™μƒμ΄μ—μš”.
jeo-do haksaeng-ieyo.		 I am a student too. μ €λŠ”
컀피도 λ§ˆμ…”μš”.
keopi-do masyeoyo.		 (I) drink coffee too. 컀피λ₯Ό

It does not replace 에, μ—μ„œ or 으둜, but is added after them: 학ꡐ에도 κ°€μš” (I go to school too), λ„μ„œκ΄€μ—μ„œλ„ μ½μ–΄μš” (I read at the library too). The topic particle can be added after them in the same way: ν•™κ΅μ—λŠ”.

Two more you will see: 의 and μ—κ²Œ/ν•œν…Œ

ParticleMeaningExample
의 ui (said "e" in this use) of, 's (possession) 친ꡬ의 μ±… chingu-ui chaek: my friend's book
μ—κ²Œ ege / ν•œν…Œ hante to (a person), from a person: indirect object μΉœκ΅¬μ—κ²Œ 책을 μ€˜μš”. chingu-ege chaek-eul jwoyo. (I) give my friend a book.

πŸ—£οΈ In Use β€” μ‹€μ œ 예문

Read each exchange aloud and name the job of each particle.

β‘  Where do you read?

A: μ–΄λ””μ—μ„œ 책을 μ½μ–΄μš”? eodi-eseo chaeg-eul ilgeoyo? Where do you read books?
B: λ„μ„œκ΄€μ—μ„œ μ½μ–΄μš”. doseogwan-eseo ilgeoyo. I read at the library.

β‘‘ How do you go?

A: 학ꡐ에 μ–΄λ–»κ²Œ κ°€μš”? hakgyo-e eotteoke gayo? How do you go to school?
B: λ²„μŠ€λ‘œ κ°€μš”. μΉœκ΅¬λ„ λ²„μŠ€λ‘œ κ°€μš”. beoseu-ro gayo. chingu-do beoseu-ro gayo. I go by bus. My friend goes by bus too.

πŸ“‹ Quick Reference β€” μš”μ•½ν‘œ

ParticleAfterMeaning / use
을 / λ₯Όconsonant / vowelobject
에anyto, at, in; time; where something is or lives
μ—μ„œanyat, in (where an action happens); from
으둜 / 둜consonant / vowel or γ„Ήtoward; by (means or tool)
κ³Ό / 와consonant / voweland, with
도anyalso; replaces 은/λŠ”, 이/κ°€, 을/λ₯Ό
의anyof, 's
μ—κ²Œ / ν•œν…Œanyto a person

✏️ Try It Yourself β€” μ—°μŠ΅

Work out the answer first, then click to check.

1. Add the object particle: μ±…, 사과, λ¬Ό.

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책을, 사과λ₯Ό, 물을.

2. Say "(I) read a book at the library."

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λ„μ„œκ΄€μ—μ„œ 책을 μ½μ–΄μš”. (μ—μ„œ because reading is an action done in a place.)

3. Choose 에 or μ—μ„œ: 학ꡐ__ κ°€μš” and 학ꡐ__ κ³΅λΆ€ν•΄μš” (study at school).

Show answer

학ꡐ에 κ°€μš” (going to a place) and ν•™κ΅μ—μ„œ κ³΅λΆ€ν•΄μš” (an action in a place).

4. Add 으둜 or 둜: λ²„μŠ€, 손, μ„œμšΈ, 집.

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λ²„μŠ€λ‘œ (vowel), μ†μœΌλ‘œ (consonant), μ„œμšΈλ‘œ (γ„Ή takes 둜), μ§‘μœΌλ‘œ (consonant).

5. Choose κ³Ό or 와: 친ꡬ__, μ±…__.

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μΉœκ΅¬μ™€ (vowel) and μ±…κ³Ό (consonant).

6. Make "(I) drink coffee too" from 컀피λ₯Ό λ§ˆμ…”μš”.

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컀피도 λ§ˆμ…”μš”. 도 replaces λ₯Ό.

7. Make "I am a student too" using μ € and ν•™μƒμ΄μ—μš”.

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저도 ν•™μƒμ΄μ—μš”. 도 replaces λŠ”.

8. How is 물을 said?

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[무λ₯Ό] mureul: the final γ„Ή moves across to the silent γ…‡ of 을.

9. What is the difference between 학ꡐ에 κ°€μš” and ν•™κ΅λ‘œ κ°€μš”?

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The first names the school as the destination; the second stresses the direction ("toward the school").

10. Say "My friend's book" and "(I) give my friend a book".

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친ꡬ의 μ±… and μΉœκ΅¬μ—κ²Œ 책을 μ€˜μš”.

Coming up in Chapter 5: To Be. You will build "A is B" and "A is not B" with 이닀 and μ•„λ‹ˆλ‹€, using the topic and subject particles from Korean Grammar 1, chapter 3.