Example

Still confused about 에 and 에서? Let's End That Today!

안녕하세요! This is Kun, your Korean teacher!

They’re short. They’re everywhere.

They’re in your textbook, your K-drama subtitles, and every Korean sentence you speak.

But… even advanced learners still trip over them. 😅

We’re talking about 에 and 에서—those deceptively simple particles that carry so much weight in Korean grammar.

So let’s finally clear them up—and make sure they stick.

🌟 에 – The location and time Particle
Used for: Location (existence), direction, and time 

1️⃣ 📍 Location of existence – Where something is

Think of this like placing something somewhere. In this case, the verb is about presence like ‘있다 (to exist)’, ‘없다 (to not exist)’, ‘많다 (to exist a lot)’, and ‘적다 (to exist a little)’.

• 책이 가방에 있어요. (The book is in the bag.)

• 고양이가 방에 없어요. (The cat is not in the room.)

  Here, nothing is happening—it’s just there.

2️⃣ 🚶 Destination – Where something goes

When someone or something is headed somewhere, 에 is your go-to, so in this case the location is a destination.

• 친구가 집에 가요. (My friend is going home.)

• 저는 회사에 와요. (I come to the office.)

  It’s all about movement to a place.

3️⃣ 🕒 Time marker – When something happens

에 is also used for specific times.

• 우리는 7시에 만나요. (We meet at 7.)

• 시험은 금요일에 있어요. (The test is on Friday.)

  It tells you when something is happening, like a pin on a calendar.

💥 에서 – The “from” or “where something happens” Particle
Used for: Location of an action, and origin

1️⃣ 🎬 Location of action – Where something happens

If someone is doing something in a place, you need 에서. In this case, an action takes place in a location.

• 저는 학교에서 공부해요. (I study at school.)

• 친구랑 카페에서 얘기했어요. (I chatted with a friend at a café.)

  The focus is on the activity, not just the place.

2️⃣ ✈️ Starting point – Where something comes from

This is when something starts from a place.

• 저는 한국에서 왔어요. (I came from Korea.)
• 편지가 미국에서 도착했어요. (The letter arrived from the U.S.)

❌ Common Mix-Ups (That Everyone Makes)

• ❌ 학교에 공부해요.

  ✅ 학교에서 공부해요. (Because you're doing something there.)

• ❌ 영화는 7시에서 시작해요.

  ✅ 영화는 7시에 시작해요. (Because it’s about time, not location.)

Tiny change, totally different meaning. That's why it's so easy to mess up—and so satisfying when you finally get it right. 🎯

💡 Quick Recap: