The Korean suffix -에게 is a dative marker used to indicate the recipient or target of an action. It is similar to the English prepositions “to” or “for”, depending on the context.
Usage of -에게:
- Indicating the Recipient of an Action
- Used when giving, telling, or showing something to someone.
- Example:
- 친구에게 선물을 줬어요. → “I gave a gift to my friend.”
- 선생님에게 질문했어요. → “I asked a question to the teacher.”
- Expressing Direction Toward Someone
- Indicates who is affected by an action.
- Example:
- 그녀에게 편지를 썼어요. → “I wrote a letter to her.”
- 아이에게 책을 읽어 줬어요. → “I read a book to the child.”
- Comparison with -한테 (Casual Form)
- Difference Between -에게 and -에게서