에 vs 에서 뜻: Location vs Action Place
Confused by 에 vs 에서? Learn “where you go” vs “where you do” with a quick checklist, simple examples, and drills—master
에 vs 에서 with “where it happens” vs “to/at” — taught using 장소 + 이동/행동 verbs and a mini decision checklist.
The trap
A super common mistake is using 에e for an action verb.
- Wrong:
저는 집에 공부해요.jeoneun jibe gongbuhaeyo. — I study at home. - Right:
저는 집에서 공부해요.jeoneun jibeseo gongbuhaeyo. — I study at home.
I still remember my first week in Seoul: I told a friend I’d “study at a cafe” and used 카페에 공부할게요kapee gongbuhalgeyo. They understood me, but corrected it right away—because studying is an action that happens in a place.
Quick cheat sheet
Expressions in this post
에e points to a destination or a place where someone/something is. Beginners often overuse it because English “at” can mean both “destination” and “action place.”
Typical contexts
- Going/coming:
에e +가다gada /오다oda저는 학교에 가요.jeoneun hakgyoe gayo. — I go to school.친구가 집에 와요.chinguga jibe wayo. — My friend comes to my house.
- Existence/location:
에e +있다itda책이 가방에 있어요.chaegi gabae isseoyo. — The book is in the bag.
Rewrite drill (swap to 에서)
Fix the particle so the sentence sounds natural.
저는 학교에 공부해요.jeoneun hakgyoe gongbuhaeyo. — I study at school.언니는 회사에 일해요.eonnineun hoesae ilhaeyo. — My older sister works at a company.저는 카페에 한국어를 연습해요.jeoneun kapee hangugeoreul yeonseuphaeyo. — I practice Korean at a cafe.
Quick check answers:
저는 학교에서 공부해요.jeoneun hakgyoeseo gongbuhaeyo.언니는 회사에서 일해요.eonnineun hoesaeseo ilhaeyo.저는 카페에서 한국어를 연습해요.jeoneun kapeeseo hangugeoreul yeonseuphaeyo.
에서eseo marks the place where an action happens. It’s the “action-place” particle.
Typical contexts
- Studying/working:
에서eseo +공부하다gongbuhada /일하다ilhada저는 도서관에서 공부해요.jeoneun doseogwaneseo gongbuhaeyo. — I study at the library.아빠는 회사에서 일해요.appaneun hoesaeseo ilhaeyo. — My dad works at a company.
- Everyday actions:
우리는 집에서 밥을 먹어요.urineun jibeseo babeul meogeoyo. — We eat at home.저는 카페에서 친구를 만나요.jeoneun kapeeseo chingureul mannayo. — I meet a friend at a cafe.
Rewrite drill (swap to 에)
Here, the verb is movement, so switch to 에e.
지금 학교에서 가요.jigeum hakgyoeseo gayo. — I’m going to school now.저는 집에서 와요.jeoneun jibeseo wayo. — I come to home.내일 회사에서 갈 거예요.naeil hoesaeseo gal geoyeyo. — I will go to the office tomorrow.
Quick check answers:
지금 학교에 가요.jigeum hakgyoe gayo.저는 집에 와요.jeoneun jibe wayo.내일 회사에 갈 거예요.naeil hoesae gal geoyeyo.
Comparison table
| What you mean | Use | Typical verbs | Quick example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Destination / arrival | 에e | 가다gada, 오다oda | 집에 가요.jibe gayo. — I go home. |
| Location of existence | 에e | 있다itda | 휴대폰이 가방에 있어요.hyudaeponi gabae isseoyo. — My phone is in the bag. |
| Place where an action happens | 에서eseo | 공부하다gongbuhada, 일하다ilhada, 먹다meokda | 카페에서 공부해요.kapeeseo gongbuhaeyo. — I study at a cafe. |
Minimal pairs (same place, different meaning)
학교에 가요.hakgyoe gayo. — I go to school. /학교에서 공부해요.hakgyoeseo gongbuhaeyo. — I study at school.회사에 가요.hoesae gayo. — I go to the office. /회사에서 일해요.hoesaeseo ilhaeyo. — I work at the office.집에 와요.jibe wayo. — I come home. /집에서 쉬어요.jibeseo swieoyo. — I rest at home.
Mini quiz: fill in the blanks (6)
Fill in each blank with 에e or 에서eseo.
저는 집____ 있어요.jeoneun jip____ isseoyo. — I’m at home.저는 집____ 공부해요.jeoneun jip____ gongbuhaeyo. — I study at home.내일 학교____ 가요.naeil hakgyo____ gayo. — I go to school tomorrow.저는 학교____ 한국어를 연습해요.jeoneun hakgyo____ hangugeoreul yeonseuphaeyo. — I practice Korean at school.친구가 카페____ 와요.chinguga kape____ wayo. — My friend comes to the cafe.우리는 카페____ 커피를 마셔요.urineun kape____ keopireul masyeoyo. — We drink coffee at a cafe.
Answers:
에e에서eseo에e에서eseo에e에서eseo
Notes:
- Q1:
있다itda is about where something/someone exists, so use에e. - Q2: Studying is an action happening in a place, so use
에서eseo. - Q3:
가다gada is movement toward a destination, so use에e. - Q4: Practicing is an action in a place, so use
에서eseo. - Q5:
오다oda is movement (arrival), so use에e. - Q6: Drinking coffee is an action in a place, so use
에서eseo.
Next steps: pick one place you go every day (like 학교hakgyo or 회사hoesa) and make two sentences—one with 에e + 가다/오다gada/oda, and one with 에서eseo + an action verb.