📍 Difference Between ~에 and ~에서 in Korean

Confused between ~에 and ~에서? You're not alone! These two particles are some of the most commonly used — and most commonly mixed up — by Korean learners. Let’s break down the difference so you can master location expressions like a native. 🗺️

📘 Table of Contents

1. Basic Meaning
2. Key Differences at a Glance
3. Examples in Everyday Sentences
4. Which Verbs Go with ~에 vs ~에서?
5. 💡 Did You Know?
6. 🧠 Self-Learning Tips
7. Learn More Korean

1. Basic Meaning

~에 indicates location or destination — where something is or is going to.

~에서 indicates location of action — where something happens.

~에 → To / At (Existence or destination)
~에서 → At / From (Action, activity, origin)

2. Key Differences at a Glance

Particle	Main Function	Typical Use
~에	Destination, existence	있다 (to be), 가다 (to go), 오다 (to come)
~에서	Action location, origin	하다 (to do), 먹다 (to eat), 시작하다 (to start)

3. Examples in Everyday Sentences

Expression	Romanization	English
학교에 가요.	hakgyoe gayo	I’m going to school.
학교에 있어요.	hakgyoe isseoyo	I am at school.
학교에서 공부해요.	hakgyoeseo gongbuhaeyo	I study at school.
카페에서 커피를 마셔요.	kapeseo keopireul masyeoyo	I drink coffee at a café.
집에 와요.	jibe wayo	I come home.
집에서 요리해요.	jibeseo yoriihaeyo	I cook at home.

4. Which Verbs Go with ~에 vs ~에서?

✅ Verbs with ~에:

가다 (gada) → to go
오다 (oda) → to come
있다 (itda) → to be/exist
머무르다 (meomureuda) → to stay

✅ Verbs with ~에서:

하다 (hada) → to do
공부하다 (gongbuhada) → to study
먹다 (meokda) → to eat
일하다 (ilhada) → to work
출발하다 (chulbalhada) → to depart from

🎯 Tip: Think of ~에 as “location or direction” and ~에서 as “action or movement from that location.”

5. 💡 Did You Know?

💡 Koreans sometimes play on this grammar in jokes. Example: “학교에 갔는데 공부는 집에서 해요!” (I went to school, but I study at home!) → A common student joke about skipping school but still “studying.”

💡 Subway announcements in Korea use both particles: “서울역에 도착했습니다.” (We have arrived at Seoul Station) vs “서울역에서 환승하세요.” (Please transfer at Seoul Station)

6. 🧠 Self-Learning Tips

🗺️ Make two columns: one with ~에 and one with ~에서. Write 5 verbs for each!
✏️ Write your own day in Korean: “I go to X. I do Y at X.”
🎧 Listen to K-dramas or subway announcements — spot the difference!

Quick Quiz:
Which is correct? 1) 저는 도서관__ 책을 읽어요. ✅ Answer: 도서관에서

7. 🎓 Learn More Korean

Struggling with Korean particles? You’re not alone. Let’s practice together with real-life examples and conversation drills!

👉 Book a class with me on italki — I’ll help you feel confident using even the trickiest grammar points.