Unit 6 · Lesson 3
And, with, and to a person: 하고, (이)랑, 한테
about 7 min · Goal: Join two nouns and say who you did something with using 하고 or (이)랑, and mark who receives something with 한테 or 에게
하고: “and” between nouns, “with” after a person
- 빵하고 우유를 샀어요I bought bread and milk.
- 친구하고 영화를 봤어요I watched a film with a friend.
- 하고and (between nouns); with (a person)
빵하고 우유를 샀어요 — I bought bread and milk. 친구하고 영화를 봤어요 — I watched a film with a friend.
One particle, two jobs. Between two nouns 하고 is “and”. After a person, with an action following, it is “with”. It attaches straight to the noun and never changes shape. In the first sentence only the last noun carries 를: 하고 holds the pair together and the object particle closes it.
Do first: Too, only, and whose: 도, 만, 의
Lesson notes
Everything explained in this lesson, on one page.
하고: “and” between nouns, “with” after a person
빵하고 우유를 샀어요 — I bought bread and milk. 친구하고 영화를 봤어요 — I watched a film with a friend.
One particle, two jobs. Between two nouns 하고 is “and”. After a person, with an action following, it is “with”. It attaches straight to the noun and never changes shape. In the first sentence only the last noun carries 를: 하고 holds the pair together and the object particle closes it.
The casual twin: 랑 and 이랑
친구랑 같이 밥을 먹었어요 — I ate with a friend. 동생이랑 공원에 갔어요 — I went to the park with my younger sibling. 커피랑 빵 주세요 — a coffee and some bread, please.
This particle does the same two jobs as 하고 and sounds a little more casual. Its shape depends on the noun: 랑 after a vowel, 이랑 after a final consonant. In the “with” meaning, 같이 (together) often follows.
In writing you will see 와 and 과
On a menu, 커피랑 빵 would be printed as 커피와 빵; the other way round, 빵과 커피. This is the written word for “and” and “with”.
Its two shapes go against what you might guess: 와 after a vowel, 과 after a final consonant. You only need to recognise it. When you speak, keep using 하고 or 랑 / 이랑.
한테 marks the person who receives
친구한테 선물을 줬어요 — I gave a present to a friend. 저는 고양이한테 밥을 줘요 — I give food to the cat.
The pattern is receiver + 한테, then the thing with 을 / 를, then the verb. English can say “gave my friend a present” with no “to”; Korean always marks the receiver. 한테 is for people and animals only. “To” a place stays 에, as in 학교에 가요.
Sending, and the written form 에게
편지 letter, 이메일 email, 보내요 send (dictionary form 보내다).
친구에게 편지를 보내요 — I send a letter to a friend. 민수 씨한테 이메일을 보냈어요 — I sent Minsu an email. 에게 and 한테 are the same particle in two styles: 에게 belongs to writing, 한테 to conversation. Either is understood anywhere; when you speak, 한테 is the natural one.
Asking and talking
질문이 있어요 — I have a question. 선생님한테 물어봐요 — ask the teacher. In English the teacher is the direct object of “ask”. In Korean the person you ask is someone you direct a question to, so they take 한테.
친구하고 이야기해요 — I talk with a friend. One more form to recognise: 한테서 is “from” a person. 친구한테서 선물을 받았어요 — I got a present from a friend.
What to remember
- 하고 and (이)랑 mean “and” between nouns and “with” after a person: 빵하고 우유, 친구랑 같이.
- 랑 after a vowel, 이랑 after a final consonant. 하고 never changes.
- 한테 marks the person or animal who receives or is asked: 친구한테 줬어요, 선생님한테 물어봐요.
- 에게 and 와/과 are the written counterparts of 한테 and 하고.
Easy to mix up
- “To” a place is 에; “to” a person is 한테. 친구에 줬어요 is wrong.
- 하고 is “with” (together); 한테 is “to” (receiver). 동생하고 줬어요 does not say who got the present.
- In the written pair, 와 follows a vowel and 과 a final consonant: 커피와 빵, 빵과 커피. Recognise them; say 하고 or (이)랑.