Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Korean grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about eoje seonsaengnimkke jilmuneul dowadallago butakhaesseoyo.
What role does 께 play in 선생님께, and how is it different from 에게?
께 is an honorific dative particle that marks the indirect object (“to” or “for” someone) when you’re showing respect—here, to the teacher. 에게 can also mean “to” or “for,” but it’s neutral. With figures of authority or in polite contexts, you switch 에게 → 께.
How does the structure -아/어 달라고 work in 질문을 도와달라고?
Breakdown:
- 도와-: verb stem of “to help”
- 달라고: contracted indirect-quote marker + “give” (주다) in bound form.
Together, 도와달라고 means “(I) asked (someone) to help.” It’s the way Korean embeds a request in reported speech: “asked that (you) help.”
What does the -라고 ending indicate in this sentence?
The -라고 after 달아 (from 달아 + 고) is the indirect quotation marker for commands or requests. It tells us we’re reporting the content of what was asked (“help with the question”).
Why is it 도와달라고 부탁했어요 instead of just 도와달라고 말했어요 or 도와달라고 요청했어요?