Learn Hardcore Korean: chinguhanteseo pyeonjireul badasseoyo.

친구한테서 literally means from a friend. It combines 친구 (“friend”) with 한테서, a particle indicating the source or starting point of an action (“from someone”).

What is the function of -서 in 한테서?

The -서 attached to 한테 marks the origin or source (“from”). Without -서, 한테 on its own usually indicates the indirect object or recipient (“to someone”).

What’s the difference between 한테서 and 에게서?

Both mean “from (someone)” when talking about people. 한테서 is more colloquial and common in speech, while 에게서 sounds slightly more formal or appears in writing.

Why is 편지 followed by 를?

받다 (to receive) is a transitive verb that takes a direct object. 를 marks 편지 as that direct object: 편지를 받았어요 means “(I) received a letter.”

Why is the verb 받다 conjugated as 받았어요?

To express past tense politely, the verb root 받- takes -았어요 (because of the vowel “ㅏ”). So 받다 → 받았어요 (“received”).

Who is the subject of this sentence? I don’t see one.

In Korean, the subject is often omitted when context makes it clear. Here the subject is “I” (저 or 나), implied by the verb ending -요 in 받았어요.

Does the word order matter? Could I say 편지를 친구한테서 받았어요?

Word order in Korean is relatively flexible. You can place 편지를 before 친구한테서 without changing the core meaning; it may simply shift which element you emphasize.

Can 친구한테서 be omitted if the source is already known?

Yes. If listeners already know who sent the letter, you can say 편지를 받았어요 and leave out 친구한테서.

What level of politeness is 받았어요?

받았어요 is in the polite casual speech level (해요체). It’s appropriate for everyday conversations with strangers, acquaintances, or people you wish to address respectfully.