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Breakdown of chinguege sukso jusoreul mesijiro bonaesseoyo.
친구chingu
friend
~를~reul
object particle
~에게~ege
dative particle
보내다bonaeda
to send
~로~ro
instrumental particle
숙소sukso
accommodation
주소juso
address
메시지mesiji
message
Questions & Answers about chinguege sukso jusoreul mesijiro bonaesseoyo.
What does the particle 에게 do here? How is it different from 한테 or 께?
에게 marks the recipient (roughly “to”). With people, you can use either 에게 (neutral/formal-ish, common in writing) or 한테 (more casual, very common in speech). 께 is the honorific version used when the recipient deserves respect (e.g., teachers, elders): 선생님께. So:
- Casual: 친구한테
- Neutral/formal: 친구에게
- Honorific recipient: 선생님께
Why can’t I say 친구에?
에 marks places/time or destinations, not recipients. With a person as the recipient of sending/giving verbs, use 에게/한테/께. You can use 에 with institutions/locations: 회사에 이메일을 보냈어요 is fine, but with a person, say 친구에게/친구한테.
What does 로 in 메시지로 mean?
-로/으로 marks the means or method: “by/through/with.” 메시지로 = “via message.” Rule: after a vowel or final consonant ㄹ, use 로; otherwise use 으로. Since 메시지 ends in a vowel sound, it’s 메시지로.
Why is it 숙소 주소 and not 숙소의 주소?
Korean often drops 의 between two nouns when the relationship is clear, especially in everyday speech. 숙소 주소 (accommodation address) is natural and concise. 숙소의 주소 is also correct but can sound more formal or bookish.
Is the word order fixed? Could I reorder the parts?
Korean word order is flexible as long as the particles are correct. Common orders:
- 친구에게 숙소 주소를 메시지로 보냈어요 (recipient–object–means–verb)
- 친구에게 메시지로 숙소 주소를 보냈어요
- 숙소 주소를 친구에게 메시지로 보냈어요 You can also add emphasis with topics: 숙소 주소는 친구에게 메시지로 보냈어요 (as for the lodging address…).
What tense/politeness is 보냈어요?
It’s past tense in polite speech (“sent”). It comes from 보내었어요, which contracts to 보냈어요. Variants:
- Casual: 보냈어
- Formal polite: 보냈습니다
- Plain (diary/news headline): 보냈다
Who is the subject here? There’s no “I.”
Korean often omits the subject when it’s obvious from context. Here, the speaker is likely the subject. You can add it if needed:
- 제가 친구에게… 보냈어요 (I sent…)
- 저는 친구에게… 보냈어요 (As for me, I sent…)
Pronunciation tips?
- 보냈어요 is pronounced roughly “bo-nae-sseo-yo” (you’ll hear a clear “ss” sound): bonaesseoyo.
- 숙소 often sounds like “suk-sso” due to tensing: [숙쏘].
- 메시지 is standardly pronounced “me-si-ji.” The spelling 메세지 is common informally but nonstandard; stick with 메시지.
Can I say 문자로 보냈어요 or 카톡으로 보냈어요?
Yes. 문자 means SMS/text message, and 카톡 is KakaoTalk. All are natural:
- 문자로 보냈어요 (via SMS)
- 카톡으로 보냈어요 (via KakaoTalk)
- 메시지로 보냈어요 (via a message, generic)
What’s the nuance difference among 보내다, 보내 주다/드리다, 전송하다, 전달하다, 공유하다?
- 보내다: send (neutral, most common).
- 보내 주다: send (for someone’s benefit; friendly/helpful tone). Past: 보내줬어요.
- 보내 드리다: humble/respectful toward recipient. Past: 보내드렸어요.
- 전송하다: “to transmit” (technical/formal; emails/files).
- 전달하다: “to convey/forward” (passing along information).
- 공유하다: “to share” (e.g., a link/location).
Is 메시지에 보냈어요 correct?
No. Use 메시지로 (“via message”) to express the means. 메시지에 means “in/on the message,” which you’d use with other verbs: e.g., 메시지에 답장했어요 (I replied in/to the message).
Why is 를 on 주소를? Can I drop it?
를/을 marks the direct object. In casual speech, Koreans often omit it when the meaning is clear: 주소 보냈어요 is common. In careful or formal writing/speech, keep 주소를.
How do I say “I will send it,” “Please send it,” or “Did you send it?”
- Future/intention: 보낼게요, 보내겠습니다 (more formal).
- Request: 보내 주세요, 보내 주실 수 있어요?
- Question (neutral): 보냈어요?; to someone you respect: 보내셨어요?; casual: 보냈니?/보냈어?
How do I say I got it “from” a friend?
Use 에게서/한테서 with verbs like “receive”:
- 친구한테서 숙소 주소를 받았어요.
- More formal: 친구에게서… 받았어요.
Can I use 에게 with non-human recipients?
Usually you use 에 with organizations/places: 회사에 이메일을 보냈어요 (to the company). 회사에게 is possible but sounds stiff/literary. With people, stick to 에게/한테/께.
What does 숙소 mean compared to 호텔 or 숙박?
숙소 is a general “lodging/accommodation” (hotel, guesthouse, Airbnb, etc.). 호텔 is specifically “hotel.” 숙박 is the act of staying overnight (lodging as an activity), not a place.
Is there any nuance if I add particles like 만 or 는?
Yes, they add emphasis/contrast:
- 친구에게만 숙소 주소를 보냈어요 (I sent the address only to my friend).
- 숙소 주소는 친구에게 보냈어요 (As for the lodging address, I sent it to my friend—implying contrast with something else).
Does 보내다 ever mean something else?
Yes, it also means “to spend (time).” For example, 주말 잘 보냈어요? means “Did you have a good weekend?” Context tells you whether it’s “send” or “spend.”
Do I need to say “my friend,” or is 친구 enough?
Korean often omits possessives when obvious. 친구 can mean “(my) friend” from context. If you need to be explicit, say 제 친구에게 (to my friend) or 한 친구에게 (to a friend).
More from this lesson
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Korean has multiple speech levels that indicate formality and politeness. The most common are the formal polite (‑습니다/‑ㅂ니다), informal polite (‑아요/‑어요), and casual (‑아/‑어) forms. Which level you use depends on who you're speaking to and the social context.
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