Lesson 81 · Moving Toward a Person: N에게로
Hyeju’s Beginner Korean · Lesson 81 · Grammar
Moving Toward a Person: N에게로
Learn Moving Toward a Person: N에게로 with form rules, natural examples, common mistakes, romanization, and six practice questions with answers.
Introduction / Review
에게로 combines a personal target with direction. It highlights movement toward a person or animal. You may encounter it more in narration than in a routine request or gift exchange.
N = noun; V = action verb; A = descriptive verb. Romanization is a reading aid.
Today’s Grammar / Explanation
- Attach 에게로 to the person/animal noun: 친구에게로, 엄마에게로, 강아지에게로. No 받침-based change is needed.
- Use a movement verb: 가다, 오다, 달려가다, 다가가다, 돌아오다.
- Compare 친구에게 선물을 줘요 (recipient) with 친구에게로 가요 (movement toward the friend). To a place, use 에 or (으)로 as appropriate: 학교에 가요.
Examples
아이가 엄마에게로 달려가요.
aiga eommaegero dallyeogayo
The child runs toward their mother.
친구에게로 걸어가요.
chinguegero georeogayo
I walk toward my friend.
강아지가 저에게로 와요.
gangajiga jeoegero wayo
The puppy comes toward me.
학생이 선생님에게로 다가가요.
haksaengi seonsaengnimegero dagagayo
The student approaches the teacher.
아이가 아빠에게로 돌아와요.
aiga appaegero dorawayo
The child returns to their father.
유키 씨에게로 가요.
yuki ssiegero gayo
I go toward Yuki.
Compare with similar grammar
LESSON 42
에게/한테
친구한테 전화했어요.에게 marks the person who receives something. 에게로 stresses movement toward that person.
Review Lesson 42 →LESSON 14
N(으)로
이 버스는 학교로 가요.(으)로 alone points toward places. For people, add 에게: 에게로.
Review Lesson 14 →LESSON 80
N에다가
가방을 의자 위에다가 놓으세요.에다가 is where you put something, not where something moves to.
Review Lesson 80 →| Pattern | Used with | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 에게로 · 한테로 | People | toward (movement) | 엄마에게로 달려갔어요 |
| (으)로 | Places, directions | toward | 학교로 가요 |
| 에게 · 한테 | People | to (the receiver) | 엄마에게 전화했어요 |
| 에 | Places | to (destination) | 학교에 가요 |
Common mistakes
This is an extension of the more frequent 에게 from Lesson 42. Do not add 로 to every personal recipient phrase. 엄마한테 가요 is an ordinary conversational alternative to a more direction-focused 엄마에게로 가요.
With people, put 에게/한테 before 로.
Places don’t take 에게.
Nothing is moving here, so 에게로 doesn’t fit. Use 께 (or 에게).
The form is 에게로, not 에로.
Mini practice · six questions
All sentences below are new. Try each one before opening the answer.
- Fill in the blank아이가 아빠___ 달려갔어요.
Check answer
아이가 아빠에게로 달려갔어요.
Moving toward a person → 에게로.
- Fill in the blank공이 저___ 굴러왔어요.
Check answer
공이 저한테로 굴러왔어요.
Toward a person in speech → 한테로 (에게로 is also fine).
- Choose the correct form이 버스는 시청(으로 / 에게로) 가요.
Check answer
으로
시청 (city hall) is a place → (으)로.
- Choose the correct form아기가 엄마(에게로 / 로) 기어갔어요.
Check answer
에게로
엄마 is a person → 에게로.
- Find and fix the mistake아이들이 선생님로 모였어요.
Check answer
아이들이 선생님에게로 모였어요.
선생님 is a person → 에게로.
- Say it in KoreanThe cat came running toward me.
Check answer
고양이가 저한테로 달려왔어요.
저 + 한테로 = toward me.
Today’s Key Point
에게로 emphasizes movement toward a person or animal; distinguish direction from a recipient; treat it as extension vocabulary.
M.A. in Korean Language Education · Certified Korean language teacher
About the educator →