A1
에서 — where it happens, and from
How 에서 marks the location of an action and the origin of movement in Korean, and why it cannot be used with 있다.
에서 marks where an action takes place.
식당에서 먹어요.
Sikdang-eseo meogeoyo.
We eat at a restaurant.
집에서 일해요.
Jibeseo ilhaeyo.
I work from home.
Also from
The starting point of a movement, or where someone is from.
한국에서 왔어요.
Hangugeseo wasseoyo.
I’m from Korea.
서울에서 부산까지.
Seoureseo Busankkaji.
From Seoul to Busan.
에서…까지 is the standard pair for from…to with places. For times it is …부터…까지: 아홉 시부터 여섯 시까지.
Never with 있다
This is the error to avoid, and it is the mirror of the Japanese に/で problem.
도서관에서 있어요.
도서관에 있어요.
있다 states existence rather than an action, so the place takes 에. Give the sentence a real verb and 에서 returns: 도서관에서 공부해요.
The test is the verb. 있다 and 없다 take 에; anything you actually do takes 에서.
Where a group is compared
에서 also marks the field a superlative ranges over.
한국에서 제일 높은 산이에요.
Hangugeseo jeil nopeun sanieyo.
It’s the highest mountain in Korea.