1. What is 한테?

한테 is a dative particle that attaches to animate nouns (usually people or animals).
It marks the recipient of an action, the object of emotion, or the target of influence.

→ It is informal and mainly used in spoken Korean.

2. Usage

1) As a Recipient or Target of Action

한테 shows the person (or animal) who receives something, is affected by something, or is the target of a feeling.

Examples:

제가 당신한테 선물을 드릴게요.
(I’ll give you a gift.)
너한테 불러줄 노래가 있어.
(I have a song I want to sing for you.)
왜 강아지한테 먹이를 안 줬어?
(Why didn’t you feed the dog?)
저는 남편한테 화가 났습니다.
(I got angry at my husband.)
이 가수한테 호감이 가네요.
(I’m starting to like this singer.)

Grammatical note:

Preceding word: animate noun (person or animal)
Following verbs: 주다, 맡기다, 느끼다, 실망하다, etc.
Often used with nouns like 관심, 호감, 흥미

2) As the Source or Agent of an Action

한테 can also indicate the person from whom something is received, or who performed an action.

Examples:

이것은 너한테 받은 선물이다.
(This is a gift I received from you.)
그대한테 안기고 싶습니다.
(I want to be held by you.)
이 모델한테 입힌 옷이 마음에 드네요.
(I like the outfit that was put on this model.)
선생님한테 배운 방법대로 문제를 풀었다.
(I solved the problem using the method I learned from the teacher.)

Grammatical note: Often used with passive or received-action verbs such as 받다, 배우다, 안기다, 물리다

3. Discourse Information

한테 is common in spoken Korean.
In formal writing or news articles, 에게 is used instead.

Example:

해당 회사는 직원들에게 상담 서비스를 제공한다. ✅
(The company offers counseling services to employees.)
해당 회사는 직원들한테 상담 서비스를 제공한다. ❌ (Too informal for formal context.)
(The company offers counseling services to employees.)

4. Extended Uses

In causative sentences → 대장은 병사한테 인사를 시켰다.
(The commander made the soldier salute.)
With motion verbs → 너무 나무한테 기울지 않게 꽃을 심으렴.
(Don’t let the flower lean too much toward the tree.)
As a standard for comparison or fit → 저 옷이 너한테 제일 잘 어울린다.
(That outfit suits you best.)

5. Combined Forms

한테 + 까지 → 피해가 막심해 주변 사람들한테까지 도움을 청했다.
(The damage was so bad, they even asked nearby people for help.)
한테 + 나 → 갓난 아기한테나 작을 옷이다.
(That’s a shirt that would only fit a newborn.)
한테 + 는 → 고양이한테는 무엇을 먹여야 좋을까?
(What should I feed a cat?)
한테 + 도 → 물론 그 사람한테도 알려주도록 할게.
(Of course, I’ll let that person know too.)
한테 + 로 → 너한테로 가는 길이 멀고도 험하다.
(The road to you is long and rough.)
한테 + 만 → 초콜릿 선물은 엄마한테만 줄 것이다.
(The chocolate gift will only go to my mom.)

6. Fill-in-the-blank Quiz

Choose the correct form of 한테 to complete each sentence.

너_____ 불러줄 노래가 있어.
(I have a song I want to sing for you.)
왜 강아지_____ 먹이를 안 줬어?
(Why didn’t you feed the dog?)
이 가수_____ 호감이 가네요.
(I’m starting to like this singer.)
이것은 너_____ 받은 선물이다.
(This is a gift I received from you.)
이 모델_____ 입힌 옷이 마음에 드네요.
(I like the outfit that was put on this model.)
대장은 병사_____ 인사를 시켰다.
(The commander made the soldier salute.)
피해가 막심해 주변 사람들_____ 도움을 청했다.
(The damage was so bad, they even asked nearby people for help.)
너_____ 가는 길이 멀고도 험하다.
(The road to you is long and rough.)