Korean Particle 부터: From / Starting From

Marks a starting point in time or order. Often paired with 까지 (until).

The Rule

Marks a starting point in time or order. Often paired with 까지 (until). Particles are the backbone of Korean grammar. Unlike English, which relies on word order to show who does what, Korean uses small markers attached directly to nouns. 부터 is one of the most fundamental particles you'll encounter, and understanding it correctly will dramatically improve your Korean comprehension.

Why English Speakers Get It Wrong

English doesn't have particles like 부터. In English, word order and prepositions do the job — "I gave the book to him" uses position and "to" to clarify meaning. Korean particles attach directly to nouns and change the grammatical role, which feels alien at first. The biggest confusion comes from trying to translate particles one-to-one with English prepositions. 부터 doesn't map neatly to any single English word. Instead, think of it as a grammatical tag that tells you the noun's role in the sentence.

How It Works

Marks a starting point in time or order. Often paired with 까지 (until). 부터 attaches directly after a noun with no space. If the noun ends in a consonant (받침), the form may change — this is called "받침 sensitivity" and it's a pattern you'll see across Korean grammar. Pay attention to how native speakers use 부터 in real conversations. You'll start noticing patterns quickly.

Real Examples

• 9시부터 일해요. (9sibuteo irhaeyo.) — "I work from 9 o'clock." [Starting time] • 월요일부터 금요일까지 (woryoirbuteo geumyoirkkaji) — "From Monday to Friday" [부터~까지 pair] • 여기부터 시작하세요. (yeogibuteo sijakhaseyo.) — "Start from here." [Starting point]

Common Mistakes

❌ 9시에서 일해요. (9sieseo irhaeyo.) ✅ 9시부터 일해요. (9sibuteo irhaeyo.) → For starting points in time, use 부터, not 에서. 에서 is for physical locations.

Quick Tip

Practice by labeling objects around you with 부터. Say the noun + particle out loud until it feels natural. When reading Korean, circle every 부터 you see and ask yourself WHY it was used there — this active reading habit builds intuition faster than memorizing rules.

Remember: Marks a starting point in time or order. Often paired with 까지 (until).

Examples

9시부터 일해요. — 9sibuteo irhaeyo. — I work from 9 o'clock.

월요일부터 금요일까지 — woryoirbuteo geumyoirkkaji — From Monday to Friday

여기부터 시작하세요. — yeogibuteo sijakhaseyo. — Start from here.