You have learned ways to say from (에서) and to (에), and this lesson introduces others: the particles 부터 from and 까지 to.
부터 from is usually used with time expressions:
- 다섯시부터 from 5 o’clock
- 오늘부터 from today
에서 from or (happening) at, on the other hand, is used only in place expressions: 집에서 from home or (happening) at home. 부터 is often used to translate at in time expressions with begin (though 에 may be used in these expressions, as well): 열 시 부터 시작합니다. We begin at 10 o’clock..
Used with both time and place expressions, 까지 means to in the sense of as far as, up to or until. 에 with time expressions, you recall, means at or in that time 저녁에 in the evening, 밤에 at night; and with place expressions it means either (being) in, at or on that place ? static location, as in 집에 있습니다 he’s at home, 의자에 앉습니다 sits on the chair, 공원에 있습니다 it’s in the park ? or to that place: 학교에 갑니다 goes to school.
Here are examples of 부터 and 까지 in sentences:
- 학교에서는 내일부터 시작합니다.
[At school, we start from tomorrow=] School starts tomorrow. - 대사관에서는 아침 아홉시부터 일을 시작합니다.
I start work at the embassy every morning at nine o’clock. - 두시부터 네시까지 사무실에서 잤습니다.
I slept in the office from two o’clock till four o’clock. - 처음부터 끝까지 엉터리였습니다.
It was rubbish from beginning to end! - 아침부터 밤까지 고생을 합니다.
I suffer from morning till night.