TOPIK II · LEVEL 4
-(으)로부터
-(으)로부터 is a formal 'from' for a source or starting point (people, places, time).
조사ParticlesHan: (으)로부터 is too formal for casual talk about a person; use 한테(서).
Examples
그 소식은 믿을 만한 사람으로부터 들었습니다.I heard that news from a reliable person.
정부로부터 지원금을 받았다.We received a subsidy from the government.
스트레스로부터 벗어나고 싶다.I want to get away from stress.
Don’t mix up
-(으)로부터vs-에게서에게서 is the everyday 'from (a person)'; (으)로부터 is formal and also works for organizations and abstract sources.
How to build it
N(vowel or ㄹ)+로부터
N(consonant)+으로부터
친구 → 친구로부터, 정부 → 정부로부터
- Written and formal; in speech 에게서/한테서 (people) or 에서 (places) are normal.
- Common with 받다, 듣다, 벗어나다, 시작되다.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 엄마로부터 용돈 받았어! (to a friend)
Right: 엄마한테 용돈 받았어!
(으)로부터 is too formal for casual talk about a person; use 한테(서).
Practise -(으)로부터 on real TOPIK questions
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All TOPIK grammar- -(으)로서-(으)로서 means 'as (in the role or capacity of)'.
- -(이)나마(이)나마 marks something as small or not quite enough, while showing that the speaker still accepts or values it: "even if it's only this, at least…"
- -(이)라든지-(이)라든지 lists examples or alternatives: 'such as A or B / A, B or something'.
- -은/는 물론이고N은/는 물론이고 means 'not to mention N / N, of course, and also …'.
- -마저-마저 means 'even (the last remaining one)': on top of other bad things, even this.
- -조차-조차 means 'even (something so basic)', stressing that not even the minimum happened.
- -치고N치고 means 'for a N / considering it is a N', and the result is different from what you would expect of that kind of thing; with a negative ending it means 'no N at all, without exception'.
- N만 하다N만 하다 compares size or degree: 'as big as N / about the size of N'.
- -(으)나-(으)나 is a formal written 'but / however', linking two contrasting clauses.