The particle 부터 (buteo) marks starting points, primarily for time and sequence. It indicates where or when something begins, translating to "from" or "since" in English.
Form
부터 (buteo) - invariable form (doesn't change)
Basic Function
Marks the starting point of time, sequence, or range.
Translation: "from," "since," "starting from"
Time Starting Points
Specific Times
Marking when something begins:
- 9시부터 시작해요. (Gu-si-buteo sijakaeyo.) - Start from 9 o'clock.
- 3시부터 회의예요. (Se-si-buteo hoe-ui-yeyo.) - Meeting from 3 o'clock.
- 지금부터 공부해요. (Jigeum-buteo gongbuhaeyo.) - Study from now.
Days and Dates
Starting from a specific day:
- 월요일부터 일해요. (Woryoil-buteo ilhaeyo.) - Work from Monday.
- 오늘부터 다이어트해요. (Oneul-buteo daieoteu-haeyo.) - Diet from today.
- 내일부터 방학이에요. (Naeil-buteo banghag-ieyo.) - Vacation from tomorrow.
- 1월부터 시작해요. (Irwol-buteo sijakaeyo.) - Start from January.
Past Time (Since)
Expressing duration from a past point:
- 어제부터 아팠어요. (Eoje-buteo apasseoyo.) - Been sick since yesterday.
- 작년부터 공부했어요. (Jangnyeon-buteo gongbuhaesseoyo.) - Studied since last year.
- 아침부터 기다렸어요. (Achim-buteo gidaryeosseoyo.) - Waited since morning.
부터 with 까지
부터 frequently pairs with 까지 (until/to) to show a complete range:
[Start + 부터] + [End + 까지]
Time Ranges
- 9시부터 5시까지 (gu-si-buteo daseot-si-kkaji) - from 9 to 5
- 월요일부터 금요일까지 (woryoil-buteo geumyoil-kkaji) - from Monday to Friday
- 아침부터 저녁까지 (achim-buteo jeonyeok-kkaji) - from morning to evening
Examples:
- 9시부터 5시까지 일해요. (Work from 9 to 5.)
- 월요일부터 금요일까지 학교에 가요. (Go to school from Monday to Friday.)
Place Ranges (Less Common)
부터 is primarily for time, but can indicate sequence in space:
- 여기부터 저기까지 (from here to there)
- 집부터 학교까지 (from home to school)
Note: For physical starting points, 에서 is more common than 부터.
Sequence and Order
Starting Points in Sequences
Indicating where to begin in a series:
- 첫 번째부터 읽어요. (Cheot beonjjae-buteo ilgeoyo.) - Read from the first.
- 처음부터 다시 시작해요. (Cheoeum-buteo dasi sijakaeyo.) - Start over from the beginning.
- 1페이지부터 읽으세요. (Il peiji-buteo ilgeuseyo.) - Read from page 1.
Priority Ordering
Expressing what to do first:
- 이것부터 해요. (Igeos-buteo haeyo.) - Do this first. / Start with this.
- 청소부터 할게요. (Cheongso-buteo halgeyo.) - I'll do cleaning first.
- 숙제부터 하세요. (Sukje-buteo haseyo.) - Do homework first.
Common Patterns
Pattern 1: Time + 부터
[Time + 부터] + [Action]
- 내일부터 운동해요. (Exercise from tomorrow.)
- 지금부터 시작해요. (Start from now.)
- 9시부터 일해요. (Work from 9.)
Pattern 2: Time Range
[Start + 부터] + [End + 까지]
- 9시부터 5시까지 일해요. (Work from 9 to 5.)
- 월요일부터 금요일까지 (from Monday to Friday)
Pattern 3: Sequential Priority
[Item + 부터] + [Verb]
- 이것부터 해요. (Do this first.)
- 처음부터 시작해요. (Start from the beginning.)
부터 vs 에서
Both can mean "from," but have different uses:
부터 (from - time/sequence)
Time starting points:
- 9시부터 (from 9 o'clock)
- 오늘부터 (from today)
Sequential starting points:
- 처음부터 (from the beginning)
- 이것부터 (starting with this)
에서 (from - place/origin)
Physical location origin:
- 서울에서 왔어요. (Came from Seoul.)
- 집에서 출발했어요. (Departed from home.)
Summary:
- Time/sequence: Use 부터
- Place/origin: Use 에서
Special Uses
부터 for Emphasis
Can emphasize "first" or "to begin with":
- 먼저 이것부터 해요. (Do this first.)
- 일단 밥부터 먹어요. (Let's eat first, for starters.)
Beginning a New Habit
Starting from a point to change behavior:
- 오늘부터 담배를 끊어요. (Quit smoking from today.)
- 내일부터 다이어트해요. (Diet from tomorrow.)
- 지금부터 열심히 할게요. (I'll work hard from now.)
Common Time Expressions
지금부터 (jigeum-buteo) - from now
- 지금부터 시작합니다. (Start from now.)
오늘부터 (oneul-buteo) - from today
- 오늘부터 운동해요. (Exercise from today.)
내일부터 (naeil-buteo) - from tomorrow
- 내일부터 방학이에요. (Vacation from tomorrow.)
어제부터 (eoje-buteo) - since yesterday
- 어제부터 아팠어요. (Been sick since yesterday.)
작년부터 (jangnyeon-buteo) - since last year
- 작년부터 살았어요. (Lived here since last year.)
처음부터 (cheoeum-buteo) - from the beginning
- 처음부터 다시 해요. (Do it over from the beginning.)
With Different Time Units
Clock Times
- 3시부터 (from 3 o'clock)
- 오후 2시부터 (from 2 PM)
- 정오부터 (from noon)
Days
- 월요일부터 (from Monday)
- 주말부터 (from weekend)
- 오늘부터 (from today)
Months and Years
- 1월부터 (from January)
- 내년부터 (from next year)
- 2020년부터 (from 2020)
Parts of Day
- 아침부터 (from morning)
- 저녁부터 (from evening)
- 밤부터 (from night)
Questions with 부터
언제부터 (eonje-buteo)
"Since when?" / "From when?":
- 언제부터 아팠어요? (Since when have you been sick?)
- 언제부터 공부했어요? (From when did you study?)
Asking About Duration
- 언제부터 한국어를 배웠어요? (Since when have you learned Korean?)
- 작년부터 배웠어요. (I've learned since last year.)
Sequence Expressions
Starting with Items
- 이것부터 하세요. (Do this first.)
- 그것부터 먹어요. (Eat that first.)
Priority Order
- 중요한 것부터 해요. (Do important things first.)
- 쉬운 것부터 시작해요. (Start with easy things.)
부터 in Conditional Contexts
Can appear in "from the moment" constructions:
- 만난 날부터 사랑했어요. (Loved since the day we met.)
- 시작하는 날부터 열심히 했어요. (Worked hard from the starting day.)
Position in Sentence
부터 typically appears mid-sentence, marking the starting point:
Common position:
- 저는 9시부터 일해요. (I work from 9.)
- 내일부터 방학이에요. (It's vacation from tomorrow.)
Can be emphasized at start:
- 지금부터! 시작해요. (From now! Let's start.)
Multiple 부터 in Sentence
Uncommon, but possible for multiple starting points:
- 이것부터 저것부터 다 해야 해요. (awkward)
- Better: 이것도 저것도 다 해야 해요. (Have to do both this and that.)
Common Expressions
지금부터라도 (jigeum-buteo-rado) - at least from now / starting now at least
- 지금부터라도 열심히 해요. (Work hard at least from now.)
첫날부터 (cheonnal-buteo) - from the first day
- 첫날부터 좋아했어요. (Liked it from the first day.)
Summary Table
| Usage | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Time start | 9시부터 | from 9 o'clock |
| Day start | 월요일부터 | from Monday |
| Since (past) | 어제부터 | since yesterday |
| Time range | 9시부터 5시까지 | from 9 to 5 |
| Sequence | 처음부터 | from the beginning |
| Priority | 이것부터 해요 | Do this first |
Key Points
- ✅ Form: 부터 (invariable)
- ✅ Function: Marks starting points
- ✅ Primary use: Time and sequence
- ✅ Often paired: With 까지 for ranges
- ✅ Different from: 에서 (place origin)
- ✅ Common expressions: 지금부터, 오늘부터, 처음부터
- ✅ Can mean: From, since, starting with, first
Understanding 부터 is essential for expressing when things begin and establishing time ranges in Korean. It's one of the most frequently used particles for temporal starting points.