Markers such as 하고, (이)랑, (이)나 connect nouns with nouns.
김치하고 밥. Kimchi and rice 사이다나 콜라. Cider or coke.
When you want to connect verbs or adjectives, you can’t use them. Instead, you can use a conjunction word such as 그리고(and), 아니면(or), 그런데(but), 그래서(so) between two sentences. For example:
밥 먹어요. 그리고 운동해요. I eat, and I work out. 밥 먹었어요. 그래서 배불러요. I ate, so I’m full.
However, for native Koreans, using connective endings sounds much more natural and simple.
밥 먹고 운동해요. 밥 먹어서 배불러요.
So even if there are easier alternatives, try to get used to these conjugations!
고양이 | cat |
작다 | to be small |
귀엽다 | to be cute |
떡볶이 | tteokbokki (Korean spicy rice cake) |
맵다 | to be spicy |
달다 | to be sweet |
맛있다 | to be delicious |
수업 | class, lesson |
어렵다 | to be difficult |
숙제 | homework |
먼저 | first, beforehand |
듣다 | to listen |
말하다 | to speak, to say |
V/Adj/이다,아니다 + 고 1. This indicates listing. (and)
고양이가 작고 귀여워요.
The cat is small and cute.
떡볶이는 맵고 달고 맛있어요.
Tteokbokki is spicy and sweet and delicious.
한국어 수업은 너무 어렵고 숙제도 많아요.
Korean class is so difficult and there's a lot of homework too.
- You can change the order of clauses.(Most connective endings allow clauses to be reversed while maintaining their meaning. You can still add -요 at the end for honorific speech.)
한국어 수업은 어렵고 숙제도 많아요.
= 한국어 수업은 어려워요. 숙제도 많고요.
V + 고 2. This indicates the order of time. (and then)
밥을 먹고 학교에 갈 거예요.
I will eat and then go to school.
먼저 듣고 말하세요.
Listen first and speak.
Root+고 | ex. 가고, 먹고, N+이고/아니고, 있고, 만들고 |
- Tense
meaning 1: You can use either the base form or match the tense.
나는 밥을 먹고 동생은 공부를 했어요 O
나는 밥을 먹었고 동생은 공부를 했어요 O
meaning 2: It’s always combined with base form, not with tenses.
나는 밥을 먹고 게임을 했어요 O
나는 밥을 먹었고 게임을 했어요 X (This sounds like meaning 1, and makes the order of actions ambiguous.)
💡Tips! In Korean, when two clauses are coordinated (have equal grammatical status), the same tense is typically applied to both clauses. However, when one clause is subordinate, the verb in the subordinate clause is written in its base form, and the tense is marked only in the final main verb.
