Why do people make so many mistakes with ‘-고’?
Today, following our last lesson on “-는데,” I’ve put together a lesson on “-고.” It might seem like a simple grammar point, but in reality, many Korean learners make mistakes without noticing. I hope today’s lesson notes will be helpful to all of you!
1. Expressing a List (Parallel Actions or States)
The most basic use of “-고” is to connect two or more actions or states in a simple “and” fashion. It works similarly to the English conjunction “and.”
Examples
저는 밥을 먹었고 TV를 봤어요.
→ “I ate (a meal) and watched TV.” (Listing two completed actions in parallel)오늘은 날씨가 맑고 따뜻하다.
→ “Today, the weather is clear and warm.” (Describing two states that exist at the same time)
You can also say “밥을 먹고 TV를 봤다”, which can imply that you watched TV after eating. However, in everyday usage, it often feels like a simple listing of two actions rather than a strict sequence.
2. Indicating a Sequence of Actions
Sometimes “-고” conveys that one action finishes before the next one starts, implying a sequential order.
Example
손을 씻고 밥을 먹는다.
→ “I wash my hands and then eat.” (It’s clear you wash your hands first, then eat.)
While this may look similar to just listing actions, in real usage, it often highlights “the first action finishes, then the next immediately follows.”
Similar Sentence Comparison
저는 밥을 먹었고 영화를 봤어요.
“먹었고” explicitly uses the past tense.
It feels like two actions listed in parallel: “I ate, and I watched a movie.”
It emphasizes that you completed eating first, then watched the movie, but frames them as equally important or separate facts.
저는 밥을 먹고 영화를 봤어요.
“먹고” does not itself mark the past tense; the past tense appears in “영화를 봤어요.”
It suggests a more natural sequence: “I ate and then watched a movie.”
It feels like the events are closely connected, with the movie-watching flowing right after the meal.
3. “Adjective + -고” to Describe Multiple States
“-고” can also be used with adjectives, letting you describe multiple qualities or attributes of something in one sentence.
Examples
이 집은 크고 아름다워요.
→ “This house is big and beautiful.”그 여자는 성격이 밝고 착해요.
→ “She has a bright and kind personality.”
By using “adjective + -고,” you can combine different attributes to paint a fuller picture of one subject.
4. Comparing “-고” and “-아서/어서”
Both “-고” and “-아서/어서” connect sentences, but they differ in meaning and nuance.
“-고”
Simply lists or connects actions/states, sometimes showing sequence.
Doesn’t strongly indicate cause-and-effect.
Example: “학교에 가고 공부했어요.” (“I went to school and studied.” — just stating two actions.)
“-아서/어서”
Shows that the first action becomes the cause, method, or step leading to the second action.
Emphasizes the cause-and-effect relationship.
Example: “학교에 가서 공부했어요.” (“I went to school and (as a result) studied there.”)
So, “가고 공부했어요” is a simple, sequential connection— “went to school and studied”— whereas “가서 공부했어요” implies a stronger link or cause-and-effect— “went to school, and because I was at school, I studied.”
Summary
Basic Meaning of “-고”
Connects actions or states with “and,” or indicates a sequence.
Can list two actions as parallel events or imply one happened after the other, depending on context.
“Adjective + -고”
Describes multiple qualities/attributes of a single subject in one sentence.
“-고” vs. “-아서/어서”
“-고”: Simple connection/listing (sometimes sequential, but no strong causal link).
“-아서/어서”: Emphasizes a cause-and-effect or more direct link between actions.
“-고” is one of the most commonly used connecting endings in Korean, helpful for listing actions, showing sequences, or describing multiple states. Mastering it allows for more natural and varied sentence construction in Korean.
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