[Learn Korean I6] ”-아/어 가지고”, ”-을/를 가지고”, “-거든요”

안녕하세요. 토미입니다.

Let’s chin up and learn Korean together!

Today’s grammar is 아/어 가지고 “and (then)”, -을/를 가지고 “with / using” and -거든요 “because.”

These are like “Golden Grammar” because Korean people use them so frequently.

So, when you watch some dramas or listen to k-pop after this class, please listen carefully to find these expressions.

You will be like “Oh, Yes! I surely heard it!.”

I’m so motivated when I see your improvement and I am so satisfied when your face lights up with joy when you understand what you’ve learned.

So, please cherish every small piece of your improvement, and let’s finish the intermediate class together!

I’m sure you can do it. Let’s climb this mountain together, and be the super master of Korean!

그럼 시작할게요!

-아/어 가지고

Ok. We are going to look at -아/어 가지고 first. It has two meanings. The first one is “and (then).”

And the second one is “because.”

For the first meaning, you can use it to express two things that happen sequentially, such as

떡볶이를 만들어 가지고 친구한테 줬어요.
I made Tteokbokki and gave it to a friend.

You can see the first and the second action in this sentence.

In this kind of case, you use 아/어 가지고.

Next, you can also use this to explain some reasons like “and so” or “because”
For example, you can say

배가 너무 고파 가지고 수업에 집중 못 했어요.
I was very hungry, so I couldn’t concentrate in the class.

You see that this example is stating the reason by using 아/어 가지고. Ok?

So now I’m going to tell you an important point.
In terms of meaning, -아/어 가지고 is similar to -아/어서. However, Korean people use -아/어 가지고 mostly in conversations.

In other words, 아/어서 is used both in written and spoken language and sounds formal.

But 아/어 가지고 is mainly used in spoken language, and it is informal.

Therefore, it is not suitable for official writing such as academic papers, contracts, or essays in exams.

If I see 아/어 가지고 used in an academic paper, I doubt the quality of its paper.

The conjugation is quite simple.

First, you remove 요 from 요 form and add 가지고. For example, in the case of 가다 “to go”, 요 form is 가요.

You remove 요 from this, and add 가지고 to make 가 가지고, which means “go to ~, and then~.”

For 먹다 is “to eat”, right? This 요 form is … 먹어요.

You remove 요 from this, and add 가지고 to make 먹어 가지고, which means “eat smth, and then ~.”

You can conjugate adjectives in the same way as verbs.

In addition, Korean people often say 가지고 to 가지구 or 갖고. These are the same meaning.

So, now let’s look at some example sentences.

The first one is to express two actions that occurred sequentially.

시간도 없는데 빨리 준비해 가지고 떠나요.
Since we don’t have time, let’s get ready quickly and leave.

In this sentence, 준비하다 is “to prepare.” The 요 form of this is 준비해요.

So you remove 요 from it and add 가지고, to make 준비해 가지고 “to get ready and then.”Got it?

Next, let’s see an example sentence, which states a reason.

어제는 머리가 너무 아파 가지고 저녁도 안 먹고 잤어.
Yesterday I had a headache, so I went to bed without even having dinner.

In this sentence,아프다 is “to get hurt.” The 요 form of is 아파요.  So you remove 요 from it and add 가지고 to make 아파 가지고 “it hurt so.” You can see that this speaker is trying to express the reason. The next one also expresses the reason.

스마트폰을 집에 놓고 나와 가지고 전화 받을 수 없었어요.
I forgot my phone at home and went out, so I couldn’t answer the phone.

In this sentence,나오다 is “to come out.” Its 요 form is 나와요.

So you remove 요 from it and add 가지고, to make 나와 가지고 “came out, so ~.”

Quiz

Then, let’s deepen your understanding more through some quizzes.

Which one is the correct answer?

(With full of hope) 난 돈을 ( ) 꼭 유학 갈 거야.
I’m going to save money and then definitely go to study abroad.
(1)모아 가지고 (2)모아 가져서

The correct answer is number one.

In this sentence, 돈을 모으다 is “to save money.”

Its 요 form is … 모아요. Yes! So you remove 요 from it and add 가지고 to make 모아 가지고 “save money and then.”

Number two 모아 가져서 is the wrong expression.

Korean people don’t use it.
Okay, then let’s read it out loud together.

난 돈을 (모아 가지고 ) 꼭 유학 갈 거야.

Please, read it several times! Okay, let’s move on to the next quiz!

컴퓨터가 ( ) 새 걸 살까 해요.
The computer is old, so I’m thinking of buying a new one.
(1)낡아 가지고 (2)써 가지고

The correct answer is number one.

In this sentence, 낡다 is “to be old,” and its 요 form is 낡아요.

So, you remove 요 from it and add 가지고, to make 낡아 가지고 “it’s old, so.”

Number two 써 가지고 means “I used it, so”, therefore it doesn’t fit in this sentence.

Then let’s read it out loud together.

컴퓨터가 (낡아 가지고 ) 새 걸 살까 해요.

Please, read this sentence several times until you can say it confidently.

-을/를 가지고

The next grammar is 을/를 가지고!

This grammar -을/를 가지고 means “with smth.”

What it means is quite similar to -(으)로 “with,” but -을/를 가지고 is mainly used in conversations.

It’s often abbreviated like -을/를 갖고, and sometimes -을/를 will be omitted.

About the conjugation, if a noun does not have a final consonant, you have to use -를 가지고 and if a noun has a final consonant, you have to use -을 가지고.

For example, 김치 does not have a final consonant, so you add -를 가지고 and say 김치를 가지고, meaning “with Kimchi.”

Also, because it’s often used and abbreviated in conversations, the part -을/를 will be shortened, like -ㄹ 갖고, so it sounds like 김칠 갖고.

On the other hand, 달걀, which means egg, has a final consonant, so you use -을 가지고 and say 달걀을 가지고, meaning “with eggs.”

Then, let’s look at an example sentence.

무슨 문제를 가지고 그렇게 고민하세요?
What problem are you worried about?

In this sentence,문제 “problem” does not have a final consonant, so you add -를 가지고 to make 문제를 가지고 “with a problem.”

In English, you can translate it as “What problem are you worried with?”

But, this sounds a little bit strange in English, so I changed it to “what problems are you worried about?” Ok?

You can also change 문제를 가지고 into 문제로 and say 무슨 문제로 그렇게 고민하세요?

It has the same meaning. Then let’s look at the next sentence.

남은 밥을 가지고 볶음밥이라도 해 먹을까?
How about cooking fried rice with the leftover rice?

In this sentence, 밥 is “rice,” right? 밥 has a final consonant, so you add 을 가지고 to make 밥을 가지고, which means “with the rice.”

Let’s Move on to the next sentence.

이건 쌀을 갖고 만든 빵이에요.
This is bread made with rice.

In this sentence, 쌀 “rice” has a final consonant, so you add -을 갖고 to make 쌀을 갖고, meaning “with rice.”

Let’s move on to the next sentence!

이 수건 갖고 닦아.
Wipe it with this towel.

In this sentence, -을 is omitted and 갖고 directly follows a noun like 수건 갖고, meaning “with a towel.” Did you understand completely?

Quiz

Then, let’s deepen your understanding with some quizzes.

Which one is the correct answer?

이 ( ) 영화 볼 수 있어요.
You can watch a movie with this ticket.
(1)티켓을 갖고 (2)티켓을 가졌으니까

The correct answer is number one.
티켓 is a “ticket”, so you add -을 가지고 and say 티켓을 가지고.

You can also say like 티켓으로 with the same meaning.

The second one expresses a reason like “because I had a ticket”, so it means something different.

Then let’s read it out loud together.

이 ( 티켓을 갖고 ) 영화 볼 수 있어요.

Please read it at least three times, imagining you are talking to your friends.

Then let’s move on to the next one.

오늘은 무슨 ( ) 회의를 한대?
What contents are we holding a meeting with today?
(1)내용을 가지고 (2)내용을 가져가서

The correct answer is number one.

내용 is “contents”, so you add -을 가지고 and say 내용을 가지고.

The number two, 가져가서, means “bring it and then”, so it’s not the right answer.

Then let’s read it out loud together.

(slowly)오늘은 무슨 ( 내용을 가지고 ) 회의를 한대?

Please, practice it several times imagining you are talking to a co-worker.

-거든요

The next grammar is a famous one, -거든요 “because”. Korean people use this to provide new information.

When you remove 요 from 거든요, it will become 반말, casual speech, so -거든 is a casual way of saying.

Korean people use this grammar a lot in conversations.

You can express some reasons by 거든요.

About the conjugation, you can just add -거든요 to a stem regardless of a final consonant.

For example, in the case of 가다 “to go,” it becomes 가거든요 meaning “because I’m going.”

And for 먹다 “to eat,” it becomes 먹거든요 meaning “Because I eat.”

Also, For an adjective, 기쁘다 becomes 기쁘거든요 meaning “Because I’m happy,” and 좋다 becomes 좋거든요 meaning “Actually it’s good” or “Because it’s good.”

Additionally, for nouns, you use (이)거든요. And for past tense, you use 았/었거든요.

So let’s see an example sentence!

제가 오늘은 아무래도 못 갈 것 같애요. 오후에 시간이 없거든요.
I don’t think I can go today. Because I don’t have time in the afternoon.

In this sentence, 시간이 없다 is “not to have time,” right? You add -거든요 to make 시간이 없거든요, “Because I don’t have time.” By using 거든요, you are expressing a reason why you cannot come.

Then let’s see an example of 반말, casual speech.

가: 넌 왜 안 먹어?
Why don’t you eat?

나: 내가 지금 다이어트 중이거든.
Because I’m on a diet now.

In this example, 다이어트 중이다 means “to be on a diet.” You add -거든 to make 다이어트 중이거든 “because I’m on a diet.” You are telling a reason why you don’t eat.

Let’s see another example of 거든!

가: 넌 요즘 왜그렇게 열심히 공부해?
Why are you studying so hard these days?

나: 내가 다음 달에 시험을 보거든. 그래서 공부 좀 하려고.
Because I’m going to take an exam next month. So, I try to study a bit.

This is such a good example sentence of 거든. Here, 시험을 보다 is “to take an exam.”

You add -거든 to its stem to make 시험을 보거든, which means “because I’m taking an exam.”

Quiz

Then, let’s deepen our understanding with some quizzes.

Which one is the correct answer?

오늘은 일찍 잘래요. 내일 아침 4시 반에 ( )
Today I’ll go to bed early. Because I have to wake up at 4:30 tomorrow morning.

(1)일어나야 되거든요. (2) 일어나야니깐요.

The correct answer is number one.

일어나야 되다 is “have to wake up.” You add -거든요 to its stem to make 일어나야 되거든요 “because I have to get up.”

The number two, 일어나야니깐요 is a wrong expression, so please don’t use this expression.

Okay, then let’s read it out loud together.

오늘은 일찍 잘래요. 내일 아침 4시 반에 (일어나야 되거든요.)

Then let’s look at the next quiz.

난 정말( ). 그러니까 나한테 말 시키지 마.
I’m really tired. So, don’t talk to me.

Uh-oh, in this kind of situation, you might want to leave her alone.

Otherwise, you are going to get hurt.

Anyway, I’m gonna give you two choices.

(1)피곤이거든 (2)피곤하거든

The correct answer is number two. 피곤하다 is “to be tired,” So, you add -거든요 to it stem to say 피곤하거든 “because I am tired.”

Number one is the wrong answer because it uses 피곤 “fatigue” alone as a noun.

Let’s read it out loud together.

난 정말(피곤하거든). 그러니까 나한테 말 시키지 마.

Don’t talk to that person if you are in the situation.

Homework

You guys are such brilliant students as you finished today’s lesson.

I bet you often heard people telling you “You’re so smart”, didn’t you?

Anyway, Now, I’m going to give you a present for homework. 웃으며 산다!!

Homework, come on!

The first assignment is to write three sentences using the grammar we learned today.

So, first, please talk to me using -아/어 가지고 “and then/ and so.” I would make a sentence like,

오늘 이렇게 영상을 찍어 가지고 올릴 거예요. 많이 많이 봐 주세요.
Today I’m planning to take and upload a video. So, please enjoy it.

For the second sentence, please write a sentence with -을/를 가지고 “with smth”

For example,

이 책을 가지고 공부하고 있어요.
I’m studying with this book.

For the third sentence, please talk to me friendly, using -거든요 “because.”

For example,

제가 숙제를 여러분께 항상 드릴 거거든요. 꼭 제출하세요.
I”ll always give you homework. So, please make sure to submit it.

Am I putting too much pressure on you?

I am very good at pushing people to work.

Anyway, I am so happy that even now I receive lots of assignments from you guys.

I’m so encouraged by your efforts and energy.

Because you guys are the source of my energy.

And, the second homework is to memorize 40 words.

Please memorize the forty words from number 201 to number 240 on page three in the intermediate vocabulary list.

There is a vocabulary quiz of the forty words on my website, so after you memorize them, just feel free to try it.

I put the link in the description box.

That’s it for today. You guys made it this far!

Good job!! High Five! I’m sure you can finish the intermediate class! You can do it!

Let’s complete it together!

그럼 오늘도 행복 가득, 웃음 가득한 하루 되세요!

한국어 화이팅, 화이팅, 화이팅!!

Vocabulary Test : 40 Questions

There will be 40 multiple choice questions in total displayed in random order, testing on Vocabulary #201~240 from the Intermediate Level Vocabulary List.