In this lesson, we are going to look at another verb ending that you can use to connect two or
more verbs in one sentence. We learned the verb ending -고 [-go] in one of our previous lessons;
-고 [-go] is used to connect independent actions and states together in one sentence, but
they do not necessarily have a strong logical relation to each other.
On the other hand, the verb ending we are looking at in this lesson, -아/어/여+서, is a verb
ending that can show logical relation between the verbs.
Do you remember these two conjunctions- 그리고 and 그래서 (from Level 2 Lesson 3)?
그리고 [geu-ri-go] means “and,” and 그래서 [geu-rae-seo] means “therefore/so”.
The verb ending -고 [-go] has the same meaning as 그리고 [geu-ri-go], and the verb ending -
아/어/여+서 has a similar meaning as 그래서 [geu-rae-seo].
Let’s look at the construction and usages of -아/어/여+서 in more detail.
Construction
먹다 [meok-da] = to eat
먹 (verb stem) + 어서 = 먹어서
만들다 [man-deul-da] = to make
만들 (verb stem) + 어서 = 만들어서
하다 [ha-da] = to do
하 (verb stem) + 여서 = 해서
오다 [o-da] = to come
오 (verb stem) + 아서 = 와서
Usages
1. Reason + -아/어/여서 + result
2. An action + -아/어/여서 + another action that takes place after the first action
3. An action + -아/어/여서 + the purpose of or the plan after the action
4. Some fixed expressions
Examples for usages
Usage 1
Reason + -아/어/여서 + result
Example:
비가 오다 (it rains) + 못 가다 (can’t go)
--> 비가 와서 못 가요. [bi-ga wa-seo mot ga-yo.] = It rains, so I can’t go.
--> 비가 와서 못 갔어요. [bi-ga wa-seo mot ga-sseo-yo.] = It rained, so I couldn’t go.
** Note that the tense was expressed only through the last verb.
오늘은 바빠요. (Today, I’m busy.) + 영화를 못 봐요. (I can’t see the movie.)
--> 오늘은 바빠서 영화를 못 봐요. [o-neu-reun ba-ppa-seo yeong-hwa-reul mot bwa-yo.]
= I’m busy today, so I can’t watch the movie.
만나다 (to meet) + 반갑다 (to be glad to see someone) with anybody who
is studying Korean. If you have any questions or feedback, visit TalkToMeInKorean.com.
--> 만나서 반갑습니다. [man-na-seo ban-gap-seum-ni-da]
= I meet you so I’m glad. = It’s nice to meet you.
--> 만나서 반가워요. [man-na-seo ban-ga-wo-yo]
= I’m glad to meet you. (Less formal than the sentence above)
Usage 2
An action + -아/어/여서 + another action that takes place after the first action
공원에 가다 (to go to the park) + 책을 읽다 (to read a book)
--> 공원에 가서 책을 읽을 거예요. [gong-wo-ne ga-seo chae-geul il-geul geo-ye-yo.]
= I’m going to go to the park and read a book.
** Note: This does NOT mean “I’m going to the park, so I’m going to read a book.”
** Also note that the tense is expressed through the last verb here as well.
친구를 만나다 (to meet a friend) + 밥을 먹다 (to eat)
--> 친구를 만나서 밥을 먹었어요. [chin-gu-reul man-na-seo ba-beul meo-geo-sseo-yo.]
= I met a friend and ate together.
** Note that here, this sentence COULD mean that you met a friend so you ate together, but
in most cases, it will mean that you met a friend AND THEN ate together after that.
--> 친구를 만나서 밥을 먹을 거예요. [chin-gu-reul man-na-seo ba-beul meo-geul geo-ye-yo.]
= I’m going to meet a friend and eat together.
Usage 3
An action + -아/어/여서 + the purpose of or the plan after the action with anybody who
is studying Korean. If you have any questions or feedback, visit TalkToMeInKorean.com.
돈을 모으다 (to save up, to save money) + 뭐 하다 (to do what)
--> 돈을 모아서 뭐 할 거예요? (do-neul mo-a-seo mwo hal geo-ye-yo?) = What are you going
to do with the money you save up? (lit. You save up money and what will you do?)
케익을 사다 (to buy a cake) + 친구한테 주다 (to give to a friend)
--> 케익을 사서 친구한테 줄 거예요. [ke-i-geul sa-seo chin-gu-han-te jul geo-ye-yo.]
= I’m going to buy a cake to/and give it to a friend.
Usage 4
Fixed expressions
There are some fixed expressions that basically use the same -아/어/여서 structure in them but
are not often used in other forms.
-에 따라서 [-e tta-ra-seo] = according to ~
Ex) 계획에 따라서 진행하겠습니다 [gye-hoe-ge tta-ra-seo jin-haeng-ha-ge-sseum-ni-da.]
= I’ll proceed according to the plan.
예를 들어서 [ye-reul deu-reo-seo] = for example
Ex) 예를 들어서, 이렇게 할 수 있어요. [ye-reul deu-reo-seo, i-reo-ke hal su i-sseo-yo.]
= For example, you can do it like this.
Sample sentences
1. 한국에 가서 뭐 할 거예요? [han-gu-ge ga-seo mwo hal geo-ye-yo?]
= After you go to Korea, what are you going to do?
2. 서울에 와서 좋아요. [seo-u-re wa-seo jo-a-yo.]
= Since I came to Seoul, I’m glad.
= I’m glad to have come to Seoul.
3. 술을 너무 많이 마셔서 머리가 아파요.
[su-reul neo-mu ma-ni ma-syeo-seo meo-ri-ga a-pa-yo.]
= I drank too much so my head is aching.
4. 비가 와서 집에 있었어요. [bi-ga wa-seo ji-be i-sseo-sseo-yo.]
= It rained so I stayed at home.
5. 요즘에 바빠서 친구들을 못 만나요.
[yo-jeu-me ba-ppa-seo chin-gu-deu-reul mot man-na-yo.]
= These days I’m busy so I can’t meet my friends.
6. 열심히 공부해서 장학금을 받을 거예요.
[yeol-sim-hi gong-bu-hae-seo jang-hak-geu-meul ba-deul geo-ye-yo.]
= I’m going to study hard so I can get/and I will get a scholarship.
7. 한국어가 너무 재미있어서 매일 공부하고 있어요.
[han-gu-geo-ga neo-mu jae-mi-i-sseo-seo mae-il gong-bu-ha-go i-sseo-yo.]
= Korean is so much fun that I’m studying it everyday.