And: ~고 (Listing Actions and States)

Overview

~고 is one of the most fundamental connectors in Korean. It joins two clauses together, similar to "and" in English. It can express:

1. Listing -- describing multiple qualities or actions
2. Sequential actions -- one thing happens, then another
3. Simultaneous actions -- two things happening at the same time (less common, ~(으)면서 is preferred)

The beauty of ~고 is its simplicity: just attach it to the verb/adjective stem with no vowel harmony rules.

How to Form ~고

Remove -다 from the dictionary form and add ~고:

No special rules. No vowel harmony. No irregular changes. The stem stays exactly as it is.

Part 1: Listing Qualities or States

Use ~고 to list multiple descriptions of the same subject, like "and" in English.

With adjectives

• 이 방은 넓고 밝아요. (This room is spacious and bright.)
• 그 사람은 키가 크고 잘생겼어요. (That person is tall and handsome.)
• 한국 음식은 맵고 맛있어요. (Korean food is spicy and delicious.)
• 이 가방은 가볍고 예뻐요. (This bag is light and pretty.)

With nouns (using 이다)

• 저는 학생이고 언니는 회사원이에요. (I am a student and my older sister is an office worker.)
• 여기는 서울이고 거기는 부산이에요. (Here is Seoul and there is Busan.)

After a noun ending in a consonant, use 이고. After a vowel, use 고.

Part 2: Sequential Actions

When two actions happen one after another, ~고 can indicate "and then."

• 아침을 먹고 학교에 갔어요. (I ate breakfast and then went to school.)
• 손을 씻고 밥을 먹어요. (I wash my hands and then eat.)
• 샤워를 하고 잤어요. (I showered and then slept.)
• 숙제를 하고 놀았어요. (I did homework and then played.)

Tense marking

With ~고, tense is typically marked only on the final verb:

However, when emphasizing that the first action is completed before the second, you can put past tense on the first clause:

• 밥을 먹었고 커피도 마셨어요. (I ate and also drank coffee.)

This is grammatically correct but less common in casual speech.

Part 3: Simultaneous Actions

~고 can sometimes indicate two things happening at the same time, but ~(으)면서 is more precise for simultaneous actions.

• 음악을 듣고 공부해요. (I listen to music and study.)
• TV를 보고 밥을 먹어요. (I watch TV and eat.)

These could mean sequential or simultaneous depending on context. For clarity about simultaneous actions, prefer ~(으)면서.

~고 with Different Subjects

~고 can connect clauses with different subjects, unlike some other connectors:

• 저는 한국어를 공부하고 친구는 일본어를 공부해요. (I study Korean and my friend studies Japanese.)
• 오빠는 회사원이고 언니는 선생님이에요. (My older brother is an office worker and my older sister is a teacher.)
• 서울은 크고 부산은 바다가 예뻐요. (Seoul is big and Busan has a beautiful sea.)

~고 vs. Other Connectors

Negative Form

~고 works naturally with negatives:

• 비싸지 않고 맛있어요. (It's not expensive and it's delicious.)
• 안 먹고 갔어요. (I left without eating.)
• 못 자고 일했어요. (I couldn't sleep and worked.)

The negative (안/못/~지 않다) goes before each verb independently.

Common Patterns with ~고

~고 싶다 (want to)

This is a different grammar point, not the connector ~고. It means "want to": - 먹고 싶어요 (I want to eat) - 가고 싶어요 (I want to go)

Do not confuse this with the listing ~고.

~고 나서 (after doing)

Adding 나서 after ~고 emphasizes completion before the next action: - 밥을 먹고 나서 갔어요. (After eating, I went.) - 공부를 하고 나서 놀아요. (After studying, I play.)

~고 있다 (progressive)

Another separate grammar point meaning "am/is/are doing": - 먹고 있어요 (I am eating) - 공부하고 있어요 (I am studying)

Common Mistakes

Summary

1. ~고 connects clauses meaning "and" -- attach directly to the verb/adjective stem.
2. No vowel harmony, no irregular changes -- the simplest connector.
3. Use it for listing qualities (예쁘고 착해요), sequential actions (먹고 갔어요), or connecting different subjects.
4. Tense is normally marked on the final verb only.
5. After nouns: use 이고 (consonant) or 고 (vowel).
6. Do not confuse the connector ~고 with ~고 싶다 (want to) or ~고 있다 (progressive).