Overview
Korean has three particles that mean "with" or "and" when connecting nouns. They are:
| Particle | Formality | Typical context |
|---|---|---|
| 과/와 | Formal / Written | Academic writing, news, formal speech |
| 하고 | Neutral / Spoken | Everyday conversation, versatile |
| (이)랑 | Casual / Spoken | Informal conversation, friends |
All three can be used to list nouns ("A and B") or to express accompaniment ("with A"). The meaning is identical -- only the formality level differs.
Form: Consonant and Vowel Rules
과/와
| Condition | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| After a consonant (받침) | 과 | 학생과 (with a student) |
| After a vowel (no 받침) | 와 | 친구와 (with a friend) |
(이)랑
| Condition | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| After a consonant (받침) | 이랑 | 동생이랑 (with younger sibling) |
| After a vowel (no 받침) | 랑 | 언니랑 (with older sister) |
하고
하고 does not change form. It attaches directly to any noun regardless of the final sound:
| Noun | Combined |
|---|---|
| 친구 (friend) | 친구하고 |
| 빵 (bread) | 빵하고 |
| 선생님 (teacher) | 선생님하고 |
Function 1: Listing Nouns (And)
All three particles connect two or more nouns, like "and" in English:
과/와 (formal)
| Korean | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 커피와 차 | keopiwa cha | coffee and tea |
| 선생님과 학생 | seonsaengnimgwa haksaeng | teacher and student |
| 한국과 일본 | hangukgwa ilbon | Korea and Japan |
| 역사와 문화 | yeoksawa munhwa | history and culture |
하고 (neutral)
| Korean | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 빵하고 우유 | ppanghago uyu | bread and milk |
| 엄마하고 아빠 | eommahago appa | mom and dad |
| 연필하고 지우개 | yeonpilhago jiugae | pencil and eraser |
(이)랑 (casual)
| Korean | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 치킨이랑 맥주 | chikinirang maekju | chicken and beer |
| 오빠랑 언니 | opparang eonni | older brother and older sister |
| 밥이랑 국 | bapirang guk | rice and soup |
Listing more than two items
When listing three or more items, attach the particle to each item except the last:
사과와 바나나와 포도를 샀어요. I bought apples, bananas, and grapes. (formal)
사과하고 바나나하고 포도를 샀어요. I bought apples, bananas, and grapes. (neutral)
사과랑 바나나랑 포도를 샀어요. I bought apples, bananas, and grapes. (casual)
Function 2: Accompaniment (With)
All three also express doing something together with someone. They are often paired with 같이 (together) or 함께 (together, slightly formal):
과/와 (formal)
| Korean | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 동료와 함께 일합니다. | dongryowa hamkke ilhamnida. | I work together with colleagues. |
| 부모님과 여행했어요. | bumonimgwa yeohaenghaesseoyo. | I traveled with my parents. |
하고 (neutral)
| Korean | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 친구하고 밥 먹었어요. | chinguhago bap meogeosseoyo. | I ate with a friend. |
| 동생하고 같이 왔어요. | dongsaenghago gachi wasseoyo. | I came together with my sibling. |
(이)랑 (casual)
| Korean | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 남자친구랑 데이트했어. | namjachingurang deiteuhaesseo. | I went on a date with my boyfriend. |
| 고양이랑 놀았어요. | goyangirang norasseoyo. | I played with the cat. |
Formality Comparison
Here is the same sentence in all three formality levels:
| Level | Sentence | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Formal | 김 부장님과 회의했습니다. | Business report |
| Neutral | 김 부장님하고 회의했어요. | Telling a coworker |
| Casual | 부장님이랑 회의했어. | Telling a close friend |
Another example:
| Level | Sentence | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Formal | 쌀과 보리를 수확합니다. | Academic paper |
| Neutral | 쌀하고 보리를 수확해요. | General explanation |
| Casual | 쌀이랑 보리를 수확해. | Casual chat |
같이 and 함께 (Together)
These adverbs are commonly combined with comitative particles:
| Adverb | Formality | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 같이 (gachi) | Neutral | 같이 가요. (Let's go together.) |
| 함께 (hamkke) | Formal | 함께 일합시다. (Let's work together.) |
친구와 같이 공부해요. I study together with a friend.
동료와 함께 프로젝트를 합니다. I work on the project together with colleagues.
Mixing Formality Levels
While mixing is grammatically possible, it sounds unnatural. Match the particle to the overall speech level:
| Unnatural | Natural | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 친구과 갔어. | 친구랑 갔어. | 과 is too formal for 반말 |
| 부장님이랑 회의했습니다. | 부장님과 회의했습니다. | 이랑 is too casual for 합쇼체 |
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Correction | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 친구과 갔어요. | 친구와 갔어요. | 친구 ends in vowel, use 와 not 과 |
| 동생랑 놀았어요. | 동생이랑 놀았어요. | 동생 ends in consonant, use 이랑 |
| 혼자와 갔어요. | 혼자 갔어요. | 혼자 means "alone," no comitative needed |
| 빵와 우유 | 빵과 우유 | 빵 ends in consonant, use 과 |
Summary
- 과/와, 하고, and (이)랑 all mean "and" or "with" -- the difference is formality.
- 과/와: Formal writing and speech. 과 after consonant, 와 after vowel.
- 하고: Neutral spoken Korean. No form change.
- (이)랑: Casual spoken Korean. 이랑 after consonant, 랑 after vowel.
- Pair with 같이 or 함께 to emphasize "together."
- Match the particle formality to your overall speech level.