The Conjunction ~고: Connecting Actions and Descriptions
The particle ~고 is one of the most frequently used conjunctions in Korean. It connects two clauses and means "and" or "and then." It works with both action verbs (동사) and descriptive verbs/adjectives (형용사).
Formation
Simply attach -고 to the verb stem. No changes are needed regardless of the stem ending.
| Verb | Stem | + 고 |
|---|---|---|
| 먹다 (to eat) | 먹 | 먹고 |
| 가다 (to go) | 가 | 가고 |
| 마시다 (to drink) | 마시 | 마시고 |
| 크다 (to be big) | 크 | 크고 |
| 예쁘다 (to be pretty) | 예쁘 | 예쁘고 |
| 좋다 (to be good) | 좋 | 좋고 |
Listing Sequential Actions
When used with action verbs, ~고 indicates actions performed in sequence ("and then"):
| Korean | Translation |
|---|---|
| 밥을 먹고 커피를 마셔요. | I eat rice and (then) drink coffee. |
| 손을 씻고 밥을 먹어요. | I wash my hands and (then) eat. |
| 샤워하고 옷을 입어요. | I shower and (then) get dressed. |
| 숙제를 하고 텔레비전을 봐요. | I do homework and (then) watch TV. |
| 아침을 먹고 출근해요. | I eat breakfast and (then) go to work. |
Multiple Actions in Sequence
You can chain more than two actions:
| Korean | Translation |
|---|---|
| 일어나고, 씻고, 밥을 먹어요. | I wake up, wash, and eat. |
| 학교에 가고, 공부하고, 집에 와요. | I go to school, study, and come home. |
Listing Descriptions (Adjectives)
With descriptive verbs (adjectives), ~고 simply lists multiple qualities:
| Korean | Translation |
|---|---|
| 크고 예뻐요. | It's big and pretty. |
| 싸고 좋아요. | It's cheap and good. |
| 한국어는 어렵고 재미있어요. | Korean is difficult and fun. |
| 이 음식은 맵고 맛있어요. | This food is spicy and delicious. |
| 그 사람은 키가 크고 잘생겼어요. | That person is tall and handsome. |
Tense Rules with ~고
An important rule: tense is only marked on the final verb. The verbs before ~고 remain in their stem form.
| Correct | Incorrect | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 밥을 먹고 커피를 마셨어요. | 밥을 먹었고 커피를 마셨어요. | I ate and drank coffee. |
| 공부하고 잤어요. | 공부했고 잤어요. | I studied and slept. |
Exception: When two past events are not sequential but simply both happened in the past, you can mark tense on both verbs: - 어제는 비가 왔고 오늘은 눈이 왔어요. (Yesterday it rained and today it snowed.)
This exception is used when the two clauses have different subjects or contrasting time frames.
~고 vs ~아/어서 (Sequential Actions)
Both ~고 and ~아/어서 can express sequential actions, but they differ:
| Feature | ~고 | ~아/어서 |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | and / and then | and so / and then (causal link) |
| Subject | Can be different | Usually the same |
| Tense on first verb | Not allowed (usually) | Never allowed |
| Causal relationship | No | Often implies cause |
Comparison
| ~고 (simple sequence) | ~아/어서 (linked cause) |
|---|---|
| 밥을 먹고 학교에 갔어요. (I ate and went to school.) | 밥을 먹어서 배불러요. (I ate so I'm full.) |
| 씻고 잤어요. (I washed and slept.) | 씻어서 깨끗해요. (I washed so I'm clean.) |
~고 with Same vs Different Subjects
~고 can connect clauses with the same subject or different subjects:
Same Subject
| Korean | Translation |
|---|---|
| 나는 밥을 먹고 공부해요. | I eat and study. |
| 그녀는 예쁘고 똑똑해요. | She is pretty and smart. |
Different Subjects
| Korean | Translation |
|---|---|
| 나는 밥을 먹고, 친구는 커피를 마셔요. | I eat rice, and my friend drinks coffee. |
| 형은 크고, 동생은 작아요. | The older brother is big, and the younger sibling is small. |
Common Patterns with ~고
| Pattern | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| V-고 나서 (after doing) | 밥을 먹고 나서 갔어요. | After eating, I went. |
| V-고 있다 (progressive) | 공부하고 있어요. | I am studying. |
| V-고 싶다 (want to) | 가고 싶어요. | I want to go. |
Note: ~고 나서 emphasizes that the first action is completed before the second begins.
Practice
Connect these ideas using ~고:
- I read a book + watch TV → 책을 읽고 텔레비전을 봐요.
- This room is bright + clean → 이 방은 밝고 깨끗해요.
- I wake up + brush my teeth + eat breakfast → 일어나고, 이를 닦고, 아침을 먹어요.
- She is kind + pretty → 그녀는 친절하고 예뻐요.