Korean Lessons ᚛ Level 2 - Korean for Beginners #1 (Lessons 31 to 60) ᚛ Lesson 51 - Say "and" between verbs in Korean [-고]
Say "and" between verbs in Korean [-고]
In the previous chapter, we saw how to say "and" between nouns using the particles 하고, 와/과, and (이)랑. In this chapter, we will see the verbal structure that allows one to express "and" between verbs and adjectives.
"And" in Korean with -고
In order to list verbs or adjectives, it is common to use the ending
-고 after the stem of the first verb in the following manner:
[Action 1 : … Stem]고 [Action 2]
지유는 책을 읽고 진은 피아노를 쳐요.
→ Jiyu is reading a book and Jin is playing piano.
주말에는 친구들을 만나고 술을 마십니다.
→ On the weekend I see friends and drink alcohol.
여행 계획을 짜고 짐을 쌌어.
→ I have made my travel plans and packed my bags.
Depending on the context, -고 may also be translated as "then" when the actions are completed one after another.
저는 햄버거를 먹고 집에 가요.
→ I eat a hamburger, then I go home.
공부하고 놀아.
→ Study, then play.
3교시 끝나고 편의점에 갈 거예요.
→ The third hour of class ends, and then I'll go to the convenience store.
-고(요) at the end of a sentence
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"And" with 그리고
The word 그리고 literally means "and". It is generally used at the beginning of a sentence and can be translated as "and then" or "and also" when one wishes to add new information.
나는 어제 집에 늦게 갔어. 그리고 바로 잠들었어.
→ Yesterday I got home late. And I went to bed right away.
나는 사과, 포도 좋아해. 그리고 수박도 좋아해.
→ I like apples and grapes. And I like watermelons too.
Exercises
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You already know some vocabulary and sentence structures… But when you listen to Koreans speak, do you ever feel like something is missing, the meaning behind the words, the cultural nuance that makes the language truly come alive?
That’s completely normal. In Korean, proverbs and idiomatic expressions are essential to understanding how Koreans think and communicate. Without them, you can speak, but your language will feel flat and overly literal.
With 100 Korean Proverbs - Illustrated and Explained, you’ll understand not only what Koreans say, but why they say it, and what each expression reveals about their mindset and culture.
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