📘 Grammar 7: How to Use ~고 – Connecting Sentences in Korean

📘 How to Use ~고 – Connecting Sentences in Korean

In Korean, you often need to say two things in one sentence: “I eat and go”, “I studied and slept”, “She is kind and pretty.”

The best way to connect these ideas naturally in Korean is by using the connector ~고.

This grammar point is very useful, simple, and widely used in daily conversation. In this post, you'll learn how to use ~고 with different verbs and adjectives to make smooth, connected Korean sentences!

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🔗 What Is ~고?

~고 is a grammar pattern that means “and”. It connects two actions, two descriptions, or two states.

It's used like this:

Verb/Adjective stem + 고 + second clause

Just remove the 다 from the verb/adjective and add 고.

Example:

• 먹다 (to eat) → 먹고
• 가다 (to go) → 가고
• 예쁘다 (to be pretty) → 예쁘고

🧠 When to Use ~고

Use ~고 to:

• 🟢 List two actions in sequence: “I eat and go”
• 🟢 Describe someone with two traits: “She is smart and kind”
• 🟢 Show that two things happen together

It works with both verbs and adjectives!

📘 Examples with Verbs

Korean Sentence	English	Romanization
저는 밥을 먹고 학교에 갔어요.	I ate and went to school.	jeo-neun bap-eul meok-go hak-gyo-e gat-sseo-yo
운동하고 샤워했어요.	I exercised and took a shower.	un-dong-ha-go sya-wo-haet-sseo-yo
책을 읽고 잤어요.	I read a book and slept.	chaek-eul ilg-go jat-sseo-yo

💬 Examples with Adjectives

• 그 사람은 친절하고 똑똑해요 – That person is kind and smart
  geu sa-ram-eun chin-jeol-ha-go ttok-ttok-hae-yo
• 이 영화는 재미있고 슬퍼요 – This movie is fun and sad
  i yeong-hwa-neun jae-mi-it-go seul-peo-yo
• 방이 넓고 깨끗해요 – The room is spacious and clean
  bang-i neol-go kkae-kkeut-hae-yo

📊 Grammar Summary

Base Form	+ 고	Meaning
가다	가고	go and...
하다	하고	do and...
예쁘다	예쁘고	pretty and...
좋다	좋고	good and...

🧪 Mini Quiz – Try It!

1. What does "먹고" mean?
   a) Eat now
   b) Eat and...
   
   Click to Show Answer

   ✅ b) Eat and...

2. Translate: “She is tall and pretty.”
   a) 그녀는 키가 크고 예뻐요
   b) 그녀는 키 크고 예뻐요
   
   Click to Show Answer

   ✅ a) 그녀는 키가 크고 예뻐요

3. Choose the correct sentence:
   a) 저는 일고 공부했어요
   b) 저는 읽고 공부했어요
   
   Click to Show Answer

   ✅ b) 저는 읽고 공부했어요

✅ Conclusion

Now you can use ~고 to connect ideas and actions like a native speaker! Whether you're linking verbs or adjectives, this pattern helps you express yourself more naturally.

• Verb stem + 고: 먹고, 가고, 했고
• Adjective stem + 고: 예쁘고, 친절하고, 크고

Try making your own sentences combining two ideas. Example: "I drink coffee and study" → 커피를 마시고 공부해요

📘 Coming Up Next

Next lesson: How to Use ~지만 – Expressing Contrast in Korean
Learn how to say "but", like "I want to go, but I'm tired" – 가고 싶지만 피곤해요.

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