Clause Connectors

🔗 Connecting Ideas in Korean: The Magic Words That Glue Sentences Together!

The Big Picture: You’re Building LEGO Sentences!

Imagine you have LEGO blocks. Each block is a complete thought:

• “I eat breakfast” → 한 블록 (one block)
• “I go to school” → 또 다른 블록 (another block)

But wait! What if you want to connect them? You need special connector pieces! In Korean, these are called 연결 어미 (clause connectors).

Today, we’ll learn 7 magical connector words that will make your Korean sentences flow like a beautiful river! 🌊

🎭 Meet the 7 Connector Heroes!

Think of them as 7 different bridges between ideas:

graph TD
    A["Your First Idea"] --> B{Which Bridge?}
    B --> C["고 - And/Sequential"]
    B --> D["서 - Because/Then"]
    B --> E["지만 - But/However"]
    B --> F["면 - If/When"]
    B --> G["니까 - Because/Since"]
    B --> H["는데 - Background/But"]
    B --> I["거든요 - You see..."]
    C --> J["Your Second Idea"]
    D --> J
    E --> J
    F --> J
    G --> J
    H --> J
    I --> J

1️⃣ -고 (Sequential: “And Then”)

The Story

Think of -고 as a plus sign (+). It simply adds one action after another, like beads on a necklace.

How It Works

Take the verb stem, add -고. That’s it!

Examples That Stick!

Example 1: Your morning routine 🌅

아침을 먹고 학교에 가요. I eat breakfast and go to school.

Example 2: Shopping list 🛒

사과도 사고 바나나도 사요. I buy apples and buy bananas (too).

Example 3: Describing someone 👤

그 사람은 키가 크고 잘생겼어요. That person is tall and handsome.

💡 Pro Tip

-고 is neutral—no emotion, just listing! Like a grocery list, not a love letter.

2️⃣ -서 (Reason/Sequence: “So/Because/Then”)

The Story

-서 is the “because of that” connector. It’s like dominoes falling—one thing leads naturally to the next!

How It Works

Verb stem + -아/어서

Examples That Stick!

Example 1: Why you’re tired 😴

많이 걸어서 피곤해요. I walked a lot, so I’m tired.

Example 2: A sequence of events 🎬

친구를 만나서 영화를 봤어요. I met my friend and then watched a movie.

Example 3: A polite meeting phrase 🤝

만나서 반갑습니다! Because we met, I’m happy! (Nice to meet you!)

🎯 -고 vs -서: The Key Difference

3️⃣ -지만 (Contrast: “But/However”)

The Story

-지만 is the plot twist connector! 🎭 It says “you thought one thing… BUT actually…”

How It Works

Verb/Adjective stem + -지만

Examples That Stick!

Example 1: Life’s little contradictions 🍕

피자를 좋아하지만 자주 안 먹어요. I like pizza, but I don’t eat it often.

Example 2: Weather surprise ⛈️

비가 오지만 춥지 않아요. It’s raining, but it’s not cold.

Example 3: Skills assessment 💪

한국어를 공부하지만 아직 어려워요. I study Korean, but it’s still difficult.

💡 Memory Trick

지만 sounds like “GEE, MAN… BUT…”

4️⃣ -면 (Conditional: “If/When”)

The Story

-면 is the “what if” connector! It opens a door to possibilities. 🚪✨

How It Works

Verb/Adjective stem + -(으)면

• After consonant: -으면 (먹 → 먹으면)
• After vowel: -면 (가 → 가면)

Examples That Stick!

Example 1: Dreams and wishes 🌟

돈이 많으면 여행 갈 거예요. If I have a lot of money, I’ll travel.

Example 2: Simple truth 🌡️

날씨가 좋으면 산책해요. When the weather is nice, I take a walk.

Example 3: Asking for directions 🗺️

오른쪽으로 가면 역이 있어요. If you go right, there’s a station.

🎯 Real-Life Pattern

V-면 되다 = “All you have to do is V”

여기 앉으면 돼요. You just need to sit here. (If you sit here, it’s fine!)

5️⃣ -니까 (Reason: “Because/Since”)

The Story

-니까 is the “here’s WHY” connector with attitude! It’s more forceful than -서. It’s like saying “BECAUSE of this, obviously…”

How It Works

Verb/Adjective stem + -(으)니까

• After consonant: -으니까 (먹 → 먹으니까)
• After vowel: -니까 (가 → 가니까)

Examples That Stick!

Example 1: Justifying decisions 🛍️

세일이니까 많이 사요! Since it’s a sale, I’m buying a lot!

Example 2: Giving advice 💊

아프니까 병원에 가세요. Because you’re sick, go to the hospital.

Example 3: Making excuses 🎮

주말이니까 좀 쉴 거예요. Since it’s the weekend, I’ll rest a bit.

🎯 -서 vs -니까: When to Use Which?

6️⃣ -는데 (Background: “But/And/By the way”)

The Story

-는데 is the “setting the scene” connector. It’s like the opening music in a movie—it creates context before the main action! 🎬

How It Works

• Verb stem + -는데 (먹다 → 먹는데)
• Adjective stem + -(으)ㄴ데 (좋다 → 좋은데, 크다 → 큰데)
• Noun + 인데 (학생 → 학생인데)

Examples That Stick!

Example 1: Making a request 🙋

배가 고픈데 뭐 먹을까요? I’m hungry—so what should we eat?

Example 2: Soft contrast 🤔

이 가방은 예쁜데 너무 비싸요. This bag is pretty, but it’s too expensive.

Example 3: Introducing yourself 👋

저는 미국 사람인데 한국어를 공부해요. I’m American—and I study Korean.

💡 Why -는데 is EVERYWHERE

It’s soft, versatile, and conversational. Koreans love it for:

• Setting up background info
• Making polite contrasts
• Softening requests

7️⃣ -거든요 (Reason: “You see…/The thing is…”)

The Story

-거든요 is the “let me explain” connector. It adds new information the listener didn’t know! Like saying “FYI…” or “You see…”

How It Works

Verb/Adjective stem + -거든요

Examples That Stick!

Example 1: Explaining why you’re late ⏰

버스가 안 왔거든요. You see, the bus didn’t come.

Example 2: Sharing exciting news 📢

다음 주에 시험이 있거든요. The thing is, I have an exam next week.

Example 3: Explaining preferences 🍜

저는 매운 음식을 못 먹거든요. You see, I can’t eat spicy food.

🎯 Key Point

-거든요 is always used to give new information to the listener. Don’t use it if they already know!

📊 Quick Comparison Chart

🎮 Practice in Your Head!

Try connecting these ideas:

1. I’m tired + I want to sleep → 피곤해서 자고 싶어요
2. I like coffee + I drink tea → 커피를 좋아하지만 차를 마셔요
3. (If) It rains + I’ll stay home → 비가 오면 집에 있을 거예요
4. It’s cold (so) + Wear a jacket → 추우니까 자켓 입으세요

🏆 You Did It!

You now know 7 powerful Korean connectors!

Remember:

• 📝 -고 = Just adding (and)
• 🔗 -서 = Natural cause (so)
• 🔄 -지만 = Plot twist (but)
• 🚪 -면 = Opens possibilities (if)
• 💪 -니까 = Strong reason (because)
• 🎬 -는데 = Sets the scene (by the way)
• 💡 -거든요 = Explains new info (you see)

Now go connect some Korean sentences! 화이팅! 💪🇰🇷