Connecting with -고 in Korean

Overview

The conjunctive ending -고 is the simplest way to connect clauses in Korean, equivalent to "and" or "and then." This CEFR A1 pattern attaches directly to the verb stem without any vowel harmony considerations — it works the same regardless of stem type. This makes it one of the easiest connective endings to learn and use.

-고 connects sequential actions ("I ate and went"), parallel descriptions ("big and expensive"), or lists of activities. The tense is carried only by the final verb; the -고 clause does not take tense markers. This keeps sentences clean and avoids redundancy.

Mastering -고 is your first step toward building complex, multi-clause sentences in Korean. It is used constantly in everyday speech and forms the foundation for understanding more nuanced connective endings at higher levels.

How It Works

Simply attach -고 to any verb stem:

Stem	+ 고	Final verb	Full sentence
먹-	먹고	가요	먹고 가요 (eat and go)
크-	크고	비싸요	크고 비싸요 (big and expensive)
만나-	만나고	봤어요	만나고 영화를 봤어요 (met and watched)

Key rules:

1. No tense on the -고 clause (final verb carries tense)
2. Same or different subjects allowed
3. No vowel harmony needed

Examples in Context

Korean	Romanization	English	Note
밥을 먹고 학교에 가요.	ba-beul meok-go hak-gyo-e ga-yo	(I) eat and go to school.	sequence
크고 비싸요.	keu-go bi-ssa-yo	(It's) big and expensive.	parallel description
앉고 기다리세요.	an-go gi-da-ri-se-yo	Please sit and wait.	sequential command
친구를 만나고 영화를 봤어요.	chin-gu-reul man-na-go yeong-hwa-reul bwa-sseo-yo	(I) met a friend and watched a movie.	past sequence
커피를 마시고 일해요.	keo-pi-reul ma-si-go il-hae-yo	(I) drink coffee and work.	daily routine
예쁘고 착해요.	ye-ppeu-go cha-kae-yo	(She's) pretty and kind.	description
책을 읽고 숙제를 해요.	chae-geul il-go suk-je-reul hae-yo	(I) read a book and do homework.	sequence
한국어를 배우고 일본어도 배워요.	han-gu-geo-reul bae-u-go il-bo-neo-do bae-wo-yo	(I) learn Korean and also learn Japanese.	listing
음식이 싸고 맛있어요.	eum-si-gi ssa-go ma-si-sseo-yo	The food is cheap and delicious.	parallel

Common Mistakes

Adding tense to the -고 clause

• Wrong: 먹었고 갔어요
• Right: 먹고 갔어요
• Why: Tense is only marked on the final verb. The -고 clause is tenseless; the final verb's tense applies to the whole sentence.

Confusing -고 with -고서 or -아/어서

• Wrong: Using -고 when cause-and-effect is intended
• Right: Use -아/어서 for reason: 바빠서 못 가요 (can't go because busy), not 바쁘고 못 가요
• Why: -고 simply lists or sequences. It does not imply causation.

Using -고 for contrasting ideas

• Wrong: 비싸고 안 좋아요 (expensive and not good — misleading)
• Right: 비싸지만 안 좋아요 (expensive but not good)
• Why: -고 implies "and" (addition), not "but" (contrast). For contrast, use -지만.

Usage Notes

-고 is neutral regarding the relationship between clauses — it simply connects them. The listener infers temporal sequence, simultaneity, or simple listing from context. In casual speech, -고 is sometimes shortened to just 고 at the end of a sentence fragment for emphasis: 먹고! (Eat first!). This pattern also serves as the base for the progressive (-고 있다) and the desire (-고 싶다) patterns.

Practice Tips

• Describe your daily routine as a chain of -고 clauses: 일어나고 세수하고 아침을 먹고 학교에 가요.
• Practice describing objects with multiple adjectives: 크고 새롭고 비싸요.
• When writing, try combining two simple sentences into one using -고.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Verb Stems — understanding stems is needed to attach -고
• Next steps: Progressive -고 있다 — combine -고 with 있다 for ongoing actions
• Next steps: While -(으)면서 — a more specific "while doing" connective