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A2 particle 3 Min. Lesezeit

~고

-go

~고 is a versatile particle that connects verbs and adjectives. When connecting verbs, it often means "and then," indicating a sequence of actions. For example, 먹고 자요 (meok-go ja-yo) means "eat and then sleep."

It can also connect adjectives, meaning "and" or "as well as," describing multiple qualities of something. For instance, 이 영화는 재미있고 슬퍼요 (i yeonghwa-neun jaemiitgo seulpeoyo) means "This movie is interesting and sad."

Importantly, the subject of both clauses connected by ~고 must be the same. If the subjects are different, other connecting particles would be used.

~고 can also be used to list a series of actions or facts without a strong sense of sequence, similar to just listing items. For example, 저는 사과를 좋아하고 바나나도 좋아해요 (jeoneun sagwareul joahago bananado joahaeyo) means "I like apples and I like bananas too."

Jetzt üben Beispiele Notizen & Tipps

§ What ~고 (go) Means

Definition: The particle ~고 (go) is used to connect verbs or adjectives. It means "and" or "and then." It shows that actions or states happen in sequence or are simply listed.

§ How to Use ~고 (go) with Verbs

When connecting two or more verbs, ~고 (go) indicates a sequence of actions. The action before ~고 happens first, and the action after ~고 happens second.

아침을 먹고 학교에 갔어요. (I ate breakfast and then went to school.)

책을 읽고 잠을 잤어요. (I read a book and then slept.)

The tense (past, present, future) is only applied to the final verb in the sentence. The verb before ~고 remains in its dictionary form (stem).

숙제를 하고 놀 거예요. (I will do homework and then play.)

§ How to Use ~고 (go) with Adjectives

When connecting two or more adjectives, ~고 (go) lists characteristics or states. It simply means "and" in this context, and there isn't necessarily a sequential order.

이 옷은 예쁘고 편해요. (These clothes are pretty and comfortable.)

날씨가 맑고 따뜻해요. (The weather is clear and warm.)

Similar to verbs, the adjective before ~고 (go) remains in its stem form, and any tense or politeness level is applied to the final adjective in the sentence.

§ Important Points about ~고 (go)

No Batchim Rule: Unlike some other particles, ~고 (go) attaches directly to the verb or adjective stem, regardless of whether the stem ends in a consonant (batchim) or a vowel. It's always just ~고.
Examples
- 먹다 (meokda - to eat) → 먹고 (meokgo)
- 가다 (gada - to go) → 가고 (gago)
- 작다 (jakda - to be small) → 작고 (jakgo)
- 크다 (keuda - to be big) → 크고 (keugo)
Order Matters (Verbs): When connecting verbs, the order typically implies a sequence of events. If the order doesn't matter, or if actions happen simultaneously, other grammar structures might be more suitable, though ~고 can still be used for simple listing.
Listing Things: Beyond just verbs and adjectives, ~고 can also be used to list different items or facts in a sentence, though this is less common than connecting verbs/adjectives directly.
김치는 맵고 맛있어요. (Kimchi is spicy and delicious.)
Similar to "And" in English: Think of ~고 (go) as a versatile "and" for connecting actions or descriptions. It's a fundamental connector that you'll use constantly in Korean.

§ Common Mistakes to Avoid

Putting Tense on the First Verb/Adjective: Remember, the tense goes on the *last* verb or adjective in the ~고 construction.
Incorrect
먹었고 갔어요. (Meogeotgo gasseoyo.)
Correct
먹고 갔어요. (Meokgo gasseoyo.)
Confusing with other "and" particles: Korean has several ways to say "and" (e.g., ~아/어서, ~지만). ~고 specifically indicates a sequence for verbs or simply lists for adjectives. It doesn't imply cause and effect (~아/어서) or contrast (~지만).

Beispiele nach Niveau

저는 밥을 먹고 영화를 봤어요.

I ate rice and watched a movie.

Connects two sequential actions.

친구를 만나고 카페에 갔어요.

I met a friend and then went to a cafe.

Connects actions in chronological order.

날씨가 맑고 바람이 시원해요.

The weather is clear and the wind is cool.

Connects two descriptive clauses.

책을 읽고 숙제를 했어요.

I read a book and did my homework.

Connects actions performed in a sequence.

저는 학생이고 제 친구는 선생님이에요.

I am a student and my friend is a teacher.

Connects two contrasting or related statements.

음악을 듣고 잠이 들었어요.

I listened to music and fell asleep.

Connects an action with its subsequent result.

그는 키가 크고 잘생겼어요.

He is tall and handsome.

Connects two descriptive adjectives.

청소를 하고 쉬었어요.

I cleaned and then rested.

Connects actions in a clear sequence.

저는 아침에 커피를 마시고 신문을 읽어요.

I drink coffee in the morning, and then I read the newspaper.

어제는 친구를 만나고 영화를 봤어요.

Yesterday, I met a friend and watched a movie.

숙제를 다 하고 게임을 시작할 거예요.

I will finish my homework and then start the game.

날씨가 맑고 바람이 시원해요.

The weather is clear and the wind is cool.

이 옷은 예쁘고 편해요.

These clothes are pretty and comfortable.

저는 매일 운동하고 건강한 음식을 먹으려고 노력해요.

I exercise every day and try to eat healthy food.

버스에서 내리고 바로 지하철을 탔어요.

I got off the bus and immediately took the subway.

그 사람은 똑똑하고 친절해요.

That person is smart and kind.

도서관에 가서 책을 빌렸어요.

I went to the library and borrowed a book.

밥을 먹고 영화를 봤어요.

I ate a meal and then watched a movie.

친구를 만나고 이야기를 많이 했어요.

I met a friend and we talked a lot.

커피를 마시고 산책했어요.

I drank coffee and took a walk.

숙제를 다 하고 게임을 할 거예요.

After I finish my homework, I will play games.

일찍 일어나고 아침을 먹었어요.

I woke up early and ate breakfast.

옷을 입고 밖으로 나갔어요.

I put on clothes and went outside.

음악을 듣고 책을 읽었어요.

I listened to music and read a book.

Häufige Kollokationen

먹고 자다 eat and sleep

읽고 쓰다 read and write

가고 오다 go and come

보고 듣다 see and hear

크고 작다 big and small

좋고 싫다 like and dislike

빠르고 쉽다 fast and easy

앉고 서다 sit and stand

웃고 울다 laugh and cry

사고 팔다 buy and sell

Häufige Phrasen

저는 밥을 먹고 영화를 봤어요.

I ate rice and watched a movie.

책을 읽고 공부했어요.

I read a book and studied.

친구를 만나고 커피를 마셨어요.

I met a friend and drank coffee.

일어나고 학교에 갔어요.

I woke up and went to school.

숙제를 하고 잠을 잤어요.

I did my homework and slept.

음악을 듣고 춤을 췄어요.

I listened to music and danced.

선물을 사고 친구에게 줬어요.

I bought a gift and gave it to my friend.

그는 키가 크고 잘생겼어요.

He is tall and handsome.

날씨가 맑고 따뜻해요.

The weather is clear and warm.

이 가방은 싸고 좋아요.

This bag is cheap and good.

Wird oft verwechselt mit

~고 vs ~아/어서

While both connect verbs, '~아/어서' indicates that the first action is the reason or cause for the second action, or that the first action *must* precede the second. '~고' simply lists actions in sequence without implying causality.

~고 vs ~지만

Both connect clauses, but '~지만' introduces a contrasting idea ('but,' 'although'), whereas '~고' simply connects them neutrally without implying contrast.

~고 vs 그리고 (and)

Both mean 'and,' but '그리고' is a conjunction that connects sentences or independent clauses, while '~고' is a conjunctive ending that attaches to verb or adjective stems to connect clauses within a single sentence.

Leicht verwechselbar

~고 vs ~고

Many English speakers confuse '~고' with other conjunctions like '~아/어서' and '~지만' because all three can connect clauses. The key difference lies in the specific relationship they convey between the connected actions or states.

'~고' simply lists actions or states in sequence or in parallel, without implying cause, reason, or contrast. It's a neutral connector.

저는 밥을 먹고, 커피를 마셨어요. (I ate rice, and [then] drank coffee.)

~고 vs ~고 있다

Learners often over-use '~고 있다' for any ongoing action, similar to the English present continuous. However, in Korean, it's specifically for actions currently in progress, not for habitual actions or future plans.

'~고 있다' indicates an action that is happening at the moment of speaking. For habitual actions, the simple present tense is used.

지금 책을 읽고 있어요. (I am reading a book right now.)

~고 vs ~고 싶다

The structure of 'verb stem + ~고 싶다' can be confusing because '싶다' itself means 'to want.' Learners sometimes try to directly translate 'I want to eat' as '나는 먹고 싶다,' which is correct, but the nuance of 'to want to do something' is often missed, leading to incorrect usage with nouns.

'~고 싶다' is exclusively used with verb stems to express the desire to perform an action. For wanting a noun, '을/를 원하다' or '을/를 갖고 싶다' is used.

한국에 가고 싶어요. (I want to go to Korea.)

~고 vs ~지 말다 (negation with ~고)

When connecting a negative imperative with another clause using '~고,' learners might incorrectly place '~고' before '~지 말다' or try to negate the whole sentence after connecting. The correct structure is to apply the negation to the first verb.

To connect a negative imperative, you negate the verb with '~지 말다' first, then add '~고.' This indicates 'do not do X, and then...' or 'do not do X, but rather Y.'

늦지 말고, 일찍 오세요. (Don't be late, and come early.)

~고 vs 과거 시제 + ~고 (past tense and then)

Learners sometimes mistakenly use a past tense ending (like ~았/었) on the first verb before adding '~고,' thinking it emphasizes the past sequence. However, '~고' itself implies sequential action, and using past tense on the first verb is usually redundant and can be grammatically incorrect in many contexts.

When using '~고' to connect sequential actions in the past, only the final verb needs to be in the past tense. The '~고' itself indicates the order.

저는 아침을 먹고 학교에 갔어요. (I ate breakfast and [then] went to school.) (Not: 저는 아침을 먹었고 학교에 갔어요.)

Wortfamilie

Substantive

연결 connection

순서 order, sequence

Verben

연결하다 to connect

이어지다 to be connected, to continue

Tipps

Basic use of ~고

The particle ~고 connects two or more verbs or adjectives. It means "and" or "and then." The action or state described by the first verb/adjective happens before the second. It's often used to describe a sequence of events.

Attaching ~고 to verbs

To attach ~고 to a verb, simply remove the -다 from the verb stem and add ~고. For example, 먹다 (to eat) becomes 먹고 (eating and then).

Attaching ~고 to adjectives

Similarly, for adjectives, remove -다 from the stem and add ~고. For example, 예쁘다 (to be pretty) becomes 예쁘고 (pretty and).

Connecting actions in order

Use ~고 to show a chronological order of actions. The action in the first clause happens before the action in the second clause. For example: 밥을 먹고 공부했어요. (I ate and then studied.)

Connecting adjectives for description

You can also use ~고 to connect two or more adjectives that describe the same noun, indicating that the noun has both qualities. For example: 그 여자는 예쁘고 친절해요. (That woman is pretty and kind.)

Using ~고 to list actions

When listing multiple actions that happen in sequence, you can use ~고 repeatedly. For example: 일어나고, 아침을 먹고, 학교에 가요. (I wake up, eat breakfast, and go to school.)

No tense on first verb/adjective

The tense (past, present, future) of the entire sentence is determined by the final verb or adjective. The verbs/adjectives connected by ~고 remain in their basic form. For example: 책을 읽고 잠을 잤어요. (I read a book and then slept.) The past tense is only on 잤어요.

Connecting clauses with different subjects

While often used with the same subject, ~고 can also connect clauses with different subjects if there's a logical flow. For example: 저는 밥을 먹고, 친구는 책을 읽어요. (I eat rice, and my friend reads a book.)

Don't confuse with ~와/과

Remember that ~와/과 means "and" for nouns, while ~고 means "and" for verbs/adjectives. They are not interchangeable. For example: 사과와 바나나 (apple and banana) vs. 먹고 자다 (eat and sleep).

Common phrases with ~고

Listen for common phrases that use ~고, such as ~고 싶다 (want to ~), which literally means "and want." For example: 밥 먹고 싶어요. (I want to eat.)

Einprägen

Eselsbrücke

Think of a 'go' cart. It goes from one action or description to another, connecting them.

Visuelle Assoziation

Imagine two actions or descriptions being linked together by a small 'go' sign, like a bridge between them.

Word Web

순서 (order) 연결 (connection) 그리고 (and) 동작 (action) 상태 (state)

Herausforderung

Describe your daily routine using '~고' to connect at least three different actions. For example: '아침에 일어나고, 밥을 먹고, 회사에 가요.'