When you want to explain the reason or cause for something, you can use the conjunction '아서' (aseo). It connects two clauses, where the first clause states the reason and the second clause states the result or consequence. Think of it like saying 'because' or 'so' in English. This conjunction can also be used to indicate a sequence of actions, meaning 'and then' or 'after doing something'.
For example, if you say '비가 와서 집에 있었어요' (biga waseo jibe isseosseoyo), it means 'Because it rained, I stayed at home.' Here, the rain is the reason for staying home. Another example for sequence is '밥을 먹어서 힘이 났어요' (babeul meogeoseo himi nasseoyo), which translates to 'I ate, so I got energy' or 'After eating, I gained strength.'
Remember that '아서' is attached to the stem of the verb or adjective. If the stem ends in a vowel 'ㅏ' or 'ㅗ', you use '아서'. Otherwise, you use '어서'. If the stem ends in '하다', it changes to '해서' (haeseo).
§ What does it mean and when do people use it?
The Korean conjunction -아서/어서 (aseo/eoseo) is a super common and important grammatical structure you'll encounter a lot. It has a few main uses, but they all generally revolve around connecting two clauses, with the first clause providing a reason, cause, or a sequential action for the second clause. Think of it as meaning 'because,' 'so,' or 'then' in English, depending on the context.
You attach -아서 to a verb or adjective stem. The choice between -아서 and -어서 depends on the last vowel of the stem. If the last vowel is ㅏ (a) or ㅗ (o), you use -아서. For all other vowels, you use -어서. If the stem ends in 하다 (hada), it changes to 해서 (haeseo). This is a common pattern in Korean grammar, so it's good to get used to it!
- Meaning 1
- Reason or Cause (Because, Since)
This is probably the most frequent use of -아서/어서. It indicates that the first clause is the reason or cause for the action or state in the second clause. It's similar to using 'because' or 'since' in English.
비가 와서 집에 있었어요.
Translation hint: It rained, so I stayed home. (Because it rained, I stayed home.)
피곤해서 일찍 잤어요.
Translation hint: I was tired, so I slept early. (Because I was tired, I slept early.)
- Meaning 2
- Sequential Action (Then, And then)
Another common use of -아서/어서 is to indicate a sequence of actions, where the first action must happen before the second. It implies a natural progression or that the second action depends on the completion of the first. In this case, it's often translated as 'and then' or simply 'then'.
집에 가서 밥을 먹었어요.
Translation hint: I went home and then ate. (I went home, then ate.)
책을 읽어서 잠이 들었어요.
Translation hint: I read a book and then fell asleep. (I read a book, then fell asleep.)
- Meaning 3
- Greetings and Thanks
You'll also hear -아서/어서 in common greetings and expressions of gratitude. In these cases, the first part often implies a reason for the greeting or thanks.
- 만나서 반갑습니다 (mannaseo bangapseumnida): Nice to meet you. (Because I met you, I'm glad.)
- 고마워서 드려요 (gomawoseo deuryeoyo): I'm giving this to you because I'm thankful.
Understanding -아서/어서 is a big step in becoming more fluent in Korean. Pay attention to how it's used in different contexts, and you'll quickly get the hang of it!
豆知識
This conjunction is often used for actions that happen in sequence, where the first action directly leads to or enables the second.
知っておくべき文法
Use -아서/어서 to connect two clauses where the first clause is the reason or cause for the second clause. The two clauses must have a logical cause-and-effect relationship.
날씨가 좋아서 산책했어요. (The weather was good, so I went for a walk.)
-아서/어서 can also indicate a sequence of actions, where the first action must be completed before the second action can occur. There is no intention or command in the second clause.
학교에 가서 공부했어요. (I went to school and studied.)
When the stem of the preceding verb or adjective ends in a vowel ㅏ or ㅗ, use -아서. For all other vowels and for words ending in 하다, use -어서. If the 하다 verb is part of a compound (e.g., 공부하다), the 하다 changes to 하여서, which is often shortened to 해서.
보고 싶어서 연락했어요. (I missed you, so I contacted you.) / 공부해서 시험을 잘 봤어요. (I studied, so I did well on the exam.)
You cannot use -아서/어서 with imperative (commands) or propositive (suggestions) endings in the second clause. Use -(으)니까 instead for those situations.
비가 와서 집에 있어요. (It's raining, so I'm staying home.) - Incorrect: 비가 와서 집에 가세요. (It's raining, so please go home.)
The tense (past or future) is only expressed in the final verb of the sentence. The verb or adjective before -아서/어서 remains in its stem form.
피곤해서 일찍 잤어요. (I was tired, so I slept early.)
レベル別の例文
비가 많이 와서 길이 미끄러워요.
It's raining a lot, so the road is slippery.
Used to connect two clauses where the first clause is the reason for the second clause.
피곤해서 일찍 자고 싶어요.
I'm tired, so I want to sleep early.
Indicates a reason for the desired action.
배가 고파서 밥을 먹었어요.
I was hungry, so I ate rice.
Shows a cause-and-effect relationship.
너무 바빠서 연락을 못 했어요.
I was too busy, so I couldn't contact you.
Explains the reason for an inability to do something.
버스를 놓쳐서 지각했어요.
I missed the bus, so I was late.
Connects an event with its consequence.
책을 다 읽어서 돌려줬어요.
I finished reading the book, so I returned it.
Shows a sequence of completed actions.
날씨가 좋아서 산책했어요.
The weather was good, so I took a walk.
Gives the reason for an enjoyable activity.
시험 공부를 열심히 해서 좋은 성적을 받았어요.
I studied hard for the exam, so I got good grades.
Highlights the effort as the reason for a positive outcome.
날씨가 좋아서 우리 공원에 갔어요.
The weather was good, so we went to the park.
피곤해서 일찍 잤어요.
I was tired, so I slept early.
배고파서 밥을 먹었어요.
I was hungry, so I ate.
친구가 늦어서 제가 먼저 갔어요.
My friend was late, so I went first.
돈이 없어서 못 샀어요.
I didn't have money, so I couldn't buy it.
바빠서 연락 못 했어요.
I was busy, so I couldn't contact you.
버스를 놓쳐서 택시를 탔어요.
I missed the bus, so I took a taxi.
길을 잃어서 지도를 찾아봤어요.
I got lost, so I looked at the map.
よく混同される語
While both mean 'because,' '아서' is for direct reasons/sequences and cannot be used with imperatives/propositives. '-(으)니까' is for discovered reasons and can be used with imperatives/propositives.
Both mean 'because,' but '-기 때문에' is more formal and objective, emphasizing the cause more strongly than '아서.'
'아서' is a conjunction connecting clauses within a sentence, showing direct cause/sequence. '그래서' is an adverb connecting two separate sentences, introducing a result.
慣用句と表現
"비가 와서 못 갔어요."
Because it rained, I couldn't go.
비가 와서 약속을 취소했어요. (Because it rained, I canceled the appointment.)
neutral"배고파서 밥 먹었어요."
Because I was hungry, I ate.
너무 배고파서 잠이 안 왔어요. (I was so hungry I couldn't sleep.)
neutral"피곤해서 일찍 잤어요."
Because I was tired, I slept early.
어제 너무 피곤해서 아무것도 못 했어요. (Yesterday I was so tired I couldn't do anything.)
neutral"친구가 와서 기뻐요."
Because my friend came, I'm happy.
선물을 받아서 정말 기뻤어요. (I was really happy because I received a present.)
neutral"늦어서 죄송합니다."
I'm sorry because I'm late.
늦어서 정말 죄송해요. (I'm really sorry for being late.)
formal"책을 읽어서 똑똑해졌어요."
Because I read books, I became smart.
매일 책을 읽어서 지식이 많아졌어요. (Because I read books every day, my knowledge increased.)
neutral"한국어를 배워서 여행하고 싶어요."
Because I learn Korean, I want to travel.
한국어를 배워서 한국 친구를 사귀고 싶어요. (Because I learn Korean, I want to make Korean friends.)
neutral"졸려서 커피 마셨어요."
Because I was sleepy, I drank coffee.
너무 졸려서 회의 중에 졸았어요. (I was so sleepy I dozed off during the meeting.)
neutral"바빠서 연락 못 했어요."
Because I was busy, I couldn't contact you.
요즘 너무 바빠서 운동도 못 가요. (I'm so busy these days I can't even go to exercise.)
neutral"아파서 병원에 갔어요."
Because I was sick, I went to the hospital.
머리가 아파서 두통약을 먹었어요. (Because my head hurt, I took headache medicine.)
neutral間違えやすい
Many learners confuse '아서' with other Korean conjunctions that also mean 'because' or 'so,' such as '으니까' (eunikka) or '기 때문에' (gi ttaemune). The key difference lies in the nuances of reason and sequence.
'아서' is used when the first clause is a direct reason or cause for the second clause, often with a sense of natural flow or consequence. It cannot be used with imperative or propositive sentences. It also indicates a sequence of actions where the first action must happen before the second.
날씨가 좋아서 산책했어요. (The weather was good, so I went for a walk.)
When combined with '오다' (to come) or '가다' (to go) as '어서 오다' or '어서 가다,' it can be confused with a similar-sounding adverb '어서' meaning 'quickly' or 'at once.'
In the context of '어서 오다' or '어서 가다,' the '어서' here is actually the shortened form of '아/어서' acting as a conjunction, implying 'come/go and then do something' or 'because you are coming/going.' It's not the adverb meaning 'quickly.'
집에 가서 밥 먹었어요. (I went home and ate.)
This is another common conjunction for 'because' or 'so' that can be confused with '아서.'
While '아서' expresses a direct cause, '-(으)니까' is often used when the speaker discovers a reason or result. It can also be used with imperative or propositive sentences, which '아서' cannot. It often implies the speaker's subjective judgment or feeling.
비가 오니까 우산 가져가세요. (It's raining, so take an umbrella.)
This is another 'because' conjunction that learners often mix up with '아서' and '-(으)니까.'
'-기 때문에' is a more formal and objective way to express a reason or cause. It can be used for both positive and negative reasons and is often found in written language or more formal speech. It emphasizes the cause and effect more strongly than '아서.'
교통 체증 때문에 늦었어요. (I was late because of the traffic jam.)
'그래서' also means 'so' or 'therefore,' leading to confusion when choosing between '아서' and '그래서.'
'그래서' is an adverb that connects two separate sentences. It introduces a result or consequence based on a previously stated fact. '아서', on the other hand, is a conjunction that connects two clauses within a single sentence, showing a direct cause-and-effect relationship or sequence.
비가 왔어요. 그래서 집에 있었어요. (It rained. So, I stayed home.)
語源
Native Korean
元の意味： Indicates a direct connection between two clauses, where the first clause is the reason or cause for the second.
Koreanic文化的な背景
When speaking Korean, using '아서/어서' correctly shows a natural flow of thought and understanding of cause-and-effect or sequential actions. It's a very common and essential connector in everyday conversation.
自分をテスト 42 問
Choose the correct ending: 비가 오다, 저는 집에 가다.
'~아서/어서' connects two clauses where the first clause is the reason or cause for the second clause. '비가 오다' (it rains) is the reason for '저는 집에 가다' (I go home).
Which sentence correctly uses '아서/어서' to show a sequence of actions?
'~아서/어서' can also connect two clauses where the first action happens before the second. Here, eating '밥을 먹다' happens before going to school '학교에 가다'.
Complete the sentence: 저는 피곤하다, 그래서 잠을 자다.
'~아서/어서' indicates that being tired '피곤하다' is the reason for sleeping '잠을 자다'.
You can use '아서/어서' when the first clause describes the reason for the second clause.
'~아서/어서' is commonly used to express a reason or cause.
The sentence '책을 읽어서 공부했어요.' means 'I studied, and then I read a book.'
'책을 읽어서 공부했어요.' means 'Because I read a book, I studied' or 'I read a book and then studied.' The action in the first clause happens first or is the reason for the second.
The correct way to connect '춥다' (cold) and '집에 있다' (stay home) to show reason is '추워서 집에 있어요.'
When the stem ends with 'ㅂ', it changes to '우' before '~아서/어서'. So '춥다' becomes '추워서'.
The correct order is 'It's raining so I'm at home.' '비가 와서' means 'because it's raining'.
The correct order is 'I'm hungry so I'm eating rice.' '배고파서' means 'because I'm hungry'.
The correct order is 'I'm tired so I want to sleep.' '피곤해서' means 'because I'm tired'.
친구가 늦게 ___ 저는 먼저 식당에 갔어요.
The conjunction '아서' (와서 in this case due to '오다') is used to indicate a reason or sequence. The friend being late is the reason for going to the restaurant first.
피곤해서 일찍 집에 ___ 쉬었어요.
The conjunction '아서' (가서 in this case due to '가다') connects being tired to going home early and resting. It shows a sequence of actions.
날씨가 좋아서 우리는 공원에 ___ 산책했어요.
The good weather is the reason for going to the park and taking a walk. '아서' (가서) connects these actions.
배가 고파서 편의점에서 빵을 ___ 먹었어요.
Being hungry is the reason for buying bread at the convenience store and eating it. '아서' (사서) indicates this reason and sequence.
책이 재미있어서 밤늦게까지 ___ 읽었어요.
The book being interesting is the reason for continuing to read until late at night. '아서' (해서) is used with '계속하다' (to continue) to show this cause and effect.
너무 더워서 창문을 ___ 바람을 웠어요.
Being too hot is the reason for opening the window and getting some fresh air. '아서' (열어서) connects these actions in sequence.
내일은 주말이___, 일찍 일어날 필요가 없어요.
When the preceding noun ends with a consonant, we use '이어서'. When it ends with a vowel, we use '라서'. 주말 ends with a consonant, so '이라서' is the correct form, which contracts to '라서' in common usage.
영화를 너무 많이 봐___, 눈이 아파요.
The verb stem '보다' (to see/watch) combines with '아서' because the stem '보' ends with a vowel 'ㅗ'.
피곤___, 일찍 자러 갈 거예요.
The adjective '피곤하다' (to be tired) combines with '해서' as a contracted form of '하여서'.
친구가 늦게 와___, 영화를 놓쳤어요.
The verb '오다' (to come) combines with '아서' to become '와서'.
날씨가 좋___, 산책했어요.
The adjective '좋다' (to be good) combines with '아서' because the stem '좋' ends with a vowel 'ㅗ'.
숙제가 많___, 주말에도 공부해야 해요.
The adjective '많다' (to be many/much) combines with '아서' because the stem '많' ends with a vowel 'ㅏ'.
다음 중 '피곤해서 일찍 잤어요.'와 같은 의미의 문장은 무엇입니까?
'~아서'는 앞 절이 뒤 절의 원인이나 이유가 될 때 사용됩니다. '일찍 잤어요'는 이미 완료된 행동이므로, 과거형인 '잠을 잤습니다'가 가장 적절합니다.
빈칸에 들어갈 가장 적절한 표현은 무엇입니까? '저는 어제 도서관에 ___ 공부를 했습니다.'
'가서'는 '가다' 동사에 '~아서'가 붙은 형태로, 도서관에 간 것이 공부를 한 이유나 선행 동작이 됨을 나타냅니다.
다음 문장 중 '아서'의 사용이 적절하지 않은 것은 무엇입니까?
'슬프다'와 '기분이 좋다'는 서로 상반되는 감정이므로, '슬퍼서 기분이 좋아요'는 논리적으로 '아서'의 용법에 맞지 않습니다. '슬프지만 기분이 좋아요'처럼 다른 연결어를 사용해야 합니다.
'비가 와서 길이 미끄러워요.'는 비가 오는 것이 길이 미끄러운 원인임을 나타낸다.
'~아서'는 앞 절의 내용이 뒤 절의 원인이나 이유가 될 때 사용되므로, 비가 오는 것이 길이 미끄러운 원인이라는 설명은 맞습니다.
'아서'는 항상 동사에만 붙여서 사용한다.
'~아서'는 동사뿐만 아니라 형용사에도 붙여서 사용됩니다. 예를 들어, '예뻐서 인기가 많아요.'와 같이 형용사에도 사용 가능합니다.
'졸려서 잠이 들었어요.'는 '졸리다'가 '잠이 들다'의 이유임을 나타낸다.
'~아서'는 선행 절이 후행 절의 이유나 원인이 될 때 사용됩니다. 따라서 '졸리다'는 '잠이 들다'의 이유가 됩니다.
The speaker is explaining why they need to stay indoors.
The speaker is giving a reason for going to bed early.
The speaker is giving a warning and a reason for it.
Read this aloud:
너무 바빠서 점심을 못 먹었어요.
Focus: 바빠서
あなたの回答：
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
한국어를 배우고 싶어서 한국 드라마를 많이 봐요.
Focus: 배우고 싶어서
あなたの回答：
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
늦잠을 자서 회의에 늦었어요.
Focus: 늦잠을 자서
あなたの回答：
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
You are organizing a community event and need to explain why certain preparations are necessary. Write a short paragraph to your team, using '아서' to connect reasons with actions. Focus on logistics like venue setup, volunteer coordination, and material procurement.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
행사장이 넓어서 미리 좌석 배치를 해야 합니다. 또한, 자원봉사자들을 효율적으로 배치해야 해서 교육이 필요합니다. 마지막으로, 필요한 물품이 많아서 일찍 구매해야 합니다.
Describe a complex personal decision you recently made. Explain the primary reason behind your choice using '아서' or '어서'. Ensure your explanation covers the impact or consequence of your decision.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
최근에 해외 이주를 결정했습니다. 새로운 기회를 찾고 싶어서 큰 결심을 하게 되었고, 이로 인해 삶의 많은 부분이 변화하고 있습니다. 가족과의 시간도 중요하다고 생각해서 모든 것을 신중하게 고려했습니다.
Imagine you are giving feedback to a colleague on a project. Write a constructive comment using '아서' to explain why a particular aspect of their work needs improvement or adjustment. Provide a specific suggestion.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
보고서의 데이터 분석이 부족해서 결론이 설득력이 떨어집니다. 따라서, 더 많은 자료를 조사해서 근거를 보강해야 할 것 같습니다. 다음번에는 시장 동향을 더 깊이 연구해서 보고서에 반영해 주세요.
위 글에서 국제 사회가 탄소 배출량을 줄여야 하는 주된 이유는 무엇인가요?
Read this passage:
최근 기후 변화로 인해 전 세계적으로 이상 기후 현상이 빈번하게 발생하고 있습니다. 이는 생태계에 큰 영향을 미쳐서 많은 종들이 서식지를 잃거나 멸종 위기에 처해 있습니다. 이러한 문제에 대응하기 위해서 국제 사회는 탄소 배출량을 줄이고 지속 가능한 발전을 추구해야 합니다.
위 글에서 국제 사회가 탄소 배출량을 줄여야 하는 주된 이유는 무엇인가요?
지구 온난화로 인한 이상 기후 현상이 빈번하게 발생하여 생태계에 큰 영향을 미치기 때문에 탄소 배출량을 줄여야 한다고 언급하고 있습니다.
지구 온난화로 인한 이상 기후 현상이 빈번하게 발생하여 생태계에 큰 영향을 미치기 때문에 탄소 배출량을 줄여야 한다고 언급하고 있습니다.
인공지능 기술의 발전이 가져오는 '새로운 도전 과제들'은 무엇과 관련이 깊다고 설명하고 있나요?
Read this passage:
인공지능 기술의 발전은 사회 전반에 걸쳐 혁신을 가져오고 있습니다. 하지만, 동시에 일자리 감소나 윤리적 문제와 같은 새로운 도전 과제들을 제시하고 있습니다. 우리는 이러한 문제들을 간과해서는 안 되며, 기술의 긍정적인 측면을 극대화하면서도 부정적인 영향을 최소화하기 위한 노력이 필요합니다.
인공지능 기술의 발전이 가져오는 '새로운 도전 과제들'은 무엇과 관련이 깊다고 설명하고 있나요?
본문에서 인공지능 기술의 발전이 일자리 감소나 윤리적 문제와 같은 새로운 도전 과제들을 제시하고 있다고 명시하고 있습니다.
본문에서 인공지능 기술의 발전이 일자리 감소나 윤리적 문제와 같은 새로운 도전 과제들을 제시하고 있다고 명시하고 있습니다.
젊은 세대가 결혼과 출산을 망설이는 주된 이유 중 하나는 무엇 때문이라고 언급하고 있나요?
Read this passage:
최근 도시의 인구 집중 현상으로 인해 주택 가격이 급등하고 있습니다. 이로 인해 젊은 세대들은 주거 불안정을 겪고 있으며, 결혼과 출산을 망설이는 주된 이유 중 하나가 되고 있습니다. 정부는 이러한 문제에 대한 실질적인 해결책을 마련해서 사회 전반의 균형 발전을 도모해야 합니다.
젊은 세대가 결혼과 출산을 망설이는 주된 이유 중 하나는 무엇 때문이라고 언급하고 있나요?
본문에서 주택 가격 급등으로 인해 젊은 세대들이 주거 불안정을 겪고 있으며, 이것이 결혼과 출산을 망설이는 주된 이유 중 하나라고 언급하고 있습니다.
본문에서 주택 가격 급등으로 인해 젊은 세대들이 주거 불안정을 겪고 있으며, 이것이 결혼과 출산을 망설이는 주된 이유 중 하나라고 언급하고 있습니다.
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関連コンテンツ
communicationの関連語
~대해서
A2About; a particle indicating the subject of discussion.
~ 에 대해
A2About; concerning; regarding.
~쯤
A2About; approximately (quantity, time)
동의
B1The act of agreeing with someone's opinion or a proposal. A core functional word for IELTS Writing Task 2 'agree or disagree' questions.
모호성
B2The quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness or lack of clarity.
그리고
A1And/and then
공지
A2A formal announcement or notification.
답하다
A1To answer
대답하다
A1To answer
대답
A1Answer; Reply (response to a question)
