I encountered this construction a few times before realizing that it’s not literally being used to report speech, but rather in a different way. I still don’t fully understand how to use this construction, but here are two entries in the Korean grammar dictionary which provide examples: –다고 and -ㄴ다고.
Here are some examples:
나 아프다고 친구가 약을 사줬어.
I was sick so my friend bought me medicine.나 다리를 다쳤다고 엄마가 택시를 불러줬어.
I hurt my leg, so my mom called a taxi.제가 잘 못 먹는다고 고기도 사 먹였어요.
Because I couldn’t eat well, he bought me meat to eat.미룬다고 해결될 일이 아니지.
It’s not something that’s going to be solved by postponing.돈이 많다고 반드시 행복한 것은 아니다.
We are not necessarily happy just because we have a lot of money.천천히 먹어. 배고프다고 막 먹지 말고.
Eat slowly. Don’t eat in a hurry just because you’re hungry.방학이라고 다들 신났어요.
Everybody is excited because it’s school break.
Tag: so
~(어/아) 가지고 (causal relationship, colloquial, only used in speech and not writing)
1. Because, since, so (cause and effect, similar to ~아/어/여서)
바빠 가지고 지금 갈 수 없어요 = Because I am busy I can not go.
어제 늦게 끝나 가지고 집에 못 갔어요 = Because I finished late yesterday, I couldn’t go home
오늘 날씨가 너무 더워 가지고 약속을 취소했어요 = Because the weather is so hot today, I cancelled my plans
우리가 너무 일찍 와 가지고 오랫동안 기다렸어요 = Because we came so early, we had to wait for a long time
2. After doing.., Having done… (colloquial expression of “having done something” is similar to -ㄴ/은 후에 and
~아/어/여서
)
불어를 공부해 가지고 프랑스에 살고 싶어요 = After studying French I want to live in France.
은행에서 돈을 찾아 가지고 나가겠어요 = After withdrawing money from the bank, I will go out.
한국어를 배워 가지고 한국 회사에 취직하겠어요 = After learning Korean, I will get a job in a Korean company.
공부를 해 가지고 와 = Come after you study.
~게 = So that (shows purpose of action)
그 극장 좀 찾아가게 약도 좀 그려줘. = Please draw me a map so that I can find the cinema.
제시간에 도착하게 일찍 나갑시다. = Please lets leave early so that we can arrive on time.
먹기 편하게 냉면을 잘라 주세요. = So that it is easier to eat, please can you cut my noodles.
얘기 좀 하게 다가앉아라 = Sit a little closer, so that we can have a talk.
사람들이 모두 보게 안내문을 벽에 붙였다 = I posted an information sign on the wall so that everyone can see it
음식을 좀 만들게 재료를 사와 = Buy some ingredients so that I can make some food
~는 바람에 = because of, as a result of (negative result of an unexpected cause, idiomatic meaning lit ‘in the wind of…’)
(use only with action verbs (descriptive verbs can be used in action form ~어/아지다),
can only use with past tense (and tense only applied to the second clause)
비가 오는 바람에 옷이 다 젖었다 = It rained and my clothes got soaked
화산이 터지는 바람에 3명이 사망했다.= 3 people were killed on the account of the volcano erupting.
사고가 나는 바람에 늦었다.= I was late because of an accident.
눈이 오는 바람에 길이 미끄러웠다.= It snowed and (as a result) the streets were slippery.
컴퓨터가 고장이 나는 바람에 숙제를 못했어요. = My computer broker so I couldn’t do my homework.
어제 밤에 큰 소리가 나는 바람에 깼다. = I woke up last night because there was a loud noise.
~길래 = expresses reason, especially with intentional action based on observation or judgement
비가 오길래 우산을 가져왔어요 = It was raining so I brought my umbrella.
맛있길래 더 사왔어요 = It was delicious so I bought some more.
사람이 많길래 그냥 나왔어요 = There were a lot of people so I just left.
너무 피곤하길래 그냥 집에 있었어요 = I was too tired, so I just stayed at home
비가 올 것 같길래 그냥 집에 있었어요 = It looked like it was going to rain, so I just stayed at home.
서점이 곧 문을 닫을 것 같길래 그냥 돌아왔어요 = The bookstore looked like it was going to close soon so I just came back
효진 씨가 스폰지밥을 좋아하길래, 스폰지를 사 줬어요 = I saw that Hyojin likes SpongeBob, so I bought her some sponge.
지금 어디에 있길래 이렇게 시끄러워요? = Where are you now? It’s so noisy (as a result of that)!
뭐 했길래 이렇게 지쳤어요? = What did you do to be so tired?
경화 씨가 뭐라고 말했길래 이렇게 신났어요? = What did Kyung-hwa say to make you so excited?
무슨 이야기를 들었길래 그렇게 열심히 공부해요? = What did they tell you? Why are you studying so hard?
어디에 가길래 그렇게 짐을 많이 싸요? = = Where are you going? You’re packing so much stuff!
누구를 만나길래 그렇게 화장을 열심히 해요? = Who are you meeting to be putting on so much make-up?
~느라(고) – preceding clause is the reason/cause/purpose (used with negative results)
회사 일을 하느라고 바빴다 = I was busy working on company business.
급하게 나오느라고 숙제를 놓고 왔어요 = In order to leave in a hurry, I left the assignment at home.
뭐 하느라고 잠도 못 잤니? = Why couldn’t you sleep? (Lit. “What were you doing that you could not sleep?”)
학교하고 씨름 좀 하느라고 = I was dealing with school problems.. (that’s why i am late)
김장을 하느라고 정말 힘들었어요 = I made kimchi, that is why i am so tired
옷을 많이 사느라고 돈을 다 섰어요 = Since I bought lots of clothes, I spent all my money
텔레비전을 보느라고 초인종을 못 들었어요 = Because I was watching TV, I didn’t hear the doorbell
Noun + (이)라(서) – as being, since it is, because it is
요즘은 방학이라 한가해요 – these days, since it’s summer i’m not busy (free, at leisure).
에이미는 제 친구라서 자주 놀러 와 – As Amy is my friend, she often comes to see me.
내일이 친구 생일이라서 선물을 사야 돼요 – Because tomorrow is my friend’s birthday, I have to buy a present.
~(이)라서 그래요 – it’s that way because
중국인이라서 그래요 – It’s because he is Chinese
수입품이라서 그래요 – It’s because that is an imported goods.
그 사람은 좋아하는 여자라서 그래 – It’s because that’s the girl he likes.
~이어서, 여서 (이다 + ~아/어/여서)
목요일이어서 술을 마시고 싶어요 =
It is Thursday so I want to drink alcohol.
뚱뚱한 남자여서 운동하고 싶어요 = He is a fat man so he wants to exercise.
~거든(요) – expresses reason or background information, because, since
저도 모르겠어요. 저 방금 왔거든요 = I don’t know either. I just got here.
내일은 안 바빠요. 오늘 일을 다 끝냈거든요 = I’m not busy tomorrow. (Because) I finished all the work today.
아직 말할 수 없어요. 비밀이거든요 = I can’t tell you yet. (Because) it’s a secret
아직 말할 수 없어요. 비밀이거든요 = I can’t tell you yet. (Because) it’s a secret
Giving Context. implies that the story is continued, you will mention another related thing, so…
제가 지금 돈이 없거든요. 만원만 빌려 주세요 = I don’t have any money now. (So…) Please lend me just 10,000 won
지난 주에 제주도에 갔거든요. 그런데 계속 비가 왔어요 = I went to Jeju Island last week. But it kept raining.
제가 지금 좀 바쁘거든요 = I’m a little busy now, so…
아까 효진 씨 만났거든요. 그런데 이상한 말을 했어요 = I met Hyojin earlier. But she said something strange.
* Generally used to soften your speech or express a reason indirectly, but sometimes when you are upset, to express the reason that supports or explains your anger. *
필요 없거든요! = I don’t need it!
이미 늦었거든요! = It’s already too late!
이미 늦었거든요! = It’s already too late!
얼마나/어찌나 + descriptive verb + ~ㄴ/은지 (~(었/았)던지)
얼마나/어찌나 + action verb + ~는지 (~(었/았)던지)
So/such _______ that _______.
나는 얼마나 급한지 신발도 못 신고 뛰어 나갔어요 = I was in such a hurry that I ran out without wearing shoes.
날씨가 얼마나 추웠던지 죽을 뻔 했어요 = It was so cold that I nearly died.
그 학생은 어찌나 열심히 공부하는지 잠도 많이 안 자요 = The student works so hard that he doesn’t sleep much.
그 차가 어찌나 빨리 가던지 못 따라갔어요 = The car went so fast that I couldn’t follow it.
Sutdy-Korean 