KoreanParticles

거든요: Because, you see

Target: 거든요 (geodeunyo)

Theory
Practice

TOPIK 3

Gives a reason the listener didn't know, after the thing it explains: 배불러요. 아까 먹었거든요 (baebulleoyo. akka meogeotgeodeunyo), "I'm full. I ate earlier, you see".

Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language

Verb / adjective stem+거든요geodeunyo …, you see (giving the reason)
  • Same form after any stem, and after 았/었 at/eot for the past: 먹었거든요 meogeotgeodeunyo.
  • After a noun: 이거든요 after a consonant, 거든요 after a vowel. With friends, drop 요: 거든 geodeun.

Build it

바쁘다bappeuda바쁘거든요bappeugeodeunyoI'm busy, you see
있다itda있거든요itgeodeunyoI've got (something), you see
먹었다meogeotda먹었거든요meogeotgeodeunyoI ate, you see
생일saengil생일이거든요saengirigeodeunyoit's my birthday, you see

When to use it

Giving a reason

After the thing it explains.

오늘은 못 가요. 일이 있거든요.oneureun mot gayo. iri itgeodeunyo.I can't go today. I've got work, you see.

Answering "why?"

A natural reply to 왜요?

피곤해요. 어제 늦게 잤거든요.pigonhaeyo. eoje neutge jatgeodeunyo.I'm tired. I went to bed late last night.

Setting up a story

Background before you go on.

제가 어제 명동에 갔거든요. 그런데…jega eoje myeongdonge gatgeodeunyo. geureonde…So I went to Myeongdong yesterday, and…

Watch out

오늘 제 생일거든요.
오늘 제 생일이거든요.oneul je saengirigeodeunyo.It's my birthday today, you see.

생일 ends in a consonant, so it needs 이: 생일이거든요.

In context

9 examples
  1. 1

    배불러요. 아까 먹었거든요.

    Baebulleoyo. akka meogeotgeodeunyo.

    I'm full. I ate earlier, you see.

  2. 2

    오늘은 일찍 자야 돼요. 내일 시험이 있거든요.

    Oneureun iljjik jaya dwaeyo. naeil siheomi itgeodeunyo.

    I have to go to bed early tonight. I've got an exam tomorrow.

  3. 3

    이 카페에 자주 와요. 커피가 맛있거든요.

    I kapee jaju wayo. keopiga masitgeodeunyo.

    I come to this café a lot. The coffee's good, you see.

  4. 4

    이 옷 샀어요. 세일했거든요.

    I ot sasseoyo. seilhaetgeodeunyo.

    I bought these clothes. They were on sale, you see.

  5. 5

    내일 일찍 일어나야 돼요. 비행기를 타거든요.

    Naeil iljjik ireonaya dwaeyo. bihaenggireul tageodeunyo.

    I have to get up early tomorrow. I'm catching a flight.

  6. 6

    케이크 샀어요. 오늘 동생 생일이거든요.

    Keikeu sasseoyo. oneul dongsaeng saengirigeodeunyo.

    I bought a cake. It's my brother's birthday today.

  7. 7

    저 고기 안 먹어요. 채식주의자거든요.

    Jeo gogi an meogeoyo. chaesikjuuijageodeunyo.

    I don't eat meat. I'm vegetarian, you see.

  8. 8

    지금 전화 못 받아요. 운전하고 있거든요.

    Jigeum jeonhwa mot badayo. unjeonhago itgeodeunyo.

    I can't take a call right now. I'm driving.

  9. 9

    창문 좀 닫을게요. 좀 춥거든요.

    Changmun jom dadeulgeyo. jom chupgeodeunyo.

    I'll close the window. It's a bit cold.

Practice

6 questions
Which form?1 / 6

바쁘다 + 거든요

거든요 or 아/어서?

아/어서 a/eoseo puts the reason first, in the same sentence: 어제 늦게 자서 피곤해요, "I went to bed late, so I'm tired". 거든요 says what happened first, then gives the reason as a separate sentence, the way you would when you're chatting: 피곤해요. 어제 늦게 잤거든요.

거든요 or 잖아요?

거든요 is for a reason the listener doesn't know yet. If they already know it, 잖아요 fits better:

  • 오늘 못 가요. 시험이 있거든요. "I can't go today. I've got an exam." News to them.
  • 오늘 못 가요. 시험 있잖아요. "I can't go today. I've got that exam, remember?" They know.

Look it up in the dictionary

The entry for 거든요 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.

거든요 in the Naver Korean Dictionary (in Korean) 거든요 in the Basic Korean Dictionary (NIKL) (with English)
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