Uses one action as a chance to do another.
편의점에 가는 김에 물 좀 사다 주세요.
pyeonuijeome ganeun gime mul jom sada juseyo.
Since you're going to the convenience store, could you get me some water?
청소하는 김에 창문도 닦았어요.
cheongsohaneun gime changmundo dakkasseoyo.
While I was cleaning, I wiped the windows too.
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- While it's going on: 는 김에, as in 가는 김에 ganeun gime. Once it's done: (으)ㄴ 김에, as in 간 김에 gan gime.
- After a consonant, the second form is 은 김에: 먹은 김에 meogeun gime. A stem ending in ㄹ drops it: 만드는 김에 mandeuneun gime, 만든 김에 mandeun gime.
- You're doing one thing anyway, so you use the chance to do something else too.
Build it
When to use it
Asking for a small favor
They're going anyway, so it's not much trouble.
Doing one more thing
You added something to what you were doing.
Making the most of a trip
You're already there, so you may as well.
Watch out
It nearly always goes on verbs, not adjectives.
For something already done, use the (으)ㄴ form: 간 김에 gan gime.
In context
8 examples- 1
편의점에 가는 김에 물 좀 사다 주세요.
Pyeonuijeome ganeun gime mul jom sada juseyo.
Since you're going to the convenience store, could you get me some water?
- 2
청소하는 김에 창문도 닦았어요.
Cheongsohaneun gime changmundo dakkasseoyo.
While I was cleaning, I wiped the windows too.
- 3
말이 나온 김에 하나 물어볼게요.
Mari naon gime hana mureobolgeyo.
While we're on the subject, let me ask you something.
- 4
일어난 김에 커피 좀 마실까요?
Ireonan gime keopi jom masilkkayo?
Since we're up, shall we have some coffee?
- 5
머리를 자르는 김에 염색도 했어요.
Meorireul jareuneun gime yeomsaekdo haesseoyo.
While I was getting a haircut, I had my hair dyed too.
- 6
밖에 나온 김에 장도 봤어요.
Bakke naon gime jangdo bwasseoyo.
Since I was already out, I did the grocery shopping too.
- 7
밥을 하는 김에 찌개도 끓였어요.
Babeul haneun gime jjigaedo kkeuryeosseoyo.
While I was making rice, I made some stew too.
- 8
부산에 온 김에 바다도 보고 가요.
Busane on gime badado bogo gayo.
Since we're in Busan, let's see the ocean before we go.
Practice
6 questions오다 + (으)ㄴ 김에
는 김에 or (으)ㄴ 김에?
Both are right, and the choice depends on timing. Use 는 김에 when the first action is still going on or about to happen: 마트에 가는 김에 mateue ganeun gime, "since you're going to the store". Use (으)ㄴ 김에 when it has already happened and you're making use of it: 마트에 간 김에 mateue gan gime, "since I was at the store anyway".
는 김에 or 는 길에?
They look alike, and they're easy to mix up. 는 길에 neun gire means "on the way", so it's only for moving from one place to another: 집에 가는 길에 우유를 샀어요 jibe ganeun gire uyureul sasseoyo, "I bought milk on the way home." 는 김에 is about using a chance, and no travel is needed: 설거지하는 김에 냄비도 닦았어요 seolgeojihaneun gime naembido dakkasseoyo, "While I was doing the dishes, I scrubbed the pot too."
A phrase worth learning
말이 나온 김에 mari naon gime, "while we're on the subject", is one you'll hear a lot. Use it when a conversation gives you the chance to bring something up.
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 는 김에 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.
