Tools · Connectors
Korean Conjunctions and Sentence Connectors
The connecting words you'll use every day to join your ideas, with examples, and all of them in one chart below.
Korean gives you two ways to link ideas. You can start a new sentence with a connector like 그리고 (geurigo, and) or 하지만 (hajiman, but), or you can join both ideas into one sentence by putting a connecting ending on the verb. Each card below shows you both, so once the connector feels easy you'll already know how to say the same thing in one smooth sentence.
그리고
geurigo
And / And then
Links two related ideas or actions in sequence.
밥을 먹었어요. 그리고 잤어요.
Babeul meogeosseoyo. Geurigo jasseoyo.
I ate rice. And then I slept.
하지만
hajiman
But / However
Direct contrast. 'A is true, BUT B makes it tricky.'
김치를 좋아해요. 하지만 매워요.
Gimchireul joahaeyo. Hajiman maewoyo.
I like kimchi. But it's spicy.
그래서
geuraeseo
So / Therefore
Cause and Effect. 'A happened, SO B happened.'
비가 왔어요. 그래서 집에 있었어요.
Biga wasseoyo. Geuraeseo jibe isseosseoyo.
It rained. So I stayed home.
In one sentence: -아서/어서 (aseo/eoseo)
비가 와서 집에 있었어요.
Biga waseo jibe isseosseoyo.
Learn 아서/어서 (aseo/eoseo) →그런데
geureonde
But / By the way
Used to shift the topic softly, or express unexpected contrast.
좋은 생각이에요. 그런데 돈이 없어요.
Joeun saenggagieyo. Geureonde doni eopseoyo.
Good idea. But (by the way) I have no money.
In one sentence: -는데/(으)ㄴ데 (neunde/(eu)nde)
좋은 생각인데 돈이 없어요.
Joeun saenggaginde doni eopseoyo.
Learn 는데/(으)ㄴ데 (neunde/(eu)nde) →그러니까
geureonikka
Therefore / That's why
Strong emphasis on the reason/justification.
시간이 없어요. 그러니까 빨리 가요!
Sigani eopseoyo. Geureonikka ppalli gayo!
We're out of time. So hurry up!
In one sentence: -(으)니까 ((eu)nikka)
시간이 없으니까 빨리 가!
Sigani eopseunikka ppalli ga!
Learn (으)니까 ((eu)nikka) →그러면
geureomyeon
Then / If so
Conditional. 'If that is the case, then...'
바빠요? 그러면 나중에 봐요.
Bappayo? Geureomyeon najunge bwayo.
Busy? Then let's see each other later.
그래도
geuraedo
Even so / Still
Admitting a fact, but stating something contrary anyway.
비싸요. 그래도 살 거예요.
Bissayo. Geuraedo sal geoyeyo.
It's expensive. Even so, I'm going to buy it.
Korean conjunctions chart
| Connector | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 그리고geurigo | And / And then | 밥을 먹었어요. 그리고 잤어요.Babeul meogeosseoyo. Geurigo jasseoyo.I ate rice. And then I slept. |
| 하지만hajiman | But / However | 김치를 좋아해요. 하지만 매워요.Gimchireul joahaeyo. Hajiman maewoyo.I like kimchi. But it's spicy. |
| 그래서geuraeseo | So / Therefore | 비가 왔어요. 그래서 집에 있었어요.Biga wasseoyo. Geuraeseo jibe isseosseoyo.It rained. So I stayed home. |
| 그런데geureonde | But / By the way | 좋은 생각이에요. 그런데 돈이 없어요.Joeun saenggagieyo. Geureonde doni eopseoyo.Good idea. But (by the way) I have no money. |
| 그러니까geureonikka | Therefore / That's why | 시간이 없어요. 그러니까 빨리 가요!Sigani eopseoyo. Geureonikka ppalli gayo!We're out of time. So hurry up! |
| 그러면geureomyeon | Then / If so | 바빠요? 그러면 나중에 봐요.Bappayo? Geureomyeon najunge bwayo.Busy? Then let's see each other later. |
| 그래도geuraedo | Even so / Still | 비싸요. 그래도 살 거예요.Bissayo. Geuraedo sal geoyeyo.It's expensive. Even so, I'm going to buy it. |
| 그러나geureona | But, however (mostly in writing) | 열심히 공부했다. 그러나 시험에 떨어졌다.yeolsimhi gongbuhaetda. geureona siheome tteoreojyeotda.I studied hard. However, I failed the exam. |
| 그렇지만geureochiman | But, even so | 피곤해요. 그렇지만 가야 해요.pigonhaeyo. geureochiman gaya haeyo.I'm tired. But I have to go. |
| 왜냐하면waenyahamyeon | Because (explains what you just said) | 오늘 못 가요. 왜냐하면 일이 많기 때문이에요.oneul mot gayo. waenyahamyeon iri mankki ttaemunieyo.I can't go today, because I have a lot of work. |
| 아니면animyeon | Or, otherwise | 커피 마실래요? 아니면 차 마실래요?keopi masillaeyo? animyeon cha masillaeyo?Do you want coffee? Or tea? |
| 게다가gedaga | Besides, on top of that | 비가 와요. 게다가 바람도 불어요.biga wayo. gedaga baramdo bureoyo.It's raining. On top of that, it's windy. |
Which one do I pick?
그리고 (geurigo) or 하고 (hago)?
하고 (hago) joins two nouns inside a sentence: 빵하고 우유 (ppanghago uyu), bread and milk. 그리고 (geurigo) starts a new sentence or links two whole ideas: 빵을 먹었어요. 그리고 우유를 마셨어요. (ppangeul meogeosseoyo. geurigo uyureul masyeosseoyo.) "I ate bread. And I drank milk." You can't use 하고 to join two sentences.
그래서 (geuraeseo) or 그러니까 (geureonikka)?
Both mean "so", but 그래서 (geuraeseo) just reports a result, while 그러니까 (geureonikka) leans on the reason. The practical difference: if the next sentence is a request or a suggestion, use 그러니까. 비가 와요. 그러니까 우산 가져가세요 (Biga wayo. Geureonikka usan gajyeogaseyo, It's raining, so take an umbrella). 그래서 sounds wrong there.
하지만 (hajiman) or 그런데 (geureonde)?
하지만 (hajiman) is a clean "but" and feels a little more formal, so you'll see it a lot in writing. 그런데 (geureonde) is softer and very common in speech, and it can also just mean "by the way" when you change the subject. In conversation you'll often hear it shortened to 근데 (geunde).
그리고 (geurigo) or 그래서 (geuraeseo)?
그리고 (geurigo) adds one thing after another: I ate, and then I slept. 그래서 (geuraeseo) says the first thing caused the second: it rained, so I stayed home. If you can put "because of that" in the English, you want 그래서.
Look them up in the dictionary
Each connector's entry in the Basic Korean Dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language, with English.
