-고 (go) - And/Sequential

The connective ending -고 (go) connects two or more clauses, similar to "and" in English. It can express sequential actions, simultaneous states, or simple listing of events.

Basic Function

-고 attaches to verb or adjective stems to connect them with following clauses.

Main uses:

• Connecting actions ("and then")
• Listing states or descriptions ("and")
• Sequential events
• Simultaneous actions (with context)

Formation

Pattern: [Stem]고

Remove -다 and add -고:

• 먹다 → 먹고 (eat and)
• 가다 → 가고 (go and)
• 크다 → 크고 (is big and)
• 좋다 → 좋고 (is good and)

No Vowel Harmony

Unlike -아/어 endings, -고 is always -고 regardless of the stem vowel.

Connecting Actions (Sequential)

Pattern: [Action 1]고 [Action 2]

Sequential actions - one after another:

• 밥을 먹고 학교에 가요. (I eat and then go to school.)

• 숙제를 하고 자요. (I do homework and then sleep.)

• 샤워하고 밥을 먹어요. (I shower and then eat.)

• 일어나고 커피를 마셔요. (I wake up and then drink coffee.)

Order Matters

The order of actions matters with -고:

• 영화를 보고 밥을 먹어요. (Watch movie, then eat.)
• 밥을 먹고 영화를 봐요. (Eat, then watch movie.)

Connecting Descriptions (And)

Pattern: [Adjective 1]고 [Adjective 2]

Listing multiple qualities:

• 크고 예뻐요. (is big and pretty)

• 싸고 좋아요. (is cheap and good)

• 맛있고 건강해요. (is delicious and healthy)

• 재미있고 유익해요. (is fun and beneficial)

With Multiple Adjectives

Can chain more than two:

• 크고 예쁘고 좋아요. (is big, pretty, and good)

• 싸고 맛있고 건강해요. (is cheap, delicious, and healthy)

Connecting Multiple Actions

Pattern: [Action 1]고 [Action 2]고 [Action 3]

Chaining multiple sequential actions:

• 일어나고 씻고 밥을 먹어요. (Wake up, wash, and eat.)

• 공부하고 운동하고 쉬어요. (Study, exercise, and rest.)

• 청소하고 빨래하고 요리해요. (Clean, do laundry, and cook.)

Only Last Verb Conjugates

Only the final verb in the chain takes tense/formality endings:

• 먹고 마시고 놀았어요. (Ate, drank, and played.) - past tense only on last verb

• 공부하고 일하고 쉴 거예요. (Will study, work, and rest.) - future only on last verb

Time Sequence vs Simple Listing

Sequential (Time Order)

When actions happen one after another:

• 집에 가고 쉬어요. (Go home and then rest.) - sequential

• 밥을 먹고 텔레비전을 봐요. (Eat and then watch TV.) - sequential

Simple Listing (No Strict Order)

When listing habitual or general actions:

• 주말에 청소하고 쇼핑해요. (On weekends I clean and shop.) - general activities

• 취미는 운동하고 독서예요. (My hobbies are exercising and reading.) - listing

With Action Verbs

Daily Routines

• 아침에 일어나고 커피를 마셔요. (In the morning I wake up and drink coffee.)

• 밤에 샤워하고 자요. (At night I shower and sleep.)

Common Activities

• 친구를 만나고 영화를 봤어요. (Met a friend and watched a movie.)

• 공원에 가고 산책했어요. (Went to the park and walked.)

With Descriptive Verbs (Adjectives)

Physical Descriptions

• 키가 크고 날씬해요. (is tall and slim)

• 머리가 길고 예뻐요. (has long and pretty hair)

Quality Descriptions

• 날씨가 좋고 따뜻해요. (The weather is nice and warm.)

• 음식이 맛있고 싸요. (The food is delicious and cheap.)

Tense Application

Present Tense

Only the final verb shows tense:

• 공부하고 자요. (Study and sleep.) - present

• 크고 좋아요. (is big and good) - present

Past Tense

• 밥을 먹고 갔어요. (Ate and went.) - past

• 예쁘고 착했어요. (was pretty and kind) - past

Future Tense

• 청소하고 쉴 거예요. (Will clean and rest.) - future

• 크고 좋을 거예요. (will be big and good) - future

Negative Forms

With 안 (not)

Only the final verb is negated:

• 먹고 안 자요. (Eat and don't sleep.) - only sleep is negated

To negate multiple actions, negate each one:

• 안 먹고 안 자요. (Don't eat and don't sleep.)

With -지 않다

• 공부하고 놀지 않아요. (Study and don't play.)

• 크지 않고 작아요. (is not big and is small)

Immediate Sequence: -고 나서

Pattern: [Action]고 나서

Emphasizes completion before next action:

• 밥을 먹고 나서 자요. (After eating, I sleep.) - emphasizes completion

• 숙제를 하고 나서 놀아요. (After doing homework, I play.)

This is stronger than simple -고 for sequential meaning.

Simultaneous Actions

Context-Dependent

While -고 primarily shows sequence, context can indicate simultaneity:

• 노래를 듣고 공부해요. (Listen to music and study.) - could be simultaneous

• 텔레비전을 보고 밥을 먹어요. (Watch TV and eat.) - could be simultaneous

For clearer simultaneity, use -면서:

• 노래를 들으면서 공부해요. (while listening)

Common Daily Patterns

Morning Routines

• 일어나고 세수해요. (Wake up and wash face.)

• 아침을 먹고 출근해요. (Eat breakfast and go to work.)

Evening Routines

• 집에 와고 쉬어요. (Come home and rest.)

• 저녁을 먹고 산책해요. (Eat dinner and take a walk.)

Weekend Activities

• 청소하고 빨래해요. (Clean and do laundry.)

• 쇼핑하고 영화를 봐요. (Shop and watch a movie.)

With Question Words

Pattern: [Question]고 [Action]

• 뭐 하고 놀아요? (What do you do and play?)

• 어디 가고 왔어요? (Where did you go?)

Irregular Verbs with -고

ㅂ Irregular

-고 comes after consonant, so ㅂ stays:

• 춥다 → 춥고 (is cold and)
• 아름답다 → 아름답고 (is beautiful and)

ㅎ Irregular

ㅎ stays before -고:

• 빨갛다 → 빨갛고 (is red and)
• 하얗다 → 하얗고 (is white and)

으 Irregular

으 stays before -고:

• 크다 → 크고 (is big and)
• 예쁘다 → 예쁘고 (is pretty and)

ㄹ Irregular

ㄹ stays before -고:

• 멀다 → 멀고 (is far and)
• 길다 → 길고 (is long and)

ㄷ Irregular

ㄷ stays before -고 (consonant ending):

• 듣다 → 듣고 (listen and)
• 걷다 → 걷고 (walk and)

Formal Speech with -고

In Formal Contexts

The final verb takes formal endings:

• 공부하고 일합니다. (Study and work.) - formal

• 크고 좋습니다. (is big and good) - formal

In Presentations

• 먼저 설명하고 질문을 받겠습니다. (First I'll explain and then take questions.)

Expressing Contrast (Implicit)

Pattern: [Opposite 1]고 [Opposite 2]

While -고 means "and," it can imply contrast:

• 작고 비싸요. (is small and expensive) - implies unexpectedly expensive

• 쉽고 재미없어요. (is easy and not fun) - implies disappointingly easy

For explicit contrast, use -지만:

• 작지만 비싸요. (is small but expensive)

Listing Multiple Items

With Nouns (Using 하고)

Note: With nouns, use 하고 (not -고):

• 사과하고 배를 샀어요. (Bought apples and pears.)

With Verbs (Using -고)

• 먹고 마셔요. (Eat and drink.)

Common Expressions with -고

-고 싶다 (want to)

Special construction meaning "want to":

• 먹고 싶어요. (want to eat)
• 가고 싶어요. (want to go)

-고 있다 (progressive)

Shows ongoing action:

• 먹고 있어요. (am eating)
• 공부하고 있어요. (am studying)

These are fixed expressions, not simple -고 connective.

Comparison: -고 vs Other Connectives

-고 (and/sequential)

• 먹고 가요. (Eat and go.)
• Neutral connection

-아/어서 (because/so)

• 먹어서 배불러요. (Because I ate, I'm full.)
• Shows cause-effect

-지만 (but)

• 먹지만 배고파요. (Eat but am hungry.)
• Shows contrast

-(으)니까 (because/since)

• 먹으니까 맛있어요. (Since I'm eating, it's delicious.)
• Shows reason

Multiple Subjects with -고

Pattern: [Subject 1]은/는 [Adj1]고, [Subject 2]은/는 [Adj2]

Comparing two different subjects:

• 이것은 크고, 저것은 작아요. (This is big, and that is small.)

• 형은 키가 크고, 저는 작아요. (My brother is tall, and I am short.)

In Questions

Question with Final Verb

• 뭐 먹고 마셨어요? (What did you eat and drink?)

• 어디 가고 왔어요? (Where did you go?)

Politeness Level

Final verb determines politeness:

• 먹고 가요? (informal polite)
• 먹고 갑니까? (formal polite)