Coordinating Sentences

Coordinating sentences connect two or more independent clauses of equal importance. These structures allow you to express multiple actions, states, or ideas in a single sentence.

Basic Coordination

-고 - And (Sequential/Simultaneous)

Structure: Verb/Adjective stem + -고

Meaning: And / And then

Use when:

• Listing actions or states
• Actions happen in sequence
• Actions happen simultaneously
• Connecting descriptions

Formation:

• 가다 → 가고 (go and)
• 먹다 → 먹고 (eat and)
• 크다 → 크고 (big and)
• 예쁘다 → 예쁘고 (pretty and)

Examples:

• 밥을 먹고 영화를 봤어요 (Ate rice and watched a movie)
• 키가 크고 잘생겼어요 (Tall and handsome)
• 책을 읽고 공부했어요 (Read a book and studied)

-며/-으며 - And (Formal)

Structure:

• Vowel/ㄹ ending + -며
• Consonant ending + -으며

Meaning: And (formal/written style)

Use when:

• Formal writing
• News reports
• Academic writing
• Official documents

Formation:

• 가다 → 가며 (go and)
• 먹다 → 먹으며 (eat and)
• 아름답다 → 아름다우며 (beautiful and)
• 크다 → 크며 (big and)

Examples:

• 그는 학생이며 운동선수입니다 (He is a student and an athlete)
• 열심히 일하며 공부했습니다 (Worked hard and studied)
• 아름다우며 친절합니다 (Beautiful and kind)

-(으)면서 - While (Simultaneous)

Structure:

• Vowel/ㄹ ending + -면서
• Consonant ending + -으면서

Meaning: While / At the same time

Use when:

• Two actions happen simultaneously
• Same subject for both actions
• Emphasizing concurrency

Formation:

• 가다 → 가면서 (while going)
• 먹다 → 먹으면서 (while eating)
• 듣다 → 들으면서 (while listening)

Examples:

• 음악을 들으면서 공부해요 (Study while listening to music)
• 걸으면서 통화했어요 (Talked on phone while walking)
• TV를 보면서 밥을 먹어요 (Eat while watching TV)

Note: Cannot use with adjectives (only verbs)

Contrasting Coordination

-지만 - But / However

Structure: Verb/Adjective stem + -지만

Meaning: But / However / Although

Use when:

• Contrasting two facts
• Showing opposition
• Expressing "but"

Formation:

• 가다 → 가지만 (go but)
• 비싸다 → 비싸지만 (expensive but)
• 좋다 → 좋지만 (good but)
• 먹다 → 먹지만 (eat but)

Examples:

• 비싸지만 좋아요 (Expensive but good)
• 공부했지만 시험을 못 봤어요 (Studied but did poorly on the test)
• 피곤하지만 일해야 해요 (Tired but must work)

-는데/-(으)ㄴ데 - But / And

Structure:

• Verb present: -는데
• Verb past: -았/었는데
• Adjective: -(으)ㄴ데
• Noun: -인데

Meaning: But / And / However (softer than -지만)

Use when:

• Gentle contrast
• Background information
• Setting up for request
• Softer than -지만

Formation:

• 가다 → 가는데 (go but/and)
• 갔다 → 갔는데 (went but/and)
• 크다 → 큰데 (big but)
• 학생 → 학생인데 (student but)

Examples:

• 비가 오는데 우산이 없어요 (It's raining but I don't have an umbrella)
• 배가 고픈데 밥이 없어요 (I'm hungry but there's no food)
• 어제 갔는데 문이 닫혀 있었어요 (Went yesterday but it was closed)

-나/-으나 - But (Formal)

Structure:

• Vowel/ㄹ ending + -나
• Consonant ending + -으나

Meaning: But / However (formal)

Use when:

• Formal writing
• News, reports
• Literary style
• Stronger contrast than -지만

Formation:

• 가다 → 가나 (go but)
• 먹다 → 먹으나 (eat but)
• 크다 → 크나 (big but)

Examples:

• 노력했으나 실패했습니다 (Tried but failed)
• 비싸나 품질이 좋습니다 (Expensive but quality is good)

Sequential Coordination

-아/어서 - So / Because / And then

Structure:

• ㅏ, ㅗ vowel + -아서
• Other vowels + -어서
• 하다 → 해서

Meaning: So / Because / And then

Use when:

• Reason or cause
• Sequential actions
• Cannot use with commands/suggestions

Formation:

• 가다 → 가서 (go so/because)
• 먹다 → 먹어서 (eat so/because)
• 좋다 → 좋아서 (good so/because)
• 공부하다 → 공부해서 (study so/because)

Examples:

• 배가 고파서 밥을 먹었어요 (Was hungry so ate)
• 집에 가서 쉬었어요 (Went home and rested)
• 날씨가 좋아서 기분이 좋아요 (Weather is good so I feel good)

Restriction: Cannot use with commands

• ❌ 학교에 가서 공부하세요 (Incorrect)
• ✅ 학교에 가고 공부하세요 (Correct - go and study)

-(으)니까 - Because / So (Strong reason)

Structure:

• Vowel/ㄹ ending + -니까
• Consonant ending + -으니까

Meaning: Because / So (stronger than -아/어서)

Use when:

• Strong reason
• Can use with commands
• More assertive
• Speaker's opinion

Formation:

• 가다 → 가니까 (because go)
• 먹다 → 먹으니까 (because eat)
• 바쁘다 → 바쁘니까 (because busy)

Examples:

• 비가 오니까 우산을 가져가세요 (It's raining so take an umbrella)
• 늦었으니까 빨리 가자 (We're late so let's hurry)
• 배고프니까 먹어요 (I'm hungry so I'll eat)

Can use with commands:

• 위험하니까 조심하세요 (It's dangerous so be careful)
• 늦었으니까 서두르세요 (You're late so hurry)

Choice and Alternative

-거나 - Or

Structure: Verb/Adjective stem + -거나

Meaning: Or / Either... or

Use when:

• Presenting alternatives
• Multiple options
• Listing possibilities

Formation:

• 가다 → 가거나 (go or)
• 먹다 → 먹거나 (eat or)
• 크다 → 크거나 (big or)

Examples:

• 영화를 보거나 책을 읽어요 (Watch a movie or read a book)
• 주말에는 집에서 쉬거나 친구를 만나요 (On weekends, rest at home or meet friends)
• 크거나 작거나 상관없어요 (Whether big or small, it doesn't matter)

Can repeat for emphasis:

• 비가 오거나 눈이 오거나 갈 거예요 (Whether it rains or snows, I'll go)

-든지 - Or / Whether (Indifference)

Structure: Verb/Adjective stem + -든지

Meaning: Or / Whether / Whatever

Use when:

• Showing indifference
• Emphasizing it doesn't matter
• Any option is acceptable

Formation:

• 가다 → 가든지 (whether go)
• 먹다 → 먹든지 (whether eat)
• 크다 → 크든지 (whether big)

Examples:

• 가든지 말든지 마음대로 해요 (Whether you go or not, do as you please)
• 밥을 먹든지 안 먹든지 네 선택이야 (Whether you eat or not is your choice)
• 비가 오든지 말든지 갈 거예요 (Whether it rains or not, I'll go)

Stronger than -거나: Shows complete indifference

Adding Information

-고 나서 - After doing

Structure: Verb stem + -고 나서

Meaning: After / After doing

Use when:

• One action clearly finishes before next
• Emphasizing completion
• Sequential with gap

Formation:

• 먹다 → 먹고 나서 (after eating)
• 씻다 → 씻고 나서 (after washing)
• 끝나다 → 끝나고 나서 (after finishing)

Examples:

• 밥을 먹고 나서 설거지했어요 (After eating, did dishes)
• 영화를 보고 나서 집에 갔어요 (After watching movie, went home)
• 생각하고 나서 결정할게요 (I'll decide after thinking)

-다가 - While doing / Then

Structure: Verb stem + -다가

Meaning: While doing (then stop/change)

Use when:

• Action interrupted
• Change of action
• Stop and do something else

Formation:

• 가다 → 가다가 (while going)
• 먹다 → 먹다가 (while eating)
• 자다 → 자다가 (while sleeping)

Examples:

• 공부하다가 잠들었어요 (Fell asleep while studying)
• 가다가 친구를 만났어요 (Met a friend while going)
• 먹다가 전화를 받았어요 (Answered phone while eating)

Listing Multiple Items

Noun + -와/과 - And (Nouns)

Structure:

• Vowel ending + -와
• Consonant ending + -과

Meaning: And (connecting nouns)

Examples:

• 사과와 바나나 (Apple and banana)
• 책과 연필 (Book and pencil)
• 친구와 같이 (Together with friend)

Casual form: -하고 / -(이)랑

• 사과하고 바나나 (Apple and banana - casual)
• 친구랑 같이 (With friend - casual)

Formal Written Coordination

-며 - And (Listing formal)

Already covered above

-(으)로 - With / By means of

In coordination:

• 책으로 공부하고 인터넷으로 조사했어요 (Studied with books and researched on internet)

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 학교에 가서 공부하세요

Cannot use -아/어서 with commands

✅ Correct: 학교에 가고 공부하세요

Use -고 or -(으)니까

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❌ Incorrect: TV를 보지만 밥을 먹어요

-지만 means "but" - creates illogical contrast

✅ Correct: TV를 보면서 밥을 먹어요

Use -면서 for simultaneous actions

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❌ Incorrect: 예쁘면서 공부해요

Cannot use -면서 with adjectives

✅ Correct: 예쁘고 똑똑해요

Use -고 for adjectives

Usage Comparison

-고 vs. -면서

-고:

• Sequential or listing
• Can use with adjectives
• General connection

-면서:

• Strictly simultaneous
• Only with verbs
• Same subject only

-지만 vs. -는데

-지만:

• Strong contrast
• More direct
• Clear opposition

-는데:

• Soft contrast
• Background info
• Can be gentle

-아/어서 vs. -(으)니까

-아/어서:

• Objective reason
• Cannot use with commands
• More common in speech

-(으)니까:

• Subjective reason
• Can use with commands
• Speaker's judgment

Summary Table

Pattern	Meaning	Type	With Commands?	Example
-고	And	Sequential	Yes	먹고 자요
-면서	While	Simultaneous	No	먹으면서 봐요
-지만	But	Contrast	Yes	비싸지만 좋아요
-는데	But/And	Soft contrast	Yes	비싼데 좋아요
-아/어서	So/Because	Reason	No	피곤해서 자요
-(으)니까	Because/So	Strong reason	Yes	피곤하니까 자요
-거나	Or	Choice	Yes	가거나 와요
-든지	Whether/Or	Indifference	Yes	가든지 말든지
-고 나서	After	Sequential	Yes	먹고 나서 가요
-다가	While then	Interruption	No	가다가 만났어요