그래서 (Therefore/So)

그래서 is a connective word meaning "therefore," "so," "that's why," or "and so." It connects two sentences where the second is a result of the first.

Structure

Sentence 1. 그래서 Sentence 2.

Meaning: "Sentence 1. Therefore/So, Sentence 2."

Note: 그래서 is a standalone word, not a grammatical ending

Basic Usage

Connecting Cause and Effect

Pattern: [Cause]. 그래서 [Effect].

Examples:

• 비가 왔어요. 그래서 못 갔어요
  (It rained. So I couldn't go.)

• 피곤했어요. 그래서 일찍 잤어요
  (I was tired. So I slept early.)

• 시간이 없었어요. 그래서 택시를 탔어요
  (I had no time. So I took a taxi.)

Position in Sentence

Start of Second Sentence

Always at the beginning:

• 배고팠어요. 그래서 밥을 먹었어요
  (I was hungry. So I ate.)

Not in middle:

• ✗ 배고팠어요 그래서 밥을 먹었어요
• ✓ 배고팠어요. 그래서 밥을 먹었어요

Common Translations

Various English Meanings

그래서 can mean:

• Therefore
• So
• That's why
• And so
• For that reason
• Because of that

Choose based on context

Natural Usage Patterns

Daily Explanations

Explaining what happened:

• A: 오늘 안 왔어요? (You didn't come today?)
• B: 네, 아팠어요. 그래서 못 왔어요 (Yes, I was sick. So I couldn't come.)

Telling stories:

• 알람이 안 울렸어요. 그래서 늦었어요
  (The alarm didn't ring. So I was late.)

Asking "So What?"

그래서?: Common question meaning "So?" / "And then?"

Usage: Asking for conclusion or what happened next

Example:

• A: 시험 봤어요 (I took the exam)
• B: 그래서? 어떻게 됐어요? (So? How did it go?)

With Other Connectives

Similar Words

Other "so/therefore" words:

• 그래서: So, therefore (most common)
• 그러니까: So, therefore (more formal)
• 그러므로: Therefore (formal, written)
• 따라서: Therefore (very formal, academic)

Formality Levels

Casual → Formal:

1. 그래서 (Casual, common)
2. 그러니까 (Spoken, polite)
3. 그러므로 (Written, formal)
4. 따라서 (Academic, very formal)

In Conversation

Natural Dialogue Flow

A: 어제 뭐 했어요?
(What did you do yesterday?)

B: 피곤했어요. 그래서 집에서 쉬었어요.
(I was tired. So I rested at home.)

---

A: 왜 안 샀어요?
(Why didn't you buy it?)

B: 비쌌어요. 그래서 안 샀어요.
(It was expensive. So I didn't buy it.)

Multiple Reasons

Connecting Multiple Sentences

More than two sentences:

• 알람이 안 울렸어요. 그래서 늦게 일어났어요. 그래서 지각했어요
  (The alarm didn't ring. So I woke up late. So I was tardy.)

Can chain with other connectives:

• 비가 왔어요. 그래서 취소했어요. 그런데 다음 주에 할 거예요
  (It rained. So we cancelled. But we'll do it next week.)

Common Expressions

Daily Situations

• 시간이 없었어요. 그래서 못 갔어요
  (I had no time. So I couldn't go.)

• 돈이 없었어요. 그래서 못 샀어요
  (I had no money. So I couldn't buy it.)

• 날씨가 나빴어요. 그래서 집에 있었어요
  (The weather was bad. So I stayed home.)

Explanations

• 몰랐어요. 그래서 물어봤어요
  (I didn't know. So I asked.)

• 잊어버렸어요. 그래서 다시 갔어요
  (I forgot. So I went back.)

• 고장났어요. 그래서 새로 샀어요
  (It broke. So I bought a new one.)

Contrast with Grammar Endings

그래서 vs -아/어서

그래서: Connects separate sentences

• 배고팠어요. 그래서 먹었어요 (I was hungry. So I ate.)
• → Two independent sentences

-아/어서: Connects within one sentence

• 배고파서 먹었어요 (I was hungry, so I ate.)
• → Single sentence with two clauses

When to Use Each

Use 그래서:

• Natural speech flow
• When pausing between thoughts
• Storytelling
• Answering "why" questions

Use -아/어서:

• More concise
• Within single sentence
• More fluent writing

As Question: 그래서?

Asking "So?"

Meaning: "So what happened?" / "And then?" / "What's your point?"

Usage:

• Prompting continuation
• Asking for conclusion
• Showing interest

Examples:

• A: 시험 봤어요 (I took the exam)

• B: 그래서? (So? [How did it go?])

• A: 어제 영화 봤어요 (I watched a movie yesterday)

• B: 그래서? 재미있었어요? (So? Was it fun?)

Example Dialogues

Dialogue 1: Being Late

A: 왜 늦었어요?
(Why are you late?)

B: 버스를 놓쳤어요. 그래서 늦었어요.
(I missed the bus. So I'm late.)

Dialogue 2: Not Buying

A: 그 옷 안 샀어요?
(You didn't buy those clothes?)

B: 네, 너무 비쌌어요. 그래서 안 샀어요.
(No, they were too expensive. So I didn't buy them.)

Dialogue 3: Cancellation

A: 파티 어떻게 됐어요?
(What happened with the party?)

B: 비가 왔어요. 그래서 취소했어요.
(It rained. So we cancelled.)

Dialogue 4: Story

A: 주말에 뭐 했어요?
(What did you do this weekend?)

B: 피곤했어요. 그래서 하루 종일 잤어요.
(I was tired. So I slept all day.)

With 그런데 (But)

Contrasting Results

Pattern: Sentence 1. 그래서 Sentence 2. 그런데 Sentence 3.

Example:

• 시험이 어려웠어요. 그래서 열심히 공부했어요. 그런데 결과가 좋지 않았어요
  (The exam was difficult. So I studied hard. But the result wasn't good.)

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 배고팠어요그래서

No space

✅ Correct: 배고팠어요. 그래서

Need period and space

---

❌ Incorrect: 그래서서

Double 서

✅ Correct: 그래서

Just 그래서

---

❌ Incorrect: 배고파 그래서

No ending on first sentence

✅ Correct: 배고팠어요. 그래서 or 배고파서

Complete sentence or use -아/어서

In Writing vs Speaking

Speaking

Very natural and common:

• "비가 왔어요. 그래서 못 갔어요."
• Common in conversation
• Natural speech pattern

Writing

Can use but consider alternatives:

• More formal: -기 때문에
• More literary: 그러므로
• More concise: -아/어서

Still acceptable in casual writing:

• Text messages ✓
• Informal emails ✓
• Personal blogs ✓

Summary Table

Korean	English	Formality	Usage
그래서	So, therefore	Casual	Spoken, common
그러니까	So, therefore	Polite	Spoken, polite
그러므로	Therefore	Formal	Written, formal
따라서	Therefore	Very formal	Academic
-아/어서	Because, so	Neutral	Within sentence

Key Takeaways

✅ Sentence connector: Links cause and effect
✅ Standalone word: Not a grammatical ending
✅ Very common: Essential for natural speech
✅ Starts second sentence: After period/pause
✅ Can be question: 그래서? (So? / And then?)
✅ Natural in speaking: More than in formal writing

그래서 is one of the most frequently used connectives in Korean conversation. It's the natural, casual way to link cause and effect between sentences, making it essential for fluid storytelling and explanations in everyday Korean.