The particle 하고 (hago) connects nouns meaning "and" or "with" in casual and spoken Korean. It's the everyday conversational equivalent of the formal 와/과, used naturally in daily speech.
Form
하고 (hago) - invariable form (doesn't change based on final sound)
Two Main Functions
1. Connecting Nouns (And)
Links nouns in casual lists.
Examples:
- 사과하고 바나나 (sagwa-hago banana) - apples and bananas
- 책하고 펜 (chaek-hago pen) - book and pen
- 친구하고 동생 (chingu-hago dongsaeng) - friend and younger sibling
- 밥하고 김치 (bap-hago gimchi) - rice and kimchi
2. Accompaniment (With)
Indicates doing something together with someone.
Examples:
- 친구하고 놀았어요. (Chingu-hago norasseoyo.) - Played with friend.
- 엄마하고 쇼핑했어요. (Eomma-hago syopinghaesseoyo.) - Shopped with mom.
- 언니하고 영화 봤어요. (Eonni-hago yeonghwa bwasseoyo.) - Watched movie with older sister.
Why 하고 Is Popular
Easier to Use
Unlike 와/과, 하고 doesn't change:
-
와/과: Must choose based on final sound
- 사과와 (after vowel)
- 책과 (after consonant)
-
하고: Always the same
- 사과하고 (always 하고)
- 책하고 (always 하고)
Natural in Speech
Native speakers prefer 하고 in conversation:
- More relaxed
- Flows naturally
- Easier to say quickly
Connecting Nouns
Simple Lists
Two items:
- 커피하고 빵 (coffee and bread)
- 개하고 고양이 (dog and cat)
- 형하고 동생 (older brother and younger sibling)
Multiple items:
- 사과하고 배하고 포도 (apples and pears and grapes)
- Can mix with commas: 사과, 배하고 포도
People
Connecting people casually:
- 친구하고 선생님 (friend and teacher)
- 오빠하고 언니 (older brother and older sister)
- 엄마하고 아빠 (mom and dad)
Things
Everyday items:
- 휴대폰하고 지갑 (phone and wallet)
- 가방하고 신발 (bag and shoes)
- 물하고 주스 (water and juice)
Accompaniment in Detail
With People
Doing activities together:
- 친구하고 공부해요. (Study with friend.)
- 동생하고 게임해요. (Play games with younger sibling.)
- 가족하고 여행해요. (Travel with family.)
- 선배하고 밥 먹어요. (Eat with senior.)
Natural Spoken Patterns
[Person + 하고] + [Activity]
-
누구하고 갔어요? (Who did you go with?)
-
친구하고 갔어요. (Went with friend.)
-
누구하고 살아요? (Who do you live with?)
-
동생하고 살아요. (Live with younger sibling.)
하고 vs 와/과
Formality Difference
하고 - Casual/spoken:
- 친구하고 놀았어요. (Played with friend.)
- Daily conversation
- Text messages
- Casual writing
와/과 - Formal/written:
- 친구와 놀았어요. (Played with friend.)
- News articles
- Academic writing
- Official documents
Both Acceptable
In polite everyday speech, both work:
- 친구하고 갔어요. (More casual)
- 친구와 갔어요. (More formal)
Choose based on context and personal preference.
Common Patterns
Pattern 1: Noun + And + Noun
[Noun + 하고] + [Noun]
- 빵하고 우유 (bread and milk)
- 책하고 공책 (book and notebook)
Pattern 2: Person + With + Activity
[Person + 하고] + [Verb]
- 엄마하고 이야기했어요. (Talked with mom.)
- 친구하고 공부했어요. (Studied with friend.)
Pattern 3: Multiple Items
[A + 하고] + [B + 하고] + [C]
- 사과하고 배하고 포도 (apples and pears and grapes)
In Questions
Very natural in casual questions:
누구하고? (With whom?):
- 누구하고 갔어요? (Who did you go with?)
- 누구하고 살아요? (Who do you live with?)
- 누구하고 말했어요? (Who did you talk with?)
뭐하고? (With what? / And what?):
- 뭐하고 뭐 샀어요? (What and what did you buy?)
With Different Sentence Elements
As Subject
- 개하고 고양이가 있어요. (There are dogs and cats.)
- 친구하고 동생이 왔어요. (Friend and sibling came.)
As Object
- 빵하고 우유를 샀어요. (Bought bread and milk.)
- 책하고 펜을 샀어요. (Bought book and pen.)
As Topic
- 사과하고 배는 맛있어요. (Apples and pears are delicious.)
- 개하고 고양이는 귀여워요. (Dogs and cats are cute.)
Comparison with Other Particles
하고 vs (이)랑
(이)랑 is even more casual:
- 친구랑 갔어요. (Went with friend.) - very casual
- 책이랑 펜 (book and pen) - very casual
하고 is casual but still polite:
- 친구하고 갔어요. (Went with friend.) - casual polite
Usage preference
Children/Close friends: (이)랑 Casual polite: 하고 Formal/Written: 와/과
Special Uses
In Conversations
하고 feels natural and friendly in conversation:
A: 주말에 뭐 했어요? (What did you do on the weekend?) B: 친구하고 영화 봤어요. (Watched a movie with friend.)
A: 뭐 먹을래요? (What do you want to eat?) B: 치킨하고 피자! (Chicken and pizza!)
Listing Purchases
Natural when talking about shopping:
- 빵하고 우유하고 계란 샀어요. (Bought bread and milk and eggs.)
- 옷하고 신발 샀어요. (Bought clothes and shoes.)
Common Expressions
누구하고 (nugu-hago) - with whom
- 누구하고 갔어요? (With whom did you go?)
뭐하고 (mwo-hago) - and what / with what
- 뭐하고 뭐 먹었어요? (What and what did you eat?)
같이/함께 하고 (gachi/hamkke hago) - together with
- 친구하고 같이 갔어요. (Went together with friend.)
Multiple 하고 in Sentence
Can use several times in one sentence:
-
친구하고 동생하고 공원에 갔어요.
-
(Went to park with friend and younger sibling.)
-
빵하고 우유하고 과일하고 샀어요.
-
(Bought bread and milk and fruit.)
Omission in Very Casual Speech
In very casual speech, 하고 can be dropped with listed items:
With 하고:
- 빵하고 우유 샀어요. (Bought bread and milk.)
Dropped (super casual):
- 빵, 우유 샀어요. (Bought bread, milk.)
With Particles
Can combine with other particles:
하고 + 는/은 (topic, contrastive):
- 친구하고는 자주 만나요. (As for with friend, meet often.)
하고 + 도 (also):
- 친구하고도 이야기했어요. (Also talked with friend.)
Position in Sentence
하고-connected nouns act as a unit:
Early in sentence:
- 친구하고 동생이 왔어요. (Friend and sibling came.)
Before verb:
- 빵하고 우유를 먹었어요. (Ate bread and milk.)
Natural Speech Patterns
Shortened in Fast Speech
하고 → 고 (very casual/fast):
- 친구고 나 (friend and me) - very casual
- Usually written as 하고
Pronunciation
In natural speech, 하고 often sounds like:
- [hago] - clear pronunciation
- [ago] - ㅎ weakened or dropped
Key Differences Summary
| Aspect | 하고 | 와/과 |
|---|---|---|
| Formality | Casual/Spoken | Formal/Written |
| Conjugation | Always 하고 | Changes (와/과) |
| Usage | Daily conversation | News, documents |
| Natural in | Speech | Writing |
Common Situations Using 하고
Talking about friends:
- 친구하고 놀았어요. (Played with friend.)
Family activities:
- 가족하고 여행했어요. (Traveled with family.)
Listing food:
- 밥하고 김치 먹어요. (Eat rice and kimchi.)
Shopping:
- 옷하고 신발 샀어요. (Bought clothes and shoes.)
Key Points
- ✅ Form: 하고 (invariable)
- ✅ Functions: Connect nouns (and), accompaniment (with)
- ✅ Formality: Casual/spoken Korean
- ✅ Alternative to: 와/과 (formal)
- ✅ Easier: Doesn't change based on final sound
- ✅ Natural in: Daily conversation, casual contexts
- ✅ Very casual alternative: (이)랑
Understanding 하고 is essential for natural spoken Korean. It's the go-to particle for "and" and "with" in everyday conversation, making your Korean sound more casual and native-like.