What are Connecting Endings?
In Korean, instead of always starting a new sentence, you can often link two ideas together using a connecting ending (연결 어미).
These endings attach directly to the stem of a verb or adjective in the first clause, creating a smooth transition to the second clause. This makes your Korean sound more natural and fluid.
Think of them as a way to combine two simple sentences (e.g., "I ate breakfast. I went to school.") into one more complex sentence ("I ate breakfast and then went to school.").
In this lesson, we'll cover three of the most common and useful connecting endings: -고 , -지만 , and -(으)니까 .
-고: Listing and Sequencing
What it means
The ending -고 is used to link two clauses. It can have two main meanings:
Listing Facts: Simply connecting two related states or facts, like "and".
Example: 이 사과는 크고 맛있어요. (This apple is big and delicious.)
Sequencing Actions: Connecting two actions that happen one after the other, like "and then".
Example: 아침을 먹고 학교에 가요. (I eat breakfast and then go to school.)
How to use it
Attaching -고 is very simple. You add it directly to the verb or adjective stem, no matter if it ends in a vowel or a consonant.
Verb/Adjective Stem · + -고 · Result
먹다 · 먹- · 먹고
보다 · 보- · 보고
좋다 · 좋- · 좋고
학생이다 · 학생이- · 학생이고
-지만: Showing Contrast
What it means
The ending -지만 connects two clauses that have a contrasting relationship. It works just like "but" or "although" in English.
Example: 한국어는 재미있지만 어려워요. (Korean is interesting, but it's difficult.)
How to use it
Like -고 , attaching -지만 is straightforward. You add it directly to the verb or adjective stem, regardless of the final sound.