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🧩 Expressing "Because" in Korean: -μ•„μ„œ/μ–΄μ„œ vs. λ•Œλ¬Έμ—

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From Korea ...λΆ„ μ†Œμš”

 

λŒ€ν•œλ―Όκ΅­ λΆ€μ‚°μ˜ κ°μ²œλ§ˆμ„ 이미지

🧩 Expressing "Because" in Korean: -μ•„μ„œ/μ–΄μ„œ vs. λ•Œλ¬Έμ—

There are two major ways to say "because" in Korean: -μ•„μ„œ/μ–΄μ„œ and λ•Œλ¬Έμ—. Although both express cause or reason, they are used in different contexts depending on grammar structure and nuance. Let’s explore the difference between them with examples!

πŸ“š Table of Contents

1. Overview of "Because" in Korean

Korean learners often struggle to know when to use -μ•„μ„œ/μ–΄μ„œ vs. λ•Œλ¬Έμ—. Here's a quick preview:

  • -μ•„μ„œ/μ–΄μ„œ: connects two **verbs** or clauses (reason → result)
  • λ•Œλ¬Έμ—: used with **nouns** (noun + λ•Œλ¬Έμ—), or verbs with -κΈ° λ•Œλ¬Έμ—

2. -μ•„μ„œ/μ–΄μ„œ: Cause and Effect (Verb Connector)

This structure is commonly used in spoken and casual Korean to express cause and effect directly.

ν•œκ΅­μ–΄: λ°°κ°€ μ•„νŒŒμ„œ 병원에 κ°”μ–΄μš”.
발음: bae-ga a-pa-seo byeong-won-e gat-seo-yo
μ˜μ–΄: I went to the hospital because I had a stomachache.

ν•œκ΅­μ–΄: 일이 λ§Žμ•„μ„œ λͺ» κ°”μ–΄μš”.
발음: il-i man-a-seo mot gat-seo-yo
μ˜μ–΄: I couldn’t go because I had a lot of work.

3. λ•Œλ¬Έμ—: "Because of" (Noun-based)

λ•Œλ¬Έμ— is usually used with nouns (or -κΈ° λ•Œλ¬Έμ— for verbs) and sounds more formal or written.

ν•œκ΅­μ–΄: λΉ„ λ•Œλ¬Έμ— λŠ¦μ—ˆμ–΄μš”.
발음: bi ttae-mun-e neu-jeot-seo-yo
μ˜μ–΄: I was late because of the rain.

ν•œκ΅­μ–΄: ν”Όκ³€ν–ˆκΈ° λ•Œλ¬Έμ— 일찍 μž€μ–΄μš”.
발음: pi-gon-haet-gi ttae-mun-e il-jjik jat-seo-yo
μ˜μ–΄: I went to bed early because I was tired.

4. Comparison Chart

-μ•„μ„œ/μ–΄μ„œ
  • Used with verbs/adjectives
  • Casual, spoken style
  • Cannot use in imperative or propositive sentences
λ•Œλ¬Έμ— / -κΈ° λ•Œλ¬Έμ—
  • Used with nouns / verb stems
  • More formal or written style
  • Can be used in a broader range of sentence types

5. Usage Tips

  • Don’t mix -μ•„μ„œ/μ–΄μ„œ with commands (e.g., ❌ λŠ¦μ–΄μ„œ 빨리 와!)
  • λ•Œλ¬Έμ— is safer in formal writing or academic speech
  • If you're unsure, rephrase the sentence to a noun clause and use λ•Œλ¬Έμ—

6. πŸ€” Did you know?

In Korean culture, people often avoid giving strong reasons that sound blaming. For example, instead of saying “because of YOU” (λ„ˆ λ•Œλ¬Έμ—), which can sound aggressive, people say “λ‚΄κ°€ 잘λͺ»ν–ˆμ–΄μš”” (It’s my fault). Even when using λ•Œλ¬Έμ—, choosing the subject carefully reflects politeness!

7. Practice on italki

πŸ§‘‍🏫 Want to practice using these structures in real conversation?

πŸ‘‰ Book a class with me on italki and I’ll help you master cause-and-effect grammar through practical exercises!
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