🔗 Using “하고” and “(이)랑” for “and” in Korean
Using 하고 and (이)랑 for “and/with” in Korean
Want smoother, more natural Korean? Two everyday connectors for “and/with” are 하고 and (이)랑. Mastering when and how to use them makes your speech instantly more fluent.
1️⃣ Quick Comparison
| Connector | Attaches to | Formality | Typical Use | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 하고 | Noun + 하고 | Neutral-polite (safe everywhere) | Lists; “with” (often with 같이) | 빵하고 커피 → bread and coffee |
| (이)랑 | Consonant + 이랑 / Vowel + 랑 | Casual, friendly | Daily chat; “with” (often with 같이) | 친구랑 갔어요 → went with a friend |
| 과/와 | Consonant + 과 / Vowel + 와 | Formal, written | Essays, news, signage | 한국어와 영어 → Korean and English |
2️⃣ How to Attach “하고” & “(이)랑”
- 하고 — place directly after any noun.
예) 사과하고 바나나 - (이)랑 — after a consonant use 이랑; after a vowel use 랑.
예) 책이랑 노트, 물랑 주스
3️⃣ Connecting More than Two Items
Chain multiple nouns the same way:
김치하고 불고기하고 비빔밥 좋아해요.
I like kimchi, bulgogi, and bibimbap.
In casual speech, the last connector is often dropped:
김치하고 불고기, 비빔밥 좋아해요.
4️⃣ Saying “with someone” — 랑/하고 + 같이
To express “do something with someone,” add 같이 (together). It’s optional but sounds natural.
- 친구랑 같이 게임해요. — I play games with my friend.
- 동료하고 같이 점심 먹었어요. — I had lunch with a coworker.
- 친구랑 갔어요. (같이 omitted) — I went with a friend.
5️⃣ Particles with Lists (Very Important!)
Attach the case particle to the whole list at the end:
- ✓ 사과하고 바나나를 샀어요. — I bought apples and bananas.
- ✓ 친구랑 선생님께 인사했어요. — I greeted my friend and teacher.
- ✕ 사과를 하고 바나나를… (basic lists don’t repeat particles)
6️⃣ Mini-Dialog
A: 주말에 뭐 했어요?
B: 동생하고 영화 봤어요.
A: 재미있었어요?
B: 네! 팝콘이랑 콜라도 먹었어요.
7️⃣ Practice Challenge
- Connect three foods you like with 하고.
- Write one sentence about an activity you did with a friend using ~랑 같이.
Post your answers in the comments ⬇️— I’ll correct them!
8️⃣ Beyond Basics: Nuance & Common Mistakes
- (이)랑 feels warmer/cuter in texting; 하고 is neutral.
- For verbs/adjectives “and,” use -고 (not 하고):
먹고 마셔요(I eat and drink),예쁘고 착해요(pretty and kind). - In formal writing, prefer 과/와.
- Don’t mix different connectors in one simple list (사과하고 바나나랑… ❌). Keep it consistent.
9️⃣ Common Mistakes (Expanded Cheat-Sheet)
| Mistake | Why it’s off | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| 사과를 하고 바나나를 샀어요. | Particles repeated on each item in a basic list. | 사과하고 바나나를 샀어요. |
| 먹하고 마셔요 / 예쁘하고 착해요 | 하고 is for nouns; verbs/adj require -고. |
먹고 마셔요 / 예쁘고 착해요 |
| 사과하고 바나나랑 오렌지 | Mixed connectors in one simple list sound messy. | 사과하고 바나나하고 오렌지 or 사과랑 바나나랑 오렌지 |
| 친구랑과 같이 갔어요 | Double connector (랑 + 과) |
친구랑 같이 갔어요 / 친구와 같이 갔어요 |
| 친구랑 함께 같이 갔어요 | 함께 and 같이 are redundant. | 친구랑 같이 갔어요 / 친구와 함께 갔어요 |
| 친구 랑 (띄어쓰기) | Particles attach to the noun with no space. | 친구랑, 책이랑 |
| 저는 친구랑은 갔어요 (when “친구랑” is the object) | Wrong particle on the list; attach the correct case to the whole phrase. | 저는 친구랑 영화를 봤어요 |
| 어머님이랑 오셨습니다 (very formal contexts) | (이)랑 can feel too casual with honorific/formal speech. |
어머님과 오셨습니다 / 어머님하고 오셨어요 |
| 같이 친구랑 갔어요 | Word order is less natural. | 친구랑 같이 갔어요 |
| 사과하고 배는 샀어요 (when you mean object) | Topic particle 는 changes nuance; often you want object 를. |
사과하고 배를 샀어요 |
| 한국어랑 영어를 연구합니다 (academic writing) | (이)랑 is too casual for formal prose. |
한국어와 영어를 연구합니다 |
| 친구하고하고… | Accidental repetition while listing. | 친구하고 선생님하고… |
👩🏫 Speak Naturally with a Tutor
Want live practice chaining nouns and using particles correctly?
👉 Book a 1-on-1 class on italki — we’ll role-play ordering food, planning trips, and more, while perfecting 하고 & (이)랑.
💬 Try It Now!
Write one Korean sentence using 하고 or (이)랑 in the comments. I’ll reply with feedback and pronunciation tips. 😊
📚 Keep learning: Talking About Hobbies in Korean
Quick Quiz (answers)
- Fill in: 물 __ 주스 좋아해요. → 하고 / 랑
- Rewrite with a particle: 사과하고 배 (buy) → 사과하고 배를 샀어요.
- Connect verbs correctly: eat and watch → 먹고 봐요 (use -고)
