LEARN + KOREAN / Note 38 TOPIK I

And Then (가서 봐요)

-아서/어서 is back, same spelling, same vowel-harmony rule as Because, but here it chains two actions where the first makes the second possible: go somewhere and then do something there, buy something and then eat it, wake up and then exercise.

공원에 가서 산책을 할 거예요.

gongwone gaseo sanchaegeul hal geoyeyo.

I will go to the park and take a walk.

In Real Life

The test: can you swap it for “and then” without losing meaning? 가서 산책해요 means “go, and then walk,” not “walk because I went.” -아서/어서 for a reason attaches to states and feelings (아파서, 좋아서). This version attaches almost exclusively to 가다/오다/사다/만나다/일어나다/씻다, verbs where the first action physically enables the second.

친구를 만나서 영화를 봤어요.

chingureul mannaseo yeonghwareul bwasseoyo.

I met a friend and watched a movie.

김밥을 사서 먹었어요.

gimbabeul saseo meogeosseoyo.

I bought gimbap and ate it.

일찍 일어나서 운동을 해요.

iljjik ireonaseo undongeul haeyo.

I wake up early and exercise.

사과를 씻어서 먹어요.

sagwareul ssiseoseo meogeoyo.

I wash the apple and eat it.

도서관에 가서 책을 읽었어요.

doseogwane gaseo chaegeul ilgeosseoyo.

I went to the library and read a book.

In Real Life

-고 just lists two actions with no relationship implied: 책을 읽고 텔레비전을 봐요, unrelated things done in sequence. -아서/어서 implies the first action put you in position for the second: 책을 사서 읽어요 specifically means you bought the book in order to read it, not two disconnected events.

Vocabulary

Korean	English
김밥 gimbap	gimbap
일찍 iljjik	early
늦게 neutge	late
켜다 kyeoda	to turn on
끄다 kkeuda	to turn off
열다 yeolda	to open
정리하다 jeongnihada	to tidy up, organize
깨다 kkaeda	to wake up (from sleep)
준비하다 junbihada	to prepare, get ready
먼저 meonjeo	first, beforehand
빨래하다 ppallaehada	to do laundry
설거지하다 seolgeojihada	to wash the dishes
문을 잠그다 muneul jamgeuda	to lock the door
알람 allam	alarm
청소기를 돌리다 cheongsogireul dollida	to vacuum
분리수거 bullisugeo	recycling sorting
쓰레기를 버리다 sseuregireul beorida	to take out the trash
이불을 개다 ibureul gaeda	to fold the bedding
물을 끓이다 mureul kkeurida	to boil water
불을 끄다 bureul kkeuda	to turn off the light