LESSON 43

“Because”

You have learned that -eoseo links two verbal expressions stressing that the second is the consequence of the first: and so. This is a very weak way of saying the second expression is so BECAUSE of the first. There are a number of ways in which this BECAUSE can be made a bit stronger.

The most common is to use the -gi form followed by ttaemun-(e):

Bi-ga ogi ttaemune nagago sipji anayo.

비가 오기 때문에 나가고 싶지 않아요.

I don’t want to go because it’s raining.

Doni eopgi ttaemune eommaneun nagago sipji anayo.

돈이 없기 때문에 엄마는 나가고 싶지 않아요.

Mom doesn’t want to go out because she doesn’t have any money.

For the past and future there are special forms which consist of inserting the past marker (-eoss- in its basic form) or the future marker (-gess- in its basic form) between the base and -gi: -eokki (-akki, etc.) and -gekki.

Meonjeo bap-eul meogeottki ttaemune baegopeuji anayo.

먼저 밥을 먹었기 때문에 고프지 않아요.

I’m not hungry because I’ve already eaten.

Nae-ga naeil Gimssireul mannagi ttaemun-e, geu bun-hante geu iyagi-reul hal geyo.

내가 내일 김씨를 만나기 때문에 그 분한테 그 이야기를 할게요.

I’ll tell Mr. Kim about that, because I’ll see him tomorrow.

Wae geureoke neukke doraoseyo?

왜 그렇게 늦게 돌아오세요?

Why do you come home so late?

Gongjang-eseo haeyahal il-i neomu manattki ttaemunieyo.

공장에서 해야할 일이 너무 많았기 때문이예요.

It’s because we had a lot of work to do at the factory.

Another very common way to say “so” is nikka 니까, which works similarly to 어서. One important difference is that you can’t use eoseo 어서 when asking a question or giving a command—in this case, use nikka 니까 instead.

Chigeum bappeunikka geu naeyongeul imeillo juseyo.

지금 바쁘니까 그 내용을 이메일로 주세요.

I’m busy right now, so please give me that information by email.

Biga onikka oneul daesine naeile sanchaekhamyeon eottaeyo?

비가 오니까 오늘 대신에 내일에 산책하면 어때요?

It’s raining, so how about going for a walk tomorrow instead of today?

Wae yeonghwareul an bwayo?

왜 영화를 안 봐요?

Why aren’t you watching the movie?

Beolsseo bwasseunikkayo.

벌써 봤으니까요.

Because I already saw it.