안녕하세요! You'll learn how to connect nouns in Korean by adding the meaning of "and". There are three ways to do so, but they are not too difficult to learn! I'll guide you one by one!
0. Words
Here are some words you'll need in this lesson. Please listen and repeat the words! Don't forget to add these new words to your word organizers!
Verbs 동사
to give | |
(honorific version) to give |
Nouns 1 명사 1
apple | |
bread | |
instant noodles, ramen | |
milk | |
banana |
Here is good news for you. The Korean language is not particular in number matter. That means singular or plural doesn't affect the noun. Also, it doesn't have an article like "a" or "the" in English. So, 사과 can be an apple, the apple, or apples depending on the context.
Nouns 2 명사2
employee, worker | |
customer | |
mom | |
dad |
1. N하고 N
하고 is used between nouns and connects those nouns like "and". 하고 connects nouns, you can't use it to connect to sentences or verbs. Also, pay attention to where the space is! 하고 needs to be directly attached to a noun and put a space before the second noun.
사과하고 빵 an apple and bread
It only has one form. That means you don't have to worry about the conjugation!
사과하고 빵 an apple and bread
빵하고 사과 bread and an apple
사과 ends with a vowel and 빵 ends with the final consonant. No matter what, you just attach 하고 to the nouns.
It is usually used in informal situations. In other words, you can use it in daily conversations.
라면하고 빵 주세요. Please give me ramen and bread.
주세요 is the command/request form of "주다(to give)." So, when you ask someone to give you something, you can say "주세요" at the end.
In English, you say "and" once before the final noun. In Korean, You can keep continuing nouns with 하고. You can even replace the object marker with it! The examples below are all possible since the object marker 을/를 can be omitted in conversation. Let's see how we can ask "Please give me apples, bread, and ramen".
The object marker 을 is inserted. | |
You can replace 을 with 하고. | |
You can omit the object marker. |
2. N(이)랑 N
(이)랑 is used between nouns and connects those nouns like "and." It can't connect sentences. You attach this (이)랑 to a front noun without space.
사과랑 빵 apples and bread
There are two forms; 이랑 and 랑. To decide which one to use, you have to take a look at the last syllable of the noun. If it has the final consonant(받침), please attach 이랑. If it ends with a vowel(모음), you have to add 랑.
받침 X | 랑 | 사과랑 빵 |
받침 O | 이랑 | 빵이랑 사과 |
If you look at the example, 사과 ends with 과. It has the consonant ㄱ and the vowel ㅘ. It doesn't have any final consonants. So, you add 랑 to it and say 사과랑.
빵 has the first consonant ㅃ, the vowel ㅏ, and the final consonant ㅇ. So, we will add 이랑 to it and say 빵이랑.
Like 하고, it is usually used in informal situations (daily conversations) rather than written language.
사과랑 빵 주세요. Please give me some apples and bread.
You can continue adding nouns with (이)랑. You usually need to use the object marker at the end of nouns, but you can replace it with (이)랑. The examples below are possible since the object marker 을/를 can be omitted in conversation.
Please give me apples, bread, and ramen.
The object marker 을 is inserted. | |
You can replace 을 with (이). | |
You can omit the object marker. |
3. N와/과 N
와/ 과 is used between nouns and connects those nouns like "and." It can't connect sentences. You must attach it to a front noun (no space) then give a space and add the second noun.
사과와 빵
There are two options; 와 and 과. The final consonant of a noun will decide which one to use. If it ends with the final consonant, use 과. If not, use 와.
받침 X | 와 | 사과와 빵 |
받침 O | 과 | 빵과 사과 |
It is usually used in formal, written situations like an essay or news. (Of course, you can still use it in the daily conversation as well.)
사과와 빵을 주세요. Please give me some apples and bread.
4) You can keep continuing nouns. However, you can't replace the object marker with 와/과.
The object marker 을 is inserted. | |
You can omit the object marker. | |
(X) 사과와 빵과 라면과 주세요. | You can't replace the object marker! |
4. With N
As I explained "N and N," all these are to connect nouns. To connect sentences, you will need to use another conjunction. If you are a beginner don't worry about that yet. You will get to know about it more in the future.
These "하고", "(이)랑", and "와/과" have one more use! You can use it like "with" in English. "with (someone)"
아빠하고 빵을 먹어요. I'm eating bread with my dad.
엄마랑 운동을 해요. I'm doing exercise with my mom.
5. Examples
Let's imagine you are in a supermarket and trying to buy stuff. A clerk is 종업원 and the customer is 손님. Since it is a conversational situation, you will see 하고 and (이)랑. You will get to know more about 와/과 as you learn the formal sentences.
1
종업원: 뭘 드릴까요? What can I get for you?
손님: 사과하고 바나나를 주세요. Please give me some apples and bananas.
뭘 came from 뭐를 which means "what". 드릴까요 came from 드리다 which is the honorific version (politer version) of "주다(to give)".
You can memorize this "뭘 드릴까요?" as one chunk of expression to mean "What can I give you?" or "What can I get for you?" in a polite way.
2
종업원: 뭐 드릴까요? What can I get for you?
손님: 빵하고 우유하고 주세요. Please give me some bread and milk.
뭐를 can be shortened to 뭐. You can continue words by adding 하고.
3
종업원: 뭐 드릴까요? What can I get for you?
손님: 빵이랑 우유랑 사과랑 주세요. Please give me some bread, milk, and apples.
You can continue words by adding (이)랑 as well. But you have to be careful which one to use between 이랑 or 랑. When there is the final consonant, use 이랑. If not, use 랑.
4
종업원: 뭐 드릴까요? What can I get for you?
손님: 바나나랑 우유 주세요. Please give me bananas and milk.
The object marker is omitted in the answer of the customer. Can you tell which object marker should be used and where it will be placed? (The answer is "를" after "우유." → 우유를) Like this example, the object marker can be often omitted in conversation.
7. Wrap-up & Worksheet: How to connect nouns in Korean
To connect nouns with the meaning of "and", we can use 하고, (이)랑, and 와/과.
하고 and (이)랑 are used in informal, conversational situations. 와/과 is used in formal, written situations.
하고 only has one form but (이)랑 and 와/과 need to be adjusted depending on the final consonant of a noun to it will be attached.
Here is the summary chart!
Please download the free PDF worksheet and use it to improve your Korean! The file also has the answer sheet. Don't forget to check your answer!
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