2 · Linking clauses, first steps
Because, and then: -아서/어서
the connective of cause and close sequence
-아서/어서 gives a reason or ties a second action to the first — and as a reason it never comes before a request.
The ending chooses its vowel exactly as the polite -아요/어요 does, so the easiest way to build it is from the polite present: drop 요, add 서. 가요 becomes 가서, 좋아요 좋아서, 마셔요 마셔서, 해요 해서, and irregular verbs keep their change: 추워서, 들어서, 몰라서. With a noun, 이다 gives 이라서 or 여서/이어서: 학생이라서, 친구라서.
The first meaning is a reason: 비가 와서 집에 있었어요, “it rained, so I stayed at home”. The -아서 clause never takes the past, however long ago it happened: the tense of the whole sentence stands at the end, 늦게 일어나서 지각했어요. Thanks and apologies give their reason this way too: 늦어서 죄송합니다, 도와 주셔서 감사합니다.
The restriction that matters most: a reason with -아서/어서 cannot be followed by a request, an order or a suggestion. 비가 와서 우산을 가져가세요 sounds wrong to a Korean ear; when the sentence ends like 가세요, 갑시다 or 갈까요?, the reason takes -(으)니까: 비가 오니까 우산을 가져가세요.
The second meaning is a close sequence: the second action happens at the place reached, or with the thing just made or met. 시장에 가서 과일을 샀어요 — I bought the fruit at the market. 김밥을 만들어서 먹었어요 — I ate the gimbap I had made. This kind of -아서 may be followed by a request: 여기 앉아서 기다리세요.
The form
| last stem vowel a or o | 가다 → 가서, 좋다 → 좋아서 |
| after other vowels | 먹다 → 먹어서, 마시다 → 마셔서 |
| 하다 verbs | 피곤하다 → 피곤해서 |
| with a noun and 이다 | 학생이라서, 친구라서 |
| reason: the past only at the end | 늦게 일어나서 지각했어요 |
| sequence: there, with that | 시장에 가서 샀어요 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
Take the polite present, drop 요 and add 서.
날씨가 좋아서 산책했어요.The weather was nice, so I went for a walk.
The reason clause never takes the past; the tense of the sentence stands at the end.
어제 너무 피곤해서 일찍 잤어요.I was very tired yesterday, so I went to bed early.
Thanks and apologies take their reason with -아서/어서.
늦어서 죄송합니다.I am sorry I am late.
Before a request or a suggestion, the reason takes -(으)니까 instead.
바람이 부니까 창문을 닫으세요.It is windy, so please close the window.
When the second action happens where you went, or with what you made, -아서/어서 ties the two together.
시장에 가서 과일을 샀어요.I went to the market and bought fruit there.
A closer look
Why -아서 refuses the past
A clause in -아서/어서 is bound so tightly to the main clause that it shares its time: the whole sentence describes one stretch of events, and its tense is said once, at the end. 늦게 일어났어서 is heard in careless speech, but it is not standard Korean.
Between two sentences the same meaning is carried by 그래서, “so, that is why”: 비가 많이 왔어요. 그래서 집에 있었어요. 그래서 is itself built with this ending, and it shares its limits: it introduces a result, not an instruction.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
-
the -아서/어서 clause means “and then, there” rather than “because”
a request or suggestion may follow without any problem.
여기 앉아서 잠깐만 기다려 주세요.Please sit down here and wait a moment.
The restriction belongs to the reason only. A sequence of two actions can perfectly well be asked for.
How to spot it
- -아서/어서
- -해서
- -이라서
- 그래서
Example sentences
배가 고파서 라면을 끓였어요.I was hungry, so I made some instant noodles.
시간이 없어서 택시를 탔어요.I had no time, so I took a taxi.
만나서 반가워요.Nice to meet you.
친구를 만나서 같이 저녁을 먹었어요.I met a friend and we had dinner together.
길이 많이 막혀서 회의에 늦었어요.The traffic was very heavy, so I was late for the meeting.
케이크를 만들어서 친구에게 줬어요.I made a cake and gave it to a friend.
8 more example sentences
감기에 걸려서 학교에 못 갔어요.I caught a cold, so I could not go to school.
이 영화는 너무 슬퍼서 많이 울었어요.This film was so sad that I cried a lot.
저는 학생이라서 할인을 받았어요.I am a student, so I got a discount.
도와 주셔서 고마워요.Thank you for helping me.
편의점에 가서 물을 샀어요.I went to the convenience store and bought some water.
집에 와서 바로 잤어요.I came home and went straight to bed.
음식이 너무 매워서 물을 많이 마셨어요.The food was so spicy that I drank a lot of water.
오늘은 일이 많아서 바빠요.I have a lot of work today, so I am busy.
Worth knowing (1)
-
Thank you for, sorry for
The polite formulas of thanks and apology give their reason with -아서/어서, usually with -아/어 주시다 in front: 와 주셔서 감사합니다, 기다리게 해서 죄송합니다. -(으)니까 would make the reason sound like an argument, which is the last thing an apology wants.
와 주셔서 감사합니다.Thank you for coming.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
A reason given with -아서/어서 states a plain cause and effect, and that does not combine with telling someone what to do. As soon as the sentence ends in a request, an order or a suggestion, the reason has to be -(으)니까.
Aseo for a reason or for "and there"; but when a request follows a reason, use -nikka.
Your turn
10 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.