1 · Particles
And between nouns: 와/과, 하고, (이)랑
joining nouns
Three ways to say "and" or "with" between nouns — one meaning, three registers.
"And" between two nouns is not a separate word in Korean but a particle on the first noun. There are three. 과 follows a consonant and 와 a vowel: 빵과 우유, 우유와 빵. 하고 never changes: 빵하고 우유. 이랑 follows a consonant and 랑 a vowel: 빵이랑 우유, 우유랑 빵.
They mean the same and differ in register. 와/과 is the written one — books, news, signs, formal speech. 하고 is the everyday spoken one, polite and neutral. 이랑/랑 is casual and warm, the one used with friends and family. Inside one list, keep to one of them.
The same particles mean "with": 친구하고 영화를 봤어요, "I watched a film with a friend", often together with 같이 or 함께, "together": 엄마랑 같이 시장에 갔어요. Verbs that need a partner — marry, fight, look like — take the same particles: 친구와 싸웠어요.
Two traps for English speakers. 그리고 means "and" too, but it joins sentences, not nouns. And the particle goes only on the first noun of the pair; the last noun takes whatever particle the sentence needs: 빵하고 우유를 샀어요.
The form
| written, after a consonant | 책과 연필 |
| written, after a vowel | 우유와 빵 |
| everyday speech | 빵하고 우유 |
| casual, after a consonant | 빵이랑 우유 |
| casual, after a vowel | 우유랑 빵 |
| with someone | 친구하고 같이 가요. |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
과 and 이랑 follow a consonant, 와 and 랑 a vowel; 하고 never changes.
책상 위에 책과 공책이 있어요.There are books and notebooks on the desk.
The particle goes on the first noun; the last noun takes whatever particle the sentence needs.
시장에서 사과하고 배를 샀어요.I bought apples and pears at the market.
와/과 is for writing, 하고 for everyday speech, 이랑/랑 for casual talk.
엄마랑 시장에 갔어요.I went to the market with my mum.
The same particles mean "with", often together with 같이 or 함께.
주말에 친구하고 같이 등산했어요.At the weekend I went hiking with a friend.
그리고 joins sentences, not nouns.
빵하고 우유를 샀어요. 그리고 집에 왔어요.I bought bread and milk. Then I came home.
A closer look
Why 와/과 feels the wrong way round
With 은/는, 이/가 and 을/를, the form after a vowel is the one that starts with a consonant sound: 는, 가, 를. Learners come to expect that pattern, and 와/과 breaks it: here the form with the consonant, 과, follows a consonant, and 와 a vowel. It is worth learning as the exception it is: 책과, 우유와.
In a list of three or more, written Korean uses commas and puts the particle before the last noun only: 사과, 배와 귤. In speech you will also hear 하고 after every item, the last one included, as if counting on fingers: 사과하고 배하고 귤하고.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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the verb needs a partner — 결혼하다, 싸우다, 헤어지다
the partner takes 와/과, 하고 or 이랑/랑, not 을/를.
언니는 작년에 대학 친구하고 결혼했어요.My older sister married a university friend last year.
English "marry someone" has a direct object. Korean treats the other person as a partner in the action, "marry with someone". 닮다, "look like", takes either: 아버지와 닮았어요 or 아버지를 닮았어요.
How to spot it
- 와
- 과
- 하고
- 이랑
- 랑
- 같이
- 함께
Example sentences
저는 김치찌개하고 비빔밥을 좋아해요.I like kimchi stew and bibimbap.
어제 동생이랑 영화를 봤어요.Yesterday I watched a film with my younger sibling.
서울과 부산은 큰 도시입니다.Seoul and Busan are big cities.
커피랑 케이크 주세요.A coffee and a piece of cake, please.
저는 주말에 가족과 함께 시간을 보내요.At weekends I spend time with my family.
친구하고 전화로 이야기했어요.I talked with a friend on the phone.
7 more example sentences
냉장고에 우유하고 계란이 있어요.There's milk and eggs in the fridge.
저는 아버지와 많이 닮았어요.I look a lot like my father.
누구랑 같이 왔어?Who did you come with? (to a friend)
물과 간식은 각자 준비해 주십시오.Please bring your own water and snacks.
형하고 저는 같은 학교에 다녀요.My older brother and I go to the same school.
고양이랑 강아지가 같이 자요.The cat and the puppy are sleeping together.
선생님과 학생들이 교실에 있습니다.The teacher and the students are in the classroom.
Worth knowing (1)
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The same as, different from
The same particles mark what something is compared with, before 같다 (be the same) and 다르다 (be different): 제 생각은 민수 씨하고 달라요, "my opinion is different from Minsu's".
제 가방은 친구 가방하고 똑같아요.My bag is exactly the same as my friend's.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
그리고 is "and" between two sentences. Between two nouns, "and" is a particle on the first one: 빵하고 우유, 빵과 우유, 빵이랑 우유.
Gwa after a consonant and wa after a vowel for writing; hago every day; irang and rang among friends.
Your turn
10 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.