-거든 and -니까
KimcheeGI asked:
Could you explain the proper use of the particle -거든 ? Is it interchangeable with -니까 ? I know you need another phrase to go with -니까 , such as "because she’s beautiful everybody likes her," but do you need it with -거든 ?
My answer:
‘-거든’
1. 조건 the sentence doesn’t end with 거든, you need a following sentence.
도착하거든 전화해라.
If you arrives, call me.
시간이 있거든 만나자.
If you have time, let’s meet.
When you have time, let’s meet.
2. 이유 the sentence ends with 거든
내일 만날까?
안 돼. 내일은 좀 바쁘거든.
Shall we meet tomorrow?
No, I’m busy tomorrow.
In this sense 2, -거든 and -니까 are similar but as you mentioned, ‘-니까’ always have to be followed by another sentence.
내일 바쁘니까 다음에 보자. Because I’m busy tomorrow, let’s meet some other time.
3. When you start a new topic, you use it to mean ’something happened and…’
어제 시장에 갔거든. 거기서 장동건을 봤어.
I went to a market yesterday and I saw 장동건 there.
‘-니까’
1. 원인cause, 근거source
날씨가 추우니까 따뜻하게 입고 나가라.
Since it’s cold, wear warm clothes when you go out.
2. 판단의 근거 You judge something and you talk about the reason why you think that way.
자세히 보니까 이상하다
If I look really into it, it’s strange.
사람이 많은 걸 보니까 이 식당 음식이 맛있는 것 같다.
I can assume that this restaurant offers nice food since there are many people.
3. 순차적 진행 something happens and other thing happends right after that event.
밖에 나가니까 비가 오기 시작했어요.
When we went out, it started to rain.
I have this written up as also being commonly and usually followed by a suggestion or a request to have somebody do something, or followed by a recommendation
Comment by joseph — May 9, 2007 @ 1:30 pm
My two bits on your comment:
“이제 중학생도 되고 했으니까 말도 잘듣고 철도 들게요” Sounds to me like it was uttered by a child. Probably not useful Korean if you are over the age of….say….14?
Comment by taemin — May 10, 2007 @ 2:46 am
중학생 middle school students
Comment by Administrator — May 10, 2007 @ 3:48 am
설명을 잘하니까 감사합니다 -)
–>설명을 잘 해주셔서 감사합니다.
Comment by Tamara — May 10, 2007 @ 5:00 pm
Thanks for clearing that up. It makes sense now as explained.
Comment by KimcheeGI — May 12, 2007 @ 2:13 pm
thank good details
Comment by kunthea — August 19, 2009 @ 12:31 pm