Lesson 14
In a previous lesson, you learned how to use 그래서 and -아/어/여서 to link sentences and show a reason/result relationship between them. Building upon that knowledge, you will now learn how to use the verb ending -(으)니까 to express that the verb which comes before -(으)니까 is the reason for another action or the basis of a judgement.
Conjugation
Verb #1 Stem + -(으)니까 + Verb #2
The verb (Verb #1) preceding -(으)니까 is the reason or the basis of judgement for Verb #2.
Difference between -아/어/여서 and -(으)니까
- Although both of these structures show the reason/result, or cause/effect relationship, of two verbs, -아/어/여서 cannot be used in imperative sentences or with “Let’s”.
Ex)
(1)
지금 바쁘니까 나중에 전화해 주세요. (O)
= I am busy now, so call me later.
지금 바빠서 나중에 전화해 주세요. (X)
* -아/어/여서 cannot be used with imperative sentences.
(2)
지금 피곤하니까 우리 영화 내일 봐요. (O)
= I am tired now, so let’s watch the movie tomorrow.
지금 피곤해서 우리 영화 내일 봐요. (X)
* -아/어/여서 cannot be used with “let’s”.
** 우리 영화 내일 봐요 can be translated in two ways:
- When 봐요 is translated as “let’s watch”, the entire sentence can NOT exist.
- When 봐요 just means “we are watching” or “we are going to watch”, the whole sentence can mean “We are tired now, so we are going to watch the movie tomorrow.”
- For basic greetings and when talking about your own feelings or situations, you cannot use -(으)니까. -아/어/여서 must be used in this situation.
Ex)
(1)
와 줘서 고마워요. (O)
= Thank you for coming.
와 주니까 고마워요. (X)
(2)
어제 아파서 못 왔어요. (O)
= I was sick yesterday, so I could not come.
어제 아프니까 못 왔어요. (X)
Sometimes, -(으)니까 can mark the end of the sentence when simply answering a question or providing a basis for a judgement or an action.
Ex)
(1)
- 이거 왜 샀어요? = Why did you buy this?
- 맛있으니까. = Because it is delicious. (반말 / casual language)
= 맛있으니까요. (존댓말 / polite and formal language)
(2)
괜찮아요. 아까 봤으니까.
= It is okay. (Because) I already saw it earlier.
* In this sentence, if speaking in 존댓말, you need to add -요 after 봤으니까. It is, however, still OKAY not to add it because this can be understood as a change in the order of the sentence parts. (아까 봤으니까 괜찮아요 → 괜찮아요, 아까 봤으니까.)
Sample Sentences
더우니까 에어컨 켤까요?
= It is hot, so shall we turn on the air conditioner?
- 더워서 에어컨 켤까요? (X)
- 더워서 에어컨 켰어요. (O) (= It was hot, so I turned on the air conditioner.)
저 지금 바쁘니까 나중에 전화해 주세요.
= I am busy now, so please call me later.
- 저 지금 바빠서 나중에 전화해 주세요. (X)
- 저 지금 바빠서 나중에 전화할게요. (O) (= I am busy now, so I will call you later.)
냉장고에 불고기 있으니까 먹어.
= There is some bulgogi in the refrigerator, so eat it.
- 냉장고에 불고기 있어서 먹어. (X)
- 냉장고에 불고기 있어서 먹었어. (O) (= There was some bulgogi in the refrigerator, so I ate it.)
내일 일요일이니까 내일 하세요.
= Tomorrow is Sunday, so do it tomorrow.
- 내일 일요일이어서 내일 하세요. (X)
- 내일 일요일이어서 일 안 할 거예요. (O) (= Tomorrow is Sunday, so I am not going to work.)