Lesson 8
In this lesson, let us look at the structure -길래. -길래 basically expresses a reason why an action is done, but mostly in situations when you have intentionally done something as a result of observing and judging.
You can use -길래 mainly when you are talking about (1) doing something as a result of observation, (2) doing something as a result of judging a situation, or (3) asking the reason/background for a decision. Since you usually talk about the reason for an action and the reason together, the sentence is usually in the past or present tense. With -길래, you usually cannot use it with future tense.
Structure
Verb stem + -길래 + Result action
Usages
1. Doing something as a result of observation
Ex)
비가 오다 (= to rain)
→ 비가 오길래
→ 비가 오길래 우산을 가져왔어요.
(= It was raining so I brought my umbrella.)
* You can also say, “비가 와서 우산을 가져왔어요” or, “비가 오니까 우산을 가져왔어요”, but if you say, “비가 오길래 우산을 가져왔어요”, you can show your intention or observation better.
맛있다 (= to be delicious)
→ 맛있길래
→ 맛있길래 더 사 왔어요.
(= It was delicious, so I bought some more.)
사람이 많다 (= to be crowded)
→ 사람이 많길래
→ 사람이 많길래 그냥 나왔어요.
(= There were a lot of people, so I just left the place.)
2. Doing something as a result of judging a situation
Ex)
비가 올 것 같다 (= to seem like it is going to rain)
→ 비가 올 것 같길래
→ 비가 올 것 같길래 그냥 집에 있었어요.
(= It looked like it was going to rain, so I just stayed home.)
곧 문을 닫을 것 같다 (= to seem like they will close the door soon)
→ 곧 문을 닫을 것 같길래
→ 서점이 곧 문을 닫을 것 같길래 그냥 돌아왔어요.
(= The bookstore looked like it was going to close soon so I just came back.)
* In these situations, you are using your judgment and could actually be wrong.
3. Asking the reason/background for a decision
Ex)
어디에 있다 (= to be where)
→ 어디에 있길래
→ 지금 어디에 있길래 이렇게 시끄러워요?
(= Where are you now? It is so noisy (as a result of that)!)
* If you just say, “이렇게 시끄러워요 (= It is so noisy)”, it is not a question, so you cannot put a question mark after it. However, since we added 어디에, the whole sentence becomes a question.
뭐 했다 (= to have done what)
→ 뭐 했길래
→ 뭐 했길래 이렇게 지쳤어요?
(= What did you do to be so tired?)
* Sometimes, if the following action or state after -길래 is understood, you do not have to finish it. You can simply say, “뭐 했길래.”
뭐라고 말했다 (= to have said what)
→ 뭐라고 말했길래
→ 경화 씨가 뭐라고 말했길래 이렇게 신났어요?
(= What did Kyung-hwa say to make you so excited?)
주연 씨가 뭐라고 말했길래 이렇게 화났어요?
= What did Jooyeon say to make you so angry?
Sample Sentences
무슨 이야기를 들었길래 그렇게 열심히 공부해요?
= What kind of story did you hear to (make you) study so hard?
= What did they tell you? Why are you studying so hard?
어디에 가길래 그렇게 짐을 많이 싸요?
= Where are you going to be packing so much?
= Where are you going? You are packing so much stuff!
누구를 만나길래 그렇게 화장을 열심히 해요?
= Who are you meeting to be putting on so much make-up?
= Why are you putting in so much effort on your make-up? Who are you meeting?
너무 피곤하길래 그냥 집에 있었어요.
= I was too tired, so I just stayed home.
= I realized I was too tired, so I just stayed home.
주연 씨가 아이언맨을 좋아하길래, 아이언맨 피규어를 사 줬어요.
= I saw that Jooyeon likes Iron Man, so I bought her an Iron Man figure.