안녕하세요!
Welcome back to another fun-filled linguistic expedition here at SKAPETOKOREA. Fasten your seat belts because today we’re diving into the vibrant world of Korean conjunctions, and our superstar for the day is none other than… drumroll, please… “길래”!
Now, I can see some of you scratching your heads, wondering, “Conjunctions? Aren’t those the traffic cops of grammar, telling us when to stop and go?” You bet they are, but in the world of Korean grammar, they’re more like the skilled choreographers, coordinating all the moving parts to create a beautiful, fluid sentence.
Our good friend “길래” is no different. Think of it as the equivalent of “so” or “thus” in English. But don’t let its simplicity fool you! It packs a punch when it comes to giving your sentences a smooth flow and coherence.
By the end of this lesson, you’ll be using “길래” like a pro, linking your sentences with the finesse of a K-Pop star executing a dance routine. So, are you ready to put your dancing shoes on and master the art of Korean conjunctions with “길래”? If so, 어서오세요! Let’s get started!
Conjugation
VERB STEM + 길래
- Take a verb i.e. 가다
- Drop “다” i.e. 가
- Add 길래 i.e. 가길래
- 먹다 –> 먹 + 길래 –> 먹길래
- 사다 –> 사 + 길래 –> 사길래
- 주다 –> 주 + 길래 –> 주길래
- 보다 –> 보 + 길래 –> 보길래
- 싸다 –> 싸 + 길래 –> 싸길래
- 빠르다 –> 빠르 + 길래 –> 빠르길래
- 바쁘다 –> 바쁘 + 길래 –> 바쁘길래
- 무섭다 –> 무섭 + 길래 –> 무섭길래
Understanding the usage of 길래
“길래” is a Korean conjunction that is usually used to connect two sentences, where the first sentence states a situation or reason, and the second sentence explains the result or consequence of that reason. Essentially, it translates to “so” or “thus” in English.
Here’s a simple structure to keep in mind:
[Reason/Situation] + 길래 + [Result/Action]
Sounds simple, right? But hold on, let’s delve deeper.
In terms of context, “길래” is generally used when the speaker didn’t expect the situation mentioned in the first sentence, and it led them to act as mentioned in the second sentence. So, “길래” is more than just a connector; it adds a nuance of surprise or unexpectedness.
Let’s look at an example:
너무 배가 고팠길래 피자를 주문했어요. – I was so hungry, so I ordered pizza.
In this sentence, the unexpected hunger (reason) led to the action of ordering pizza (result).
One key thing to remember is that “길래” is used in informal or colloquial speech. It’s often used in casual conversations among friends or people of the same age. It’s not generally used in formal or written Korean.
Let’s look at some more sentences using “길래”, and I’ll walk you through each one.
- 비가 오길래 우산을 가져왔어요. – It was raining, so I brought an umbrella.
In this sentence, the unexpected situation is the rain (“비가 오길래”), and the resulting action is bringing an umbrella (“우산을 가져왔어요”).
- 친구가 늦었길래 카페에서 기다렸어요. – My friend was late, so I waited at the cafe.
Here, the friend being late (“친구가 늦었길래”) was the reason, and the speaker’s action of waiting at the cafe (“카페에서 기다렸어요”) was the result.
- 영화가 재미있길래 두 번 봤어요. – The movie was interesting, so I watched it twice.
In this example, the unexpected situation is the movie being interesting (“영화가 재미있길래”), and the action is watching the movie twice (“두 번 봤어요”).
- 집에 밥이 없길래 외식했어요. – There was no food at home, so I ate out.
Here, the reason is there being no food at home (“집에 밥이 없길래”), and the resulting action is eating out (“외식했어요”).
Each of these sentences follows the same pattern: an unexpected situation marked by “길래”, followed by a resulting action. This structure allows for a smooth transition from one clause to the next, making your Korean sound more natural and fluent.
Remember, the best way to get comfortable with “길래” is to practice, so keep trying to incorporate it in your sentences.
Common expressions
어디에 있길래
The phrase “어디에 있길래” is a common usage of “길래” and it literally translates to “Where were you that…”. It’s often used when one person couldn’t find another person and then finally finds them or gets in touch with them. In other words, it’s usually used to express some form of surprise or curiosity about why the person wasn’t where they were expected to be.
For example, let’s say your friend was late to your meeting and you’ve been waiting for a while. When they finally show up, you might ask:
“어디에 있길래 이렇게 늦었어?” – “Where were you that you’re this late?”
In this sentence, “어디에 있길래” shows your surprise at your friend’s tardiness and curiosity about where they were that caused them to be late.
This phrase is casual and should only be used in informal settings or among friends.
Remember, while “길래” can be used to express a causal relationship between two sentences (this happened, so that happened), it can also be used to express surprise or curiosity in this context. It’s just one more way that “길래” is a versatile and useful part of the Korean language!
뭐라고 했길래
The phrase “뭐라고 했길래” in Korean is another interesting usage of the conjunction “길래”. It directly translates to “What did (someone) say that…?” This is typically used when the speaker is curious about the specific words someone said that led to a certain reaction or situation.
This phrase is used to express surprise or curiosity about the cause (the specific words someone said) that led to a certain outcome.
For example, if you see your friend suddenly looking sad after a phone call, you might ask:
“뭐라고 했길래 그렇게 슬퍼보여?” – “What did they say that you look so sad?”
In this sentence, “뭐라고 했길래” shows your surprise at your friend’s sudden change of mood and curiosity about what was said to cause it.
Remember that like other expressions using “길래”, this is generally used in informal contexts or among friends. Be mindful of the context and the relationship with the person you are speaking to when using “뭐라고 했길래”.
Examples
- 너무 배고팠길래 라면을 먹었어요. – I was so hungry that I ate ramen.
- 책이 너무 재밌길래 밤새 읽었어요. – The book was so interesting that I read it all night.
- 잠이 안 오길래 밤샜어요. – I couldn’t sleep so I stayed up all night.
- 신발이 불편하길래 새로운 것을 샀어요. – My shoes were uncomfortable, so I bought new ones.
- 뭐라고 했길래 그렇게 웃어? – What did they say that you’re laughing so much?
Activity 1
Fill in the blanks
- 집에 아무도 _________ 친구 집에 갔어요. – There was no one at home, so I went to a friend’s house.
- 상자가 _________ 도와줬어요. – The box was heavy, so I helped.
- 강아지가 _________ 사진을 찍었어요. – The puppy was pretty, so I took a photo.
- 피자가 _________ 두 판 먹었어요. – The pizza was delicious, so I ate two plates.
- 시험이 _________ 다시 공부해야겠어요. – The exam was difficult, so I think I should study again.
Activity 1 Answers
- 집에 아무도 없길래 친구 집에 갔어요. – There was no one at home, so I went to a friend’s house.
- 상자가 무거웠길래 도와줬어요. – The box was heavy, so I helped.
- 강아지가 예뻤길래 사진을 찍었어요. – The puppy was pretty, so I took a photo.
- 피자가 맛있었길래 두 판 먹었어요. – The pizza was delicious, so I ate two plates.
- 시험이 어려웠길래 다시 공부해야겠어요. – The exam was difficult, so I think I should study again.
Wrap up
Alright, my fabulous SKAPErs! We’ve run the “길래” marathon today, and look at how far we’ve come! We’ve unpacked this fascinating and slightly mischievous word that loves to cause surprises and catch us off guard.
From asking “어디에 있길래?” (Where were you that…) to wondering “뭐라고 했길래?” (What did they say that…), we’ve uncovered how “길래” beautifully stitches together cause and effect, adds intrigue, and offers us another tool to express our curiosity in Korean.
You’ve come such a long way! 놀랍길래… well, I guess we’ll just have to keep coming up with more great lessons, won’t we? Keep practicing, keep challenging yourselves, and keep diving into this beautiful language adventure!
And remember, my SKAPErs, learning Korean is a journey, not a race. So don’t rush it, savor it, and let every little bit of knowledge sink in.
Before we SKAPE out of here, don’t forget to drop us a comment below! Share your favorite “길래” sentences, your thoughts on today’s lesson, or even just a hello. Your feedback is our fuel.
Keep SKAPE-ing to success! 화이팅! (Fighting!)
Until our next escape, 안녕! (Goodbye!)