A1
와/과, 하고, (이)랑 — and, with
How Korean joins nouns with 와/과, 하고 and (이)랑, which register each belongs to, and why none of them can join two sentences.
Korean has three particles for joining nouns. They mean the same thing and differ only in register.
| 와/과 | formal, written |
| 하고 | neutral, spoken |
| (이)랑 | casual |
빵하고 우유를 샀어요.
Ppanghago uyureul sasseoyo.
I bought bread and milk.
친구와 함께 갔어요.
Chinguwa hamkke gasseoyo.
I went with a friend.
와 goes after a vowel and 과 after a consonant — the reverse of the pattern you might expect from 은/는 and 이/가, and worth checking twice.
And, or with
All three cover both meanings, exactly as Japanese と does. Which is meant comes from the verb.
동생이랑 놀았어요.
Dongsaeng-irang norasseoyo.
I played with my little brother.
They cannot join sentences
This is the mistake to avoid. These particles sit between nouns only.
밥을 먹었어요하고 학교에 갔어요.
밥을 먹고 학교에 갔어요.
Two actions are joined by the verb ending 고, not by 하고. 하고 belongs between nouns.
그리고 is the word for and between two sentences, and it starts the second one.
밥을 먹었어요. 그리고 학교에 갔어요.
Babeul meogeosseoyo. Geurigo hakgyoe gasseoyo.
I ate. And then I went to school.
같이 and 함께
Together with takes 하고 or 와/과 plus 같이 (spoken) or 함께 (written). The particle stays; 같이 is added to it.
친구하고 같이 봤어요.
Chinguhago gachi bwasseoyo.
I watched it with a friend.