pattern in -어서 ~ -아서 is not compatible with past or future bases— forms like 갔어서，먹겠어서, and such are not possible. Instead, verb forms in this pattern rely on the verb at the end of the sentence for their tense.
16.2.2.2. -어서 좋아요 l’m glad that . . . ; Good thing that . . .
There is a special English translation when -어서 is followed by 좋아요 in the second half of the sentence. Such sentences, which mean literally [so-and-so happens], so it’s good, are generally rendered by some such English pattern as I’m glad (that) . . . or It’s a good thing (that) . . . For example:
| 24. | 새 신을 사서 좋아요. I’m glad I bought new shoes. |
| 25. | 아들을 낳아서 좋아요. I’m glad we had a son. |
| 26. | 수진 씨가 와서 좋아요. It’s nice that Sujin is here or I’m glad Sujin came. |
| 27. | 수진 씨가 와서 나는 좋아요. I’m glad Sujin is here. [= Sujin came, so, as for me, it’s good.] |
| Now observe these examples. | |
| 28. | 학교에 와서 강연을 하셨어요. He came to school and gave a lecture. |
| 29. | 넥타이를 하나 사서 김 선생님께 드렸어요. I bought a tie and gave it to Mr. Kim. |
In the 서 constructions in these sentences, you cannot use a past-tense infinitive; if the verb at the end of the sentence is past, the infinitive also usually carries a past-tense meaning.
16.2.2.3. -(이)라서 Copula + 서
The copula infinitive has a variant form -이라 that exists alongside the regular form in -이어. Colloquial Korean prefers to attach the 서 form to this variant. Thus, - (이)라서 is more common in colloquial Korean than the more predictable -이어서 (which is also acceptable, but less common in spoken language) For example:
| 30. | 오늘이 일요일이라서 기차에 사람이 많아요. The train is crowded because it is Sunday. |
| Here are some more examples of infinitives with 서 in sentences. | |
| 31. | 날마다 목욕탕에 가서 목욕을 해요. He goes to the public bath every day and bathes. |
| 32. | 너무 많이 먹어서 배가 부릅니다. I ate so much [that] I’m full. |
| 33. | 안 비싸서 좋아요. I’m glad it’s not expensive. |
| 34. | 시간이 없어서 준비를 못 했어요. I couldn’t prepare—I didn’t have time. [There wasn’t time, so . . .] |
| 35. | 영화가 너무 슬퍼서 끝까지 못 봤어요. The movie was so sad I couldn’t watch it to the end. |
| 36. | 배가 별로 안 고프니까，1인분만 시켜서 나눠서 먹읍시다. I’m not particularly hungry, so let’s order one serving and share [“share and eat”] it. |
| 37. | 꽃을 주셔서 감사합니다. Thank you for the flowers. [= You gave me flowers, so thank you.] |
| 38. | 버스가 늦어서 비행기를 놓쳤어요. The bus was late, so I missed the airplane. |
| 39. | 집에 와서 빨래를 했어요. I came home and did the laundry. |
주의!
Another way to say go to do something, you will recall, is to use the infinitive followed by -(으)러.
물건을 사러 상점에 갔어요
went to the store (with the purpose) to buy things.
Compare:
상점에 가서 물건을 샀어요
went to the store and bought things = went to the store to buy things.
The first expression does not tell you whether the mission was actually accomplished. The expression 가서 사요 emphasizes the buying, the expression 사러 가요 emphasizes the going.
16.2.2.4. The Difference Between -어서 and -(으)니까
You have already learned another ending that can express both a reason or a kind of sequence, namely -(으)니까. How, then, are -어서 and -(으)니까 different? The difference can be summarized as follows.
-어서
Clause A -어서, Clause B
Related sequence, i.e., Clause B after Clause A and with some relation to it.
As a logical formulation, -어서 is assertion of cause.
-(으)니까
Clause A -(으)니까，Clause B
Discovery, i.e., When Clause A, one finds that Clause B.
As a logical formulation, -으니까 is argumentation.
Clauses in -(으)니까 also tend to have a more friendly, less coldly rational feel to them, and have the effect of involving one’s interlocutor more intimately in the event or argumentation being discussed. Here are some sentences contrasting these two endings:
| 40. | 봄이 됐으니까，꽃이 피고 있어요. The flowers are blooming because it’s spring, i.e., Now that spring has come, the flowers are blooming, or The flowers are blooming—no wonder, it’s spring. | |
| 41. | 봄이 돼서，꽃이 피고 있어요. The flowers are blooming because it’s spring, i.e., Spring has come and so the flowers are blooming, or Spring is making the flowers bloom. | |
| 42. | A. | 왜 이렇게 늦었어요? Why are you so late? |
| B. | 버스가 안 와서 늦었어요. | |
| B’. | *버스가 안 왔으니까 늦었어요. I’m late because the bus didn’t come |
The answer in B’ is inappropriate, because it assumes that A knew that the bus hadn’t come.
16.3. Unfinished Sentences and Afterthoughts with -서요 and -고요
| 43. | 시간이 없어서 못 했어요. 머리도 아프고요. I couldn’t do it because I didn’t have time. And I had a headache, too. |
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Koreans, like other people, don’t always think ahead and organize what they
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