Korean Pattern ~거든요: How to Say "you see / the thing is"

Verb/Adj stem + 거든요. Provides background reason the listener doesn't know. Very conversational.

The Rule

~거든요 = "you see / the thing is" Verb/Adj stem + 거든요. Provides background reason the listener doesn't know. Very conversational. This is one of the essential Korean grammar patterns. Mastering it unlocks the ability to express "you see / the thing is" naturally in conversation — something you'll need almost every day.

Why English Speakers Get It Wrong

In English, "you see / the thing is" is expressed with separate words (auxiliary verbs, modals). In Korean, ~거든요 is a grammatical ENDING attached to the verb stem. You can't just translate word-by-word. The common mistake: trying to combine Korean words the way English does instead of attaching the pattern to the verb stem. Korean grammar works by stacking endings, not by adding separate helper words.

How It Works

Formation: Verb stem + 거든요 Verb/Adj stem + 거든요. Provides background reason the listener doesn't know. Very conversational. Step by step: 1. Take any verb (e.g., 가다 = to go) 2. Remove 다 to get the stem (가) 3. Add the pattern: 가거든요 This works with virtually any Korean verb.

Real Examples

• 내일 못 가요. 약속이 있거든요. (naeir mot gayo. yaksoki itgeodeunyo.) — "I can't go tomorrow. You see, I have plans." • 이거 맛있거든요. 한번 먹어 보세요. (igeo matitgeodeunyo. hanbeon meokeo boseyo.) — "This is actually good, you see. Try it."

Common Mistakes

❌ Trying to translate "you see / the thing is" word-by-word from English ✅ Use the pattern ~거든요 attached to the verb stem → Korean expresses "you see / the thing is" as a single grammatical construction, not separate words. ❌ Forgetting vowel harmony or consonant rules ✅ Check if the verb stem ends in a vowel or consonant — the pattern may change form → Pay attention to the verb stem's final sound when attaching the pattern.

Quick Tip

Practice ~거든요 with 5 verbs you already know. Write them out: • 가다 (go) → 가거든요 • 먹다 (eat) → 먹거든요 Repetition with familiar verbs builds the pattern into muscle memory. Once automatic, you can use it with ANY verb.

~거든요 = "you see / the thing is"

Examples

내일 못 가요. 약속이 있거든요. — naeir mot gayo. yaksoki itgeodeunyo. — I can't go tomorrow. You see, I have plans.

이거 맛있거든요. 한번 먹어 보세요. — igeo matitgeodeunyo. hanbeon meokeo boseyo. — This is actually good, you see. Try it.