Korean grammar '-니까/으니까'

 

1. Explanation

 : '-니까/으니까' expresses the reason of verbs or adjectives. You can translate this as 'because' or 'since'. '-니까' is conjugated with verbs or adjectives that end with a vowel or a final consonant 'ㄹ'. '-으니까' is conjugated with verbs or adjectives that end with a consonant(except 'ㄹ'). Commonly, this form is used with another verb or adjective in same sentence. Let's look at examples together.

 

2. Examples

 차가운 커피를 마시니까 시원해요. (Because I drink cold coffee, it's cool.)

 *마시다 to drink

  1) A verb stem is '마시-'

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅣ'

  3) It conjugates with '-니까'

  4) 마시니까

  

 고양이가 너무 이쁘니까 눈에 아른거려요. (The cat is so pretty that I can't stop thinking about it.)

 *이쁘다 pretty

  1) An adjective stem is '이쁘-'

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅡ'

  3) It conjugates with '-니까'

  4) 이쁘니까

 

 오랜만에 친구를 만나니까 반가웠어요. (I was glad to meet a friend because it's been a while.)

 *만나다 to meet

  1) A verb stem is '만나-'

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅏ'

  3) It conjugates with '-니까'

  4) 만나니까

 

 비가 많이 오니까 내일 만날까요? (Shall we meet before? Because it's raining a lot.)

 *오다 to come, to fall

  1) A verb stem is '오-'

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅗ'

  3) It conjugates with '-니까'

  4) 오니까

 

 늦게 일어나니까 하루가 너무 짧아요. (The day is too short because I get up late.)

 *일어나다 to get up

  1) A verb stem is '일어나-'

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅏ'

  3) It conjugates with '-니까'

  4) 일어나니까

 

 매운 음식을 먹으니까 땀이 나요. (I sweat because I eat spicy food.)

 *먹다 to eat

  1) A verb stem is '먹-'

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㄱ' 

  3) It conjugates with '-으니까'

  4) 먹으니까

 

 두꺼운 책을 읽으니까 졸려요. (I feel sleepy because I read a thick book.)

 *읽다 to read

  1) A verb stem is '읽-'

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㄺ'

  3) It conjugates with '-으니까'

  4) 읽으니까

 

 약속에 늦었으니까 제가 커피 살게요. (I'm late for the plan, so I'll buy coffee.)

 *늦다 late

  1) An adjective stem is '늦-'

  2) Make it as a past tense

  3) An adjective stem is '늦-'

  4) It conjugates with '-었다.'

  5) 늦었다

  6) An adjective stem is '늦었-'

  7) It ends with a consonant 'ㅆ'

  8) It conjugates with '-으니까'

  9) 늦었으니까

 

 김치가 맛있으니까 평소보다 많이 먹어요. (Gimchi is delicious, so I eat more than usual.)

 *맛있다 delicious

  1) An adjective stem is '맛있-'

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㅆ'

  3) It conjugates with '-으니까'

  4) 맛있으니까

 

 날씨가 좋으니까 밖에 나가고 싶어요. (The weather is good, so I want to go outside.)

 *좋다 good

  1) An adjective stem is '좋-'

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㅎ'

  3) It conjugates with '-으니까'

  4) 좋으니까

 

3. Practice

 I'm too busy right now, so I'll check later.

 지금 너무 바쁘(니까/으니까) 나중에 확인할게요. ( *바쁘다 busy )

 

 They are all the same, so please give me anything.

 모두 똑같(니까/으니까) 아무거나 주세요. ( *똑같다 same )

 

 Because roads are stuck in traffic during closing hours, you should leave early.

 퇴근 시간에는 길이 막히(니까/으니까) 일찍 출발하세요. ( *막히다 to be stuck )

 

 This cosmetic is expensive, so please show me a different product. 

 이 화장품은 비싸(니까/으니까) 다른 제품 보여주세요. ( *비싸다 expensive )

 

 Because It's snowing, I want to make a snowman.

 눈이 오(니까/으니까) 눈사람을 만들고 싶어요. ( *오다 to come )

 

 Since I've been studying all day, I'm tired.

 하루 종일 공부하(니까/으니까) 피곤해요. ( *공부하다 to study )

 

 Since I've packed the chicken, let's eat it together at home.

 치킨 포장했(니까/으니까) 집에서 같이 먹어요. ( *포장하다 to pack )

 

 Because I walk every day, my body becomes healthier.

 매일 산책하(니까/으니까) 몸이 건강해졌어요. ( *산책하다 to walk )

 

4. Vocabulary

  차가운 cold / 커피 coffee / 마시다 to drink / 시원하다 cool / 고양이 cat / 너무 so / 이쁘다 pretty / 눈에 아른거리다 can't stop thinking about it / 오랜만 it's been a while / 친구 friend / 만나다 to meet / 반갑다 to glad / 비 rain / 많이 a lot / (비가) 오다 to rain, come, fall / 내일 tomorrow / 늦게 lately / 일어나다 to get up / 하루 a day / 너무 too / 짧다 short / 매운 spicy / 음식 food / 먹다 to eat / 땀이 나다 sweat / 두꺼운 thick / 책 book / 읽다 to read / 졸리다 sleepy / 약속 plan / 제 I(=polite) / 사다 to buy / 김치 Gimchi / 맛있다 delicious / 평소 usual / -보다 많이 more / 날씨 weather / 좋다 good / 밖 outside / 나가다 to go out / -고 싶다 to want to / 지금 now / 바쁘다 busy / 나중에 later / 모두 all / 똑같다 same / 아무거나 anything / 주다 to give / 퇴근 시간 closing hours / 길이 막히다 to be stuck in traffic / 일찍 early / 출발하다 to leave / 이 this / 화장품 cosmetic / 비싸다 expensive / 다른 different / 제품 product / 보여주다 to show / 눈 snow / 눈사람 snowman / 만들다 to make / 하루 종일 all day / 공부하다 to study / 피곤하다 tired / 치킨 chicken / 포장하다 to pack / 집 home / 같이 together / 매일 every day / 산책하다 to walk / 몸 body / 건강하다 healthy

 

5. Answer

  바쁘니까 / 똑같으니까 / 막히니까 / 비싸니까 / 오니까 / 공부하니까 / 포장했으니까 / 산책하니까