Learn Korean Grammar 81: A/V으니까/니까, N이니까/니까

Hello~Welcome to Basic Korean.

In this lesson, we're going to learn a Korean grammar 'A/V으니까/니까, N이니까/니까'

If you want to listen to this lesson in Korean (with English subtitles), please watch the video below. 

🎬 Korean Grammar Video 81: https://youtu.be/xmgheSDPtaI

🌲Korean Grammar 81: A/V-으느까/니까, N-이니까/니까

(You can have this post in Korean.)

Let's look at examples first and see how today's grammar is used.

1. A short conversation

- The [sky blue] is pronunciation.

[Translation]

- 미소: 우리 이번 주말에 어디로 놀러 갈까요?

            (Where shall we go this weekend?)

        

- 나나: 날씨가 더우니까 바다로 갈까요?

            (Because the weather is hot, shall we go to the beach?)

- 미소: 좋아요.

             (That sounds good.)

      

Here, today's grammar is '더우니까' Let's look at today's grammar!

2. Usage

• '(으)니까' attaches after an adjective/verb stem.
• '(이)니까' attaches after a noun.
• It is a connective ending and it is used to indicate that the preceding statement is the cause, reason, or premise for the following statement.

Let's look at example sentences.

✎ '날씨가 더우니까 바다에 갈까요?' 
    (Because the weather is hot, shall we go to the beach?)

⇨ '바다의 갈까요?' (Shall we go to the beach?) I'm suggesting.

⇨ WHY?

⇨ '날씨가 더워요.' (The weather is hot.) I'm talking about the reason for the suggestion.

⇨ And I want to connect two sentences into one. In this case, you can use  '니까'.

⇨ So, you can say '날씨가 더우니까 바다에 갈까요?' 

⇨ '더우니까' is a combination of the adjective '덥다 (to be hot)' and '니까'.
    '덥다' is a 'ㅂ' irregular adjective. So change 'ㅂ' to '우' and add '니까.'

✎ '날씨가 추우니까 집에서 놀아요.'

     (Because the weather is cold, let's plat at home.)

⇨ '집에서 놀아요.' (Let's play at home.) I'm suggesting. 

⇨ WHY?

⇨ '날씨가 추어요.' (The weather is cold.) I'm talking about the reason for the suggestion.

⇨ And I want to connect two sentences into one. In this case, you can use  '니까'.

⇨ So, you can say ''날씨가 추우니까 집에서 놀아요.' 

⇨ '추우니까' is a combination of the adjective '춥다 (to be cold)' and '니까'.
    '춥다' is a 'ㅂ' irregular adjective. So change 'ㅂ' to '우' and add '니까.'

Now, let's look at the combination information.

Firstly, we're going to look at the present form. As '(으)니까, (이)니까' can be used with the past tense, we're going to look at the past form as well.

3. Combination information: Present

3.1. Adjective/Verb 
1) adjective/verb stem with a final consonant: 으니까

When an adjective/verb stem has the final consonant, '으니까' is used.

• the verb: 먹다 (to eat) + 으니까 ➝ 먹으니까
• When you remove '다', there is the final consonant.
• Add '으니까'
• So it becomes '먹으니까.'

• the adjective: 좋다 (to be good) + 으니까 ➝ 좋으니까
• When you remove '다', there is the final consonant.
• Add '으니까'
• So it becomes '좋으니까.'

2) adjective/verb stem without a final consonant: 니까

When an adjective/verb stem does not have the final consonant, '니까' is used.

• the verb: 자다 (to sleep) + 니까 ➝ 자니까
• When you remove '다', there is no final consonant.
• Add '니까'
• So it becomes '자니까.'

• the adjective: 크다 (to be big) + 니까 ➝ 크니까
• When you remove '다', there is no final consonant.
• Add '니까'
• So it becomes '크니까.'

3) adjective/verb stem ends with the final consonant ㄹ: 'ㄹ' drop + 니까

When an adjective/verb stem ends with the final consonant ‘ㄹ,’ delete ‘ㄹ’ and attach ‘니까.'

• the verb: 만들다 (to make) 'ㄹ'탈락 + 니까 ➝ 만드니까
• When you remove '다', the final consonant is 'ㄹ.'
• Delete 'ㄹ' and add '니까'
• So it becomes '만드니까.'

• the adjective: 달다 (to be sweet) 'ㄹ'탈락 + 니까 ➝ 다니까
• When you remove '다', the final consonant is 'ㄹ.'
• Delete 'ㄹ' and add '니까'
• So it becomes '다니까.'

4) Summary 

3.2. Noun

1) Noun with a final consonant: 이니까

When the preceding noun has the final consonant, '이니까' is used.

• 학생 (student) + 이니까 ➝ 학생이니까
• When you look at '학생', there is the final consonant.
• Add '이니까'
• So it becomes '학생이니까.'

• 일요일 (Sunday) + 이니까 ➝ 일요일이니까
• When you look at '일요일', there is the final consonant.
• Add '이니까'
• So it becomes '일요일이니까.'

2) Noun without a final consonant: 니까

When the preceding noun does not have the final consonant, '니까' is used.

• 의사 (doctor) + 니까 ➝ 의사니까
• When you look at '의사', there is no final consonant.
• Add '니까'
• So it becomes '의사니까.'

• 영화표 (movie ticket) + 니까 ➝ 영화표니까
• When you look at '영화표', there is no final consonant.
• Add '니까'
• So it becomes '영화표니까.'

3) Summary

Now, let's look at the past form.

4. Combination information: Past

4.1. Adjective/Verb

1) adjective/verb stem with a vowel 'ㅏ' or 'ㅗ' : 았으니까

When a vowel in an adjective/verb stem is 'ㅏ' or 'ㅗ', '았으니까' is used.

• the verb: 가다 (to go) + 았으니까 ➝ 갔으니까
• When you remove '다', the vowel before '다' is 'ㅏ'.
• Add '았으니까'
• So it becomes '갔으니까.'

• the adjective: 작다 (to be small) + 았으니까 ➝ 작았으니까
• When you remove '다', the vowel before '다' is 'ㅏ'.
• Add '았으니까'
• So it becomes '작았으니까.'

2) adjective/verb stem with other vowels: 었으니까

When a vowel in an adjective/verb stem' is other vowels, then '었으니까' is used.

• the verb: 만들다 (to make) + 었으니까 ➝ 만들었니까
• When you remove '다', the vowel before '다' is 'ㅡ'.
• Add '었으니까'
• So it becomes '만들었으니까.'

• the adjective: 길다 (to be long) + 었으니까 ➝ 길었으니까
• When you remove '다', the vowel before '다' is 'ㅣ'.
• Add '었으니까'
• So it becomes '길었으니까.'

3) adjective/verb ends with '하다': 했으니까

When an adjective/verb ends in '하다',  change '하다' to '했으니까.' 

• the verb: 공부하다 (to study) + 했으니까 ➝ 공부했으니까
•  '했으니까' is used instead of '하다'.
• So it becomes '공부했으니까.'

• the adjective: 건강하다 (to be healthy) + 했으니까 ➝ 건강했으니까
•  '했으니까' is used instead of '하다'.
• So it becomes '건강했으니까.'

4) Summary

4.2. Noun

1) Noun without a final consonant: 이었으니까/였으니까

When the preceding noun does not have the final consonant, you can use both '였으니까/이었으니까.'

• 의사 (doctor) + 이었으니까 ➝ 의사이었으니까/의사였으니까
•  When you look at '의사 (doctor)', there is no final consonant.
• Add '이었으니까.'
• So you can say  '의사이었으니까' which is correct.
• And here you can abbreviate '이었' to '였', so you can also say '였으니까.'
• Both expressions are correct. But when the preceding noun does not have the final consonant, '였으니까' is more often used.

2) Noun with a final consonant: 이었으니까

When the preceding noun has the final consonant, only '이었으니까' is used.

• 학생 (student) + 이었으니까 ➝ 학생이었으니까
•  When you look at '학생', there is the final consonant.
• Add '이었으니까.'
• So you can say  '학생이었으니까' which is correct.
• But, here you cannot abbreviate '이었' to '였' which is wrong.
• When the preceding noun has the final consonant, you can use only '이었으니까.'

3) Summary

Let's see some more examples.

5. Examples

The present form:

• 시간이 없으니까 택시를 탑시다.
  (Because we don't have time, let's take a taxi.)
• '없으니까' is a combination of the adjective  '없다' and '으니까.'

• 영화가 곧 시작하니까 핸드폰을 꺼 주세요.
  (Because the movie starts soon, please turn off the mobile phone.)
• '시작하니까' is a combination of the verb '시작하다 (to start)' and '니까'.

• 오늘은 일요일이니까 좀 쉬어요.
  (Because it's Sunday, take a break.)
• '일요일이니까' is a combination of the noun  '일요일'  and '이니까.

The past form

• 공부를 열심히 했으니까 좋은 결과가 있을 거예요.
  (Because you've studied hard, you will get a good result.)
  
• '했으니까 comes from by changing '하다' to '했으니까.'

• 이 영화는 봤으니까 다른 영화를 봐요.
  (Because I've seen this movie, let's see another movie.)
• '봤으니까' is the combination of the verb '보다' and '았으니까'.

• 어제가 크리스마스였으니까 오늘은 12월 26일이네요.
  (Because yesterday was Christmas, today is the 26th of December.)
  
• '크리스마스였으니까' is the combination of the noun '크리스마스' and '였으니까'.

Let's look at another short conversation. 

The [sky blue] is pronunciation.

[Translation]

- 나나: "미소 씨, 오늘 점심은 뭐 먹을까요?"
            (Miso, what shall we have for lunch today?)
    

- 미소: "밖에 비가 오니까 시켜 먹을까요?"
            (Because it's raining outside, shall we order some food?)

- 나나: "그럼 오늘이 초복이니까 삼계탕 어때요?"
            (Then, because today is Chobok (one of the hottest days in summer),
             how about samgyetang?)

- 미소: "좋아요. 그럼 제가 주문할게요."

            (That sounds good. I'll make an order.)

• '오니까 is the combination of the verb '오다' and '니까'.
• '초복이니까' is the combination of the noun '초복' and '이니까'.

Today we've learned ' A/V으니까/니까, N이니까/니까' That's all for today.

Thank you!