-어서

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See also: 어서

Korean

Alternative forms

  • 여서 (-yeoseo)used after 하다 (hada) verbs and adjectives

Etymology

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 어〮셔〮 (Yale: -é-syé), from Middle Korean 어〮 (Yale: , infinitive suffix) + 셔〮 (Yale: -syé, location postposition). The postposition is from the infinitive of the verb 이시다〮 (Yale: ìsìtá, “to be at”).

It was uncommon in the fifteenth century but increasingly became more widespread.[1]

Pronunciation

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?eoseo
Revised Romanization (translit.)?eoseo
McCune–Reischauer?ŏsŏ
Yale Romanization?ese

Suffix

Ablaut/harmonic pair
Yin-form 어서 (-eoseo)
Yang-form 아서 (-aseo)

어서 (-eoseo)

  1. so, since: a suffix used to express cause, reason.
    미안, 아기 시끄러워 들려...
    Mian, agi-ga sikkeureowoseo jal an deullyeo...
    Sorry, my kid's being noisy so I can't hear you well.
    많이 어서 아파졌다.
    Mani meogeoseo bae-ga apajeotda.
    I ate too much so I got a stomachache.
  2. and then: a suffix used to indicate that two or more connected actions happen in a sequential order; the first clause usually establishes the state, position, location, or the object of the second clause.
    미연, 누워 먹지 마라!
    miyeon-a, nuwoseo bab-eul meokji mara!
    Miyeon, don't eat lying down!
    (literally, “Miyeon, don't lie down and then eat!”)
    철수 도서관 공부 시작했어요.
    Cheolsu-neun doseogwan-e gaseo gongbu-reul sijakhaesseoyo.
    Cheolsu went to the library and then started studying (at the library).
    라면 끓여 먹었어.
    Ramyeon-eul kkeuryeoseo meogeosseo.
    I made ramyeon and then ate it.
    공원에서 친구 만나 영화 갔다.
    Gong'won-eseo chin'gu-reul mannaseo yeonghwa-reul bo-reo gatda.
    I met up with my friend at the park and then went to watch a movie (with them).

Usage notes

  • For vowel harmony, contractions, and allomorphy, see 아/어/여 (-a/eo/yeo).
  • 어서 (-eoseo) cannot be used with the tense markers (-get-) and (-eot-) in the standard language, but this is still found in colloquial speech.
  • When in the sense of so, since, 어서 (-eoseo) cannot be followed by imperative or propositive clauses.
  • The words 반갑다 (ban'gapda), 감사하다 (gamsahada), 고맙다 (gomapda), 좋다 (jota), 죄송하다 (joesonghada), and 미안하다 (mianhada) commonly follow the 어서 (-eoseo) clause.

Synonyms

References

  1. ^ 안주호 [anjuho] (2002) “ko:을 나타내는 연결어미에 대한 통시적 고찰 — <노걸대언해>류를 중심으로 — [On the historical development of purposive connectives in Korean: Focusing on the Nogeoldae eonhae]”, in Eoneohak, volume 34, pages 133—158