Grammar Advanced TOPIK II · Level 5–6 Advanced Grammar Supplement · Curriculum gap

-을 겸

-을 겸: While Also… — Dual Purpose

Bound noun 겸 「002」 after -을: doing two actions together / for that purpose too.

Before this, make sure you know: -을 / -ㄹ (modifier) , -아요 / -어요

How to form it

When	Form	Example
Prospective adnominal	-(으)ㄹ 겸	갈 겸 / 살 겸
Common spoken	-을 겸 …하다	볼 겸 나갔어요

-을 겸 stacks a second purpose — while also… / and to… as well.

우리말샘 겸 「002」. Not bare sequence. Not single-minded -으려고 alone.

Why this is hard

English and hides purpose stacking. Korean -을 겸 names a second goal riding on the trip. Learners write only -으려고 and miss the dual frame, or confuse noun 겸 between two nouns (겸 「001」) with this verb seat.

What it does

You go (or act) with an extra purpose attached.

친구도 만날 겸 시내에 갔어요.
운동도 할 겸 걸어왔어요.
구경도 할 겸 따라갔어요.
말도 전할 겸 들렀어요.

Forms

Prospective adnominal + 겸.

만나다 → 만날 겸
하다 → 할 겸
전하다 → 전할 겸

When not to use it

Do not use it for pure sequence with no second goal.

Do not confuse N겸N (겸 「001」) with -을 겸.

Do not force it where only one clear purpose exists — -으려고 may be enough.

Neighbours — and why they differ

Form	Why it is not this slot
-으려고	Main purpose — often single.
-고자	Formal purpose.

Ask: am I stacking a side purpose onto another act? If yes, -을 겸. If one purpose only, check -으려고.

Do not confuse it with

-으려고 / -려고

intending to, in order to

-고자

in order to — the purpose of speeches and documents

Taught alongside this

On the jabi learning path, this appears in 교재·표준 교육과정 밖의 문법 (Grammar outside of textbooks and standard curriculum) — Advanced Grammar Supplement, Unit 1, on the theme of Curriculum gap. These come with it:

-는 셈이다 amounts to / counts as — treating the situation as that result (-는 셈이다) -을 지경이다 to the point of… — an extreme state or plight (-을 지경이다) -기 십상이다 almost certain to… — nine times out of ten (-기 십상이다) -는 둥 마는 둥 half-doing it — barely, half-heartedly (-는 둥 마는 둥) -던 차에 just when… — at the very moment that was underway (-던 차에) 으로 말미암아 owing to… — formal written cause (으로 말미암아) -는답시고 under the pretext of… — claiming to, often critically (-는답시고) -는가 하면 and then again… — stacking contrasting cases (-는가 하면) -게끔 so that… — purpose with a firm push (-게끔) -을 턱이 없다 no reason whatsoever… — denying grounds flatly (-을 턱이 없다) -을 리 만무하다 utterly no chance… — impossibility stressed (-을 리 만무하다) -을 성싶다 seems likely to… — a soft forecast (-을 성싶다) -을지언정 even if… — conceding then holding the other line (-을지언정) -기 그지없다 endlessly… — extreme degree with no bound (-기 그지없다) -기 이를 데 없다 beyond words… — so much there is no way to say it (-기 이를 데 없다) -다 못해 unable to go on… — past the limit, then the sequel (-다 못해) -는 셈치고 pretending / counting it as… — provisional assumption (-는 셈치고) -는다 뿐이지 only that… — limiting the claim to just that (-는다 뿐이지) -는다손 치더라도 even granting that… — strong concession then pushback (-는다손 치더라도) -어 주십사 please do… for me — earnest old-style request (-어 주십사) -겠거니 thinking it would… — assumption that guides the next act (-겠거니) -으랴 -으랴 what with A and B… — piling pressures or tasks (-으랴 -으랴) -으려던 참이다 was just about to… — intention interrupted at the brink (-으려던 참이다) -는다기보다는 rather than saying… — reframing the label (-는다기보다는) -은 끝에 after all that… — only at the end of the ordeal (-은 끝에) -은 바 있다 have (once)… — formal experience on record (-은 바 있다) -건 간에 whether A or B… — it does not matter which (-건 간에)

Words used above

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겸gyeombound noun — also / as well

-을 겸-eul gyeomwhile also…

겸사겸사gyeomsagyeomsakilling two birds

목적mokjeokpurpose

아울러aureoas well

Quick check

No sign-up, no score saved — just see if it stuck.

1. You went downtown to run errands, and also because you wanted to meet a friend along the way. Which sentence stacks that second purpose?

2. 살다 (ㄹ-final stem) before 겸. Forms table gives '살 겸' as the prospective adnominal form. Which sentence shows that attachment?

3. You stopped at a bakery with two goals — pick up bread and also chat with the owner. Which sentence stacks the second purpose (겸) rather than naming only one goal?

Common questions

Dictionary?

우리말샘 겸 「002」: after -을 — doing two or more actions together.

Tone?

Everyday planning — errands with a second goal.

Vs -고자?

-고자 is often formal purpose. 겸 feels like stacking purposes.

Café soft?

…도 하고 …도 하려고. Keep 겸 when the dual frame matters.