-거든①
-거든①: Because, You See — Explaining New Info
Sentence-final ending that teaches the listener a fact they may not know, often as explanation.
How to form it
| When | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Stem + ending | -거든 | 바쁘거든 / 좋거든 |
| Polite | -거든요 | 바쁘거든요 / 친구거든요 |
| With past | -었거든요 | 갔거든요 / 만났어요→만났거든요 |
-거든① (usually -거든요 in polite talk) is how you fill the listener in: because, you see… — a fact they probably didn’t have yet.
우리말샘 -거든 「004」: in the 해할 seat, teaching the listener content they may not know; may carry pride or exclamation. A nearby ending sets a premise for what you will say next. The conditional connective (if…) is a different reading — saved for -거든②.
Shape
오늘 못 가요. 약속이 있거든요.
그 친구 정말 활발하거든요.
제가 길을 잘 모르거든요.
어제 만났거든요.Personality talk:
말이 많거든요.
낯을 좀 가리거든요.
일단 시작하면 끝까지 하거든요.거든요 vs 잖아요
| Form | Assumption |
|---|---|
| -거든요 | you may not know this — let me explain |
| -잖아요 | you already know this — I’m pressing it |
춥잖아요. come on, it’s cold (shared)
추워요. 바람이 세거든요. here’s why / info you lacked-잖아(요) already warns that -거든요 is often the safer explain move when you are not sure the listener shares the ground.
Versus reason connectives
피곤하니까 쉴게요. -(으)니까 connective reason
피곤하거든요. explaining close
피곤한데요. -는데① background trailLearner traps
- Using -잖아요 when the listener truly doesn’t know.
- Merging ① explanation with ② if condition.
- Over-proud tone in self-intro (제가 잘하거든요 every other line).
Ask: am I explaining a fact the listener likely didn’t know? If yes, -거든요. If you are pushing shared knowledge, check -잖아(요).
Do not confuse it with
Taught alongside this
On the jabi learning path, this appears in 제 친구는 성격이 활발해요 (My friend has a lively personality) — Intermediate Korean 1, Unit 9, on the theme of personality and appearance. These come with it:
Words used above
Quick check
No sign-up, no score saved — just see if it stuck.
1. 친구가 활발하거든요 explains…
2. 거든요 vs 잖아요?
3. Is connective ‘if’ -거든 the same slot?
Common questions
Why does it sometimes sound boastful?
우리말샘 notes pride or exclamation can colour it. Soften with tone, or choose a plainer reason tool.
Can it start a longer story?
Dictionary also lists a ‘setting a premise for what I’ll say’ ending. Related; this page focuses on the explain-to-you sense.
vs -으니까?
eunikka is a connective reason. -거든요 often closes an explaining sentence.
Banmal form?
-거든 without 요 in plain speech; -거든요 in 해요 talk.