-기에: Because — Written Reason with a Judgment

When	Form	Example
Verb / adjective / 이다	-기에	늦기에 / 어렵기에 / 학생이기에
Past	-었기에	바빴기에 / 늦었기에

When

Form

Example

Verb / adjective / 이다

-기에

늦기에 / 어렵기에 / 학생이기에

Past

-었기에

바빴기에 / 늦었기에

-기에 marks cause or grounds — often with a written, evaluative feel.

Gloss: because, so — the written reason, often with a judgment. 우리말샘 -기에 「002」: connective for cause or grounds. Attach after stems, -으시-, -었-, -겠-.

Grounds on the page

늦기에 택시를 탔어요.
설명이 어렵기에 예를 들었어요.
학생이기에 할인이 됩니다.
성적이 아쉽기에 다시 준비하기로 했어요.
거리가 멀기에 기숙사를 신청했어요.

School and formal reflection: the reason carries a judgment, not only a café because.

Forms

Shape	Note
-기에	core
-었기에	past grounds

Its spoken cousin -길래 is common in conversation; this slot’s more written core is -기에.

Reason toolkit

Form	Lean
-기에	written/grounds (+ judgment colour)
-(으)므로	formal report reason
-(으)니까	everyday spoken reason
-기로 하다	decide to (different 기)

바쁘니까 나중에 해요.     spoken
바쁘기에 미뤘습니다.       written grounds
바쁘므로 연기합니다.       notice voice

When to use it

Use -기에 when the line belongs in writing or careful speech and the reason feels like grounds for a judgment.

Use -으니까 with friends; do not confuse with decision -기로.

Taught alongside this

On the jabi learning path, this appears in 학교를 졸업하고 보니 아쉬움이 많이 남아요 (After graduating from school, I feel a lot of regret.) — Intermediate Korean 2, Unit 18, on the theme of School life and education. These come with it:

Quick check

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

1. Dictionary -기에 is…

2. vs -기로 하다?

3. vs -으니까?

Common questions

Dictionary?

우리말샘 -기에 「002」: connective marking cause or grounds. Allows -었- / -겠- ahead.

Same as noun 기 + 에?

Do not reduce every -기에 to gi-nominal + particle. This slot is the connective ending.

vs -으므로?

Both written-leaning reasons. eumeuro is the report-notice cousin; -기에 often carries evaluative grounds colour in essays.

School tip?

성적이 아쉽기에 다시 준비하기로 했어요 — because the grade disappoints…