I can ask for and give directions — go out and walk straight, cross at the traffic light and turn right — and ask whether it's far and how long it takes.
Asking the way: -아서 / -어서 (“and then”)
Asking the way: -아서 / -어서 (“and then”)
When: to give directions. -아서 / -어서 links two actions when the second happens where the first one took you, or with what the first one produced: 내려서 가세요 — get off and (from there) walk; 가서 사요 — I'll go and buy it (there).
Form: the 해요체 form without -요: 가요 → 가서, 내려요 → 내려서, 해요 → 해서; ㄷ-irregular verbs: 걷다 → 걸어서, 묻다 → 물어서. The past and the request go only at the end: 가서 샀어요, 내려서 가세요. English puts the past on both verbs (“went and bought”); Korean only on the last.
-고 simply lists one action after another (샤워하고 자요); -어서 ties the second to the place or the result of the first. English uses “and” for both. With 타다 you use -고: 버스를 타고 가요; after getting off, -어서: 버스에서 내려서 가세요.
Which way: 오른쪽으로 / 왼쪽으로 (으로 shows direction), 똑바로, 저쪽으로 가세요. How long: 얼마나 걸려요? — 삼십 분 걸려요. 걸어서 means on foot.
Common mistakes:
• ×걷어서 — ㄷ before a vowel → ㄹ: 걸어서
• ×갔어서 사요 — the past only at the end: 가서 샀어요
• ×내리서 — ㅣ + 어 → ㅕ: 내려서
• ×멀워요 — 멀다 isn't an ㅂ-irregular verb: 멀어요
The -아서 / -어서 form
Take the 해요체 form and drop -요.
| Dictionary form | 해요체 | -아서 / -어서 |
|---|---|---|
| 가다 | 가요 | 가서 |
| 내리다 | 내려요 | 내려서 |
| 하다 | 해요 | 해서 |
| 걷다 | 걸어요 | 걸어서 |
| 묻다 | 물어요 | 물어서 |
Words for directions
These words answer “where to?” and “how long does it take?”
| In Korean | In English |
|---|---|
| 오른쪽으로 | to the right |
| 왼쪽으로 | to the left |
| 똑바로 | straight ahead |
| 이쪽 · 그쪽 · 저쪽 | this way · toward you · that way over there |
| 건너편 | on the other side |
| 얼마나 걸려요? | how long does it take (to walk, to ride)? |
| 걸어서 | on foot |
Lesson notes
Asking the way: -아서 / -어서 (“and then”)
When: to give directions. -아서 / -어서 links two actions when the second happens where the first one took you, or with what the first one produced: 내려서 가세요 — get off and (from there) walk; 가서 사요 — I'll go and buy it (there).
Form: the 해요체 form without -요: 가요 → 가서, 내려요 → 내려서, 해요 → 해서; ㄷ-irregular verbs: 걷다 → 걸어서, 묻다 → 물어서. The past and the request go only at the end: 가서 샀어요, 내려서 가세요. English puts the past on both verbs (“went and bought”); Korean only on the last.
-고 simply lists one action after another (샤워하고 자요); -어서 ties the second to the place or the result of the first. English uses “and” for both. With 타다 you use -고: 버스를 타고 가요; after getting off, -어서: 버스에서 내려서 가세요.
Which way: 오른쪽으로 / 왼쪽으로 (으로 shows direction), 똑바로, 저쪽으로 가세요. How long: 얼마나 걸려요? — 삼십 분 걸려요. 걸어서 means on foot.
Common mistakes:
• ×걷어서 — ㄷ before a vowel → ㄹ: 걸어서
• ×갔어서 사요 — the past only at the end: 가서 샀어요
• ×내리서 — ㅣ + 어 → ㅕ: 내려서
• ×멀워요 — 멀다 isn't an ㅂ-irregular verb: 멀어요