haru Korean › Grammar › Level 1B › A/V-(으)니까 · N(이)니까
A/V-(으)니까 · N(이)니까 — reasons before advice or a suggestion — '…, so please …' · '…, so shall we …?'
Reasons before advice or a suggestion — '…, so please …' · '…, so shall we …?'. Korean grammar for beginner learners — Level 1B, lesson 4: 왜 늦었어요? (Why were you late? — giving reasons).
What it means
-(으)니까 gives a reason, like -아서/어서, but it is the one to use when the second part asks someone to do something or makes a suggestion. Two sentences with 그러니까 become one: 늦었어요. 그러니까 택시를 부를까요? → 늦었으니까 택시를 부를까요? After 받침, add 으니까 (먹으니까, 있으니까); after a vowel, add 니까 (가니까, 오니까); a ㄹ stem drops its ㄹ and adds 니까 (멀다 → 머니까); and ㅂ becomes 우 as usual (춥다 → 추우니까). After a noun, add 이니까 with 받침 or 니까 without: 시험이니까, 친구니까. The key difference: -아서/어서 cannot come before -(으)세요 or -(으)ㄹ까요?, so 버스가 안 와서 택시를 부르세요 is wrong; say 버스가 안 오니까 택시를 부르세요. When you only say what happened, -아서/어서 is still the natural choice: 버스가 안 와서 늦었어요. And unlike -아서/어서, -(으)니까 can take -았/었-: 늦었으니까, 왔으니까.
Forms
| Pattern | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -으니까 | 받침 O | 먹다 + 으니까 → 먹으니까 |
| -니까 | 받침 X · ㄹ (the ㄹ drops) | 가다 + 니까 → 가니까 |
| N(이)니까 | a noun · 받침 O 이니까 · 받침 X 니까 | 시험 + 이니까 → 시험이니까 |
Key points
- A/V-(으)니까 gives a reason, and then you can ask, advise or suggest: 비가 오니까 · 우산을 사세요 / 늦었으니까 · 택시를 부를까요?
- 으니까 after 받침, 니까 after a vowel or ㄹ (the ㄹ drops), a noun → (이)니까, and -았/었- can come first: 먹으니까 · 가니까 · 머니까 · 시험이니까 · 늦었으니까
Examples
- 늦었어요. 그러니까 택시를 부를까요? → 늦었으니까 택시를 부를까요?
- 비가 오니까 우산을 사세요. 내일이 시험이니까 일찍 자세요.
- 버스가 안 와서 택시를 부르세요. ✗ → 버스가 안 오니까 택시를 부르세요.
Where university textbooks teach it
This point also appears in: Seoul National University Korean 2A, lesson 5; Yonsei University Korean 1-2, lesson 11; Sogang University Korean 2A, lesson 5; Ewha Womans University Korean 2-1, lesson 5; Hongik University Korean 1B, lesson 10; Hanyang University Korean 1-2, lesson 8.