가: 자야 씨, 오늘도 이 식당에 가려고요?
Jaya, are you planning to go to this restaurant again today?
나: 네,여기가 정말 맛있거든요. 마크 씨도 같이 갈래요?
Yes, (because) this place has really good food. Do you want to go, too, Mark?
가: 오늘 왜 그렇게 피곤해 보여요?
Why do you look so tired today?
나: 어제 영화를 보느라고 잠을 못 잤거든요.
I didn’t get a lot of sleep yesterday (because I was) trying to watch a movie.
This expression is used to respond to a question or to add to a statement the speaker has already made to provide the reason or thinking behind the answer or statement. The listener has no knowledge of the reason or facts being stated by the speaker. Note that the form -거든요 is used only in conversation, not in written Korean. Moreover, it is only used among close friends or those on familiar terms with each other. It is not used in formal situations, such as when giving a presentation.
가: 제주도에 갔을 때 한라산에 올라가셨어요?
Did you go up Mt. Halla when you went to Jeju Island?
나: 아니요, 못 갔어요. 날씨가 안 좋았거든요.
No,I didn’t. (Because) the weather was bad.
가: 피곤하실 텐데 오늘도 요가를 하러 가시는 거예요?
You must be tired, and yet you’re going to yoga class?
나: 네, 요가를 하고 나면 몸이 가벼워지거든요. 그래서 피곤해도 요가를 하러 가요.
Yes, (because) I feel so relaxed after yoga class. So I go to yoga class even when I’m tired.
가: 요즘 비가 정말 자주 오네요.
It’s really been raining a lot recently,
나: 요즘 장마철이거든요. 한 달 동안은 계속 올 거예요.
(You see,) it’s currently the rainy season. It will rain for a full month.
1. When 거든요 is used to indicate a reason, it cannot appear in the first clause of a new conversation. It must come either after an initial statement made by the speaker or in response to a question asked by the listener.
가: 좋아하는가수있어요?
Is there a singer that you like?
나: 네, 노래를 잘 하거든요. 가수 ‘비’를 좋아해요. (X)
->노래를 잘해서 가수 비’를 좋아해요. (O)
I like the singer Rain, because he sings well.
가: 그가수를 왜 좋아해요?
Why do you like that singer?
나: 정말 노래를 잘하거든요. (O)
(Because) he really sings well.
2. This expression can also be used to preface, or introduce, something the speaker wants to tell the listener, Thus, it provides a hint to the listener that the speaker has more to say.
가: 죄송한데요, 이 근처에 은행이 어디에 있어요?
Excuse me, but do you know if there’s a bank nearby?
나: 이 길로쭉 가시면 편의점이 나오거든요. 편의점 건너편에 은행이 있어요.
If you go straight ahead on this road, you’ll see a convenience store. There’s a bank across from the convenience store.
가: 윤호 씨, 제가 오늘 주영 씨를 만나기로 했거든요. 윤호 씨도 같이 가실래요?
Yunho, I’ve arranged to meet with Juyeong today. Do you want to go, too?
나: 저도 주영 씨가 보고 싶었는데 잘 됐네요. 같이 가요.
That’s great because I also wanted to meet with Juyeong. Let’s go together.
>> You can click on the title of each grammar below to learn the other grammars that also expresses ‘Reasons’:
01. -거든요
02. -잖아요
03. -느라고
04. -는 바람에
05. -(으)ㄴ/는 탓에
06. -고 해서
07. -(으)ㄹ까 봐
>> Full of Intermediate grammar: Click here