Korean grammar patterns › Level 1
-거나
or (between actions or states)
Level 1 · TOPIK I · beginner
How to use it
Links two actions or states as alternatives: 'do A or B'. The tense goes on the last verb. With nouns, use the particle (이)나: 커피나 차.
Forming it
| 보다 | → 보거나 |
| 읽다 | → 읽거나 |
| 바쁘다 | → 바쁘거나 |
| 커피 | → 커피나 |
Examples
주말에는 보통 청소를 하거나 책을 읽어요.
On weekends I usually clean or read.
피곤하거나 아프면 일찍 쉬세요.
If you're tired or sick, rest early.
Compared with similar patterns
-든지 stresses that the choice doesn't matter ('whichever, either way'), often repeated (-든지 -든지); -거나 simply lists options.