Korean grammar patterns › Level 5
-기에
since, because (written / formal)
Level 5 · TOPIK II · advanced
How to use it
Clause 1 gives the reason or the situation that prompted the action in clause 2. It sounds more written or formal than -아/어서; in speech people usually say -길래.
Forming it
| 막히다 | → 막히기에 |
| 좋다 | → 좋기에 |
| 했다 | → 했기에 |
| 학생 | → 학생이기에 |
Clause 2 cannot be a command or suggestion: ✗ 비가 오기에 우산을 가져가세요 → 비가 오니까 … .
Examples
길이 많이 막히기에 지하철을 탔어요.
The roads were very congested, so I took the subway.
친구가 아프다고 하기에 약을 사다 줬어요.
My friend said they were sick, so I bought them some medicine.
Compared with similar patterns
-길래 is the colloquial version with the same meaning. -아/어서 is the neutral everyday 'because'. -(으)므로 is formal written logic (reports, papers) and lacks the 'seeing this, I did …' nuance.