Essential Korean Grammar. Laura Kingdon
NOTE
This is somewhat tricky because it can be used only under very specific conditions. First of all, just like 고, the subjects of clause A and clause B must be identical. The first clause needs to end in an action verb: something is being done or has been done. It must be an action—not a condition like catching a cold, even though most of the time that 걸리다 geollida is considered to be an action verb—and it must have been done by an agent, not an inanimate object. That something takes or took a long time. As a result of this lengthy action in clause A, clause B unfortunately happened or became impossible. Clause A is stated in the present, not the past, and clause B must be something that has already happened or is happening now: this sentence structure can’t be used to predict the future, however certain you may be about it.
To sum up:
A: An action, not a condition, done by an agent, taking place over a long time.
B: Same subject as A, something bad, not in the future.
Here are some examples:
EXAMPLE SENTENCES
■ “B because of A”
컴퓨터 게임을 하느라고 늦게 잤어요.
Keompyuteo geimeul haneurago neutge jasseoyo.
I didn’t get to sleep until late because I was playing a computer game.
그 일을 하느라고 바빴어요.
Geu ireul haneurago bappasseoyo.
I was busy because I was doing that work.
■ “B in order to A”
고향에 갔다 오느라고 돈을 많이 썼어요.
Gohyange gatda oneurago doneul mani sseosseoyo.
I spent a lot of money in order to visit my home.
부산에 가느라고 숙제를 안 했어요.
Busane ganeurago sukjereul an haesseoyo.
I didn’t do my homework because I went to Busan.
친구를 만나느라고 천안까지 갔어요.
Chingureul mannaneurago Cheonankkaji gasseoyo.
I went to Cheonan in order to meet my friend.
늦었으니만큼 제값을 다 안 내도 돼요.
Neujeosseunimankeum jegabseul da an naedo dwaeyo.
Since you were late, you don’t have to pay the full price.
This would translate easily as “inasmuch as” in formal English.
HOW IT’S FORMED
This is a combination of (으)니(까) (“so”; see page 67) and 만큼 (“as much as”; see page 126).
HOW IT’S CONJUGATED
| Past | Present | Future | ||
| Action verbs ending in a vowel | 하다 | 했으니만큼 haesseunimankeum | 하니만큼 hanimankeum | 하겠으니만큼 hagesseunimankeum |
| Action verbs ending in a consonant | 먹다 | 먹었으니만큼 meogeosseunimankeum | 먹으니만큼 meogeunimankeum | 먹겠으니만큼 yeppeugesseunimankeum |
| Descriptive verbs (adjectives) ending in a vowel | 예쁘다 | 예뻤으니만큼 yeppeosseunimankeum | 예쁘니만큼 yeppeunimankeum | 예쁘겠으니만큼 yeppeugesseunimankeum |
| Descriptive verbs (adjectives) ending in a consonant | 작다 | 작았으니만큼 jagasseunimankeum | 작으니만큼 jageunimankeum | 작겠으니만큼 jakgesseunimankeum |
| Nouns ending in a vowel | 남자 | 남자였으니만큼 namjayeosseunimankeum | 남자이니만큼 namjainimankeum | 남자이겠으니만큼 namjaigesseunimankeum |
| Nouns ending in a consonant | 물 | 물이었으니만큼 murieosseunimankeum | 물이니만큼 murinimankeum | 물이겠으니만큼 murigesseunimankeum |
TAKE NOTE
만큼 all by itself is used for comparisons: it means “as much as”; (으)니만큼 isn’t really the same expression.
The subject of the sentence normally isn’t the speaker.
EXAMPLE SENTENCES
공부를 열심히 했으니만큼 시험을 잘 볼 거예요.
Gongbureul yeolsimhi haesseunimankeum siheomeul jal bol geoyeyo.
Since you studied hard, I’m sure you’ll do well on the test.
오늘 휴일이니만큼 일 하지 마세요.
Oneul hyuirinimankeum il haji maseyo.
Since today’s a holiday, please don’t work.
날씨가 추우니만큼 등산 가지 말아요.
Nalssiga chuunimankeum deungsan gaji marayo.
Since it’s cold, let’s not go hiking.
Linking Sentences—Cause and Effect: Through, Because Of, For the Sake Of
There are actually thirteen different grammar forms to cover here, and that’s not even including 기에 which you can review on page 73 if you’d like. One of its uses also fits here, but because it’s not too difficult and also fits in the previous section, there’s no need to go over it again. The nice thing about all of these patterns is that you can use them any time—in the past, present or future—to talk about anyone or anything. There aren’t many special rules about usage.
교통 체증 때문에 늦게 왔어요.
Gyotong chejeung ttaemune neutge wasseoyo.
I was late because of traffic.
This is probably the most common of all these patterns. It goes after a noun (or a verb, if you put 기 at the end of the verb) and means “Because of A, B.” It can, but often doesn’t, have negative connotations.
HOW IT’S CONJUGATED
| Past | Present | Future | ||
| Action verbs ending in a vowel | 하다 | 했기 때문에 haetgi ttaemune | 하기 때문에 hagi ttaemune | 하기 때문에 |
| Action verbs ending in a consonant | 먹다 | 먹었기 때문에 meogeotgi ttaemune | 먹기 때문에 meokgi ttaemune | 먹기 때문에 |
| Descriptive verbs (adjectives) ending in a vowel | 예쁘다 | 예뻤기 때문에 yeppeotgi ttaemune | 예쁘기 때문에 yeppeugi ttaemune | 예쁘기 때문에 |
| Descriptive verbs (adjectives) ending in a consonant | 작다 | 작았기 때문에 jagatgi ttaemune | 작기 때문에 jakgi ttaemune | 작기 때문에 |
| Nouns ending in a vowel | 남자 | 남자 때문에 namja ttaemune | 남자 때문에 | 남자 때문에 |
| Nouns ending in a consonant | 물 | 물 때문에 mul ttaemune | 물 때문에 | 물 때문에 |