Breakdown of biga onikka usaneul sseoyo.
Questions & Answers about biga onikka usaneul sseoyo.
-니까 attaches to a verb/adjective stem and means because/since (giving a reason).
So 비가 오니까 … = Since it’s raining … / Because it’s raining ….
It often sets up the reason for what comes next (an action, suggestion, request, etc.).
Both can mean because, but the feel can differ:
- -아서/어서 is a very common, neutral “because/so,” often used for natural cause → result.
- 비가 와서 우산을 써요. (Because it’s raining, I use an umbrella.)
- -니까 can sound a bit more like the speaker is giving a reason, sometimes with a slightly stronger “given that…” tone, and it’s very common when following with a suggestion/request/command.
- 비가 오니까 우산 쓰세요. (Since it’s raining, please use an umbrella.)
In many everyday cases, both are acceptable; -니까 is especially common when you’re telling someone what to do next.
비가 uses the subject marker -가/-이, which is typical for describing what’s happening:
- 비가 오다 = rain comes/falls → “It’s raining.”
비는 (topic marker -는) is possible, but it shifts the nuance to “as for rain…” (contrast/topic):
- 비는 오지만 바람은 안 불어요. (As for rain, it’s raining, but there’s no wind.)
In a simple “It’s raining” reason clause, 비가 is the default.
Because 우산 is the object of the verb 쓰다 here:
- 우산을 쓰다 = to use/wear an umbrella.
So -을/를 marks what is being used. You can sometimes drop it in casual speech (우산 써요), but keeping 우산을 is clearer and more standard.
쓰다 has multiple meanings. Two common ones are:
- to write (e.g., 편지를 쓰다 = to write a letter)
- to wear/put on items that cover you (especially hats, glasses, masks, and commonly umbrellas):
- 모자를 쓰다 = wear a hat
- 마스크를 쓰다 = wear a mask
- 우산을 쓰다 = use/hold an umbrella over you
It’s best to learn 우산을 쓰다 as a set phrase meaning “to use an umbrella.”
Grammatically, -어요 is the polite informal ending and can be:
- a statement: “(I/you/we/people) use an umbrella.”
- depending on context, it can sound like a gentle instruction (“(So) use an umbrella.”), but it’s not the standard command form.
If you want a clear instruction:
- Polite request: 우산 쓰세요. (Please use an umbrella.)
- Casual to a close friend: 우산 써.
- Stronger command: 우산 써라/써요 (context-dependent; can sound blunt)
Korean often omits subjects/pronouns when they’re obvious from context.
So 비가 오니까 우산을 써요 can naturally mean:
- “Since it’s raining, I use an umbrella.” (explaining your habit/action)
- “Since it’s raining, you should use an umbrella.” (advice/instruction) The surrounding conversation decides the intended subject.
You can, but it changes the meaning:
- 우산을 쓰다 focuses on having/using the umbrella over you (the general action of using it).
- 우산을 펴다 means to open/spread an umbrella (the moment you open it).
So:
- 비가 오니까 우산을 써요. = Since it’s raining, (I) use an umbrella.
- 비가 오니까 우산을 펴요. = Since it’s raining, (I) open the umbrella.
- Past reason + past action:
- 비가 왔으니까 우산을 썼어요. (Since it rained/was raining, I used an umbrella.)
- Present reason + future/intention:
- 비가 오니까 우산을 쓸 거예요. (Since it’s raining, I’m going to use an umbrella.)
- If you want a “when it starts raining” kind of future:
- 비가 오면 우산을 쓸 거예요. (If/when it rains, I’ll use an umbrella.)
It’s usually pronounced smoothly as [오니까] (o-ni-kka).
Also note the base form:
- 오다 (to come) → 와요 (it comes / it rains, in the “rain comes” sense) But with -니까, you attach it to the dictionary stem 오-:
- 오다 → 오니까 (because it comes/is coming → because it’s raining)