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hoeuiga kkeutnaseo jigeum toegeunhaeyo.

회의가 끝나서 지금 퇴근해요.hoeuiga kkeutnaseo jigeum toegeunhaeyo.
The meeting is over, so I’m leaving work now.
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Questions & Answers about hoeuiga kkeutnaseo jigeum toegeunhaeyo.

Why is 끝나서 used instead of 끝나고?

-아서/어서 (as in 끝나서) marks a cause/reason relationship: Because the meeting ended, (I’m) leaving work now.
-고 (as in 끝나고) mainly means and then / and in a sequence: The meeting ended, and then I’m leaving. It’s more neutral and can sound less explicitly “because.”

What’s the dictionary form of 끝나서, and how is it formed?

The dictionary form is 끝나다 (to end / to finish).
It conjugates like this:

  • 끝나다 → stem 끝나-
  • add -서 (because the stem ends in ㅏ, you use -아서, which contracts to -서 here)
  • → 끝나서

So 끝나서 = because (it) ended / after (it) ends depending on context.

Why does 회의 take -가 (회의가) instead of -를?

회의가 marks the meeting as the subject of 끝나다 (to end). In Korean, the thing that “ends” is the subject:

  • 회의가 끝나다 = The meeting ends.

If you used 회의를, it would suggest a verb that takes an object (like 끝내다, “to end something”):

  • 회의를 끝내다 = to end the meeting (intentionally).
What’s the difference between 끝나서 지금 퇴근해요 and 회의가 끝났어요. 지금 퇴근해요?

Both are natural, but the nuance changes:

  • 회의가 끝나서 지금 퇴근해요. links the two ideas tightly: the meeting ending is the reason for leaving now.
  • 회의가 끝났어요. 지금 퇴근해요. is two separate statements: The meeting ended. I’m leaving now. It’s a bit more matter-of-fact, less explicitly “because.”
Why is it 퇴근해요 and not 퇴근해요요 or just 퇴근요?

퇴근하다 is a verb meaning to leave work / get off work.
In the polite informal style, you conjugate it to 퇴근해요:

  • 퇴근하다 → 퇴근해요

퇴근요 isn’t a normal verb form; -요 attaches to a conjugated verb ending, not directly to a noun.

Does 퇴근해요 mean “I leave work” or “I’m leaving work”?

In Korean present tense often covers both:

  • a general/habitual meaning: I leave work (at this time).
  • a current/near-future action: I’m leaving work (now).

With 지금 (now), it strongly signals the “I’m leaving now” meaning.

Is the subject I missing? Should it be 저는 지금 퇴근해요?

Korean frequently omits obvious subjects. Here, I is understood from context, so 저는/제가 is not required.
You can add it for contrast or clarity:

  • 저는 지금 퇴근해요. = “As for me, I’m leaving now.” (slight emphasis/contrast)

But the original sentence is perfectly natural without it.

What role does 지금 play in the sentence? Where can it go?

지금 means now / at the moment and narrows the timing of 퇴근해요.
Common placements:

  • 회의가 끝나서 지금 퇴근해요. (original; very natural)
  • 회의가 끝나서 퇴근해요, 지금. (possible, more like afterthought emphasis)
  • 지금 회의가 끝나서 퇴근해요. (also possible; emphasizes “now” a bit earlier)
Can -아서/어서 mean “so” as well as “because”?

Yes. -아서/어서 can be interpreted as:

  • because (reason): “Because the meeting ended…”
  • so (result): “The meeting ended, so…”

The Korean form stays the same; the English translation choice depends on what sounds best.

What politeness level is 퇴근해요, and what are common alternatives?

퇴근해요 is the polite informal style (해요체), common in everyday conversation.
Alternatives:

  • 퇴근합니다 (more formal, 합니다체, e.g., workplace announcements)
  • 퇴근해 (casual, to close friends/younger people)
  • 지금 퇴근 중이에요 (more explicitly “I’m in the middle of leaving work / on my way off work”)
Could this sentence mean “After the meeting ends, I’ll leave work now” (future), or must the meeting already be over?

In most contexts, 회의가 끝나서 implies the meeting has already ended (or is treated as effectively over) and that’s why you’re leaving now.
If you clearly want “after it ends (in the future), I’ll leave,” you’d typically say something like:

  • 회의 끝나면 퇴근할게요. = “When the meeting ends, I’ll leave (work).”
  • 회의가 끝난 다음에 퇴근할 거예요. = “After the meeting ends, I’ll leave.”