Breakdown of i gabangeun keoseo mugeowoyo.
Questions & Answers about i gabangeun keoseo mugeowoyo.
Why does the sentence use 은/는 in 이 가방은 instead of 이 가방이?
은/는 marks the topic (what you’re talking about in general).
So 이 가방은… means “As for this bag…” and then you comment on it.
이 가방이… would mark the subject and is more typical when you’re identifying which bag (or emphasizing that this bag is the one causing the situation). For example:
- 이 가방이 커서 무거워요. = “This bag is big, so it’s heavy.” (more straightforward subject marking)
- 이 가방은 커서 무거워요. = “This bag, (it) is big so it’s heavy.” (topic/contrast-friendly)
What does 커서 mean grammatically? Is it a verb?
커서 is the adjective (descriptive verb) 크다 (to be big) + the connector -아서/어서.
- 크다 → stem 크-
- -어서 attaches, but 크 + 어서 contracts to 커서
So 커서 means because it’s big / being big, (so)….
How do I know whether -아서/어서 means “because” or “and then”?
-아서/어서 can express: 1) Cause/Reason: “because / so” 2) Sequence: “and then (as a result)”
In 이 가방은 커서 무거워요, it’s clearly cause: being big explains why it’s heavy.
A more “sequence” feel often appears with actions:
- 집에 가서 쉬었어요. = “I went home and then rested.”
With adjectives like 크다 → 커서, it commonly reads as cause.
Why are both 커서 and 무거워요 adjectives? Isn’t that redundant?
They describe different properties with a cause relationship:
- 커서 = “because it’s big”
- 무거워요 = “it’s heavy”
The structure is basically: (Reason) + (result).
You’re not saying “big and heavy” equally; you’re saying it’s heavy because it’s big.
If you just wanted to list two traits, you might use -고:
- 이 가방은 크고 무거워요. = “This bag is big and heavy.” (no “because”)
Can I replace 커서 with 크니까? What’s the difference?
Yes, and the meaning is similar:
- 이 가방은 커서 무거워요.
- 이 가방은 크니까 무거워요.
Common nuance:
- -아서/어서 often sounds like a straightforward, natural cause.
- -(으)니까 can sound a bit more like giving a reason/explanation (and can be used when the speaker is presenting a reason more explicitly).
Both are natural here; 커서 is very common and smooth.
Why is it 무거워요 and not 무거워서요?
Because 무거워요 is the main clause ending (the final statement).
-아서/어서 (like 무거워서) is usually used to connect to something that comes after it.
You can end with …무거워서요 in conversation, but it typically implies something is omitted:
- 이 가방은 커서 무거워서요. = “It’s big, so it’s heavy, so…” (implying something like “I can’t carry it” / “I don’t want it”)
For a complete standalone statement, 무거워요 is the clean ending.
What politeness level is 무거워요, and what are other options?
무거워요 is polite informal (해요체), very common in daily speech.
Other options:
- 무거워. (casual, to friends)
- 무겁습니다. (formal, polite)
- 무거워요? (polite question: “Is it heavy?”)
Same pattern applies to 크다 if it were final:
- 커요 / 커. / 큽니다
Why is it 이 가방 and not 가방이 or 가방을?
가방 is the noun “bag,” and particles attach depending on its role:
- 이 가방은 (topic)
- 이 가방이 (subject)
- 이 가방을 (object, e.g., “I bought this bag” → 이 가방을 샀어요)
In your sentence, the bag is what you’re talking about (topic), so 은 fits well.
What does 이 mean here, and when would I use 그/저 instead?
이 means this (near the speaker).
Demonstratives:
- 이 가방 = this bag (near me)
- 그 가방 = that bag (near you / or previously mentioned)
- 저 가방 = that bag over there (far from both)
So the sentence could be:
- 저 가방은 커서 무거워요. = “That bag over there is big, so it’s heavy.”
What is the dictionary form of 커서, and how do I conjugate other adjectives the same way?
Dictionary form: 크다 (to be big)
Pattern: adjective/verb stem + -아서/어서
Examples:
- 작다 (small) → 작아서 (because it’s small)
- 비싸다 (expensive) → 비싸서
- 무겁다 (heavy) → 무거워서 (note: 무겁- + 어서 → 무거워서)
So you can make similar sentences like:
- 이 신발은 비싸서 못 사요. = “These shoes are expensive, so I can’t buy them.”
Is there any special pronunciation or contraction in 커서?
Yes: it’s a contraction.
- Underlying form: 크 + 어서
- Spoken/written form: 커서
This kind of change is common when ㅡ meets 어.
Can I add words like 너무 or 정말? Where do they go?
Yes. They usually go right before the adjective they modify:
- 이 가방은 너무 커서 무거워요. = “This bag is too big, so it’s heavy.”
- 이 가방은 정말 커서 무거워요. = “This bag is really big, so it’s heavy.”
You can also intensify the result:
- 이 가방은 커서 정말 무거워요. = “It’s big, so it’s really heavy.”
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