Log inSign up

i gabangeun keoseo mugeowoyo.

이 가방은 커서 무거워요.i gabangeun keoseo mugeowoyo.
This bag is big, so it’s heavy.
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Korean grammar and vocabulary.

Start learning Korean now

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.”