Stop Saying 그리고 in Every Sentence | Korean FAQ

그리고 is often overused by learners, but it doesn’t always need to be used in order to start a sentence with the meaning of “and.” The particle 도 can also be used, and sounds natural.
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[@victoria.elm5]

I've noticed that in written Korean (at least in literature) the natural way to say "and" is -으며 to connect sentences. 그리고 is basically used to connect sentences in sequence, the "and then" you said. -아/어서 and -아/어 are also commonly used, I still don't grasp the difference with -으며, but I hope I'll get there. As for spoken Korean, I don't know why but I got all the -도 explanation, it makes total sense even though my brain still wants to understand it as solely "also". Thanks for the video!

[@GoBillyKorean]

The (으)며 you're referring to is just a connector that works similar to ~고, so you can use it in the same way. But it's not as common in speech.

[@belladona3608]

Thank you so much Billy! I always learn so much with you :) I'll have to have a word with my native Korean teacher and ask her why she lets me use 그리고 like there's no tomorrow then HAHAHAHHAHA

[@GoBillyKorean]

She lets you use it because you're not making a mistake, and if what you're saying makes sense you're doing a good job ;-)

[@belladona3608]

@@GoBillyKorean Oh I see! You just made my day ㅠuㅠ 감사합니다~

[@Static_MK3Focus]

I do actually use 그리고 way too much, my grandmother always tells me stop 😭

[@bluecandies]

Ooooh that’s very helpful, I always felt like Koreans used 도 way too much, in a way that didn’t seem natural to me, but as a substitute for 그리고 it absolutely clicked for me! Thank you 🥳

[@SnowWhite-uc7fm]

oh, it's a Particle! I think I learned it at a point where I wasn't clear on particles, so I wasn't sure how to use it effectively. now, I'm used to other particles so it makes a lot more sense. Your videos are always great for clearing up things like that for me - thanks!

[@DisasterxUs]

Thank you Billy! These nuanced explainers are really helpful!

[@hopelessclown]

I think it's easy for English speakers to overuse certain words in Korean, because in English we sort of mostly just use one dominant word for these kinds of ideas the majority of the time. There are plenty of alternative ways to say "and", "but", "or", "because", and "so", but most of the time we just use those basic words. And we don't attach them to other words or modify them in any way, so they are always the same. I feel a natural inclination to just use "그리고", "하지만", "아니면", "왜냐하면", and "그래서" all the damn time, because they function most closely to what I'm used to in English.

[@jonskunator]

What I recommend is to compare your Korean to Korean used by actual Koreans and see if it looks aesthetically similar. What kind of patterns are there, etc. What kind of feel is there. Beginning every sentence with "저는" is something that non-native Korean users do a lot, even it would be easy to catch that it smells funny by comparing it to Korean used by actual Koreans.

[@auricia201]

But the real question is: Why is Ryan George learning Korean ??👀

[@Adrian13rams]

In my head, I translate 그리고 as "therefore"....maybe very formal english, but it gives me a better sense how to use it in korean it seems lol

[@eundongpark1672]

Billy, I love these "feelings" videos. I find they really bridge the gap I feel when I don't entirely trust that my meaning is being understood exactly the way I intend. And as for this video, ironically, I kinda have the opposite problem: I use 도 too much, I've been using it to start sentences (in addition to the *and* emphasis explained in this video) but I often start sentences with and, which is considered bad English by old fashioned and formal contexts, but now I see that I should probably use 그리고...and I can more confidently keep using 도 in the other contexts. Fab video.

[@myownaccount123]

I know exactly what youre explaining. I don't know when or how I picked it up, I just found myself using 도 in this way and im impressed by myself

[@hyunkiz]

thank you so much, i always felt like i used 그리고 either wrong or too often, and i just never could understand how to use도 but thanks to this vid i’m confiedent in it and i will try it out lots:)

[@roniab.9115]

Great video as usual, thank you Billy!

[@minomiu]

Always thankful for your videos Thank you so much ❣️

[@thetrickster3616]

Thank you for the video!! 😊😊

[@GalsaegPiano]

Thanks a lot Billy!! 😊🙌🏻

[@ritikasharma572]

i feel adding "do" is like giving the sentence more colloquial undertone, and "geurigo" feels more of a traditional grammar translation

[@pauvretori]

I always noticed that Korean uses 도 more than I thought we would say it in English and I knew there had to be a reason. Thank you Billy!!!!

[@EmilyXTerrell]

Ohh! Good video. Thank you!

[@marla0412]

I struggle with this 😭 Thank you!

[@delalima]

i didn't know it could be used that way , thanks

[@auricia201]

Everytime I read the word 그리고 a jannabi song plays in my head 😅 🎶

[@daebakday6981]

This was so well explained. Yokshi 😉👏

[@ChannelBCD]

감사합니다 빌리샘 영상도 좋아합니다

[@Sam-ju4rf]

do you have any ideas on what could help to speak it more fluently?

[@muzikk67]

I always thought 그리고 was closer to "consequently" than "and" If there's no sequence of events, or no explanation for some kind of situation it seems out of place. Also, it overall sounds super formal

[@GoBillyKorean]

그래서 would be the form you're looking for if you want to say "consequently" as you mention :) I have a few episodes about the ~서 form on my channel which explain how this works.

[@danii6197]

My first instinct for that first situation would be to say 소리도 크고(요). Would that be acceptable?

[@CT-jp2ep]

I feel like Go Billy gets me more than Billy Go.

[@sarahalloush6797]

I have noticed the particle 도 in K-drama. I hear these sentences a lot: 나도 사랑해 and 나도 몰라...

[@zoelewis2229]

So it is like 'Furthermore' ?

[@yopla250]

That's 게다가 🙃

[@auricia201]

@@yopla250 and how is 게다가 used differently from 그리고?

[@yopla250]

@@auricia201 you use it even more sparingly than 그리고, when you want to emphasize than you're adding some extra info 😄

[@auricia201]

@@yopla250 is it more formal than 그리고?

[@yopla250]

@@auricia201 that's a question I'm not able to answer (👀") sorry 😅 I'm still an early intermediate learner 🙈

[@letsseewhatwecanlearn9242]

Would you say that “그리고” would work more as a semicolon and a colon in English instead of being a way to say “and?”

[@GoBillyKorean]

I wouldn't recommend comparing words with punctuation, as Korea also has its own usages for punctuation. You can learn about those here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/foG8ZH6MjpaNhpY

[@sulljoh1]

So use it to connect sentences when appropriate - but don't think of it as "and"

[@paulwalther5237]

I overuse all my Korean vocabulary because I have so little to work with 😓

[@GoBillyKorean]

That's great if you're trying to use what you know. The more you learn, that will become harder to do. You're doing good!

[@ar_p4986]

I didn't even know about this word

[@daemoncentalmero5407]

What is the difference between 그리고 and 하고 ?

[@auricia201]

Isn't 하고 used to join/add nouns? But I have an additional question, what about 와? Which I think it's also used to add nouns?

[@oodaluke]

하고 attaches to nouns: Chocolate and Icecream = 초콜릿하고 아이스크림

[@oodaluke]

@@auricia201 와 and 과 are the same as 하고 but are very polite. Tbh, you will rarely (if ever) hear or have to say 와/과 - they tend to only be written.

[@margot356]

하고/와/과/랑 are all joint “and” connectors of nouns within a sentence, can’t be used to start a new clause

[@auricia201]

@@oodaluke ahh, I see, thanks!

[@otomeleifu]

It’s one of those words you know? It just...words well.

[@raenter]

So... "I went to a party. Oh and then I met a celebrity." Use it. I went to a party and then met a celebrity and then went to an other part". Don't use it?

[@GoBillyKorean]

In the middle of a sentence you would have several other options you could use. You could use ~고 or ~서 for connecting sentences, for example.

[@anistaru_]

알고있지만 그럼에도 불구하고 @@

[@coreanzoon]

Good, this video is real good. But my comment will go elsewhere : you frequently end your videos with 그럼 . I tried many times to use it as ´then’ , ´so’ and I keep on being said that’s wrong usage. Please make a video on its real meaning and appropriate usage 🙏

[@GoBillyKorean]

It's 그럼 from 그러면, so not just "then" but more like "Well then."

[@seajames1690]

YOU GUYS, BILLY DOESN'T ACTUALLY WRITE BACKWARDS. IT'S ALL A TRICK!