TOPIK I Grammar · Ch.7 More Particles 05

TOPIK I Grammar · Ch.7 More Particles 05

'와/과 · 하고 · (이)랑' - Three Ways to Say "And"

빵과 우유 in writing. 빵하고 우유 in conversation. 빵이랑 우유 with close friends. All three mean "and" between nouns - the only thing that changes is how formal you sound.

Key point All three connect nouns: 와/과 = formal and written, 하고 = everyday speech, (이)랑 = casual speech. After a final consonant (batchim): 과 · 이랑; after a vowel: 와 · 랑.

How to use it

They join noun to noun - 사과와 배 (= apples and pears), 책하고 공책 (= a book and a notebook), 동생이랑 저 (= my younger sibling and me). English has exactly one "and" for every situation, from a contract to a text message. Korean makes even "and" carry formality - your choice tells the listener what kind of conversation this is.

The same particles also mean "with" - 주말에 친구하고 영화를 봤어요 (= I watched a movie with a friend on the weekend). Add 같이 or 함께 (= together) when you want the "with" reading to be unmistakable.

Now the sound rule, and it's sneaky: batchim takes 과 (빵과), vowel takes 와 (우유와). Notice that 과 starts with a consonant - the opposite of what 을 and 이에요 trained you to expect after batchim. That's exactly why learners flip this pair.

At a glance

Form	Where it is used	Example
와/과	writing · formal (exam answers)	한국과 일본 · 오늘과 내일
하고	everyday conversation	엄마하고 시장에 갔어요
(이)랑	casual, close relationships	친구랑 놀았어요 · 밥이랑 국
+ 같이/함께	"together with"	동생하고 같이 살아요

Exam tip  In the writing section, 와/과 is the safe choice. (이)랑 belongs in chat with friends, not on an answer sheet.

Examples

아침에 빵과 커피를 먹었어요. I had bread and coffee in the morning. - the formal form, common in writing.

어제 언니하고 쇼핑했어요. I went shopping with my older sister yesterday. - here 하고 means "with".

주말에 친구들이랑 노래방에 갔어요. I went to a karaoke room with friends on the weekend. - 이랑 after the batchim of 들.

Common mistakes

❌ 빵와 우유 주세요. → ⭕ 빵과 우유 주세요. 빵 has batchim ㅇ, so it takes 과. Learners most often get this pair backwards. The batchim form starts with a consonant here, unlike 을 or 이랑.

⚠️ (시험 쓰기) 부모님이랑 여행을 갔습니다. → ⭕ 부모님과 여행을 갔습니다. Not wrong grammar - wrong level of formality. (이)랑 reads as too casual in a formal written answer, the way "gonna" would in an English essay. Writing gets 와/과; speech gets 하고 and 랑.

Quick check

Fill each blank with 와, 과, 하고, or 이랑 to match the situation.

1. (시험 쓰기) 저는 형(      ) 함께 삽니다.
2. (친구에게) 어제 동생(      ) 싸웠어.
3. (시험 쓰기) 아침에는 우유(      ) 빵을 먹습니다.

Show answers

1. 과 (batchim ㅇ + formal writing)   2. 이랑 (batchim + casual talk with a friend; the ending 싸웠어 is casual too)   3. 와 (no batchim + formal writing)

💡 Study tip - Memorize new nouns in pairs, never alone. 숟가락과 젓가락 (= spoon and chopsticks), 소금과 설탕 (= salt and sugar).