-거든요
Used at the end of a sentence to provide a reason or background information that the listener does not yet know. It often softens a statement by framing it as new information.
Summary
Equivalent
You see... / The thing is... / It's because...
Also: -(으)니까요 (Because... - more direct reason) · -아/어서요 (Because/so... - softer reason)
Example
I can't eat meat. You see, I'm a vegetarian.
저는 고기를 못 먹어요. 채식주의자거든요.
Grammar rules
- This comes at the END of a sentence, not in the middle like '-(으)니까'.
- It can also be used mid-sentence in the form '-거든' (without 요) to signal more information is coming.
- If used in an answer, it implies the speaker assumes the listener didn't know this fact: '저는 커피를 안 마시거든요.' (You see, I don't drink coffee.)
거든 (without 요) is also used mid-sentence as a conditional: '비가 오거든 전화해.' (If it rains, call me.) — this is a separate grammatical use.
Patterns
Verbs
Present · Verb Stem + 거든요
Adjectives
Present · Adjective Stem + 거든요
Nouns
Present · Noun + 이거든요
Example sentences
I can't eat meat. You see, I'm a vegetarian.
저는 고기를 못 먹어요. 채식주의자거든요.
Why did you come wearing a coat? It's because it's very cold today.
왜 코트를 입고 왔어요? 오늘 많이 춥거든요.
That person is my teacher, you see. That's why I need to say hello.
그 분이 저희 선생님이거든요. 그래서 인사드려야 해요.
Conversation
A: Why did you come so early?
왜 이렇게 일찍 왔어요?
B: You see, there's an important meeting today.
오늘 중요한 회의가 있거든요.
Practice
Fill in the blank
Choose the most natural way to provide background context using '-거든요'.
Explaining absence.
Explaining discomfort.