하고 (hago): A Formal Guide to Korean Coordination and Quotatives

This article describes the particle and connective 하고 in a formal and instructional manner. It defines core functions, shows distribution, contrasts it with near-synonyms, and presents original examples suitable for study. The tone is concise and objective.

Definition and Scope

하고 operates in two principal ways. First, it links nouns with the meaning “and/with.” Second, it marks quoted content before verbs such as 말하다 and 하다. Both uses are common in conversation and neutral written styles. The form does not inflect for number or case. It appears after the noun it connects and may stack with other particles when structure requires it.

Form and Basic Patterns

Nominal Coordination (“A and B”)

The coordinator joins two or more nouns that occupy a single grammatical slot. Word order remains linear.

• 서류하고 여권을 제출했습니다. — The documents and the passport were submitted.
• 커피하고 차가 준비되어 있습니다. — Coffee and tea have been prepared.

Writers may repeat the coordinator across longer lists or use commas for early items and place 하고 before the final item. The decision follows clarity and rhythm in the sentence.

Comitative Sense (“with”)

When context centers on companionship or joint action, the same form reads as “with.”

• 동료하고 회의를 진행했습니다. — The meeting was held with a colleague.
• 지역 주민하고 협력을 강화했습니다. — Cooperation with local residents was strengthened.

The comitative reading arises from the predicate semantics. No distinct morphology is required.

Quotative Marker (“X,” say/do)

The quotative use places a quoted unit before a reporting verb. The quote may be direct or indirect and may contain sentence endings appropriate to the quoted voice.

• “가능합니다”하고 안내했습니다. — It was announced, “It is possible.”
• 내일까지 제출하라고 하고 전달했습니다. — The instruction to submit by tomorrow was relayed.

In careful prose, direct quotes retain punctuation inside the quotation marks. Indirect quotes may use declarative, imperative, or propositive content without quotation marks.

Syntactic Stacking and Case

Case after Coordination

When the coordinated phrase requires case marking, the case particle follows the final noun or attaches to each noun if roles must be separated explicitly.

• 부모하고 학생이 참석했습니다. — The parents and the students attended.
• 부모하고 학생을 각각 안내했습니다. — The parents were guided, and the students were guided (separately marked for clarity).

Administrative or legal text may prefer the fully explicit pattern to avoid ambiguity in responsibility or scope.

Topic and Focus

The coordinated block may carry 은/는 for topic or contrast. The topic particle appears once after the final noun.

• 일정하고 장소는 아래와 같습니다. — The schedule and the venue are as follows.

Register and Contrast with Similar Forms

Compared with 과/와

과/와 is formal and fits manuals, policies, and academic prose. 하고 is neutral to colloquial and fits dialogue, notices for general readers, and user-facing FAQs.

• 서류와 신분증을 지참하십시오. — Formal notice.
• 서류하고 신분증 가져오세요. — Neutral instruction to users.

Compared with (이)랑

(이)랑 is more colloquial than 하고. It appears in informal speech and friendly writing. A mixed register inside one sentence should be avoided in instructional text.

Compared with 그리고

그리고 links clauses or sentences. 하고 links nouns inside a clause. Substituting one for the other produces structural errors.

• 회의를 마쳤습니다. 그리고 결과를 공유했습니다. — Clause coordination.
• 회의하고 결과를 공유했습니다. — Noun coordination; the meaning becomes “the meeting and the results were shared,” which can be ambiguous or awkward.

Distribution with Verbs and Set Phrases

Inventory or Pairing

Service texts often pair items with predictable partners.

• 주소하고 연락처를 업데이트했습니다. — Address and contact information were updated.
• 원인하고 대책을 함께 기록했습니다. — Causes and countermeasures were recorded together.

Time and Place Series

Schedules and locations appear naturally as coordinated sets.

• 오전하고 오후에 동일한 절차를 적용했습니다. — The same procedure was applied in the morning and in the afternoon.
• 본사하고 지사에서 동시에 시행했습니다. — The head office and the branch implemented it simultaneously.

Quotatives in Detail

Direct Quote

Direct quotation places the original wording in quotation marks.

• “접수 마감”하고 게시했습니다. — The notice “Application Closed” was posted.

Indirect Quote

Indirect quotation summarizes content with an embedded complement.

• 담당자가 일정 조정이 가능하다고 하고 연락했습니다. — The person in charge contacted us saying that schedule adjustment was possible.

With Imperatives and Requests

When the quoted content instructs or requests, the reporting verb reflects transmission, not obedience.

• 서류를 오늘 중으로 보내 달라고 하고 전달했습니다. — The request to send the documents today was forwarded.

Frequent Learner Errors and Corrections

Replacing Clause Connectors with 하고

Error: *회의가 끝났고 보고서를 제출했습니다* written as *회의가 끝났하고 보고서를 제출했습니다.* Correction: keep the connective ending -고 for clauses. Use 하고 only for noun coordination or quotation.

Attaching Case before the Coordinator

Error: *시간은 하고 예산이 부족합니다.* Correction: 시간하고 예산은 부족합니다. The coordinator sits directly after the first noun.

Mixed Register in One Sentence

Error: *서류하고 신분증을 지참하십시오* combined with casual vocabulary elsewhere. Correction: maintain one register per sentence to ensure consistency.

Quotative Punctuation

Error: Omitting quotation marks for a direct slogan. Correction: Include quotation marks for direct wording in formal notices.

Contrastive Summary with Near-Synonyms

• 하고: neutral coordinator; comitative “with”; quotative; common in speech and user guidance.
• 과/와: formal coordinator for documents, policies, and academic text.
• (이)랑: colloquial coordinator suited to friendly conversations.
• 그리고: clause or sentence connector, not a nominal linker.

Original Practice Tasks

Task 1: Translate to Korean using 하고

1. Update the address and the emergency phone number. — 주소하고 비상 전화번호를 업데이트하십시오.
2. Prepare the manual and the sample file. — 매뉴얼하고 샘플 파일을 준비하십시오.
3. Meet with the client and the interpreter. — 고객하고 통역사와 만나십시오.

Task 2: Convert a Direct Quote to an Indirect Quote

Original: “내일까지 가능합니다”하고 답했습니다. → Indirect: 내일까지 가능하다고 하고 답했습니다.

Task 3: Repair Register

Original: 서류하고 신분증 가져와 주세요. → Formal: 서류하고 신분증을 지참하십시오.

Conclusion

하고 provides a compact way to coordinate nouns and to mark quoted content in Korean. The form supports neutral communication in guides, FAQs, and announcements. Clear separation from clause-level connectors, stable register within sentences, and correct stacking with case particles produce stable, readable prose. The patterns and examples presented above assist learners in applying the form accurately in formal contexts.