Korean word

니까

Pronunciation

Romanizationnikka

Meaning

  • particlebecause

Example

배가 고프니까 밥 먹자.pae ga ko peu ni kka pap meok jja

I'm hungry, so let's eat.

Illustration for 니까 (because)

More examples

비가 오니까 우산을 가져가.pi ga o ni kka u sa neul ka jeo ga

Because it is raining, take an umbrella.

Core concept

A reason that points forward to the speaker's next action, suggestion, or judgment.

Common phrases

  • 배가 고프니까pae ga ko peu ni kka

    because I am hungry

  • 시간이 없으니까si ga ni eop sseu ni kka

    because I have no time

  • 비가 오니까pi ga o ni kka

    because it is raining

Similar words

어서eoseo: A connective ending that links a cause to an action or event that follows.
기 때문에ki ttaemune: A reason expression that presents an event or state as the basis for a result.
때문에ttaemune: A marker attached after a noun phrase to show why an event or situation happened.

Definition in Korean

동사·형용사 어간에 붙어 앞말을 이유로 뒤말의 명령·권유·추론을 이끌어 내는 연결 어미로 쓰인다tong sa hyeong yong sa eo ga ne pu teo am ma reul i yu ro twi ma rui myeong nyeong kwo nyu chu ro neul i kkeu reo nae neun yeon gyeol eo mi ro sseu in da

Word origin

The form 니까 (nikka, "because") functions as a stem-attached connective ending, linking a reason clause to a following result or response.

Usage tips

  • A useful listening clue is that this ending often comes before advice, requests, or suggestions, not only before statements about what is true.

Other meanings

  • soparticle

Opposites

  • 지만chimanbutparticle

Word lists with this word