-(으)ㄹ 겸

Build it

When to use it

Attachment is the standard rule with the ㄹ short form: 만들다 gives 만들 겸. 겸 is a noun and takes a space.

The characteristic pattern doubles it: -(으)ㄹ 겸 -(으)ㄹ 겸 해서, listing two aims for one action. 바람도 쐴 겸 운동도 할 겸 해서 걸어왔어요.

Both purposes belong to the same person, and the action is one. It is not a way of joining two separate activities.

With nouns, 겸 links two roles or functions directly: 아침 겸 점심, 서재 겸 침실, 대표 겸 감독.

How to attach it

In use

1. 바람도 쐴 겸 운동도 할 겸 해서 걸어왔어요.

   I walked over, partly for the air and partly for the exercise.

2. 친구도 만날 겸 서울에 다녀왔습니다.

   I went up to Seoul, partly to see a friend.

3. 공부도 할 겸 카페에 자주 가요.

   I often go to cafés, partly to study.

4. 선물도 살 겸 백화점에 들렀어요.

   I stopped by the department store, partly to buy a present.

5. 직접 만들 겸 재료도 구경할 겸 시장에 갔어요.

   I went to the market to make it myself and to look at the ingredients.

6. 늦게 일어나서 아침 겸 점심을 먹었어요.

   I got up late, so I had brunch.

Compared with

• -(으)ㄴ/는 김에

  김에 adds a second action to one already planned; 겸 names a second reason for a single action. Close, and often interchangeable.

  나가는 김에 우유 사 와. (while you’re out)  /  바람 쐴 겸 나갔어요. (partly for the air)

• -기 위해서

  위해서 gives the single main purpose; 겸 presents one purpose among two, more casually.

  운동하기 위해서 걸어요. (in order to exercise)  /  운동도 할 겸 걸어요. (partly for exercise)

• Noun 겸 noun

  Between nouns it joins two roles in one thing: 아침 겸 점심, 서재 겸 침실, 대표 겸 감독.

  아침 겸 점심 (brunch)  /  서재 겸 침실 (study-cum-bedroom)

Watch out

• 직접 만들을 겸 시장에 갔어요.

  직접 만들 겸 시장에 갔어요.

  A stem ending in ㄹ already supplies it, as with 만들 거예요 and 만들 뿐이다.

• 제가 공부할 겸 동생이 놀았어요.

  제가 공부도 할 겸 카페에 갔어요.

  Both purposes belong to one person performing one action. Two different subjects need separate clauses.

• 늦게 일어나서 아침겸 점심을 먹었어요.

  늦게 일어나서 아침 겸 점심을 먹었어요.

  겸 is a noun and takes spaces on both sides.

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