What is the proper use of 있고?

[jplato]

Listening to my colleagues' rapid-fire Korean, I always pick up on the word 있고. It was used in Beginner S2 #19, but there was no discussion of its use. Google Translate says it means "and", but the translation in the lesson notes suggests it means "have"

근데, 왜 너는 여자친구가 있고, 나는 여자친구가 없어?
Then, why do you have a girlfriend and I don't?

What's the real meaning and when is 있고 typically used?

[holdfast]

있 comes from 있다 and 고 used as a conjunction means and. you can use 고 with just about anything, not just 있다. so the real grammatical construction here is ~고 not 있고. they translated it as "have" because of 있다 not ~고.

there are many ways to say and, but 고 is used just as often as any others. more examples:

집에 영화를 있고 맥주도 있어요 - i have a movie and beer at my house.

어제 친구 마났고 공원에 갔어요 - yesterday i met a friend and went to the park.

i hope that helps (:

[javiskefka]

It's a combination of the verb 있다 to exist, to have and the conjunction -고. So in the sentence you provided it means "have, and".

There's no specific context that requires the word 있고. You would just attach the -고 suffix to the end of a sentence that uses the verb 있다 if you wanted to continue your thought.

Edit: Beaten by Emily

[yhenry]

Listening to my colleagues' rapid-fire Korean, I always pick up on the word 있고. It was used in Beginner S2 #19, but there was no discussion of its use. Google Translate says it means "and", but the translation in the lesson notes suggests it means "have"

근데, 왜 너는 여자친구가 있고, 나는 여자친구가 없어?
Then, why do you have a girlfriend and I don't?

What's the real meaning and when is 있고 typically used?

'고' suffix works like coordinating conjunction 'and or but' in English, connecting two words or sentences.

When you see or hear '고' after a conjugated verb, you expect another clause to be followed.
너는 돈이 있고 have+but 나는 없으니 have not+since/because 니가 밥 좀 사라
밥 먹고 eat+and 집에 가자
공부 더 하고 do+and 놀자
잠 더 자고 sleep+and 가자
사과하고 apple + and 배 좀 주세요