I stumbled on this question:
집에 __________ 비가 내리기 시작했다.
(1) 도착하거나
(2) 도착하니까
(3) 도착하거든
(4) 도착하려고
The right answer is (2).
But I don't understand the reason. What is the meaning of '니까' in this sentence? It doesn't seem to mean 'because'.
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1I think it more likely means, " Just as I got home, it started to rain." or " It started to rain as soon as I got home" or " No sooner did I get home, it started to rain".– Wuncie AdamsNov 28, 2020 at 4:49
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3 Answers
That's correct. Like it's other connective counterpart, 어서/아서, it both can provide reason for something and conjoin two clauses in sequence. In (으)니까's case, however, this sequential conjoining can be translated as "When (I) [first clause], I discovered/realized that [second clause]".
Thus, for your sentence
집에 도착하니까 비가 내리기 시작했다
a translation would be "When I arrived home, (I discovered that) it started to rain".
Note two things about (으)니까:
- When it is used for sequences like this, the subject of the first clause is usually the speaker
- Unlike its usage in providing reasons, you don't conjugate (으)니까 into the past tense (as seen in the sentence above)
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Side question: Is it possible to use (으)니까 without a second clause, and would the meaning remain the same (taking the previous sentence as a second clause)? (ex. 비가 내리기 시작했다. 집에 도착하니까....) Jun 29, 2016 at 12:03
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Absolutely! In fact, fragmenting a construction in this sort of way is extremely common. Although, note that there is another verb ending "다니까(요), -라니까(요)" that takes on another meaning. So, keep that in mind.– blimpyJun 29, 2016 at 12:14
blimpy and Rathony's answers are useful, so I will answer why other options are incorrect.
-거나: "A하거나 B하다" implies that A and B are both possible options. However, selecting "집에 도착하다" or "비가 내리기 시작하다" is unnatural.
-거든: If you write "집에 도착하거든", then it implies "If you arrive home, then ..." However, there is no causality between arriving home and raining.
-려고: "집에 도착하려고" means "To arrive home, ...", but "비가 내리기 시작했다" implies that you didn't make the weather rainy.
'니까' is an emphatic form of '니' which is a conjunctional connective suffix used to connect two clauses. It has two meanings as follows:
- It provides a reason, basis, prerequisite for the second clause as in:
봄이 오니(까) 꽃이 핀다. Because spring has come, the flowers bloom.
- The first clause contains (usually) a timing of an action before stating another fact in the second clause as in.
서울역에 도착하니(까) 일곱 시였다. When I arrived at Seoul Station, it was 7 o'clock.
"집에 도착하니(까) 비가 내리기 시작했다" can be translated to
When I arrived home, it started to rain.
which could also mean
It didn't rain until I arrived home.