-고

-고 links two actions or states like "and": it either lists them side by side or puts actions in order ("do A, and then B").

나열·첨가Listing & adding

Han: The studying happens at the library you went to, so the two actions are tied by place; with 가다/오다 in this case Koreans use -아서/어서, not -고.

Examples

이 식당은 싸고 맛있어요.This restaurant is cheap and tasty.

저는 아침에 샤워하고 커피를 마셔요.In the morning I take a shower and then drink coffee.

형은 회사원이고 동생은 대학생이에요.My older brother is an office worker, and my younger brother is a university student.

주말에 청소하고 빨래했어요.On the weekend I cleaned and did the laundry.

Don’t mix up

-고vs-아서/어서 (sequence)With -아서/어서 the second action depends on the first (same place, person or object); -고 just puts actions in order: 친구를 만나서 영화를 봤어요 (watched it with the friend) vs 친구를 만나고 영화를 봤어요 (met the friend, then watched a movie, maybe alone).

-고vs-고 나서-고 나서 stresses that the first action is completely finished before the next one starts; plain -고 is neutral: 숙제를 하고 나서 게임을 해요.

How to build it

V/A+고 (N이다 → N(이)고)

먹다 → 먹고, 싸다 → 싸고, 학생이다 → 학생이고

For a sequence of actions, put the past tense only on the last verb: 밥을 먹고 학교에 갔어요 (not 먹었고). -았/었고 is used mainly when listing separate past facts.
In the sequence meaning, both clauses usually have the same subject; in the listing meaning, the subjects can differ (형은 회사원이고 동생은 학생이에요).
With 가다, 오다, 앉다 etc., when the second action happens at that place, use -아서/어서 instead: 학교에 가서 공부해요.

Classic mistake

Wrong: ~~도서관에 가고 공부해요.~~

Right: 도서관에 가서 공부해요.

The studying happens at the library you went to, so the two actions are tied by place; with 가다/오다 in this case Koreans use -아서/어서, not -고.

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