The two-shape particle 과/와 means with or and, just like the more colloquial particles 하고 and (이)랑; 과/와 is a two-shape particle which is pronounced 과 after consonants and 와 after vowels:
| Consonants | Vowels |
|---|---|
| 양말과 and socks | 전화와 and the telephone |
| 그 여관과 and that inn | 내 코트와 and my overcoat |
| 우체국과 and the post offic | 청바지와 and the jeans |
Like other particles, it is pronounced as though it were part of the word before it. This means that if you are going to pause between nouns linked by 과/와, you pause after the word for and instead of before it as we do in English:
종이와… 책과… 연필
paper. . .and books. . .and a pencil
Once two or more nouns have been linked with this particle, the group as a whole is followed by whatever particle is necessary to show its relation to the rest of the sentence. For example:
연필과 종이는
pencil and paper (as topic)
아버님과 어머님이
father and mother (as subject)
상점과 여관을
the store and the inn (as object)
But sometimes 과/와 is added after the last noun before putting on the relational particle: 연필과 종이와는.