Lesson 7 1-Year Course, Week 31

Purpose and Intention: -(으)러 and -(으)려고

Say why you go somewhere with -(으)러 and what you intend or plan with -(으)려고 and -(으)려고 해요, and avoid the common mix-ups.

Mr. Gaon · Grammar, vocabulary & TOPIK

What you will learn in this lesson

Use -(으)러 with movement verbs to give a purpose
Use -(으)려고 with any verb to show intention
Talk about plans and 'about to' with -(으)려고 해요
Know which form can take a command or suggestion

Mr. Gaon

Hello! Why are you studying Korean? To watch dramas? To talk with friends? Today we learn how to say 'in order to'. There are two forms, and each has its own small rule. Let’s look at them one by one.

Purpose and intention

Both -(으)러 and -(으)려고 attach to a verb and show the purpose of the next action, like 'to' or 'in order to' in English.

- 밥을 먹으러 식당에 가요. 'I go to the restaurant to eat.' - 밥을 먹으려고 식당에 가요. 'I go to the restaurant intending to eat.'

These two sentences mean almost the same thing. But -(으)러 is limited: it can only be followed by a movement verb. -(으)려고 can be followed by almost any verb, but it does not like commands or suggestions. Let’s learn the forms first.

V + -(으)러 + 가다/오다/다니다…

(go/come) to do something

Verbs only. Adjectives cannot take -(으)러.
Stem ends in a vowel or ㄹ: add -러 (보다 → 보러, 놀다 → 놀러, 만들다 → 만들러).
Stem ends in another consonant: add -으러 (먹다 → 먹으러, 찾다 → 찾으러).
Irregulars: 듣다 → 들으러, 돕다 → 도우러, 짓다 → 지으러.
The second verb must be a movement verb: 가다, 오다, 다니다, 나가다, 나오다, 들어가다, 올라가다, 내려오다 and so on.
No past tense on -(으)러 itself: 먹었으러 is wrong. Put the tense on the last verb.

주말에 친구 집에 놀러 갔어요. jumare chingu jibe nolleo gasseoyo.
On the weekend, I went to a friend’s house to hang out.
은행에 돈을 찾으러 가요. eunhaenge doneul chajeureo gayo.
I’m going to the bank to withdraw money.
동생이 저를 도우러 왔어요. dongsaengi jeoreul doureo wasseoyo.
My younger sibling came to help me.

V + -(으)려고

in order to, intending to (the subject’s intention)

Verbs only.
Stem ends in a vowel or ㄹ: add -려고 (사다 → 사려고, 살다 → 살려고, 만들다 → 만들려고).
Stem ends in another consonant: add -으려고 (읽다 → 읽으려고, 받다 → 받으려고).
Irregulars: 듣다 → 들으려고, 돕다 → 도우려고, 낫다 → 나으려고.
The second clause can be any verb, not only movement verbs.
The second clause cannot be a command or suggestion. 먹으려고 갑시다 is wrong.
In speech you will hear forms like 갈려고 or 먹을려고, but the standard spelling is 가려고, 먹으려고.

한국 뉴스를 이해하려고 매일 신문을 읽어요. [한국 뉴스를 이해하려고 매일 신무늘 일거요] hanguk nyuseureul ihaeharyeogo maeil sinmuneul ilgeoyo.
I read the newspaper every day to understand Korean news.
선물을 사려고 돈을 모으고 있어요. seonmureul saryeogo doneul moeugo isseoyo.
I’m saving money to buy a present.
일찍 일어나려고 알람을 세 개 맞췄어요. iljjik ireonaryeogo allameul se gae matchwosseoyo.
I set three alarms so that I would wake up early.

Conjugation table

Dictionary form	Type	-(으)러	-(으)려고
자다	vowel stem	자러	자려고
씻다	consonant stem	씻으러	씻으려고
놀다	ㄹ stem	놀러	놀려고
듣다	ㄷ irregular	들으러	들으려고
돕다	ㅂ irregular	도우러	도우려고
짓다	ㅅ irregular	지으러	지으려고
고르다	르 irregular	고르러	고르려고
운동하다	하다 verb	운동하러	운동하려고

ㄹ stems keep the ㄹ and add -러 or -려고 directly: 놀러, 놀려고. Do not add 으.

Mr. Gaon

This one is easy to mix up, so let’s compare. Ask two questions: 'Is the next verb a movement verb?' and 'Am I telling or inviting someone?' The answers decide the form.

-(으)러 vs -(으)려고

옷을 사러 시장에 가요. oseul sareo sijange gayo.
I go to the market to buy clothes. Movement verb 가다. Both forms are fine here.
옷을 사러 돈을 모아요. (✘) oseul sareo doneul moayo. (✘)
Incorrect 모으다 is not a movement verb, so -(으)러 cannot be used.
옷을 사려고 돈을 모아요. oseul saryeogo doneul moayo.
I save money to buy clothes. Correct. -(으)려고 works with any verb.
같이 영화 보러 갑시다. gachi yeonghwa boreo gapsida.
Let’s go see a movie together. Correct. -(으)러 can be followed by a suggestion.
같이 영화 보려고 갑시다. (✘) gachi yeonghwa boryeogo gapsida. (✘)
Incorrect -(으)려고 cannot be followed by a command or suggestion.
점심 먹으러 오세요. jeomsim meogeureo oseyo.
Please come to have lunch. An invitation with -(으)러 is very natural.

V + -(으)려고 해요

I plan to… / I’m going to… / (something) is about to…

Shows a plan or intention: 다음 달에 이사하려고 해요 'I’m planning to move next month.'
Past -(으)려고 했어요: 'I was going to… (but I didn’t)'. Often followed by -는데.
With things or weather, it means 'about to happen': 비가 오려고 해요 'It looks like it’s about to rain.'
Question form: 뭐 하려고 해요? 'What are you planning to do?'

방학 때 운전을 배우려고 해요. banghak ttae unjeoneul baeuryeogo haeyo.
I plan to learn to drive during the vacation.
전화하려고 했는데 깜빡 잊어버렸어요. [전화하려고 핸는데 깜빡 이저버려써요] jeonhwaharyeogo haenneunde kkamppak ijeobeoryeosseoyo.
I was going to call, but I completely forgot.
기차가 출발하려고 해요. 빨리 타세요! gichaga chulbalharyeogo haeyo. ppalli taseyo!
The train is about to leave. Get on quickly!

More examples

아침마다 운동하러 공원에 나가요. achimmada undonghareo gongwone nagayo.
Every morning I go out to the park to exercise.
택배를 받으러 경비실에 내려갔어요. taekbaereul badeureo gyeongbisire naeryeogasseoyo.
I went down to the security office to get my package.
건강해지려고 채소를 많이 먹어요. geonganghaejiryeogo chaesoreul mani meogeoyo.
I eat a lot of vegetables to get healthier. Adjective + -아/어지다 makes a verb, so it can take -(으)려고.
선생님께 질문하려고 손을 들었어요. seonsaengnimkke jilmunharyeogo soneul deureosseoyo.
I raised my hand to ask the teacher a question.
한국 친구를 사귀려고 동아리에 가입했어요. hanguk chingureul sagwiryeogo dongarie gaipaesseoyo.
I joined a club to make Korean friends.
할아버지는 매주 바둑을 두러 복지관에 다니세요. harabeojineun maeju badugeul dureo bokjigwane daniseyo.
My grandfather goes to the community center every week to play baduk.
잊어버리지 않으려고 메모를 했어요. ijeobeoriji aneuryeogo memoreul haesseoyo.
I took notes so that I wouldn’t forget. Negative intention: -지 않으려고

Dialogue: Why are you here?

A어, 수진 씨! 도서관에 웬일이에요?   eo, sujin ssi! doseogwane wenirieyo?Oh, Sujin! What brings you to the library?
B다음 주 발표 자료를 찾으러 왔어요. 준호 씨는요?   daeum ju balpyo jaryoreul chajeureo wasseoyo. junho ssineunyo?I came to look for materials for next week’s presentation. What about you, Junho?
A저는 책을 반납하러 왔어요. 그리고 토픽 문제집도 빌리려고 해요. 다음 달에 시험이 있어서요.   jeoneun chaegeul bannapareo wasseoyo. geurigo topik munjejipdo billiryeogo haeyo. daeum dare siheomi isseoseoyo.I came to return a book. And I plan to borrow a TOPIK practice book too. I have the exam next month.
B와, 시험 준비하는군요. 끝나고 같이 커피 마시러 갈래요?   wa, siheom junbihaneungunyo. kkeunnago gachi keopi masireo gallaeyo?Wow, you’re preparing for the exam. Do you want to go get coffee together afterward?
A좋아요. 사실 오늘 일찍 집에 가려고 했는데, 커피는 마셔야죠!   joayo. sasil oneul iljjik jibe garyeogo haenneunde, keopineun masyeoyajyo!Sure. Actually I was going to go home early today, but I can’t say no to coffee!

Check quiz

Q1. Fill in the blank: 주말에 친구하고 ___ 바다에 갔어요. (놀다)
Q2. Which sentence is correct?
Q3. Fill in the blank: 우리 같이 저녁 ___ 갈까요?
Q4. What is the -(으)려고 form of 듣다?
Q5. What does 비가 오려고 해요 mean?
Q6. Which is the standard spelling?

Mr. Gaon

Excellent work! Here is a question for you: 한국어를 왜 배워요? Try answering with -(으)려고, and then say where you go to study with -(으)러. Your reasons are your best motivation.

Key points

-(으)러 + movement verb (가다, 오다, 다니다…) = go/come to do.
-(으)려고 + any verb = in order to, intending to.
-(으)러 can take a command or suggestion after it; -(으)려고 cannot.
ㄹ stems add -러/-려고 directly: 놀러, 만들려고.
-(으)려고 해요 = plan to / about to; -(으)려고 했는데 = was going to, but…
Standard spelling is 가려고, not 갈려고.

Recommended official free resources

Korean Spelling & Standard Pronunciation rules — National Institute of Korean Language
TOPIK official site — TOPIK official site (NIIED)

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