Korean Grammar: 으려고/려고

It's getting quite late here in Korea, but I decided to update the blog anyway with what I learned from today's class. Today, I learned how to use "으려고/려고". This essentially means "in order to" or "meaning to" do something. It can also mean "with the intention to" do something. Let's take a look at some of the notes that I jotted down today.

Use 으려고 for words that end in consonants. Let's take a look at a few verbs with stems that end in consonants. For example:

운전하다 -- to drive -- 운전하으려고

읽다: to read -- becomes "일으려고" 

입다: to wear "입으려고"

사다: to buy "사려고"

Use 려고 for words that end in vowels. Let's take a look at a few verbs whose stems end in vowels. For example:

공부 - "to study" becomes: 공부려고
마시다 - "to drink" becomes: 마시려고
가지다 - "to have/carry" becomes: 가지려고

Verbs with "하다" in them seem to retain the "하" so in this case, just treat it like a word that ends in a vowel. For example:

주문하다: to order -- becomes: 주문하려고
죄송하다: "to be sorry" -- becomes: 죄송하려고

고백하다: "to confess" -- becomes: 고백하려고

So, there you have it. Another day of studying Korean logged into the books. So far, I'm meeting some really great people in my class. Everyone is very helpful. How are your own Korean studies going?  Do you have any experience conjugating this verb yourself?

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About Peter

Peter Kim is a writer for Koreners Magazine.