안녕하세요! Welcome to My Korean Lesson. Today, I will teach you how to say "in order to" using (으)려고 grammar. With this, you will be able to make sentences like "I am studying hard to pass the test," or "I am studying Korean to enter a Korean company."
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1. (으)려고 Grammar
V(으)려고 is a connective ending* used when someone has an intention or a desire to do a certain act. So, you can translate it like "to V" or "in order to V" in English. Let's see the meaning with the example.
커피를 좋아해요? (Do you like coffee?) I love coffee! Especially, I drink coffee every morning to wake up. So, why do I drink coffee? To wake up! 잠을 깨다, 잠을 깨려고. This reason part will come before the action.
잠을 깨다(wake up) + 커피를 마시다(drink coffee) = 잠을 깨려고 커피를 마셔요.
*Connective ending: As you see, the part conjugated with (으)려고 is the part of the sentence. (으)려고 connects two verbs. That is why it is called the connective ending. The (으)려고 part will come at the front of the sentence.
2. Conjugation Information
Let's see how we can conjugate the verbs with (으)려고 grammar! I'll show you the regular and irregular rules.
Regular Conjugation
받침 O | 으려고 | 먹다 → 먹으려고 |
받침 X | 려고 | 마시다→ 마시려고 |
ㄹ 받침 | 려고 | 놀다 →놀려고 |
받침 O
If the last syllable of the stem has a final consonant, attach 으려고.
읽다(to read) → 읽으려고
찾다(to find) → 찾으려고
찍다(to take pictures) → 찍으려고
닫다(to close) → 닫으려고
받침 X
If the last syllable of the stem has no final consonant, attach 려고.
가다(to go) → 가려고
오다(to come) → 오려고
쓰다(to write, to use) → 쓰려고
하다(to do) → 하려고
ㄹ받침
Even if a stem has the final consonant, if it is ㄹ, please attach 려고.
놀다(to play) → 놀려고
만들다(to make) → 만들려고
살다(to live) → 살려고
Irregular Conjugation
ㄷ 받침 | Change ㄷ to ㄹ + 으려고 | 듣다 → 들으려고 |
ㅅ 받침 | Drop ㅅ + 으려고 | 짓다 → 지으려고 |
ㅂ 받침 | Drop ㅂ + 우려고 | 돕다 → 도우려고 |
ㄷ 받침
For irregular ㄷ words, change ㄷ to ㄹ and attach 으려고.
걷다(to walk) → 걸으려고
묻다(to ask) → 물으려고
ㅅ 받침
For irregular ㅅ words, drop ㅅ and attach 으려고.
긋다(to draw lines) → 그으려고
잇다(to connect) → 이으려고
ㅂ 받침
For irregular ㅂ words, drop ㅂ first. Now, attach 우려고 not 으려고 like other rules!
굽다(to roast) → 구우려고
줍다(to pick up) → 주우려고
3 Sentence Information
Subject
The first and second parts should have the same subject (topic). Therefore, the subject (topic) in the second part can be omitted.
(O) 유리 씨는 공부를 하려고 (유리 씨는) 도서관에 갔어요.
Yuri went to the library to study.
(X) 유리 씨는 공부를 하려고 주아 씨는 도서관에 갔어요.
Jua went to the library to Yuri to study.
Can you see why the second example is wrong? It is even weird in English as well. Make sure to write only one subject when you use (으)려고 grammar!
Expression
The grammar pattern (으)려고 is frequently used in the expression (으)려고 하다, which indicates a decision. I have written a detailed lesson about it. If you're interested, please click here to read my other free lesson!
저는 샌드위치를 먹으려고 해요. I decided to eat a sandwich.
4. Examples
1
옷을 사려고 쇼핑몰에 갔어요.
I went to the shopping mall to buy clothes.
You can easily guess 쇼핑몰. It is a shopping mall. 옷을 사다 means "to buy clothes."
2
친구에게 주려고 선물을 샀어요.
I bought the present to give to friends.
선물 is a gift. 샀어요 is the past tense of 사다 which you saw above.
3
예약을 취소하려고 전화했어요.
I called to cancel the booking.
예약 is a booking. 취소 is a noun, cancel. With 하다 verb 취소하다 is a verb; to cancel.
4
진수 씨는 살을 빼려고 열심히 운동을 하고 있어요.
Jinsu is working out hard to lose weight.
운동하다 means to exercise. 열심히 is "hard". Why does he work out? To lose weight(살을 빼다).
5
한국 회사에 취직하려고 한국어를 공부해요.
I'm studying Korean to get a job at a Korean company.
한국 회사 is a Korean company or Korean firm. 취직하다 means to get a job.
6
시험에 합격하려고 열심히 공부했어요.
I studied hard to pass the exam.
시험 is a test. 합격하다 means to pass (the test).
5. Wrap-up & Worksheet
The connective ending (으)려고 is used to indicate intention or purpose. It translates to "to V" or "in order to V" in English. It links two verbs, with the intention (reason) preceding the action. To conjugate, check the final consonant of the stem!
I created a free and printable worksheet! The answers are available throughout this lesson. After completing it, return to check your answers! This will assist you in reviewing :D!
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