haru Korean › Grammar › Level 1B › V-(으)려고 (하다)
V-(으)려고 (하다) — intentions and plans — 'in order to …' and 'I'm planning to …'
Intentions and plans — 'in order to …' and 'I'm planning to …'. Korean grammar for beginner learners — Level 1B, lesson 3: 공부하러 도서관에 가요 (Going to the library to study — plans and purposes).
What it means
-(으)려고 tells what you mean to do: the purpose of an action, 'in order to …'. After a consonant, add 으려고: 읽으려고, 찍으려고. After a vowel, add 려고: 사려고, 가려고. A stem that ends in ㄹ just adds 려고: 놀려고, and ㄷ verbs change ㄷ to ㄹ: 듣다 → 들으려고. It looks like -(으)러, but only 가다 or 오다 can follow -(으)러, while any verb can follow -(으)려고: 사진을 찍으려고 카메라를 샀어요. Before 가다 · 오다 both work: 공부하러 도서관에 가요 · 공부하려고 도서관에 가요. End the sentence with 하다 and -(으)려고 tells a plan: -(으)려고 해요, 'I'm planning to …': 방학에 고향에 가려고 해요. One more difference: when you invite someone, use -(으)러, not -(으)려고: 같이 먹으러 가요!
Forms
| Pattern | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -으려고 | 받침 O | 읽다 + 으려고 → 읽으려고 |
| -려고 | 받침 X · ㄹ 받침 | 사다 + 려고 → 사려고 |
Key points
- V-(으)려고 — 으려고 after a consonant, 려고 after a vowel or ㄹ: 읽으려고 · 사려고 · 놀려고
- Any verb can follow it, not only 가다 · 오다 — and with 해요 it is a plan: 사진을 찍으려고 카메라를 샀어요 · 방학에 고향에 가려고 해요
Examples
- 읽다 → 읽으려고. 사다 → 사려고. 놀다 → 놀려고. 듣다 → 들으려고.
- 사진을 찍으려고 카메라를 샀어요. 공부하려고 도서관에 가요.
- 방학에 뭐 하려고 해요? — 고향에 가려고 해요.
Where university textbooks teach it
This point also appears in: Seoul National University Korean 2A, lesson 1; Yonsei University Korean 1-2, lesson 19; Sogang University Korean 1B, lesson 6; Yonsei University Korean 2-1, lesson 1; Hongik University Korean 1B, lesson 12; Hongik University Korean 2B, lesson 8; Hanyang University Korean 1-2, lesson 9; Hanyang University Korean 2-1, lesson 1; Ewha Womans University Korean 1-2, lesson 11.
Also in this lesson
- V-(으)ㄹ 거예요 — plans — 'I'm going to …', now with every verb
- V-(으)러 가다/오다 — going somewhere to do something — the reason for going
- V-(으)ㄹ게요 — promises and offers — 'I will …', said to the person in front of you