I can say where I'm going and why — to the library for a book, to the park for a walk — and choose 가다 or 오다, 나가다 or 나오다.
Where to and what for: -(으)러
Where to and what for: -(으)러
When: to say why you're going or coming. The purpose is the stem + -(으)러, followed by a verb of motion: 가다, 오다, 다니다 and their pairs (나가다, 들어오다, 돌아가다 …). English “go to get a book”, “go for a walk”: that's -(으)러. English “to” works with any verb, but -(으)러 only with a verb of motion.
Form: -으러 after a 받침 (먹으러, 찾으러), -러 after a vowel (보러, 빌리러); ㄹ-stem verbs also take -러, without 으 (놀러, 만들러); in 듣다 (들어요) ㄷ → ㄹ: 들으러, but 받다 and 닫다 have no change: 받으러.
Order: the purpose and the place come before the verb of motion, in either order (시장에 빵을 사러 가요 = 빵을 사러 시장에 가요); the verb of motion goes last.
가 is movement away from the speaker, 오 toward the speaker: 친구가 방에 들어와요 — a friend comes in where I am (I'm in the room); 친구가 방에 들어가요 — goes in there (I'm outside). The same with 나가다 / 나오다, 돌아가다 / 돌아오다. English “go” and “come” work the same way.
권 is the counter for books and notebooks: native Korean numbers, and the number comes after the thing, the reverse of English “two books”: 책 두 권. A sign shows the name of the place: 도서관, 서점.
Common mistakes:
• ×도서관에서 공부하러 해요 — -(으)러 only before a verb of motion: 도서관에 공부하러 가요
• ×먹러 가요 — after a 받침: 먹으러
• ×놀으러 가요 — ㄹ-stem verbs take no 으: 놀러
• ×두 권 책 — the number comes after the thing: 책 두 권
The -(으)러 form
The purpose comes before a verb of motion: 가다, 오다, 다니다, and their pairs.
| End of the stem | Example |
|---|---|
| 받침 | 먹으러 · 찾으러 |
| vowel | 보러 · 빌리러 |
| ㄹ — no 으 | 놀러 · 만들러 |
| 듣다: ㄷ → ㄹ | 들으러 |
가 or 오
가 — away from the speaker, 오 — toward the speaker.
| Meaning | away from the speaker (가) | toward the speaker (오) |
|---|---|---|
| to go in / to come in | 들어가다 | 들어오다 |
| to go out / to come out | 나가다 | 나오다 |
| to return | 돌아가다 | 돌아오다 |
Lesson notes
Where to and what for: -(으)러
When: to say why you're going or coming. The purpose is the stem + -(으)러, followed by a verb of motion: 가다, 오다, 다니다 and their pairs (나가다, 들어오다, 돌아가다 …). English “go to get a book”, “go for a walk”: that's -(으)러. English “to” works with any verb, but -(으)러 only with a verb of motion.
Form: -으러 after a 받침 (먹으러, 찾으러), -러 after a vowel (보러, 빌리러); ㄹ-stem verbs also take -러, without 으 (놀러, 만들러); in 듣다 (들어요) ㄷ → ㄹ: 들으러, but 받다 and 닫다 have no change: 받으러.
Order: the purpose and the place come before the verb of motion, in either order (시장에 빵을 사러 가요 = 빵을 사러 시장에 가요); the verb of motion goes last.
가 is movement away from the speaker, 오 toward the speaker: 친구가 방에 들어와요 — a friend comes in where I am (I'm in the room); 친구가 방에 들어가요 — goes in there (I'm outside). The same with 나가다 / 나오다, 돌아가다 / 돌아오다. English “go” and “come” work the same way.
권 is the counter for books and notebooks: native Korean numbers, and the number comes after the thing, the reverse of English “two books”: 책 두 권. A sign shows the name of the place: 도서관, 서점.
Common mistakes:
• ×도서관에서 공부하러 해요 — -(으)러 only before a verb of motion: 도서관에 공부하러 가요
• ×먹러 가요 — after a 받침: 먹으러
• ×놀으러 가요 — ㄹ-stem verbs take no 으: 놀러
• ×두 권 책 — the number comes after the thing: 책 두 권