-(으)려고 expresses purpose or intention. It means "in order to," "so as to," "to," or "with the intention of."
Structure
Verb stem + -(으)려고 + Main action
Breakdown:
- -(으)려고: Intention/purpose marker
- Connects purpose to main action
Meaning: "[Do something] in order to [main action]"
Conjugation Rules
After Vowel or ㄹ: -려고
No final consonant:
- 가다 → 가려고 (in order to go)
- 오다 → 오려고 (in order to come)
- 하다 → 하려고 (in order to do)
After ㄹ (drop ㄹ):
- 만들다 → 만들려고 (in order to make)
- 팔다 → 팔려고 (in order to sell)
After Consonant: -으려고
Final consonant present:
- 먹다 → 먹으려고 (in order to eat)
- 읽다 → 읽으려고 (in order to read)
- 듣다 → 들으려고 (in order to listen)
Core Usage: Expressing Purpose
Purpose of Action
Pattern: [Purpose action]-(으)려고 [Main action]
Examples:
- 공부하려고 도서관에 가요 (I go to the library to study)
- 살을 빼려고 운동해요 (I exercise to lose weight)
- 돈을 모으려고 일해요 (I work to save money)
- 한국어를 배우려고 왔어요 (I came to learn Korean)
Common Patterns
Goal-Oriented Actions
Achieving goals:
- 합격하려고 열심히 공부해요 (I study hard to pass)
- 건강해지려고 운동해요 (I exercise to get healthy)
- 성공하려고 노력해요 (I try hard to succeed)
- 돈 벌려고 일해요 (I work to earn money)
Preparation
Preparing for something:
- 여행 가려고 준비해요 (I prepare to go on a trip)
- 시험 보려고 공부해요 (I study to take the exam)
- 요리하려고 재료를 샀어요 (I bought ingredients to cook)
- 발표하려고 연습해요 (I practice to present)
Improvement
Making changes:
- 살 빼려고 다이어트해요 (I diet to lose weight)
- 건강해지려고 담배를 끊었어요 (I quit smoking to get healthy)
- 실력 늘리려고 연습해요 (I practice to improve my skills)
With Different Main Verbs
-(으)려고 가다/오다
Go/come for a purpose:
- 먹으려고 가요 (go to eat)
- 공부하려고 와요 (come to study)
- 보려고 갔어요 (went to see)
Note: Similar to -(으)러 가다/오다 but slightly more formal
-(으)려고 하다
Try/intend to (covered in separate section):
- 가려고 해요 (I'm trying/planning to go)
With Other Verbs
Various main actions:
- 만나려고 전화했어요 (I called to meet)
- 알려고 물었어요 (I asked to know)
- 확인하려고 봤어요 (I looked to check)
Tense in Main Clause
Can Use Any Tense
Present:
- 공부하려고 도서관에 가요 (I go to the library to study)
Past:
- 공부하려고 도서관에 갔어요 (I went to the library to study)
Future:
- 공부하려고 도서관에 갈 거예요 (I'll go to the library to study)
Note: -(으)려고 doesn't change with tense
Negative Form
Trying Not to Do
Pattern: -지 않으려고 / 안 -(으)려고
Examples:
- 늦지 않으려고 일찍 일어났어요 (I woke up early to not be late)
- 살 찌지 않으려고 운동해요 (I exercise to not gain weight)
- 잊지 않으려고 메모했어요 (I took notes to not forget)
- 안 먹으려고 노력해요 (I try hard not to eat)
Question Form
Asking About Purpose
Pattern: 무엇을/왜 -(으)려고 ~?
Examples:
- 왜 한국어 배우려고 해요? (Why are you learning Korean?)
- 뭐 하려고 왔어요? (What did you come to do?)
- 언제 가려고 해요? (When are you planning to go?)
Contrast with Similar Forms
-(으)려고 vs -(으)러 가다/오다
-(으)려고: General purpose (any verb)
- 먹으려고 가요 (go in order to eat)
- → More emphasis on purpose
-(으)러 가다/오다: Only with movement
- 먹으러 가요 (go to eat)
- → More natural, common
Both work with 가다/오다, -(으)러 more natural
-(으)려고 vs -기 위해(서)
-(으)려고: Natural, spoken (in order to)
- 공부하려고 왔어요 (I came to study)
- → Conversational
-기 위해(서): Formal, written (for the purpose of)
- 공부하기 위해 왔어요 (I came for the purpose of studying)
- → More formal
-(으)려고 vs -게
-(으)려고: Speaker's purpose (I intend to)
- 보려고 갔어요 (I went to see)
- → Speaker's intention
-게: Make something happen (so that)
- 보게 했어요 (I made it so they could see)
- → Causing result for someone else
Example Dialogues
Dialogue 1: Studying Abroad
A: 왜 한국에 왔어요?
(Why did you come to Korea?)
B: 한국어 배우려고 왔어요.
(I came to learn Korean.)
Dialogue 2: Health
A: 왜 운동해요?
(Why do you exercise?)
B: 건강해지려고 운동해요.
(I exercise to get healthy.)
Dialogue 3: Shopping
A: 뭐 하러 시장 가요?
(What are you going to the market for?)
B: 재료 사려고 가요.
(I'm going to buy ingredients.)
Dialogue 4: Calling
A: 왜 전화했어요?
(Why did you call?)
B: 일정 확인하려고 전화했어요.
(I called to check the schedule.)
Common Expressions
Daily Life
- 돈 벌려고 일해요 (Work to earn money)
- 시간 절약하려고 택시 타요 (Take a taxi to save time)
- 건강해지려고 운동해요 (Exercise to get healthy)
- 배우려고 왔어요 (Came to learn)
Academic/Career
- 합격하려고 공부해요 (Study to pass)
- 성공하려고 노력해요 (Try hard to succeed)
- 승진하려고 일해요 (Work to get promoted)
- 취직하려고 준비해요 (Prepare to get a job)
Social
- 친구 만나려고 나갔어요 (Went out to meet a friend)
- 축하하려고 왔어요 (Came to congratulate)
- 도와주려고 전화했어요 (Called to help)
Common Mistakes
❌ Incorrect: 가고 싶으려고
Mixing with -고 싶다
✅ Correct: 가려고 or 가고 싶어서
Use one pattern
❌ Incorrect: 먹려고
Missing -으- after consonant
✅ Correct: 먹으려고
Need -으려고 after consonants
❌ Incorrect: 가려고 했어요 (when you actually went)
Implies you tried but didn't do it
✅ Correct: 가려고 갔어요
If you went: use 가다 as main verb
With -(으)려고 하다 Pattern
Planning vs Purpose
-(으)려고 하다: Intend to/plan to
- 가려고 해요 (I plan to go)
-(으)려고 + other verb: Purpose
- 가려고 준비해요 (I prepare to go)
Don't confuse: Different patterns, different meanings
Summary Table
| Purpose Action | Main Action | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 공부하려고 | 가요 | Go to study |
| 먹으려고 | 왔어요 | Came to eat |
| 보려고 | 갔어요 | Went to see |
| 만들려고 | 샀어요 | Bought to make |
Key Takeaways
✅ Expresses purpose: "In order to" / "To"
✅ After vowel/ㄹ: -려고
✅ After consonant: -으려고
✅ Connects to main action: Purpose + main verb
✅ Natural in speech: Common everyday pattern
✅ Different from -(으)려고 하다: Purpose vs Intention
-(으)려고 is essential for explaining why you do things and expressing purposes in Korean. It's more versatile than -(으)러 가다/오다 as it works with any main verb, not just movement verbs.