-(으)려고 하다 expresses intention, effort, or attempting to do something. It means "try to," "intend to," "be about to," or "be trying to."
Structure
Verb stem + -(으)려고 하다
Breakdown:
- -(으)려고: Intention marker ("in order to")
- 하다: To do
Literal meaning: "Do with the intention of..."
Conjugation Rules
After Vowel or ㄹ: -려고 하다
No final consonant:
- 가다 → 가려고 해요 (trying to go)
- 오다 → 오려고 해요 (trying to come)
- 자다 → 자려고 해요 (trying to sleep)
After ㄹ (drop ㄹ):
- 만들다 → 만들려고 해요 (trying to make)
- 팔다 → 팔려고 해요 (trying to sell)
After Consonant: -으려고 하다
Final consonant present:
- 먹다 → 먹으려고 해요 (trying to eat)
- 읽다 → 읽으려고 해요 (trying to read)
- 듣다 → 듣으려고 해요 (trying to listen)
하다 Verbs: -하려고 하다
All 하다 verbs:
- 공부하다 → 공부하려고 해요 (trying to study)
- 요리하다 → 요리하려고 해요 (trying to cook)
- 운동하다 → 운동하려고 해요 (trying to exercise)
Politeness Levels
Formal (합니다체)
- 가려고 합니다 (intend to go)
- 먹으려고 합니다 (intend to eat)
- 공부하려고 합니다 (intend to study)
Polite (해요체)
- 가려고 해요 (trying to go)
- 먹으려고 해요 (trying to eat)
- 공부하려고 해요 (trying to study)
Casual (반말)
- 가려고 해 (trying to go)
- 먹으려고 해 (trying to eat)
- 공부하려고 해 (trying to study)
Core Meanings
1. Current Intention/Plan
What you're planning to do:
- 한국어 공부하려고 해요 (I'm planning to study Korean)
- 내일 가려고 해요 (I'm planning to go tomorrow)
- 책 읽으려고 해요 (I'm planning to read a book)
2. Ongoing Effort
Currently trying to do:
- 살 빼려고 해요 (I'm trying to lose weight)
- 일찍 자려고 해요 (I'm trying to sleep early)
- 담배 끊으려고 해요 (I'm trying to quit smoking)
3. About to Do
On the verge of doing:
- 지금 나가려고 해요 (I'm about to leave now)
- 막 먹으려고 했어요 (I was just about to eat)
- 전화하려고 했어요 (I was about to call)
Tense Conjugations
Present Tense: -(으)려고 해요
Current intention/plan:
- 가려고 해요 (I'm trying/planning to go)
- 먹으려고 해요 (I'm trying/planning to eat)
- 하려고 해요 (I'm trying/planning to do)
Past Tense: -(으)려고 했어요
Intended but didn't do / Was about to:
- 가려고 했어요 (I was going to go / tried to go)
- 먹으려고 했어요 (I was going to eat)
- 하려고 했어요 (I was going to do it)
Common meaning: Had intention but didn't follow through
Future Tense: -(으)려고 할 거예요
Will intend to / Will try to:
- 가려고 할 거예요 (I will try to go)
- 먹으려고 할 거예요 (I will try to eat)
- 하려고 할 거예요 (I will try to do)
Note: Less common than present tense
Common Usage
Expressing Goals/Plans
Personal intentions:
- 운동하려고 해요 (I'm trying to exercise)
- 일찍 일어나려고 해요 (I'm trying to wake up early)
- 건강해지려고 해요 (I'm trying to get healthy)
- 돈 모으려고 해요 (I'm trying to save money)
Lifestyle Changes
Attempting improvements:
- 담배 끊으려고 해요 (I'm trying to quit smoking)
- 살 빼려고 해요 (I'm trying to lose weight)
- 술 줄이려고 해요 (I'm trying to drink less)
- 늦게 자지 않으려고 해요 (I'm trying not to sleep late)
Academic/Work Goals
Study/career plans:
- 유학 가려고 해요 (I'm planning to study abroad)
- 회사 들어가려고 해요 (I'm trying to enter a company)
- 자격증 따려고 해요 (I'm trying to get a certification)
- 승진하려고 해요 (I'm trying to get promoted)
Past Tense: Unfulfilled Intention
-(으)려고 했어요 + 지만/는데
Was going to... but:
- 가려고 했는데 비가 왔어요 (I was going to go but it rained)
- 전화하려고 했는데 잊어버렸어요 (I was going to call but forgot)
- 먹으려고 했지만 배가 안 고팠어요 (I was going to eat but wasn't hungry)
Usage: Explaining why intention wasn't fulfilled
Negative Form
Trying Not to Do
Pattern: -지 않으려고 하다 / 안 -(으)려고 하다
Examples:
- 늦지 않으려고 해요 (I'm trying not to be late)
- 먹지 않으려고 해요 (I'm trying not to eat)
- 가지 않으려고 해요 (I'm trying not to go)
- 안 자려고 해요 (I'm trying not to sleep)
Usage: Expressing effort to avoid something
Contrast with Similar Forms
-(으)려고 하다 vs -아/어 보다
-(으)려고 하다: Intentional effort
- 운동하려고 해요 (I'm trying to exercise)
- → Deliberate intention, ongoing effort
-아/어 보다: Experimental trying
- 운동해 봐요 (Try exercising)
- → Testing it out, experiencing
-(으)려고 하다 vs -(으)ㄹ 거예요
-(으)려고 하다: Current intention/effort
- 가려고 해요 (I'm planning/trying to go)
- → Present intention, may require effort
-(으)ㄹ 거예요: Simple future plan
- 갈 거예요 (I will go)
- → Straightforward future action
-(으)려고 하다 vs -고 싶다
-(으)려고 하다: Active intention
- 공부하려고 해요 (I'm trying to study)
- → Actual effort or plan
-고 싶다: Desire/want
- 공부하고 싶어요 (I want to study)
- → Just expressing desire
Common Expressions
Daily Life
- 일찍 자려고 해요 (I'm trying to sleep early)
- 돈 모으려고 해요 (I'm trying to save money)
- 살 빼려고 해요 (I'm trying to lose weight)
- 건강해지려고 해요 (I'm trying to get healthy)
Work/Career
- 취직하려고 해요 (I'm trying to get a job)
- 이직하려고 해요 (I'm trying to change jobs)
- 창업하려고 해요 (I'm trying to start a business)
- 열심히 일하려고 해요 (I'm trying to work hard)
Relationships
- 연락하려고 했어요 (I was going to contact you)
- 만나려고 해요 (I'm trying to meet)
- 사귀려고 해요 (I'm trying to date)
- 화해하려고 해요 (I'm trying to reconcile)
Learning
- 한국어 배우려고 해요 (I'm trying to learn Korean)
- 매일 공부하려고 해요 (I'm trying to study every day)
- 실력 늘리려고 해요 (I'm trying to improve my skills)
- 열심히 하려고 해요 (I'm trying to do it diligently)
With Time Expressions
Temporal Context
When the intention exists:
- 요즘 운동하려고 해요 (I'm trying to exercise these days)
- 내년에 유학 가려고 해요 (I'm planning to study abroad next year)
- 곧 시작하려고 해요 (I'm about to start soon)
- 지금 막 나가려고 했어요 (I was just about to leave)
Question Form
Asking About Intentions
Pattern: -(으)려고 해요?
Examples:
- 뭐 하려고 해요? (What are you trying to do?)
- 언제 가려고 해요? (When are you planning to go?)
- 어디 가려고 해요? (Where are you planning to go?)
- 누구 만나려고 해요? (Who are you trying to meet?)
Example Dialogues
Dialogue 1: New Year's Resolution
A: 새해 계획이 뭐예요?
(What's your New Year's plan?)
B: 담배 끊으려고 해요.
(I'm trying to quit smoking.)
Dialogue 2: At Gym
A: 요즘 운동 자주 해요?
(Do you exercise often these days?)
B: 네, 살 빼려고 해요.
(Yes, I'm trying to lose weight.)
Dialogue 3: Phone Call
A: 왜 전화 안 했어요?
(Why didn't you call?)
B: 죄송해요. 전화하려고 했는데 깜빡했어요.
(Sorry. I was going to call but I forgot.)
Dialogue 4: Weekend Plans
A: 주말에 뭐 할 거예요?
(What will you do this weekend?)
B: 집에서 쉬려고 해요.
(I'm planning to rest at home.)
Common Mistakes
❌ Incorrect: 가고 하다
Wrong connective
✅ Correct: 가려고 하다
Use -(으)려고
❌ Incorrect: 먹려고 해요
Missing -으- after consonant
✅ Correct: 먹으려고 해요
Need -으려고 after consonants
Summary Table
| Verb | Present | Past | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 가다 | 가려고 해요 | 가려고 했어요 | Try/plan to go |
| 먹다 | 먹으려고 해요 | 먹으려고 했어요 | Try/plan to eat |
| 하다 | 하려고 해요 | 하려고 했어요 | Try/plan to do |
| 공부하다 | 공부하려고 해요 | 공부하려고 했어요 | Try/plan to study |
Key Takeaways
✅ Expresses intention/effort: "Try to" / "Intend to" / "Plan to"
✅ After vowel/ㄹ: -려고 하다
✅ After consonant: -으려고 하다
✅ Past tense often unfulfilled: "Was going to but..."
✅ Different from -아/어 보다: Intentional effort vs Experimental trying
✅ Shows active planning: More purposeful than simple desire
-(으)려고 하다 is essential for expressing intentions, goals, and deliberate efforts in Korean. It's commonly used when talking about plans, resolutions, and ongoing attempts to achieve something.