Key facts
- An auxiliary verb stands after a main verb and adds meaning, as in 먹어 보다 ("try eating").
- This set contains 11 lessons, from level A1 to B1.
- The main verb carries the action, and the auxiliary carries the tense and the polite ending.
- 보다 and 주다 are the two most useful auxiliaries for beginners.
Listen to the sentence that shows the simplest auxiliary.
The next section defines auxiliary verbs and shows how they are built.
What Are Korean Auxiliary Verbs?
Korean auxiliary verbs are verbs that depend on a main verb instead of standing alone. They follow the main verb and add an extra meaning to it. Korean grammar calls them 보조 용언 (auxiliary predicates). In 열어 주다, the main verb 열다 ("open") says what happens, and the auxiliary 주다 adds "for someone". A main verb is the verb that carries the core action.
Most auxiliaries follow the same recipe. The main verb takes a connecting ending, -아 or -어, chosen by the last vowel of its stem, and the auxiliary comes next as a separate word: 먹어 보다, 열어 주다, 먹어 버리다. A few patterns use -고 instead, such as 가고 싶다 and 울고 말다. The auxiliary then takes the tense and the speech level, so the main verb stays the same in 먹어 봐요, 먹어 봤어요 and 먹어 보세요.
Two points about writing. The official spelling rules (한글 맞춤법, Article 47) say that an auxiliary is normally written as a separate word and may be joined in some cases, so 먹어 보다 and 먹어보다 are both accepted. Also, some auxiliaries are adjectives and not verbs: 싶다 ("want") and 만하다 ("worth") are auxiliary adjectives. This page still calls the whole group auxiliary verbs for simplicity. The wider area is described in Korean grammar. The next section gives a route through the lessons.
Where Should You Start with Korean Auxiliary Verbs?
Start with 보다, 주다 and 싶다, then add the finishing patterns, and end with the specialised ones. Three stages cover the set.
- Stage 1: the three everyday patterns (A1). Read -아/어 보다 try, -아/어 주다 do for and -고 싶다 want to.
- Stage 2: wishes of other people and finished actions (A2 to B1). Read -고 싶어 하다 third person, -아/어 버리다 finish regret, -아/어 놓다 -아/어 두다 and -고 말다 end up.
- Stage 3: direction, value, pretending and emotion (B1). Read -아/어 가다 -아/어 오다 continuing, -(으)ㄹ 만하다 worth, -(으)ㄴ 척하다 pretend and -아/어 하다 emotion verbs.
Who can skip ahead? A learner who already forms 먹어요 and 가요 correctly can start with stage 1 at once, because the vowel rule is the same as for the polite ending. Learners who want a broader view of wishes and plans can also read the neighbouring page on Korean want to grammar. The next section describes each lesson.
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Each published lesson below has a short description, one example sentence with Revised Romanization (RR, the official Latin spelling, shown only as an aid) and audio.
-아/어 보다 Try
The -아/어 보다 lesson teaches the pattern for trying something or having done it. It covers the vowel rule, the polite request 보세요 and the difference from -(으)ㄴ 적이 있다. Example: 김치를 먹어 봤어요. (gimchireul meogeo bwasseoyo.) "I tried kimchi." Spoken [김치를 머거 봐써요].
-아/어 주다 Do For
The -아/어 주다 lesson teaches how to do something for another person, from friendly requests to humble offers with 드리다. It includes the politeness ladder from 줘 to 주십시오. Example: 문 좀 열어 주세요. (mun jom yeoreo juseyo.) "Please open the door." Spoken [문 좀 여러 주세요].
-아/어 버리다 Finish Regret
The -아/어 버리다 lesson teaches how to say that an action is completely finished, often with relief or regret. It contrasts the pattern with plain past tense. Example: 다 먹어 버렸어요. (da meogeo beoryeosseoyo.) "I ate it all up." Spoken [다 머거 버려써요].
-고 싶다 Want To
The -고 싶다 lesson teaches how to say what you want to do, with a verb stem and the ending 싶다. It lives in the desire and wishes set, and it is the A1 lesson for wishes. Example: 한국에 가고 싶어요. (hanguge gago sipeoyo.) "I want to go to Korea." Spoken [한구게 가고 시퍼요].
-고 싶어 하다 Third Person
The -고 싶어 하다 lesson teaches how to report what another person wants. Korean grammar treats a speaker's own wish and another person's wish differently. Example: 동생이 한국에 가고 싶어 해요. (dongsaengi hanguge gago sipeo haeyo.) "My younger sibling wants to go to Korea." Spoken [동생이 한구게 가고 시퍼 해요].
-아/어 놓다 -아/어 두다
The -아/어 놓다 and -아/어 두다 lesson teaches how to do something in advance and leave the result in place. It covers the pair 놓다 and 두다 and the contrast with a state. Example: 불을 켜 놨어요. (bureul kyeo nwasseoyo.) "I left the light on." Spoken [부를 켜 놔써요].
-아/어 가다 -아/어 오다 Continuing
The -아/어 가다 and -아/어 오다 lesson teaches how to show that a change moves on into the future or has continued up to now. Example: 지금까지 한국어를 공부해 왔어요. (jigeumkkaji hangugeoreul gongbuhae wasseoyo.) "I have been studying Korean until now." Spoken [지금까지 한구거를 공부해 와써요].
-고 말다 End Up
The -고 말다 lesson teaches how to say that an action ended in a result the speaker did not plan or did not want. It compares the pattern with 버리다. Example: 결국 울고 말았어요. (gyeolguk ulgo marasseoyo.) "In the end I burst into tears." Spoken [결국 울고 마라써요].
-(으)ㄹ 만하다 Worth
The -(으)ㄹ 만하다 lesson teaches how to say that something is worth doing or good enough to do. It lives in the ability and possibility set. Example: 이 영화는 볼 만해요. (i yeonghwaneun bol manhaeyo.) "This movie is worth watching."
-(으)ㄴ 척하다 Pretend
The -(으)ㄴ 척하다 lesson teaches how to say that someone pretends to do or to be something. It also covers 체하다, a near-synonym that sounds slightly more bookish. Example: 자는 척했어요. (janeun cheokaesseoyo.) "I pretended to sleep." Spoken [자는 처캐써요].
-아/어 하다 Emotion Verbs
The -아/어 하다 lesson teaches how to turn an emotion adjective into a verb that describes what a person feels. It explains why 무섭다 becomes 무서워하다 and what changes in the particle. Example: 저는 개를 무서워해요. (jeoneun gaereul museowohaeyo.) "I am afraid of dogs."
The next section helps you choose a lesson for your own sentence.
Which Lesson Fits Your Sentence?
Match the sentence you want to say to the lesson in the table.
| If you want to say... | Open | Why |
|---|---|---|
| "I tried kimchi" | -아/어 보다 try | 보다 means try |
| "Please open the door" | -아/어 주다 do for | 주다 means for someone |
| "I ate it all up" | -아/어 버리다 finish regret | 버리다 shows a finished action |
| "I want to go" | -고 싶다 want to | 싶다 expresses a wish |
| "My sibling wants to go" | -고 싶어 하다 third person | the wish belongs to another person |
| "I left the light on" | -아/어 놓다 -아/어 두다 | 놓다 leaves a result in place |
| "I have been studying until now" | -아/어 가다 -아/어 오다 continuing | 오다 links the past to now |
| "I ended up crying" | -고 말다 end up | 말다 shows an unplanned result |
| "It is worth watching" | -(으)ㄹ 만하다 worth | 만하다 says it is worth it |
| "I pretended to sleep" | -(으)ㄴ 척하다 pretend | 척하다 means pretend |
| "I am afraid of dogs" | -아/어 하다 emotion verbs | -아/어 하다 makes a feeling into a verb |
The next section shows the most useful contrast in the set.
How Do Try, Experience and Plan Differ?
Three patterns can all be translated with "try", and each answers a different question. -아/어 보다 says you do or did something as a test. -(으)ㄴ 적이 있다 says you have had the experience. -(으)려고 하다 says you plan to do it.
| Pattern | Core meaning | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| -아/어 보다 | try doing | 김치를 먹어 봤어요. | I tried kimchi. |
| -(으)ㄴ 적이 있다 | have the experience | 김치를 먹은 적이 있어요. | I have eaten kimchi. |
| -(으)려고 하다 | plan to | 김치를 먹으려고 해요. | I plan to eat kimchi. |
The first two overlap in the past tense, and the third looks forward. The full comparison, with audio, is in -아/어 보다 try, -(으)ㄴ 적이 있다 experience and -(으)려고 하다. The next section lists the mistakes to avoid first.
Which Mistakes Come First?
Four mistakes appear in most beginner sentences in this area.
- Reading 보다 as "watch". Saying that 먹어 봐요 means "I watch eating" is wrong. In this pattern 보다 only adds "try".
- Using 주다 for a senior. Saying 선생님을 도와줘요 is not respectful. Say 선생님을 도와드려요.
- Using the wrong connecting vowel. Saying 앉어 봐요 is wrong. Say 앉아 봐요, because ㅏ takes 아.
- Writing the request as 봐세요. Saying 입어 봐세요 is wrong. Say 입어 보세요.
Each lesson in the set explains these in detail. The next section shows what the set leaves out.
What Does This Set Not Cover?
The Korean auxiliary verbs set covers patterns where a second verb adds meaning to a main verb. It does not cover the progressive -고 있다 (for example in the wearing verbs), the connectors that join clauses, or the full list of ability endings. Wishes and plans have their own set, described in Korean want to grammar, and three of its lessons are linked above because they use 싶다.
All Korean text and spoken forms on this page were machine-generated and reviewed and signed off by Min-ji Park on 15 October 2026. The next section shows how to practise.
How Do You Practise Korean Auxiliary Verbs?
Practise Korean auxiliary verbs by changing a plain verb into the pattern and checking the result against a key. A short routine works well across a week.
- Read one lesson and say its model sentences aloud with the audio.
- Write five plain sentences about your day, then add 보다, 주다 or 싶다 to each.
- Take the grammar quizzes to check the pattern.
- Review the forms with the grammar flashcard decks.
- Print a grammar worksheet and fill it in by hand.
- Check how a verb changes with the Korean verb conjugator.
Each published lesson ends with a practice set and an answer key, so you can check your work immediately. After finishing the set, continue to the other lessons in Korean grammar.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does -아/어 보다 mean? -아/어 보다 adds "try" to a verb: 먹어 보다 is "try eating" and 가 보다 is "go and see". In the past, 먹어 봤어요 usually means "I have tried it", close to an experience. It opens this set because it uses the same 아/어 vowel rule as the polite ending -아요/어요.
How do I say "want to" in Korean? Attach -고 싶다 to the verb stem. 가다 ("go") becomes 가고 싶어요, "I want to go". For another person, use -고 싶어 하다, as in 동생이 가고 싶어 해요, "My younger sibling wants to go". The lesson on -고 싶다 sits in the desire and wishes set, and this page links to it.
Which lesson in Korean auxiliary verbs should I read first? Start with -아/어 보다, which has the simplest meaning and the same vowel rule as -아요/어요. Then read -아/어 주다 for requests and offers, and -고 싶다 for wishes. These three are the most common in daily speech. The B1 lessons, such as 버리다 and 말다, can wait until those are secure.
What level are Korean auxiliary verbs? The set runs from A1 to B1. -아/어 보다, -아/어 주다 and -고 싶다 are A1. -고 싶어 하다 is A2. The rest, including -아/어 버리다, -아/어 놓다, -고 말다, -(으)ㄹ 만하다 and -(으)ㄴ 척하다, are B1. A learner who already forms the polite ending -아요/어요 is ready for the A1 lessons.