-고 말다 End up: Meaning, Rules and Examples

What you'll learn

• Build -고 말다 on any action verb, with no vowel change.
• Say that something happened against your wish, and say that you will do something at all costs.
• Choose between -고 말다, -아/어 버리다 and the plain past.
• Avoid the common mistakes, such as using it for a welcome, planned result.

Prerequisites: the lesson on -아/어 가다 -아/어 오다 continuing, and the polite past ending in past tense -았/었-. Time: about 15 minutes.

Key facts

• -고 말다 is an auxiliary construction: the main verb comes first, then 고, then 말다.
• Unlike -아/어 버리다 and the other -아/어 patterns, it needs no 아 or 어, so there is no vowel rule.
• The usual meaning is an unintended or unwanted result: "I ended up doing it".
• It appears most often in the past, as -고 말았어요.
• In the future, -고 말겠어요 and -고 말 거예요 show firm resolve.

Listen to the two model sentences for this lesson.

The next section defines the pattern and shows what it means.

What Does -고 말다 End up Mean?

-고 말다 means that an action ended in a result that the speaker did not plan or want. An auxiliary verb is a verb that follows a main verb and adds a meaning of its own. In 울고 말다, the main verb is 울다 ("cry") and the auxiliary is 말다.

The ordinary meaning of 말다 is "to stop" or "to give up doing". That sense is why the pattern feels final: the action reached its end, and you could not hold it back. English often says "end up", "wind up" or "in the end I did".

The pattern has two uses, and tense tells them apart.

• An unwanted result (past). Something happened that you wished had not: 넘어지고 말았어요 means "I ended up falling over".
• A firm resolve (future). You promise yourself or others that you will do it however hard it is: 꼭 성공하고 말겠어요 means "I will succeed, whatever it takes".

A First Example

Here are two sentences. The first shows a feeling that burst out, and the second shows a mistake.

In both sentences 말았어요 is the polite past of 말다. The speaker did not want either result. The next section shows how the pattern is formed.

How Does -고 말다 End up Work?

The rule has two steps: attach 고 to the stem of the main verb, then add 말다 and conjugate it. The stem is the verb without its dictionary ending -다. For 울다 the stem is 울.

1. Take the stem. 울다 gives 울, 잊다 gives 잊, 넘어지다 gives 넘어지.
2. Add 고. Nothing changes in the stem, whatever the vowel. There is no choice between 아 and 어.
3. Add the auxiliary 말다 and conjugate it. 말았어요 (polite past), 말았다 (plain past), 말겠어요 (resolve).

Pattern Table

Two points explain most of the table. First, the connector 고 is the same one that links two actions, as in 먹고 가요, and it never changes. Second, a final consonant before 고 follows the usual sound rules: 잊고 is said [읻꼬] and 먹고 is said [먹꼬], with a tense ㄱ.

How Does 말다 Change?

Only 말다 changes with tense and speech level. The main verb stays as 울고. The verb 말다 loses its ㄹ before ㄴ, ㅂ and ㅅ, but keeps it before 아 and 어, so it behaves like other ㄹ verbs.

The resolve forms, such as 말겠어요, are not natural with 울다, because nobody plans to cry. They are covered in a later section. Revised Romanization writes the formal 말았습니다 as maratseumnida.

The next section builds one sentence from scratch.

Worked Example: Building 결국 울고 말았어요

To say that you cried in the end although you tried not to, start from the dictionary verb and add the pattern in five steps.

1. Pick the main verb. "Cry" is 울다.
2. Take the stem. The stem is 울.
3. Add 고. 울고 links the verb to the auxiliary. There is no vowel choice.
4. Add the auxiliary 말다 in the polite past. 말았어요 gives 울고 말았어요.
5. Add a time word that supports the meaning. 결국 ("in the end") makes the idea of a result clear. The result is 결국 울고 말았어요.

You'll know it worked when the verb pair ends in 말았어요, 울고 stands directly before it, and no 아 or 어 appears between them. The same steps give 경기에서 지고 말았어요 ("I ended up losing the game") and 화를 내고 말았어요 ("I ended up losing my temper").

Three adverbs often appear with the pattern. 결국 means "in the end" and looks back at a result. 끝내 means "finally" and often suggests that something did not go as hoped. 그만 means "without meaning to": 그만 웃고 말았어요 ("I laughed before I could stop myself"). You can use the pattern without them, but they make the feeling clear.

In a question, the pattern asks about a result that surprised the speaker. 왜 울고 말았어요? means "Why did you end up crying?" The question word 왜 carries the prominence, and the sentence often ends with a fall or a rise-fall. A yes/no question such as 결국 울고 말았어요? ends with a rise.

The next section compares the pattern with the forms learners confuse it with.

How Is -고 말다 Different from Similar Forms?

Three ways of telling the same event are close. The plain past gives a fact. -아/어 버리다 finish regret adds completion and a feeling, which may be regret or relief. -고 말다 stresses that the result was not wanted.

The key difference is intention. With -아/어 버리다 the speaker may have wanted the result, and 다 먹어 버렸어요 can sound pleased. With -고 말다 the result goes against a plan, so the speaker has lost some control. 약속을 잊고 말았어요 is a mistake. 약속을 잊어버렸어요 says much the same thing, with less stress on the loss of control.

The Other 말다: -지 말다

The verb 말다 also appears in the prohibition -지 마세요, where it means "stop" or "do not": 울지 마세요 means "Please do not cry". The two patterns look alike but differ in form.

Compare the connector (고 or 지) and the ending (말았어요 or 마세요). The prohibition is taught in -지 마세요 don't. Note that 말다 shortens to 마- before 세요, but it stays 말- before 아요/어요 in the auxiliary use.

The next section explains the second use of the pattern: resolve.

How Does -고 말다 Express Resolve?

In the future, -고 말다 changes character. Instead of an unwanted result, it says that you will reach a goal whatever the cost. The usual forms are -고 말겠어요 and -고 말 거예요, and the adverb 꼭 ("surely") often comes before them.

The spoken form of the second example is [이버네는 꼭 합껴카고 말꺼예요], with a tense consonant after -(으)ㄹ. The formal form 말겠습니다 is written getseumnida in Revised Romanization: malgetseumnida.

This use sounds strong and a little dramatic. You hear it in speeches, on sports shows and in dramas when a character makes a vow. In everyday plans, people usually say 꼭 할 거예요 or 꼭 해 볼게요, which are calmer. Use the resolve form when you really want to sound determined.

Present Tense and Writing

The present form -고 만다 exists, but it is mostly a written style, found in stories and news about repeated outcomes: 끝내 포기하고 만다 ("In the end he gives up"). In speech, people use the past form for single events and the plain present for habits. The pattern is common in diaries, where the past -고 말았다 is the plain written form.

When the Pattern Does Not Fit

Skip -고 말다 in three situations. First, when the result is welcome and planned, such as passing a test you studied for: use the plain past. Second, with adjectives and states, because the pattern needs an action. Third, for repeated habits in speech, where the simple present is more natural.

What this lesson does not cover. The pattern for something worth doing (-(으)ㄹ 만하다) and the progressive -고 있다 have their own lessons. The related pages are -(으)ㄹ 만하다 worth and progressive -고 있다.

An honest limit. Whether a result is "unwanted" depends on the speaker, so the same event can take either -고 말다 or the plain past. If you are unsure, use the plain past, which is always correct.

The next section lists the errors that appear most often.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with -고 말다?

Learners make five predictable mistakes. Each has a reason and a fix.

Learners often assume the pattern follows the vowel rule. Actually there is no 아 or 어. Wrong: 울어 말았어요. Right: 울고 말았어요. Fix: use 고 after the stem every time.

Learners often use the pattern for a welcome, planned result. Actually it suggests the result was not intended. 숙제를 끝내고 말았어요 sounds as if you were pushed into finishing. Right, for a plain report: 숙제를 끝냈어요. Fix: ask whether the speaker wanted the result.

Learners often mix up -고 말다 with -지 말다. Actually the first reports a result and the second forbids an action. 가고 말았어요 means "I ended up going". 가지 마세요 means "Please do not go". Fix: look at the connector, 고 or 지.

Learners often read 고 as "and then". Actually in this pattern 고 is a fixed link. 먹고 갔어요 means "I ate and then left". 먹고 말았어요 means "I ended up eating". Fix: check whether the second verb is 말다.

Learners often use the resolve form for ordinary plans. Actually it sounds theatrical. 내일 청소하고 말겠어요 would sound like a vow to clean. Right: 내일 청소할 거예요. Fix: keep the resolve form for goals that need real effort.

Practice puts these rules into your own sentences, as the next section shows.

Practice and Answers

Complete the four tasks, then compare your answers with the key.

Task 1: add 고 말았어요. Write the full form for each verb.

1. 울다
2. 넘어지다
3. 잊다
4. 자다

Task 2: fix the error. Each sentence has one mistake. Rewrite it correctly.

1. 울어 말았어요.
2. 계획대로 숙제를 끝내고 말았어요. (the speaker is happy and wants a plain report)
3. 약속을 잊어 말았어요.

Task 3: translate. Write in Korean: "I ended up falling asleep." and "I will definitely pass."

Task 4: write your own. Write one sentence about a small mistake you made, and one about a goal you are determined to reach.

Answer key

1. (1) 울고 말았어요 (2) 넘어지고 말았어요 (3) 잊고 말았어요 (4) 자고 말았어요
2. (1) 울고 말았어요. (2) 숙제를 끝냈어요. (3) 약속을 잊고 말았어요.
3. 잠들고 말았어요. 꼭 합격하고 말겠어요.
4. Sample answers: 친구에게 화를 내고 말았어요. ("I ended up getting angry at my friend.") 올해는 꼭 한국어를 마스터하고 말겠어요. ("This year I will master Korean, whatever it takes.") Any action verb is correct if 고 follows the stem and 말다 follows 고.

If task 1 was correct, you have the form. If task 2 was hard, return to the comparison table and ask whether the speaker wanted the result. The next section points you to what comes after this lesson.

What Should You Learn after -고 말다 End Up?

After -고 말다 end up, learn -(으)ㄹ 만하다 worth, which says that something is worth doing. If the difference from -아/어 버리다 is still unclear, read -아/어 버리다 finish regret again and compare the tables. To practise the vowel rule that this pattern does not need, return to -아/어 보다 try.

For a wider view, the parent page Korean auxiliary verbs lists every lesson in learning order.

This lesson covers -고 말다 in the past and future forms. It does not cover every written-style ending. About this page. Last updated 2026-10-09. The Korean text and spoken forms on this page were machine-generated and reviewed and signed off by Min-ji Park on 15 October 2026. Romanization follows the Revised Romanization of Korean and is shown only as a learning aid.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does -고 말다 Mean?

-고 말다 means "to end up doing" something. It marks a result that came about against the speaker's wish or plan, usually with regret. 결국 울고 말았어요 means "In the end I cried", and 약속을 잊고 말았어요 means "I ended up forgetting the appointment". In the future form it shows firm resolve.

How Do I Form -고 말다?

Take the verb stem, add 고, and then write 말다 as the next word. There is no choice between 아 and 어. 울다 becomes 울고 말다, 잊다 becomes 잊고 말다, and 넘어지다 becomes 넘어지고 말다. Conjugate 말다 for tense: 말았어요 in the polite past, and 말았습니다 in formal speech.

What Is the Most Common Mistake with -고 말다?

The most common mistake is using -고 말다 for a planned, welcome result. 숙제를 끝내고 말았어요 suggests that you did not mean to finish, or that finishing felt like giving in. For a plain report, use 숙제를 끝냈어요. A second mistake is adding 아 or 어, as in 울어 말았어요.

How Is -고 말다 Different from -아/어 버리다?

Both mark a result with feeling. -고 말다 is for something you did not intend, so it nearly always carries regret. -아/어 버리다 is wider: the same result can bring regret, relief or a firm decision. 울고 말았어요 means "I ended up crying", while 울어 버렸어요 can mean "I cried it all out".

Do I Use -고 말다 in Speech, Writing or Both?

Both, but mostly in the past. 울고 말았어요 and 늦잠을 자고 말았어요 are common in speech and in diaries. In stories and news you may also see the present form -고 만다, as in 끝내 울고 만다. The resolve forms 꼭 해내고 말겠어요 appear in speeches and in dramas more than in daily talk.

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