-(으)려고 Grammar in Korean: Meaning and How to Use It

What you'll learn

• Attach -(으)려고 to any verb stem, including ㄹ stems and irregular verbs.
• Keep the same subject in both clauses and avoid commands after it.
• Use -(으)려고 하다 to say "intend to" and "be about to".
• Choose between -(으)려고, -(으)러, -도록 and -기 위해(서).

Prerequisites: the polite ending -아요/어요 and the pattern -(으)러. Time: about 15 minutes.

Key facts

• -(으)려고 means "in order to" or "intending to". The first clause is the aim.
• Verb stem + 려고 after a vowel or ㄹ, and + 으려고 after a final consonant.
• The subject of both clauses is the same. The main clause cannot be a command or suggestion.
• No tense marker goes before 려고. The main verb carries the tense.
• It is common in everyday speech and in every politeness style.

Listen to two model sentences.

The next section defines the pattern.

What Does -(으)려고 Grammar Mean?

-(으)려고 means "in order to" or "intending to". A connective ending is a word ending that joins one clause to the next. This one tells the listener: "The first clause is my aim, and the second clause is what I do about it."

Where -(으)러 needs you to go or come, -(으)려고 does not. The main verb can be any action: study, save, exercise, wake up, call. The only rule is that the person with the aim is also the person who acts.

The ending also has a second meaning. In the form -(으)려고 하다 it means "to intend to" or "to be about to". 가려고 해요 can mean "I plan to go", and 비가 오려고 해요 means "It is about to rain". The variations section covers this.

The next section shows how to build the form.

How Do You Form -(으)려고?

Remove 다 from the dictionary form to get the stem, then add 려고 or 으려고. The stem is the verb without its dictionary ending -다. For 먹다 the stem is 먹. The choice depends on the last sound of the stem.

Two sound changes appear. A final consonant moves to the next syllable in speech, so 먹으려고 is said [머그려고]. In 취직하려고, the ㄱ of 직 meets the ㅎ of 하 and they merge into ㅋ, so it sounds like [취지카려고]. Revised Romanization (RR) writes this aspiration in verbs, so it is chwijikaryeogo.

Stems Ending in a Vowel

Vowel stems take 려고 directly: 가려고, 사려고, 배우려고. For verbs made with 하다, add 려고 to 하: 운동하려고, 공부하려고. You do not need to change 하 to 해.

Stems Ending in a Consonant

Consonant stems take 으려고: 먹으려고, 읽으려고, 앉으려고. The 으 is a helping vowel.

Stems Ending in ㄹ

A stem that ends in ㄹ takes 려고 with no 으: 만들려고, 살려고, 놀려고. Writing 만들으려고 is a common error.

Irregular Stems

Irregular stems follow the same rules as before -(으)면 or -(으)세요. A stem that ends in a consonant gets the helping vowel 으, and the irregular change happens in front of that vowel.

-(으)려고 attaches to action verbs. Adjectives and 이다 cannot take it. To express an aim about a state, make the state a verb with 아/어지다 ("become"): 건강해지려고 운동해요 means "I exercise to become healthy".

The next section builds a full sentence.

Worked Example: Building 선물을 사려고 시장에 갔어요

Say that you went to the market in order to buy a present. Follow five steps.

1. Write the aim. "I buy a present" is 선물을 사요. The verb is 사다, "buy".
2. Find the stem. The stem is 사. It ends in a vowel, so it takes 려고.
3. Add 려고. 사 + 려고 gives 사려고. Remove the polite ending 요, because it belongs to the main verb.
4. Write the action. "I went to the market" is 시장에 갔어요. The tense is on the main verb.
5. Join the two parts. 선물을 사려고 시장에 갔어요.

You'll know it worked when the first clause ends in 려고 with nothing after it, the same person does both actions, and the polite ending appears only on the last verb. Try the same steps with "I got up early in order to study": 공부하려고 일찍 일어났어요.

The next section covers tense and sentence types.

Which Tenses and Sentence Types Work with -(으)려고?

Tense in Korean is shown on the verb. For -(으)려고, put the tense on the main verb at the end, not in the aim clause.

The last row is the most important rule. -(으)려고 shares the speaker's own aim, so the main clause is a statement or a question. If you want to tell someone to do something for an aim, use -기 위해(서): 한국어를 배우기 위해 학원에 다니세요.

Yes/no questions end with a rise: 선물을 사려고 시장에 갔어요? A wh-question puts the stress on the question word and often ends with a fall or a rise-fall rather than a sharp rise: 뭐 하려고 일찍 왔어요?

The next section compares -(으)려고 with its neighbours.

How Is -(으)려고 Different from -(으)러?

Both can be translated as "to" or "in order to". The difference is the main verb. -(으)러 needs a movement verb. -(으)려고 can be followed by any action.

Tell the same facts with each ending. The facts are "I turn off the light" and "The child sleeps".

• 아이를 재우려고 불을 껐어요. Here I am the one who puts the child to sleep. I do both: I turn off the light and I make the child sleep (재우다). The subject is the same.
• 아이가 잘 수 있도록 불을 껐어요. Here the child does the sleeping. The subjects differ, so only -도록 works.

The deciding question is who does what. If the same person has the aim and does the action, -(으)려고 fits. If another person is the one who benefits, use -도록. If the main verb is "go" or "come", -(으)러 is also possible: 먹으러 갔어요 and 먹으려고 갔어요 both mean "I went to eat". For a formal tone, or for commands, use -기 위해(서).

For detailed side-by-sides with practice, see -(으)려고 vs -(으)러 and -(으)려고 vs -도록.

The next section covers meanings and edge cases.

Variations and Edge Cases of -(으)려고

-(으)려고 하다: Intend To

Add 하다 and you get "I intend to" or "I am planning to". 내일 일찍 일어나려고 해요 means "I plan to get up early tomorrow". The past is 일어나려고 했어요 ("I was going to get up early"). With 는데, it often introduces a plan that failed: 가려고 했는데 비가 와서 안 갔어요 ("I was going to go, but it rained, so I did not").

-(으)려고 하다: Be about To

With things that are changing by themselves, the same form means "about to". 비가 오려고 해요 means "It looks like rain" or "It is about to rain". 지하철을 타려고 하는데 문이 닫혔어요 means "I was about to board the subway, but the doors closed".

The Short Form -(으)려

In writing and in formal speech, 려고 is sometimes shortened to 려: 가려 하다, 먹으려 하다. The meaning is the same. In everyday conversation, 려고 is normal.

The Question 뭐 하려고요?

뭐 하려고요? asks about someone's intention. It means "What are you going to do with that?" or "What for?" It is a short, spoken way to ask for a reason. Because it is a wh-question, the stress falls on 뭐, and the end often falls or rises and falls.

Aim before a Negative

You can say what you do not want to do: 늦지 않으려고 택시를 탔어요 means "I took a taxi so as not to be late". The negative goes before the ending, with -지 않으려고.

Movement Verbs with 려고

Because -(으)려고 allows any verb, it can also precede 가다 or 오다: 먹으려고 갔어요. It gives the aim an emphasis on the plan rather than on the trip.

The next section lists the mistakes that appear most often.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with -(으)려고?

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

Learners often put a command or suggestion in the main clause. Actually the aim is the speaker's own. Wrong: 한국어를 배우려고 학원에 다니세요. Right: 한국어를 배우기 위해 학원에 다니세요. Fix: if you want to tell someone to act for an aim, use -기 위해(서).

Learners often give the two clauses different subjects. Wrong: 아이가 자려고 제가 불을 껐어요. Right: 아이가 잘 수 있도록 제가 불을 껐어요. Fix: ask whether the same person has the aim and does the action. If not, use -도록.

Learners often put a tense before 려고. Wrong: 먹었으려고 식당에 갔어요. Right: 먹으려고 식당에 갔어요. Fix: the tense belongs on the main verb only.

Learners often get the helping vowel wrong. Wrong: 먹려고 and 만들으려고. Right: 먹으려고 and 만들려고. Fix: check the last sound of the stem. A consonant takes 으려고, and a vowel or ㄹ takes 려고.

Learners often attach it to an adjective. Wrong: 예쁘려고 화장해요. Right: 예뻐 보이려고 화장해요 ("I wear makeup to look pretty"). Fix: use a verb. 보이다 is a verb, so it can take 려고.

The next section gives you practice.

Practice and Answers

Do the four tasks, then compare with the key.

Task 1: join the sentences with -(으)려고. Write one sentence for each pair.

1. 한국어를 배워요. / 학원에 다녀요.
2. 여행을 가요. / 돈을 모아요.
3. 건강해져요. / 매일 걸어요.
4. 시험에 합격해요. / 열심히 공부해요.

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

1. 책을 읽려고 도서관에 갔어요.
2. 점심을 먹었으려고 식당에 갔어요.
3. 건강해지려고 운동하세요.

Task 3: translate. Write in Korean: "I was going to call you, but I forgot." and "I exercise to be healthy."

Task 4: write your own. Write one sentence that says why you study Korean, and one sentence that says what you do to save money.

Answer key

1. (1) 한국어를 배우려고 학원에 다녀요. (2) 여행을 가려고 돈을 모아요. (3) 건강해지려고 매일 걸어요. (4) 시험에 합격하려고 열심히 공부해요.
2. (1) 책을 읽으려고 도서관에 갔어요. (2) 점심을 먹으려고 식당에 갔어요. (3) 건강해지기 위해 운동하세요.
3. 전화하려고 했는데 잊어버렸어요. 건강해지려고 운동해요. Other correct versions exist.
4. Sample answers: 한국 드라마를 이해하려고 한국어를 공부해요. 돈을 아끼려고 도시락을 싸요. Any sentence is correct if the same person has the aim and does the action.

If task 1 was correct, you have the formation rule. If task 2 was hard, check each stem for its final sound and whether you used a command. The next section points you to what comes after this lesson.

What Should You Learn after -(으)려고 Grammar?

After -(으)려고, learn -도록 for aims that involve another person, and -기 위해(서) for the formal "in order to". If you still mix it up with the movement pattern, review -(으)러. A related pattern, -(으)려면, turns the aim into a condition: "if you want to...".

For a wider view, the parent page Purpose and Intention lists every connector in this group. To plan by level, use Beginner Grammar. The ending 기 in -기 위해(서) is explained on the page for the -기 nominalizer.

This lesson covers -(으)려고 in the polite, casual and formal styles. It does not cover every written variation. About this page. Last updated 2026-10-09. Revised Romanization follows the national rules and is shown only as a learning aid.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does -(으)려고 Mean?

-(으)려고 means "in order to" or "intending to". The first clause names the aim, and the main clause names what the speaker does to reach it. 한국어를 배우려고 학원에 다녀요 means "I attend an academy in order to learn Korean." The same person does both things.

How Do I Attach -(으)려고 to a Verb?

Take the stem, which is the dictionary form without 다. After a vowel or ㄹ, add 려고: 배우려고, 만들려고. After a consonant, add 으려고: 먹으려고, 읽으려고. Irregular stems change as before any ending with 으: 듣다 gives 들으려고, and 돕다 gives 도우려고. Adjectives and 이다 do not take it.

Can -(으)려고 Be Used in the past Tense?

Not inside the -(으)려고 clause, so 먹었으려고 is wrong. Put the tense on the main verb: 살을 빼려고 운동했어요 means "I exercised to lose weight." For a plan that did not happen, use -(으)려고 했는데: 가려고 했는데 못 갔어요 means "I meant to go, but I could not."

Is -(으)려고 Used in Speech or Only in Writing?

It is used in both, and it is one of the most common purpose patterns in conversation. You will hear 뭐 하려고요? and 사려고 왔어요 daily. It works in every politeness style, because the last verb sets the level. For commands, requests and formal writing, -기 위해(서) is the better choice.

What Is the Most Common Mistake with -(으)려고?

The most common mistake is putting a command or suggestion in the main clause. 한국어를 배우려고 학원에 다니세요 sounds wrong, because -(으)려고 describes the speaker's own aim. Use -기 위해(서) for a command, or a different structure. Another frequent mistake is using different subjects in the two clauses.

What Is the Difference between -(으)려고 and -(으)러?

-(으)러 only works before movement verbs such as 가다 and 오다: 사러 가요. -(으)려고 works before any action: 사려고 돈을 모아요. Before 가다 or 오다 both are possible. -(으)려고 also means "to be about to" in the form -(으)려고 하다, which -(으)러 never does.

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