Korean Want to Grammar: Patterns, Rules and Examples

Listen to the simplest pattern in the set.

The next section defines the topic and explains how the patterns differ.

What Are the Korean Want to Grammar Patterns?

Korean want to grammar is a group of sentence endings that tell the listener what the speaker wants, hopes for, plans or has just decided. A sentence ending is the part at the end of a Korean sentence that carries the mood. English uses separate words such as "want," "hope" and "plan." Korean attaches an ending to the verb stem instead, so 가다 ("to go") can become 가고 싶어요, 갔으면 좋겠어요 or 갈 생각이에요.

The eleven patterns answer different questions:

• Do I want it myself? Use -고 싶다. Does someone else want it? Use -고 싶어 하다.
• Do I hope something happens? Use -았/었으면 좋겠다, -았/었으면 하다 or -기를 바라다.
• Do I plan to do it? Use -(으)ㄹ 생각이다, -(으)려고 하다, -(으)ㄹ 셈이다 or -(으)ㄹ까 하다 for an idea that is still open.
• Have I just decided? Use -아/어야겠다, or -(으)려던 참이다 for "I was just about to."

The sections below explain where to begin and then describe each lesson.

Which Pattern Should You Learn First?

Learn -고 싶다 first, then -고 싶어 하다, then the B1 patterns in the order that matches your needs. -고 싶다 is the only A1 pattern. It attaches to a verb stem with no change, and 가고 싶어요 is useful from the first day of conversation.

A learner who already uses -고 싶다 comfortably can skip to the B1 group. A learner who needs a general view of the grammar areas can start from Korean Grammar or the Beginner Grammar list. The next section describes each lesson.

The Patterns, Grouped by Level

Each lesson below has a short description and one example sentence with Revised Romanization (RR, the official Latin spelling, shown only as an aid) and audio.

Beginner Patterns (A1 and A2)

-고 싶다 (want to) teaches the speaker's own wish. It attaches to a verb stem, and the third person needs a different form. Example: 저는 한국에 가고 싶어요. (jeoneun hanguge gago sipeoyo.) "I want to go to Korea."

-고 싶어 하다 ((someone else) wants to) reports what another person wants. It is the third-person partner of -고 싶다. Example: 동생은 한국에 가고 싶어 해요. (dongsaengeun hanguge gago sipeo haeyo.) "My younger sibling wants to go to Korea."

-(으)려고 하다 (intend to; be about to) states an intention, or an action that is about to start. Example: 내일 일찍 일어나려고 해요. (naeil iljjik ireonaryeogo haeyo.) "I intend to get up early tomorrow."

Intermediate Patterns (B1)

-았/었으면 좋겠다 (I wish / I hope that) expresses a wish about a situation that has not happened yet. The subject can be anyone. Example: 비가 그쳤으면 좋겠어요. (biga geuchyeosseumyeon jokesseoyo.) "I hope the rain stops."

-기를 바라다 (hope that, wish that) is the careful, often written way to say "I hope." It is common in greetings and letters. Example: 건강하시기를 바랍니다. (geonganghasigireul baramnida.) "I hope you stay healthy."

-(으)ㄹ까 하다 (I'm thinking of) shares an idea that is still open and may change. Example: 주말에 영화를 볼까 해요. (jumare yeonghwareul bolkka haeyo.) "I'm thinking of watching a movie this weekend."

-(으)ㄹ 생각이다 (plan to, intend to) states a plan that has been thought out. It is more definite than -(으)ㄹ까 하다. Example: 내년에 한국에 갈 생각이에요. (naenyeone hanguge gal saenggagieyo.) "I plan to go to Korea next year."

-아/어야겠다 (I must, I need to) announces a decision made at the moment of speaking, often after noticing a need. Example: 이제 가야겠어요. (ije gayagesseoyo.) "I should go now."

Advanced Patterns (B2)

-았/었으면 하다 (I'd like it if). Example: 비가 그쳤으면 해요. (biga geuchyeosseumyeon haeyo.) "I would like the rain to stop."

-(으)ㄹ 셈이다 (as good as; plan to). Example: 내년에는 한국에서 살 셈이에요. (naenyeoneneun hangugeseo sal semieyo.) "I mean to live in Korea next year."

-(으)려던 참이다 (I was just about to). Example: 지금 막 전화하려던 참이에요. (jigeum mak jeonhwaharyeodeon chamieyo.) "I was just about to call you."

How Do You Choose between Look-Alike Patterns?

Choose by asking who feels it, how certain it is and whether it is a feeling or a decision. Three pairs cause the most trouble.

• -고 싶다 and -아/어야겠다. Both can appear in a sentence about going home. 집에 가고 싶어요 says that you want to go, and 집에 가야겠어요 says that you have decided to go because you noticed a need. The first is a feeling, and the second is a decision.
• -(으)ㄹ까 하다 and -(으)ㄹ 생각이다. 볼까 해요 leaves the plan open, and 볼 생각이에요 treats it as settled.
• -았/었으면 좋겠다 and -기를 바라다. Both express a hope. 좋겠다 is the everyday spoken choice, and 바라다 is the careful wording of greetings, letters and speeches.

A quick rule: your own wish uses -고 싶다, anything else you hope for uses a 좋겠다 or 바라다 pattern, and anything you will do uses a plan pattern. Each lesson ends with a short comparison that shows the contrast on real sentences.

Where Can You Practise?

Every published lesson ends with a practice set and an answer key, and every example has an audio button. A good routine is to read one lesson, say its example sentences aloud and then write two sentences of your own about this week. Small steps work best: finish -고 싶다 before you move on to -고 싶어 하다, and finish the B1 group in the order that you need it.

What Does This Section Not Cover?

This section covers sentence endings for wanting, hoping, planning and deciding. It does not cover particles, tenses, negation, speech levels, modifiers, nominalizers or auxiliary verbs. Those live in their own grammar sections. For helper verbs such as -아/어 보다 and -아/어 주다, see korean auxiliary verbs. The parent page Korean Sentence Endings lists the other families of endings.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many patterns does this set include?

The set has 11 patterns, each with its own lesson. The A1 to B1 ones cover wanting (-고 싶다), someone else wanting (-고 싶어 하다), hoping (-았/었으면 좋겠다, -기를 바라다), thinking of doing (-(으)ㄹ까 하다), planning (-(으)ㄹ 생각이다, -(으)려고 하다) and deciding (-아/어야겠다); the three B2 lessons add -았/었으면 하다, -(으)ㄹ 셈이다 and -(으)려던 참이다.

Which pattern should I learn first?

Learn -고 싶다 first. It is the only A1 pattern in the set, it attaches to a verb stem without changes, and 가고 싶어요 ("I want to go") works in daily life at once. Then learn -고 싶어 하다 for other people, and move to the B1 patterns for hopes and plans.

How do I know which pattern fits my sentence?

Ask what you mean. Your own wish is -고 싶다. Another person's wish is -고 싶어 하다. A hope about a situation is -았/었으면 좋겠다. An idea that is still open is -(으)ㄹ까 하다. A firm plan is -(으)ㄹ 생각이다. A decision made right now is -아/어야겠다.

Are these patterns on the TOPIK exam?

The A1 and A2 patterns are part of everyday beginner Korean and fit TOPIK I. The B1 and B2 patterns, such as -았/었으면 좋겠다 and -(으)ㄹ 생각이다, belong to TOPIK II reading and writing. The levels on this page are editorial estimates, so check your own syllabus when you prepare for an exam.

Where are the comparison pages?

Side-by-side lessons sit in the grammar comparisons section. For this set, start with -고 싶다 vs -고 싶어 하다, which compares the speaker's wish with another person's wish. The individual lessons also each contain a short contrast with their nearest look-alike pattern.