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

What you'll learn

• Attach -(으)려고 하다 to any verb stem, including ㄹ-stems and irregular verbs.
• Say "I intend to..." and "It is about to..." in polite Korean.
• Use the past form for "I was about to" and "I was trying to."
• Tell this ending apart from the purpose connector -(으)려고.
• Place the pattern on a scale from an open idea to a firm decision.

Before you start: you should know how to find a verb stem (drop 다 from the dictionary form) and the polite ending -아요/어요. If you have already met the connector -(으)려고 ("in order to"), keep it in mind, because this lesson shows how the two differ. Audio plays only when you press a button.

What Does -(으)려고 하다 Grammar Mean?

-(으)려고 하다 grammar means "intend to (do)" or "be about to (happen)." It joins a verb to the ending -(으)려고, which carries the idea of aiming at something, and then adds 하다 ("to do"). Together they say that the subject is aiming at an action, or that an event is leaning toward happening.

Here are the first two examples. The first gives an intention, and the second describes a moment that was about to come.

• 내일부터 운동하려고 해요. (naeilbuteo undongharyeogo haeyo.) [내일부터 운동하려고 해요] = "I intend to exercise from tomorrow."
• 막 출발하려고 했어요. (mak chulbalharyeogo haesseoyo.) [막 출발하려고 해써요] = "I was just about to set off."

In 운동하려고 해요, 운동하 is the stem of 운동하다 (to exercise), 려고 is the intention ending, and 해요 is the polite form of 하다. The pattern has two main senses. One is a plan or intention in the speaker's mind. The other is a moment that is about to arrive, which can describe things as well as people: 비가 오려고 해요 ("It is about to rain"). Next comes the mechanism that builds the pattern.

How Do You Form -(으)려고 하다?

-(으)려고 하다 is formed by dropping 다 from a verb and adding -려고 하다 after a vowel or ㄹ, or -으려고 하다 after a consonant. This is the same choice you make for -(으)면 ("if") and -(으)세요, so the stems you already know carry over.

The table applies one rule to six verbs. The next three parts look at each type of stem.

Stems Ending in a Vowel

A vowel stem takes -려고 하다 directly. 가다 becomes 가려고 하다, 배우다 becomes 배우려고 하다, and 하다 itself becomes 하려고 하다. Examples:

• 내년에 유학을 가려고 해요. (naenyeone yuhageul garyeogo haeyo.) [내녀네 유하글 가려고 해요] = "I intend to study abroad next year."
• 한국어를 배우려고 해요. (hangugeoreul baeuryeogo haeyo.) [한구거를 배우려고 해요] = "I intend to learn Korean."

Vowel stems are the simplest case. A stem with a final consonant needs one extra syllable.

Stems Ending in a Consonant

A consonant stem takes the linking vowel 으 before 려고: 먹다 becomes 먹으려고 하다, and 읽다 becomes 읽으려고 하다. The final consonant of the stem moves to the next syllable in speech, so 먹으려고 is pronounced [머그려고].

• 저녁에 불고기를 먹으려고 해요. (jeonyeoge bulgogireul meogeuryeogo haeyo.) [저녀게 불고기를 머그려고 해요] = "I intend to eat bulgogi this evening."
• 이번 달에 이 책을 읽으려고 해요. (ibeon dare i chaegeul ilgeuryeogo haeyo.) [이번 다레 이 채글 일그려고 해요] = "I intend to read this book this month."

Two more groups need a short note, because learners expect trouble with them.

Irregular Stems and Nouns

Irregular verbs follow the same stems as -(으)면. ㄹ-stems keep ㄹ and take -려고: 살다 becomes 살려고 하다, and 만들다 becomes 만들려고 하다. ㄷ-irregular stems change ㄷ to ㄹ before 으: 듣다 becomes 들으려고 하다. ㅂ-irregular stems turn ㅂ into 우: 돕다 becomes 도우려고 하다. 르-verbs keep 르 here, because 려고 starts with a consonant: 부르다 becomes 부르려고 하다.

• ㄹ-stem: 케이크를 만들려고 해요. (keikeureul mandeullyeogo haeyo.) = "I intend to make a cake."
• ㄷ-irregular: 이 노래를 들으려고 해요. (i noraereul deureuryeogo haeyo.) = "I intend to listen to this song."
• ㅂ-irregular: 동생을 도우려고 해요. (dongsaengeul douryeogo haeyo.) = "I intend to help my younger sibling."

Nouns do not take this pattern directly. To say you intend to become something, use 되다: 의사가 되려고 해요 ("I intend to become a doctor"). Adjectives are not used either, because you cannot aim at a state such as being tall. To aim at a change, use a verb: 건강해지려고 해요 ("I am trying to become healthy"). With the formation clear, one full sentence can be built step by step.

Worked Example: Building a Sentence with -(으)려고 하다

-(으)려고 하다 grammar works by turning a plain action into an intention. Follow the steps with the sentence "I learn Korean", turned into "I intend to learn Korean."

1. Start with the plain sentence. 저는 한국어를 배워요. (jeoneun hangugeoreul baewoyo.) = "I learn Korean." The verb is 배워요.
2. Find the dictionary form. 배워요 comes from 배우다 (to learn). The stem is 배우.
3. Check the ending of the stem. 우 is a vowel, so the ending is -려고 하다.
4. Add the ending. 배우 + 려고 하다 = 배우려고 하다.
5. Put the sentence in the polite style and rebuild it. Replace 하다 with 해요: 저는 한국어를 배우려고 해요. (jeoneun hangugeoreul baeuryeogo haeyo.) [저는 한구거를 배우려고 해요] = "I intend to learn Korean."

You will know it worked when the subject and the object stay in place and only the last word changes. The most common slip at this step is to start from the polite form (배워요려고 해요). Always work from the stem. The sentence now states an intention, and the next question is how it behaves across tenses and sentence types.

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

-(으)려고 하다 works in the present and past, in statements and in questions. The change always happens on 하다, the last word. The table shows the forms for 가다 in the polite style and beyond.

Unlike the "I'm thinking of" pattern, this one works with other people as the subject: 동생도 같이 가려고 해요 (dongsaengdo gachi garyeogo haeyo.) [동생도 가치 가려고 해요] = "My younger sibling intends to go too." Questions are natural, and the subject is "you": 이번 주말에 뭐 하려고 해요? asks "What do you intend to do this weekend?".

The past form has two readings. When the moment was close, it means "was about to": 막 출발하려고 했어요 ("I was just about to set off"). When the action met a problem, it means "was trying to": 문을 열려고 했는데 잠겨 있었어요 (muneul yeollyeogo haenneunde jamgyeo isseosseoyo.) [무늘 열려고 핸는데 잠겨 이써써요] = "I tried to open the door, but it was locked." In both cases, the sentence often suggests the action did not finish.

An event can also be the subject. 비가 오려고 해요 means "It is about to rain" or "It looks like rain is coming," and 해가 지려고 해요 means "The sun is about to set." The speaker sees signs that the event will start soon.

A command is not possible, because an intention belongs to the speaker. The most useful contrast for a learner is next to the neighbouring "thinking of" pattern.

How Is -(으)려고 하다 Different from -(으)ㄹ까 하다?

-(으)려고 하다 states an intention, while -(으)ㄹ까 하다 states an open idea. The first is firmer: you have more or less chosen. With the second you are still weighing options. The full rules for the open idea are on the page for -(으)ㄹ까 하다, and the side-by-side lesson is -(으)ㄹ까 하다 vs -(으)려고 하다.

A second neighbour is the connector -(으)려고, which means "in order to." It looks identical, because the pattern here is that connector plus 하다. The difference is what follows. With the connector, a different action verb follows, and the clause gives the purpose. With 하다, the sentence ends, and the clause is the intention itself.

If a different verb follows, you have the connector. If 하다 follows, you have the pattern in this lesson. These contrasts lead to the smaller variations of the pattern itself.

Variations and Edge Cases of -(으)려고 하다

-(으)려고 하다 has three common variations: a clipped ending, a linking form for suggestions and a written style. Each is short, and each appears in real conversation.

• The clipped ending -(으)려고요. In answers, speakers often drop 해요: 오늘은 일찍 자려고요. (oneureun iljjik jaryeogoyo.) [오느른 일찍 자려고요] = "I intend to sleep early today." The listener understands 하다 from the situation. This is a common reply to "Why?" or "What will you do?".
• Linking with -는데. 내일 가려고 하는데 같이 갈래요? means "I intend to go tomorrow. Do you want to come along?" The ending -는데 sets the scene and invites the listener to join.
• The written style -(으)려 하다. In essays and news, 려고 shortens to 려: 개선하려 한다 ("intends to improve"). Speech rarely drops 고.
• Honorific. For a respected subject, add -시-: 선생님도 오시려고 해요 ("The teacher also intends to come").
• Negative intention. 안 가려고 해요 means "I don't intend to go." The longer 가지 않으려고 해요 is more formal.

This lesson covers the short and polite forms used in daily life, not the full range of intention expressions. Decisions that are already made belong to different patterns. The mistakes below show where the boundary with other patterns causes real errors.

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

Learners most often confuse the pattern with the connector, attach it to an adjective, or put the tense on the wrong verb. Four mistakes appear again and again.

1. Confusing it with the connector. Learners read 사려고 해요 as "in order to buy." Actually, when 하다 closes the sentence, the clause is the intention. For purpose, a second action verb must follow: 사려고 가요.
2. Using it with an adjective. 예쁘려고 해요 is not natural. Use a verb of change, such as 예뻐지려고 해요 ("I am trying to become pretty").
3. Putting the past on the first verb. 갔으려고 해요 is wrong. The past marker goes on 하다: 가려고 했어요.
4. Using it for a command or suggestion. 가려고 하세요 cannot mean "please go." An intention cannot be an order. Use 가세요 or 갑시다.

A quick check for any sentence: Is there an action verb in the stem? Does 하다 close the sentence? Is the tense on 하다? If all three answers are yes, the sentence is sound.

The practice set below tests these points directly.

Practice and Answers

Try the four items before you read the answer key. Cover the answers with your hand.

1. Choose the form. Complete: 저는 올해 자전거를 ___. ("I intend to buy a bicycle this year.") (사려고 해요 / 사려고 가요)
2. Fix the error. A learner says 어제 영화를 보았으려고 해요 to mean "I was about to watch a movie yesterday." Correct it.
3. Translate. "What do you intend to eat?" Use 먹다 and the polite style.
4. Write your own. Write one sentence about something you intend to do this year, using -(으)려고 해요. Then change it to "I was about to..." in the past.

Answer key

1. 사려고 해요. The sentence states an intention, so 하다 closes it: 저는 올해 자전거를 사려고 해요. 사려고 가요 would need a place, as in 사려고 가게에 가요.
2. 어제 영화를 보려고 했어요. The verb keeps its plain stem (보) and the past goes on 하다 (했어요).
3. 뭐 먹으려고 해요? (mwo meogeuryeogo haeyo?) [뭐 머그려고 해요] = "What do you intend to eat?" The subject "you" is understood, and the stem 먹 takes 으려고.
4. Answers vary. Check that the verb stem comes before 려고 and the past form is 려고 했어요. An example: 올해 제주도에 가려고 해요 → 제주도에 가려고 했어요. (I was going to go to Jeju Island.)

If you can complete items 1 to 3 without the key, you can use the pattern in conversation. Next, the lesson hands off to related patterns.

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

After -(으)려고 하다 grammar, learn the open idea and the neighbouring connector. This lesson teaches the intention and "about to" senses and does not cover decisions already made or the purpose connector in depth. Those live on their own pages.

1. Start with -(으)ㄹ까 하다, which says "I'm thinking of."
2. Continue with -(으)려고, the connector that means "in order to."
3. Compare the pair side by side in -(으)ㄹ까 하다 vs -(으)려고 하다.
4. Return to Desire and Wishes to see every lesson in this set, or to the Beginner Grammar list for other A2 patterns.

With these steps, -(으)려고 하다 becomes automatic: take the verb stem, add 려고 해요, and keep the subject as a person or an event that is about to move.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does -(으)려고 하다 mean?

-(으)려고 하다 means "intend to" or "be about to." 내일부터 운동하려고 해요 means "I intend to exercise from tomorrow," and 비가 오려고 해요 means "It is about to rain." The first states a plan, and the second describes an event that is just starting.

How do I attach -(으)려고 하다 to a verb or adjective?

Drop 다 and add -려고 하다 after a vowel or ㄹ, or -으려고 하다 after a consonant: 가다 becomes 가려고 하다, 먹다 becomes 먹으려고 하다, and 살다 becomes 살려고 하다. It attaches to verbs only, not to adjectives, because adjectives describe states you cannot plan.

Can -(으)려고 하다 be used in the past tense?

Yes. The past goes on 하다: 나가려고 했어요 means "I was about to go out" or "I was going to go out." It often continues with a contrast, such as 열려고 했는데 잠겨 있었어요 ("I tried to open it, but it was locked"). The past form frequently suggests that the action did not happen.

Is -(으)려고 하다 used in speech or only in writing?

Both. In daily speech people say 가려고 해요 (polite), 가려고 해 (casual) or just 가려고요. Formal speech uses 가려고 합니다. In writing, the shorter 가려 한다 is common. The meaning stays the same, and only the speech level or the style changes.

What is the most common mistake with -(으)려고 하다?

The most common mistake is mixing it up with the connector -(으)려고, which means "in order to." 책을 사려고 해요 means "I intend to buy a book," while 책을 사려고 서점에 가요 means "I go to the bookstore to buy a book." The second has another action verb after it.