Key Facts
- Hangul: 바라다 (barada)
- Meaning: to hope
- Level: B1
- Part of speech: verb
- Stem: 바라
- Conjugation class: regular
- Grammar: What is hoped for takes 을/를, as in 성공을 바라다.
- Usage: Often appears as -기를 바라다 and in the formal closing 바랍니다 on notices. In speech 좋겠어요 is also common for hopes.
What Does 바라다 Mean?
The first sense is hoping: 행복을 바라다 is to hope for happiness. The second is wanting or expecting something from a person, as in 도움을 바라다. What is hoped for takes 을/를, and in full sentences it often appears as -기를 바라다.
On notices and in closings, the formal 바랍니다 is common. In speech people often prefer 좋겠어요 for a hope.
Senses:
- to hope: Wish for something to happen, as in 행복을 바라다.
- to expect or want from someone: Ask for or expect something, as in 도움을 바라다.
How Do You Pronounce 바라다?
바라다 is read as written. In the polite form 바라요, the 아 of the ending merges into the ㅏ of the stem, so no extra syllable appears. You may hear the nonstandard form 바래요 in conversation; it does not follow the standard 바라- conjugation.
How Do You Use 바라다 in a Sentence?
부모님은 우리가 행복하기를 바라요.
My parents hope that we are happy.
The clause 우리가 행복하기를 turns a wish into a noun phrase, and 바라요 states the hope. It is the typical -기를 바라다 pattern.
저는 그 사람이 건강하기를 바랐어요.
I hoped that person would be healthy.
바랐어요 is the past. The sentence says the speaker hoped that someone would be healthy.
비가 그치기를 바라서 우산을 안 가져왔어요.
I hoped the rain would stop, so I did not bring an umbrella.
비가 그치기를 바라서 gives the reason; the speaker hoped for the rain to stop, so there was no umbrella.
How Does Barada Conjugation Work?
The stem 바라 ends in ㅏ, and a stem that ends in the same vowel as the ending contracts: 바라 + 아요 gives 바라요. The past 바랐어요 follows the same contraction. There is no irregularity.
바라다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 바라요 | ||
| Polite past | 바랐어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 바랄 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 바라겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 바랍니다 | ||
| Formal past | 바랐습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 바랄 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 바라 | ||
| Casual past | 바랐어 | ||
| Casual future | 바랄 거야 | ||
| Want to (polite) | 바라고 싶어요 | ||
| Honorific polite | 바라세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 바라서 | ||
| If (conditional) | 바라면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 바라는 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 바란 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 바랄 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 안 바라요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 바라지 않아요 |
Sound Changes
| Form | Korean | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Polite past | 바랐어요 | [바라써요] |
| Polite future | 바랄 거예요 | [바랄꺼예요] |
| Polite future guess | 바라겠어요 | [바라게써요] |
| Formal present | 바랍니다 | [바람니다] |
| Formal past | 바랐습니다 | [바랃씀니다] |
| Formal future | 바랄 것입니다 | [바랄꺼심니다] |
| Casual past | 바랐어 | [바라써] |
| Casual future | 바랄 거야 | [바랄꺼야] |
| Want to (polite) | 바라고 싶어요 | [바라고 시퍼요] |
| Long negative | 바라지 않아요 | [바라지 아나요] |
Common Mistake
Wrong: ✗ 내일 비가 안 오기를 바래요 (a common casual spelling in messages, but not the standard form)
Correct: ✓ 내일 비가 안 오기를 바라요
Why: 바래요 reflects a widespread nonstandard form and is common in casual messages. The standard form is 바라요, because the stem is 바라-, and standard writing and exams expect it.
Where Does 바라다 Turn up in Practice?
It is most natural in the pattern -기를 바라다, where the hope is a whole clause: 행복하기를, 건강하기를, 비가 그치기를. The same word is behind the closing 바랍니다 on notices and forms.
꿈꾸다 (to dream) and 기대하다 (to look forward to) are the neighbouring verbs: one for long-term dreams, one for looking ahead to an event.
What Is Easy to Confuse with 바라다?
| Word | How to tell it from 바라다 |
|---|---|
| 희망하다 | 희망하다 is more formal and often used for requests in applications; 바라다 is the everyday word for wishing. |
| 원하다 | 원하다 is wanting something for yourself, while 바라다 leans toward hoping that something will happen. |
Wishing a Friend Well before an Exam
Two friends are talking before an important exam. The first hopes for a good result; the second remembers how the friend supported them last time.
Jisu
좋은 결과를 바라요.
Joeun gyeolgwareul barayo.
I hope you get a good result.
Minho
고마워요. 지난번에도 제 합격을 바랐어요?
Gomawoyo. Jinanbeonedo je hapgyeogeul barasseoyo?
Thank you. Were you hoping I would pass last time too?
Jisu
네. 항상 잘되기를 바라요.
Ne. Hangsang jaldoegireul barayo.
Yes. I always hope things go well for you.
The dialogue uses 바라요 for a current wish and 바랐어요 for a past one. 좋은 결과 and 제 합격 are noun objects. 잘되기를 packages an outcome as a clause: the speaker hopes that things will go well.
Set Phrases for Hopes and Requests
행복을 바라다 means to wish for happiness. 성공을 바라다 means to hope for success. The noun names the desired outcome, and 을 marks it as the object. Neither phrase says that the outcome is certain or that the speaker can make it happen.
건강하기를 바랍니다 means “I hope you stay healthy.” It fits the end of a letter or a respectful message. Literally, the speaker hopes for being healthy; in context, the person whose health matters is often the reader. Korean can leave that person unstated when the message makes it clear.
양해 바랍니다 is a compact request for understanding. On a notice about inconvenience, its practical meaning is “Please understand” or “Thank you for your understanding.” It is a request formula, rather than a prediction that everyone will feel understanding.
참고하시기 바랍니다 asks the reader to take note or refer to the information. It appears in instructions and formal emails. Although 바랍니다 literally expresses a hope, the whole expression functions as a polite direction. The requested action comes before it.
Where Will You Meet 바라다?
School announcements, workplace emails and public notices often end with 바랍니다. The sentence can be formal without being unfriendly. The surrounding action tells you whether the writer is offering a good wish or asking you to do something: health suggests a wish, while checking information suggests a request.
In everyday conversation, a bare 바라요 can sound more deliberate than an English “hope so”. Speakers also use expressions with 좋겠어요 for things they hope will happen. 바라다 remains useful when you want to state the object of your wish clearly, especially in a supportive message.
In a personal relationship, 도움을 바라다 means to hope for or expect help. That is different from wishing someone happiness: the speaker wants something from another person. The noun after 을/를 helps you hear whether the sentence gives goodwill or expresses an expectation.
What Makes 바라다 Tricky?
바라다 keeps its ㅏ in the standard forms 바라요 and 바랐어요. The change to 해 in 하다 verbs is a separate pattern and does not apply here. Hearing the widespread nonstandard 바래요 does not give you a new standard conjugation rule.
With -기를 바라다, write the clause ending and the main verb separately. In 행복하기를 바라요, happiness is the wished-for state; 바라요 is the act of hoping. This structure also lets the person inside the wish differ from the person doing the hoping, as in the earlier example about parents and their children.
바라는 것 means “what someone hopes for” or “what someone wants”. The modifier 바라는 attaches to 것, a noun meaning thing. The result can refer to a concrete request as well as an abstract dream. Context still decides who wants it and what kind of expectation is involved.
Words around Wishes and Expectations
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 희망 | hope | A noun for a hope or aspiration. |
| 소원 | wish | Often a personal wish you want fulfilled. |
| 기대 | expectation; anticipation | Can suggest looking forward to an outcome. |
| 결과 | result | 좋은 결과 is a natural object of a good wish. |
For the formal messages that often contain 바랍니다, see business email vocabulary.
Mini Drill: Keep the Vowel
- Give the standard polite present of 바라다.
- Put 바라다 in the polite past.
- Complete a respectful written wish: 건강하기를 ____.
- Choose the spacing: 행복하기를바라요 or 행복하기를 바라요.
Show drill answers
- 바라요.
- 바랐어요.
- 바랍니다.
- 행복하기를 바라요.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 바라다 guarantee a good result?
- What is a notice doing when it says 양해 바랍니다?
- Is 도움을 바라다 a wish for someone's health?
Show answers
- No. It states a hope or expectation.
- Asking readers for understanding.
- No. It means hoping for or expecting help.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Say I Hope It Won't Rain Tomorrow?
내일 비가 안 오기를 바라요. The hope is a clause turned into a noun with -기를, followed by 바라요.
Is 바래요 Correct?
It is a common casual spelling influenced by pronunciation, but the standard form is 바라요.
What Is the Formal Form on Notices?
바랍니다 is the usual formal closing on notices and requests, where it politely asks readers to do something.
How Does 바라다 Differ from 원하다?
원하다 is wanting something for yourself; 바라다 is hoping for a result.
Which Words Are Related to 바라다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Study 원하다 next to compare wanting with hoping, then 희망하다 for the formal register. polite present recipe shows how 바라요 is built, the Korean verb conjugator checks other stems, and the Korean verb dictionary lists related entries.