Lesson 32 · Going Somewhere for a Purpose: -(으)러 가다/오다
Hyeju’s Beginner Korean · Lesson 32 · Grammar
Going Somewhere for a Purpose: -(으)러 가다/오다
Learn Going Somewhere for a Purpose: -(으)러 가다/오다 with form rules, natural examples, common mistakes, romanization, and six practice questions with answers.
Introduction / Review
Tell someone why you are going out. -(으)러 connects the activity you intend to do with a movement verb such as 가다 or 오다. The person who moves is also the person who plans to do the activity.
N = noun; V = action verb; A = descriptive verb. Romanization is a reading aid.
Today’s Grammar / Explanation
- Vowel or final ㄹ + 러: 보다 → 보러; 만나다 → 만나러; 만들다 → 만들러. Other consonants + 으러: 먹다 → 먹으러.
- Irregulars: 듣다 → 들으러; 걷다 → 걸으러. The whole sentence can be present, past, or future: 먹으러 가요 / 갔어요 / 갈 거예요.
- Place + 에 marks the destination: 도서관에 공부하러 가요. The order 공부하러 도서관에 가요 is also natural.
Examples
친구를 만나러 카페에 가요.
chingureul mannareo kape-e gayo
I go to a café to meet a friend.
책을 빌리러 도서관에 가요.
chaegeul billireo doseogwane gayo
I go to the library to borrow a book.
점심을 먹으러 식당에 가요.
jeomsimeul meogeureo sikdange gayo
I go to a restaurant to have lunch.
한국어를 배우러 왔어요.
hangugeoreul baeureo wasseoyo
I came to learn Korean.
공원에 걸으러 가요.
gongwone georeureo gayo
I go to the park to walk.
네, 같이 밥을 먹으러 가요.
ne, gachi babeul meogeureo gayo
Yes, let’s go to eat together.
Compare with similar grammar
LESSON 33
-(으)려고
한국어를 배우려고 학원에 다녀요.-(으)러 only works with movement verbs (가다, 오다, 다니다). -(으)려고 works with any verb.
Look ahead: Lesson 33 →LESSON 79
-기 위해(서)
시험에 합격하기 위해서 열심히 공부해요.A more formal, written way to say “in order to”.
Look ahead: Lesson 79 →LESSON 17
-고
밥을 먹고 학교에 가요.-고 is sequence (eat, then go). -(으)러 is purpose (go in order to eat).
Review Lesson 17 →LESSON 12
Place + 에
도서관에 책을 빌리러 가요.The destination takes 에, and the purpose comes with -(으)러.
Review Lesson 12 →| Pattern | Main verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -(으)러 | Movement only: 가다, 오다, 다니다, 나가다 | 밥 먹으러 가요 |
| -(으)려고 | Any verb | 일찍 일어나려고 일찍 자요 |
| -기 위해서 | Any verb (formal) | 합격하기 위해서 공부해요 |
Common mistakes
The verb after -(으)러 must express movement in this purpose pattern. 공부하러 책을 사요 is not the target structure; for a wider purpose construction, Lesson 33 introduces -(으)려고. Do not add past tense to the purpose stem: 먹었으러 가요 is incorrect.
사다 isn’t a movement verb, so use -(으)려고.
만나 ends in a vowel → 러: 만나러.
찍 ends in a consonant → 으러.
Stems ending in ㄹ add 러 directly: 놀러.
Mini practice · six questions
All sentences below are new. Try each one before opening the answer.
- Fill in the blank저녁에 친구하고 영화를 ______ 가요. (보다)
Check answer
저녁에 친구하고 영화를 보러 가요.
Purpose + 가다 → 보러 가요.
- Fill in the blank주말에 옷을 ______ 백화점에 가요. (사다)
Check answer
주말에 옷을 사러 백화점에 가요.
사 + 러 → 사러.
- Choose the correct form한국어를 (배우러 / 배우려고) 매일 단어를 외워요.
Check answer
배우려고
외우다 isn’t a movement verb, so -(으)러 can’t be used.
- Choose the correct form지난 주말에 바다에 (수영하러 / 수영하고) 갔어요.
Check answer
수영하러
Swimming was the purpose of going → -(으)러.
- Find and fix the mistake우리 집에 언제 놀으러 올 거예요?
Check answer
우리 집에 언제 놀러 올 거예요?
놀다 is an ㄹ-stem → 놀러.
- Say it in KoreanI go to the gym to work out.
Check answer
운동하러 헬스장에 가요.
Purpose (운동하러) + destination (헬스장에) + 가요.
Today’s Key Point
Purpose action + -(으)러 + movement; same person moves and acts; put tense on the final verb.
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