-으려고Korean sentence ending · TOPIK 5

-euryeogo

TOPIK 5 5급 Sentence Endings 종결 어미doubt 의심

(informal addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used to doubt a given situation and ask again about it.

형태Forms

-으려고-려고-려고요-으려고요

Which one you use is decided by what comes in front of it — see the usage rule under each meaning below.

(informal addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used to doubt a given situation and ask again about it.

(두루낮춤으로) 어떤 주어진 상황에 대하여 의심이나 반문을 나타내는 종결 어미.

쓰임Usage

Attaches after verbs and adjectives ending in a consonant or the past -었-.

받침 있는 동사와 형용사 또는 ‘-었-’ 뒤에 붙여 쓴다.

예문Examples

벌써 씻으려고?

You're going to wash up already?

이렇게 많은 것을 혼자 다 먹으려고?

You're going to eat all this by yourself?

아직 초저녁인데 가게 문을 닫으려고?

It's still early evening, and you're closing the shop?

대화In conversation

지수네 화장실이 운동장만큼 넓다면서?

They say Jisu's bathroom is as big as a playground.

아무리 부자라도 화장실이 운동장만큼이야 넓으려고.

No matter how rich you are, a bathroom can't be as big as a playground.

관련 문법Related grammar

Other sentence endings you will meet alongside this one.

-거라 -geora (formal, highly addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used when ordering. TOPIK 5 -고말고 -gomalgo -고말고요 (informal addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used to emphasize one's agreement or affirmation to the other person's question or statement. TOPIK 5 -네 -ne (formal, highly addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used when talking about something that one just learned. TOPIK 5 -는가 -neun-ga -ㄴ가 · -은가 (formal, moderately addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending referring to a question about a fact of the present. TOPIK 5 -는걸 -neun-geol -ㄴ걸 · -은걸 · -ㄴ걸요 (informal addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used when the speaker says a newly learned fact with admiration. TOPIK 5 -다 -da (formal, highly addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used when describing a certain event, fact, state, etc. TOPIK 5

자주 묻는 질문Common questions

What does -으려고 mean in Korean?

-으려고 is a sentence ending introduced at 5급 (TOPIK 5). (informal addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used to doubt a given situation and ask again about it.

When do you use -으려고?

Attaches after verbs and adjectives ending in a consonant or the past -었-. The other shape is -려고, -려고요, -으려고요 — same point, different environment.

What is the difference between -으려고 and -려고?

None in meaning — they are two shapes of the same sentence ending, and which one appears is decided by the sound in front of it, not by what you want to say.

What TOPIK level is -으려고?

5급 — TOPIK 5, advanced. It is one of 56 grammar points at that level.

Definition, usage note, examples and dialogue from the 국립국어원 한국어기초사전, used under CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.