2 · Linking clauses, first steps
Going somewhere to do something: -(으)러
the purpose of a movement
-(으)러 before a verb of going or coming says what you are going or coming to do.
After a vowel or l the ending is -러 (보러, 놀러, 만들러), after any other consonant -으러 (먹으러, 찾으러). Irregular stems change as before any ending with 으: 들으러, 도우러.
It gives the purpose of a movement, English “to” or “in order to”: 친구를 만나러 카페에 가요, “I am going to a café to meet a friend”. The place can stand before or after the purpose: 카페에 친구를 만나러 가요 means the same.
The verb that follows must be a verb of movement: 가다, 오다, 다니다, 나가다, 들어가다, 올라가다, 내려오다 and their relatives. Tense and politeness go on that verb: 먹으러 갔어요. Any kind of sentence can be built this way, including invitations and questions: 놀러 오세요, 같이 점심 먹으러 갈까요?
English speakers stretch it to verbs that do not move: 돈을 모으러 일해요 sounds wrong, because working is not going anywhere. For any other main verb, the purpose takes -(으)려고: 돈을 모으려고 일해요. And 가다 itself cannot be the purpose: there is no 가러 가요.
The form
| after a vowel | 보다 → 보러 가요 |
| after a consonant | 먹다 → 먹으러 가요 |
| stem ending in l | 놀다 → 놀러 와요 |
| the past on the verb of movement | 사러 갔어요 |
| an invitation | 놀러 오세요 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
-러 after a vowel or l, -으러 after any other consonant.
점심을 먹으러 식당에 가요.I am going to a restaurant to have lunch.
The verb after -(으)러 is always a verb of going or coming.
책을 빌리러 도서관에 갔어요.I went to the library to borrow a book.
Tense and politeness go on the verb of movement at the end.
어제 친구가 우리 집에 놀러 왔어요.Yesterday a friend came round to our place.
Any kind of sentence can follow, including invitations and questions.
주말에 같이 영화 보러 갈까요?Shall we go and see a film at the weekend?
A closer look
-(으)러 or -(으)려고?
Before a verb of movement both are possible: 친구를 만나러 가요 and 친구를 만나려고 가요. -(으)러 is the everyday choice and simply names the purpose of the trip; -(으)려고 puts a little more weight on the intention.
The two differ in what may follow. -(으)러 is happy before a request or a suggestion — 같이 먹으러 갑시다 — while -(으)려고 is not. -(으)려고, in turn, works with any verb, and -(으)러 only with verbs of movement.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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the stem ends in l, as in 놀다, 만들다 or 팔다
the ending is -러 and the l stays: 놀러, 만들러, 팔러.
케이크를 만들러 친구 집에 갔어요.I went to a friend's house to make a cake.
A stem in l never takes the linking vowel 으, and the l only drops before n, b and s, not before r.
How to spot it
- -(으)러 가다
- -(으)러 오다
- 놀러
Example sentences
우유를 사러 마트에 가요.I am going to the supermarket to buy milk.
선생님을 만나러 학교에 왔어요.I have come to school to see the teacher.
언제 한번 우리 집에 놀러 오세요.Come and visit us some time.
사진을 찍으러 공원에 나갔어요.I went out to the park to take photos.
저녁에 운동하러 헬스장에 다녀요.In the evenings I go to the gym to work out.
돈을 찾으러 은행에 가야 해요.I need to go to the bank to take out some money.
8 more example sentences
친구를 도우러 친구 집에 갔어요.I went to my friend's place to help them.
옷을 바꾸러 가게에 다시 왔어요.I came back to the shop to exchange the clothes.
음악을 들으러 공연장에 가요.I am going to a concert hall to listen to music.
아이를 데리러 유치원에 가요.I am going to the nursery to pick up my child.
편지를 보내러 우체국에 갔어요.I went to the post office to send a letter.
같이 커피 마시러 갈래요?Do you want to go for a coffee together?
할머니를 뵈러 시골에 내려갔어요.I went down to the countryside to visit my grandmother.
머리를 자르러 미용실에 가요.I am going to the hairdresser's to have my hair cut.
Worth knowing (1)
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놀러 가다: going out and visiting
놀다 means “to play”, but 놀러 가다 and 놀러 오다 are the everyday way to talk about going somewhere for fun or visiting someone’s home: 바다에 놀러 가요, “we are going to the seaside”; 놀러 오세요, “come and see us”.
이번 여름에 제주도에 놀러 갈 거예요.This summer I am going to Jeju Island for a holiday.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
-(으)러 works only before 가다, 오다 and other verbs of movement. Doing a part-time job is not going anywhere, so the purpose takes -(으)려고, which fits any main verb.
Reo needs a journey: it only stands before go, come and their relatives.
Your turn
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