Purpose for Coming or Going with '러'

01

Conjugation Rules

The purpose suffix (으)러 ((ŭ)·rŏ(eu)·reo(ŭ)·rŏ(u)·le) attaches directly to the verb stem. The choice between 러 (rŏreorŏle) and 으러 (ŭ·rŏeu·reoŭ·rŏu·le) depends on the final sound of the stem.

• Stems ending in a vowel: Add 러 (rŏreorŏle).

• 저는 빵을 사러 가요.

  chŏ·nŭn ppang·ŭl sa·rŏ ga·yo.jeo·neun bbang·eul sa·reo ga·yo.chŏ·nŭn ppang·ŭl sa·rŏ ga·yo.ce·nun ppang·ul sa·le ka·yo.

  I am going to buy bread.

• Stems ending in a consonant: Add 으러 (ŭ·rŏeu·reoŭ·rŏu·le).

• 점심을 먹으러 식당에 가요.

  chŏm·sim·ŭl mŏg·ŭ·rŏ sik·dang·e ga·yo.jeom·sim·eul meog·eu·reo sik·dang·e ga·yo.chŏm·sim·ŭl mŏg·ŭ·rŏ sik·dang·e ga·yo.cem·sim·ul meg·u·le sik·tang·ey ka·yo.

  I am going to the restaurant to eat lunch.

• Stems ending in ㄹ (l): This is an exception. Treat the ㄹ (l) as a vowel and add 러 (rŏreorŏle).

• 우리 집에 놀러 와요.

  u·ri jib·e nol·lŏ wa·yo.u·ri jib·e nol·leo wa·yo.u·ri jib·e nol·lŏ wa·yo.u·li cib·ey nol·le wa·yo.

  Come to my house to hang out.

02

Required Motion Verbs

The purpose form (으)러 ((ŭ)·rŏ(eu)·reo(ŭ)·rŏ(u)·le) (in order to) cannot stand alone; it must be followed by a verb of movement. The most common verbs used are:

• 가다 (ka·daga·daka·daka·ta) - to go
• 오다 (o·dao·dao·dao·ta) - to come
• 다니다 (ta·ni·dada·ni·data·ni·data·ni·ta) - to attend/commute

It also works with compound motion verbs such as 나가다 (na·ga·dana·ga·dana·ga·dana·ka·ta) - to go out, 들어오다 (tŭr·ŏ·o·dadeur·eo·o·datŭr·ŏ·o·datur·e·o·ta) - to come in, or 올라가다 (ol·la·ga·daol·la·ga·daol·la·ga·daol·la·ka·ta) - to go up.

• 친구를 만나러 카페에 갔어요.

  chʰin·gu·rŭl man·na·rŏ kʰa·pʰe·e gass·ŏ·yo.chin·gu·reul man·na·reo ka·pe·e gass·eo·yo.ch'in·gu·rŭl man·na·rŏ k'a·p'e·e gass·ŏ·yo.chin·ku·lul man·na·le kha·phey·ey kass·e·yo.

  I went to the cafe to meet a friend.

• 한국어를 배우러 학교에 다녀요.

  han·gug·ŏ·rŭl bæ·u·rŏ hak·gyo·e da·nyŏ·yo.han·gug·eo·reul bae·u·reo hak·gyo·e da·nyeo·yo.han·gug·ŏ·rŭl bae·u·rŏ hak·gyo·e da·nyŏ·yo.han·kug·e·lul pay·u·le hak·kyo·ey ta·nye·yo.

  I attend school to learn Korean.

03

Tense Placement

When giving a purpose for going or coming, do not mark the tense on the verb attached to (으)러 ((ŭ)·rŏ(eu)·reo(ŭ)·rŏ(u)·le). The tense is always marked on the final motion verb at the end of the sentence.

• Correct: 공부하러 갔어요 (kong·bu·ha·rŏ gass·ŏ·yogong·bu·ha·reo gass·eo·yokong·bu·ha·rŏ gass·ŏ·yokong·pu·ha·le kass·e·yo) - went to study
• Incorrect: 공부했으러 가요 (kong·bu·hæss·ŭ·rŏ ga·yogong·bu·haess·eu·reo ga·yokong·bu·haess·ŭ·rŏ ga·yokong·pu·hayss·u·le ka·yo)

• 책을 읽으러 도서관에 갈 거예요.

  chʰæg·ŭl ilg·ŭ·rŏ do·sŏ·gwan·e gal gŏ·ye·yo.chaeg·eul ilg·eu·reo do·seo·gwan·e gal geo·ye·yo.ch'aeg·ŭl ilg·ŭ·rŏ do·sŏ·gwan·e gal gŏ·ye·yo.chayg·ul ilg·u·le to·se·kwan·ey kal ke·yey·yo.

  I will go to the library to read a book.

• 수영하러 갔어요.

  su·yŏng·ha·rŏ gass·ŏ·yo.su·yeong·ha·reo gass·eo·yo.su·yŏng·ha·rŏ gass·ŏ·yo.su·yeng·ha·le kass·e·yo.

  I went to swim.

04

Usage Constraints

The purpose form (으)러 ((ŭ)·rŏ(eu)·reo(ŭ)·rŏ(u)·le) is strictly for movement. If you want to express doing an action "in order to" do something else, but no physical travel is involved (e.g., "I study hard to pass the test"), you cannot use it. You must use different structures like (으)려고 ((ŭ)·ryŏ·go(eu)·ryeo·go(ŭ)·ryŏ·go(u)·lye·ko).

Additionally, the verb preceding (으)러 ((ŭ)·rŏ(eu)·reo(ŭ)·rŏ(u)·le) represents the purpose, while the final verb represents the movement required to achieve that purpose.

• 돈을 찾으러 은행에 가요.

  ton·ŭl chʰaj·ŭ·rŏ ŭn·hæng·e ga·yo.don·eul chaj·eu·reo eun·haeng·e ga·yo.ton·ŭl ch'aj·ŭ·rŏ ŭn·haeng·e ga·yo.ton·ul chaj·u·le un·hayng·ey ka·yo.

  I am going to the bank to withdraw money.