Korean Pattern ~(으)려고 하다: How to Say "intend to / be about to"

Verb stem + (으)려고 하다. Intention or plan. ~(으)려고 alone connects to a purpose clause.

The Rule

~(으)려고 하다 = "intend to / be about to" Verb stem + (으)려고 하다. Intention or plan. ~(으)려고 alone connects to a purpose clause. This is one of the essential Korean grammar patterns. Mastering it unlocks the ability to express "intend to / be about to" naturally in conversation — something you'll need almost every day.

Why English Speakers Get It Wrong

In English, "intend to / be about to" is expressed with separate words (auxiliary verbs, modals). In Korean, ~(으)려고 하다 is a grammatical ENDING attached to the verb stem. You can't just translate word-by-word. The common mistake: trying to combine Korean words the way English does instead of attaching the pattern to the verb stem. Korean grammar works by stacking endings, not by adding separate helper words.

How It Works

Formation: Verb stem + (으)려고 하다 Verb stem + (으)려고 하다. Intention or plan. ~(으)려고 alone connects to a purpose clause. Step by step: 1. Take any verb (e.g., 가다 = to go) 2. Remove 다 to get the stem (가) 3. Add the pattern: 가으려고 하다 This works with virtually any Korean verb.

Real Examples

• 지금 나가려고 해요. (jigeum nagaryeogo haeyo.) — "I'm about to go out now." • 한국어를 배우려고 해요. (hangukeoreur baeuryeogo haeyo.) — "I intend to learn Korean."

Common Mistakes

❌ Trying to translate "intend to / be about to" word-by-word from English ✅ Use the pattern ~(으)려고 하다 attached to the verb stem → Korean expresses "intend to / be about to" as a single grammatical construction, not separate words. ❌ Forgetting vowel harmony or consonant rules ✅ Check if the verb stem ends in a vowel or consonant — the pattern may change form → Pay attention to the verb stem's final sound when attaching the pattern.

Quick Tip

Practice ~(으)려고 하다 with 5 verbs you already know. Write them out: • 가다 (go) → 가으려고 하다 • 먹다 (eat) → 먹으려고 하다 Repetition with familiar verbs builds the pattern into muscle memory. Once automatic, you can use it with ANY verb.

~(으)려고 하다 = "intend to / be about to"

Examples

지금 나가려고 해요. — jigeum nagaryeogo haeyo. — I'm about to go out now.

한국어를 배우려고 해요. — hangukeoreur baeuryeogo haeyo. — I intend to learn Korean.