LEARN + KOREAN / Note 22 TOPIK I

Here to Eat (-으러 가요)

You already know 을/를 해요 for stating an activity plainly. Attach -(으)러 to a verb stem instead, and the sentence becomes “go (somewhere) in order to (verb)”: 하러 always needs a travel verb riding along with it, usually 가요 or 와요. You can’t just say 하러 and stop.

운동을 해요.

undongeul haeyo.

I exercise.

운동을 하러 헬스클럽에 가요.

undongeul hareo helseukeulleobe gayo.

I go to the gym to exercise.

점심을 먹으러 식당에 가요.

jeomsimeul meogeureo sikdange gayo.

I go to the restaurant to eat lunch.

친구를 만나러 시내에 가요.

chingureul mannareo sinaee gayo.

I go to the city to meet a friend.

How Often

자주 (often), 거의 안 (almost never), 별로 안 (not really, not much) all slot in right before the verb. 거의 안 denies something almost completely; 별로 안 is softer, closer to “not particularly.”

바다에 자주 가요.

badae jaju gayo.

I often go to the beach.

봉사활동은 별로 안 해요.

bongsahwaldongeun byeollo an haeyo.

I don't volunteer much.

저는 일본 음식을 자주 먹어요.

jeoneun ilbon eumsigeul jaju meogeoyo.

I often eat Japanese food.

In Real Life

거의 안 and 별로 안 aren’t interchangeable. 거의 안 가요 (“I almost never go”) describes something close to never happening at all. 별로 안 좋아해요 (“I don’t really like it”) is much gentler, closer to lukewarm than to outright dislike.

비빔밥을 먹으러 한국 식당에 갔어요.

bibimbabeul meogeureo hanguk sikdange gasseoyo.

I went to a Korean restaurant to eat bibimbap.

In Real Life

하러 doesn’t change shape for tense. The 갔어요 at the end carries the past tense from -았/었어요; 하러 (or 먹으러 here) stays exactly the same whether the trip already happened, is happening, or hasn’t happened yet.

Vocabulary

Korean	English
헬스클럽 helseukeulleop	gym
시내 sinae	downtown, city center
봉사활동 bongsahwaldong	volunteer work
떡볶이 tteokbokki	tteokbokki
김치찌개 gimchijjigae	kimchi stew
삼겹살 samgyeopsal	samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly)
국 guk	soup
찌개 jjigae	stew
비빔국수 bibimguksu	spicy mixed noodles
냉면 naengmyeon	cold noodles
순두부찌개 sundubujjigae	soft tofu stew
배달 baedal	delivery
배고프다 baegopeuda	to be hungry
배부르다 baebureuda	to be full
입맛 immat	appetite, taste
야식 yasik	late-night snack
반찬 banchan	side dish
후식 husik	dessert
매콤하다 maekomhada	to be a little spicy
든든하다 deundeunhada	to be filling, hearty