-기를 바라다
Hope, Wish
-기를 바라다 is a formal way to express 'I hope...' or 'I wish...'. It's commonly used in writing, formal speeches, and public announcements.
How It Works
The pattern -기를 바라다 is a formal and often written expression of hope. It conveys a sincere wish for a particular outcome for oneself or, more commonly, for others.
Structure:
The pattern is formed by attaching -기 to a verb stem, followed by the object particle -를 and the verb 바라다. It is almost always conjugated in the formal polite -ㅂ니다/습니다 style as -기를 바랍니다.
- Verb stem ending in a vowel: 가다 → 가기를 바랍니다 (I hope you go)
- Verb stem ending in a consonant: 받다 → 받기를 바랍니다 (I hope you receive)
- Verb stem ending in ㄹ: 살다 → 살기를 바랍니다 (I hope you live)
Usage and Nuance:
While it translates to 'I hope', it has a much more formal feel than the conversational -았/었으면 좋겠다 ('I wish it would be...'). You would use -기를 바라다 in situations like:
- Wishing someone well in a formal letter or email.
- Making a public announcement (e.g., 'We hope for your cooperation').
- Expressing a sincere, formal desire in a speech.
Because of its formality, it is less common in casual, everyday speech among friends.
Examples (4)
- 시험에 꼭 합격하기를 바랍니다.
I sincerely hope you pass the exam.
Word by Word: Exam on surely pass I hope.
- 새해에는 좋은 일만 가득하기를 바랍니다.
I hope the new year is full of only good things.
Word by Word: In the new year good things only to be full I hope.
- 모두가 항상 건강하시기를 바랍니다.
I hope that everyone is always healthy.
Word by Word: Everyone always healthy (honorific) I hope.
The honorific marker -시- is added to the verb stem (건강하다 → 건강하시-) before attaching -기를 바라다 to show respect to the listeners.
- 회의에 늦지 않으시기를 바랍니다.
We hope you will not be late for the meeting.
Word by Word: To the meeting not be late (honorific) we hope.
Common Mistakes
Using -기를 바라다 in casual, everyday situations.
Not Quite오늘 저녁에 피자 먹기를 바라.Better오늘 저녁에 피자 먹었으면 좋겠어.-기를 바라다 is too formal for a casual wish like this. -았/었으면 좋겠다 is the natural choice for expressing personal hopes in daily conversation.
Confusing the nuance with -고 싶다 (want to).
Different Meaning저는 의사가 되기를 바랍니다.Better저는 의사가 되고 싶어요.While grammatically possible, the incorrect example sounds like a very formal, public declaration. For expressing a personal desire or ambition, -고 싶다 ('I want to become a doctor') is much more natural and direct.
Learn This First
To express hope with -기를 바라다, you first need to understand the -기 nominalizer.
Related Patterns
- -았/었으면 좋겠다I Wish, I Hope
Both express a hope or wish. However, -기를 바라다 is significantly more formal and is used in writing or public/formal speech. -았/었으면 좋겠다 is the common, everyday pattern for personal wishes.
- -고 싶다Want to
Both relate to desire. -고 싶다 expresses a direct, personal want ('I want to do...'). -기를 바라다 expresses a more indirect 'hope' that something will happen, and it carries a formal tone.
- -ㅂ/습니다Formal Polite Ending
-기를 바라다 is almost always conjugated in the formal polite style, as in 바랍니다. This connection highlights its use in formal contexts where this politeness level is required.