-라
Quotative/imperative Ending
-라 is a plain style ending with two main uses: giving a direct command (like 'Go!') or quoting a command (like 'He said to go').
How It Works
-라 has two primary functions that are important to distinguish based on context.
1. Imperative (Direct Command)
This is a plain form command, part of the 해라체 speech level. It's used when speaking to someone much younger, a close friend, or a child. It's also commonly found in written materials like recipes, exam instructions, or signs where a direct, impersonal command is needed.
Conjugation:
- The spoken 해라체 command is -아/어라 for all stems, contracting after vowels: 가다 → 가라, 쓰다 → 써라, 먹다 → 먹어라, 읽다 → 읽어라. Note 오다 → 와라 (or the irregular 오너라); 오라 is the written/quotative form, not the spoken 'Come!'.
- For 하다 verbs, it becomes 해라 or 하여라: 공부하다 → 공부해라 (Study!).
- For 이다/아니다, it becomes 이어라/여라 or 아니어라.
This form is very direct and can sound rude if used incorrectly. It should be avoided with strangers, elders, or superiors. For polite commands, use -세요 or -십시오.
2. Quotative (Quoting a Command)
In casual conversation, -라 can be a shortened form of the indirect quotation pattern -라고 하다 or -라고 말하다. It's used to report a command someone else gave.
- 엄마가 빨리 오라고 했어. → 엄마가 빨리 오라 그랬어. (Mom said to come quickly.)
- 선생님이 조용히 하라고 하셨어요. → 선생님이 조용히 하라 하셨어요. (The teacher said to be quiet.)
In this usage, the politeness level is determined by the final verb of the sentence (e.g., 그랬어 vs 하셨어요), not by -라 itself.
Examples (5)
- 저기로 빨리 가라.
Go over there quickly.
Word by Word: Over there to quickly go.
A direct, plain command given to someone younger or of equal/lower status in a casual context. The verb stem 가- ends in a vowel.
- 여기에 이름을 써라.
Write your name here.
Word by Word: Here name write.
This is an example of the imperative -라 used in written instructions, like on a form. The verb stem is 쓰- (from 쓰다), which ends in a vowel.
- 엄마가 숙제부터 하라 그랬어.
Mom said to do my homework first.
Word by Word: Mom homework from do said.
Here, 하라 is a shortened, casual form of the quotative 하라고. The full sentence would be '숙제부터 하라고 그랬어'.
- 선생님께서 조용히 하라 하셨어요.
The teacher told us to be quiet.
Word by Word: Teacher (hon.) quietly do said (hon.).
This shows the shortened quotative form used in a more polite sentence. The final verb 하셨어요 makes the entire sentence polite.
- 항상 정직한 사람이어라.
Always be an honest person.
Word by Word: Always honest person be.
An example of -라 used with the verb 이다 (to be). This form often carries a proverbial or instructive tone.
Common Mistakes
Using -라 in polite or formal situations.
Different Meaning사장님, 이 서류를 보라.Better사장님, 이 서류를 보세요.-라 is a plain command form and is impolite to use with superiors or elders. You must use polite endings like -세요 or the formal -십시오.
Using -라 with consonant-stem verbs.
Not Quite이 책을 읽라.Better이 책을 읽어라.The spoken 해라체 command is -아/어라 for every stem, contracting after vowels (가라, 써라) and taking -어라 after consonants (읽어라). It is not a bare -라; the written/indirect command is -(으)라.
Learn This First
To give commands with -라, you need to understand verb stems.
Related Patterns
- -아/어라Informal Command
This is the counterpart to -라, used for giving direct commands with verbs ending in a consonant (e.g., 먹어라). Together, they form the plain imperative style.
- -라고 하다Said That, Told to
-라 is often a shortened, casual form of this full indirect quotation pattern for commands. Understanding -라고 하다 provides the context for the quotative use of -라.
- -(으)세요Please
This is the standard polite command form. It's important to contrast the direct, plain style of -라 with the polite style of -세요 to understand when to use each.
- -(으)십시오Please Do
This is the formal polite command form, used in very formal settings. Comparing -라, -세요, and -십시오 helps clarify the different levels of politeness in Korean commands.
- -지 마라Do Not (Plain)
This is the negative plain command form, meaning 'Do not...'. It's the negative equivalent of -라/-아/어라.