-(으)려고 하다
Intend to, Plan to
Use -려고 하다 to say you 'intend to' or 'plan to' do something. It's similar to saying 'I'm going to...' in English when talking about a plan.
How It Works
This grammar pattern is fundamental for talking about future plans and intentions. It's formed by combining the verb stem with -(으)려고 and the verb 하다.
Conjugation Rules:
1. Verb stem ends in a vowel or the consonant ㄹ: Add -려고 하다.
- 가다 (to go) → 가 + -려고 하다 → 가려고 하다
- 보다 (to see) → 보 + -려고 하다 → 보려고 하다
- 만들다 (to make) → 만들 + -려고 하다 → 만들려고 하다 (Note: ㄹ does not drop)
2. Verb stem ends in a consonant (except ㄹ): Add -으려고 하다.
- 먹다 (to eat) → 먹 + -으려고 하다 → 먹으려고 하다
- 읽다 (to read) → 읽 + -으려고 하다 → 읽으려고 하다
Usage in Tenses:
This pattern is most commonly used in the present and past tenses.
- Present Tense (-려고 해요): Expresses a current intention. "I plan to..."
e.g., 주말에 영화를 보려고 해요. (I plan to watch a movie this weekend.) - Past Tense (-려고 했어요): Expresses an intention that existed in the past. It often implies that the planned action did not happen. "I was going to... / I intended to... (but...)"
e.g., 어제 전화하려고 했는데 잊어버렸어요. (I was going to call you yesterday, but I forgot.)
Using -려고 to Connect Clauses:
The 하다 part can be dropped when -려고 is used to connect two clauses. In this case, the first clause (with -려고) states the intention or purpose for the action in the second clause. It translates to 'in order to do...' or 'with the intention of doing...'.
e.g., 새 컴퓨터를 사려고 돈을 모으고 있어요. (I'm saving money in order to buy a new computer.)
Comparison with other patterns:
Examples (5)
- 내년에 한국에 가려고 해요.
I plan to go to Korea next year.
Word by Word: Next year to Korea go-intend to-do.
- 지금 저녁을 먹으려고 해요.
I'm going to eat dinner now.
Word by Word: Now dinner eat-intend to-do.
먹다 ends in a consonant (ㄱ), so -으려고 해요 is used.
- 파티에서 뭘 만들려고 해요?
What are you planning to make for the party?
Word by Word: At the party what make-intend to-do?
The verb stem of 만들다 ends in ㄹ, so -려고 해요 is added directly.
- 어제 친구를 만나려고 했는데, 친구가 아팠어요.
I was going to meet my friend yesterday, but they were sick.
Word by Word: Yesterday friend meet-intended to-do but, friend was sick.
The past tense -려고 했다 often carries the nuance that the intended action did not happen.
- 새 컴퓨터를 사려고 돈을 모으고 있어요.
I'm saving money to buy a new computer.
Word by Word: New computer buy-intend to money am gathering.
Common Mistakes
Using -려고 하다 with adjectives.
Different Meaning저는 행복하려고 해요.Better저는 행복해지려고 해요.-려고 하다 can only be attached to action verbs, not descriptive verbs (adjectives). To express an intention to change a state, you must use a verb like 되다 (to become) or the pattern -아/어지다 (to become...).
Confusing it with -고 싶다 (want to).
Not Quite한국어를 배우려고 싶어요.Better한국어를 배우고 싶어요.-려고 하다 expresses a plan, while -고 싶다 expresses a desire. They are separate patterns and cannot be combined. Use one or the other. '한국어를 배우려고 해요' (I plan to learn Korean) is also correct but has a different nuance.
Learn This First
To express 'intend to/plan to', you need conjugation and 하다 knowledge.
Related Patterns
- -(으)ㄹ 거(예요/야)Will, Probably
Both express future actions. -려고 하다 emphasizes the speaker's intention or plan, while -ㄹ 거예요 is a more general statement about the future, which can also be a prediction.
- -기로 하다Decide to, Plan to
Both relate to plans. -려고 하다 is about a personal intention, while -기로 하다 means 'to decide to' and often implies a more firm decision has been made, sometimes with others.
- -(으)러 가다/오다Go/come to Do
This pattern also expresses purpose ('in order to'), but it must be used with a verb of motion like 가다 (to go) or 오다 (to come). -려고 하다 can be used with any verb to state an intention.
- -고 싶다Want to
-고 싶다 expresses a desire or wish ('want to'), whereas -려고 하다 expresses a more concrete plan or intention ('plan to'). A wish is not always a plan.
- -겠-Will, (I) Intend to
While -겠- can express intention (e.g., 제가 하겠습니다 - I will do it), it's often stronger, more formal, or used for on-the-spot decisions. -려고 하다 is more common for general, pre-existing plans.