도록 (so that, to the extent that)

At its heart, 도록 is a connector. It joins two clauses. The first part (before 도록) is the goal or the extent. The second part (after 도록) is the action you take to reach that goal. For example, if you say 공부하도록, the goal is the studying. If you follow it with 커피를 마셨어요, it means you drank coffee *so that* you could study. It is surprisingly simple to attach. You do not have to worry about batchim (ending consonants) most of the time. You just grab the verb stem and slap 도록 on it. It is like a grammar sticker. It works with action verbs and some descriptive verbs when you are talking about a state you want to reach.

1. 1Find the verb stem. This is the part of the verb before 다. For 먹다 (to eat), the stem is 먹.
2. 2Attach 도록 directly to the stem. No space needed.
3. 3먹다 → 먹도록 (So that I eat)
4. 4가다 → 가도록 (So that I go)
5. 5공부하다 → 공부하도록 (So that I study)
6. 6If you want to use the negative form, use 지 않도록.
7. 7잊다 → 잊지 않도록 (So that I don't forget)
8. 8늦다 → 늦지 않도록 (So that I'm not late)

You will use 도록 in three main scenarios. First, for Purpose. This is the most common. Use it when you are doing Action B so that Goal A happens. Imagine you are at a job interview. You might say "I will work hard so that the company grows." That is 도록 territory. Second, for Degree or Extent. This is for the drama! "I waited until my neck got long" (a Korean idiom for waiting forever) or "I laughed until my stomach hurt." It shows the point to which an action reached. Third, for Indirect Commands or Suggestions. You will see this a lot in 하도록 하다. It is a polite, slightly formal way to tell someone to make sure they do something. "Please make sure to arrive on time" would use this. It feels a bit like a gentle nudge from a boss or a teacher.

Do not use 도록 for things that already happened in the past within the first clause. You can't say 갔도록. The 도록 part is usually a future goal or a general state. Also, keep it away from nouns. 도록 is strictly a verb's best friend. If you find yourself trying to attach it to a noun like 학생, stop! You probably want a different grammar point like 으로서. Another thing: don't use it for simple reasons. If you just want to say "Because I was hungry, I ate," use 어서. 도록 implies a bit more intention or a specific limit you are trying to hit. It is not for lazy cause-and-effect. It is for purposeful action.

Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes, usually by mixing it up with similar endings. One big mistake is the Subject Swap. Usually, the person doing the goal and the person doing the action should be the same. If you say "I study so that my mom is happy," that’s okay, but if the sentence gets too messy, it loses its punch. Another mistake is using it for completed actions. Remember, 도록 looks forward. If the result is already in the past, 도록 might feel a bit awkward. Lastly, avoid double negatives. Saying 지 않지 않도록 will just give everyone a headache. Keep it simple: 지 않도록 is all you need to stay in the clear.

How is this different from -게? Great question! They are very similar. -게 is more common in casual, spoken Korean. It’s light and quick. 도록 is a bit more formal and carries more weight. Think of -게 as a t-shirt and 도록 as a nice blazer. Then there is -기 위해(서). This one is the heavyweight champion of "in order to." It’s very formal and used in speeches or writing. 도록 sits right in the middle—perfect for a professional email or a polite conversation. While -려고 is about your personal plan, 도록 is more about the objective or the result you want to see in the world.