(으)러/으러 가다/오다 (go/come to do)

This grammar point acts like a bridge between two ideas. The first part is your intention or the action you want to do. The second part is the physical movement you are making. It is very important to remember the movement part. This pattern only works with verbs of motion. You are literally moving from point A to point B for a reason. In English, we often just say "I'm going to eat." In Korean, we say "To eat, I am going." The structure feels a bit flipped, but you will get used to it. It is like a GPS for your intentions. It tells the listener not just where you are going, but why. It adds a layer of logic to your travel. Even if you are just walking to the kitchen for snacks!

1. 1Building this rule is as easy as making instant ramen. Just follow these three simple steps:
2. 2Find the verb stem of your action (the purpose).
3. 3Look at the last letter of that stem.
4. 4If the stem ends in a vowel, add 러.
5. 5If the stem ends in a consonant (patchim), add 으러.
6. 6If the stem ends in the letter ㄹ, just add 러.
7. 7Finally, add a movement verb like 가다 (go) or 오다 (come).
8. 8Let's look at 먹다 (to eat). The stem is 먹. It has a consonant at the bottom. So, we add 으러. It becomes 먹으러 가요. Now look at 보다 (to see). The stem is 보. It ends in a vowel. So, we add 러. It becomes 보러 가요. Easy, right? It is like a puzzle where the pieces always fit.

Use this whenever you are on the move with a goal. Imagine you are at a job interview. You might say, "I came to interview for this position." That is 면접 보러 왔어요. Or imagine you are meeting a friend at a cafe. You can say, "I am going to meet my friend." That is 친구 만나러 가요. It is perfect for daily errands. "I'm going to the bank to get money." "I'm going to the park to run." It also works for long-term goals. "I came to Korea to learn the language." It is very versatile for any situation involving travel. Whether it is a trip to the moon or the fridge, this works. Just make sure you are actually moving!

This is where many people get tripped up. Do not use this with adjectives. You cannot "go to be pretty" or "come to be tall." It only works with action verbs. Also, the second verb MUST be a movement verb. You cannot say "I eat to live" using this pattern. That is because "living" is not a movement like going or coming. Stick to verbs like 가다 (go), 오다 (come), or 다니다 (attend/commute). Think of it like a grammar traffic light. If there is no movement, the light is red! Also, do not use it for general intentions without travel. If you are just sitting on your sofa planning your life, use a different rule. This rule requires your feet (or a bus) to be involved.

Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes, but usually, it is learners! The biggest mistake is putting the past tense in the middle. Never say 먹었으러 가요. The first verb (the purpose) must stay in its base form. Only the final verb (가다 or 오다) shows the tense. So, you should say 먹으러 갔어요 for "I went to eat." Another mistake is forgetting the ㄹ rule. For verbs like 만들다 (to make), people often try to add 으러. But remember, ㄹ is a special friend. It just takes 러. So it is 만들러 가요, not 만들으러 가요. Lastly, don't use it with non-movement verbs at the end. Saying 공부하러 먹어요 (I eat to study) will get you some very confused looks!

You might have seen (으)려고 before. Both mean "in order to," but they are different. Think of (으)러 as a specialist. It only cares about movement. It is very specific and common in spoken Korean. (으)려고 is like a generalist. You can use it with almost any verb at the end. You can say "I studied hard to pass" with (으)려고. But you cannot use (으)러 there because "studying hard" isn't going or coming. Another difference is that (으)러 can be used with commands and suggestions. You can say "Let's go eat!" using 먹으러 가자!. This makes (으)러 very powerful for making plans with friends.