-으려고②
-으려고② (ending): You Mean To…? — Doubt / Pushback
Ending: doubt or rhetorical pushback about a given situation or plan.
How to form it
| When | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Vowel / ㄹ stem | -려고 | 가려고? / 살려고? |
| Batchim stem | -으려고 | 먹으려고? / 앉으려고? |
| 이다 / adjective family | -려고 / -으려고 | 학생이라고? (related family — focus verb plans first) |
-으려고② (ending) challenges or doubts a plan — you mean to…?
This is not the purpose connective -으려고 (in order to). Same letters; different job: a sentence-final pushback.
Why this is hard
Purpose -으려고 is taught early (먹으려고 가요). Learners then hear -려고? with rising doubt and misread it as purpose. Intonation and position matter: connective mid-sentence vs ending that questions the intention.
Tone can feel sharp — closer to “you’re planning that?” than neutral curiosity.
What it does
You push back on what someone intends to do.
지금 가려고?
그걸 혼자 하려고?
오늘 또 늦으려고?
밥을 안 먹으려고?Often rhetorical: the speaker already smells a bad plan.
Forms
Stem + -으려고 / -려고 as a final ending (questioning / challenging). Vowel and ㄹ stems take -려고.
When not to use it
Do not use this slot when you mean purpose (I go in order to eat) — that is -으려고 connective.
Do not fire it at seniors as casual curiosity; the challenge flavour can sound rude. Soften or rephrase upward.
Do not write it as a calm essay purpose clause.
Neighbours — and why they differ
| Form | Why it is not this slot |
|---|---|
| -으려고 (connective) | In order to — purpose link. |
| -을까 | Wondering shall I / I wonder; less accusatory. |
| -는걸 | Mild corrective pushback; different shape. |
Ask: am I doubting or pushing back on someone’s plan? If yes, ending -으려고. If you mean purpose, keep the connective.
Do not confuse it with
Taught alongside this
On the jabi learning path, this appears in 종결어미 (final ending) — Advanced Korean 1, Unit 3, on the theme of final ending. These come with it:
Words used above
Quick check
No sign-up, no score saved — just see if it stuck.
1. A friend says they are heading out right now into a storm warning — you push back on the plan itself, not state an intention. Which line does that job?
2. You need the batchim-stem doubt ending from the forms table on 먹다 — which line?
3. Same verb 먹다 — you are challenging whether they really mean to eat that, not stating purpose or soft wonder. Which line?
Common questions
Textbook overlap?
Sejong beginner -으려고 is intention (‘in order to / planning to’). This advanced slot is ending doubt/pushback. Same letters — 우리말샘 「002」≠「004». Write each.
Dictionary?
「004」: ending expressing doubt and retort about a given situation. 「002」 is intention connective.
Intonation?
Rising challenge is common: 지금 가려고?
With 하다?
Connective often takes 하려고 해요. Ending doubt stands more alone as a challenge.