V+고자

Overview

The connective ending -고자 is used to express the purpose or intention behind the action described in the following clause. It signifies that the action in the main clause is being carried out for the sake of or with the goal of achieving the action in the -고자 clause. It carries a relatively formal and often written tone.

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Usage

-고자 connects two clauses where the preceding clause (V+고자) states the goal or reason for the action in the subsequent clause. It is typically used when the speaker or subject has a clear, deliberate, and often significant objective in mind.

While similar to other purpose expressions like -(으)러 (to go/come to do something) or -기 위해(서) (in order to), -고자 often implies a more determined, official, or formal purpose. It is frequently encountered in news reports, official documents, academic writing, or speeches.

Crucially, the subject of the -고자 clause and the main clause must be the same. Also, the main clause cannot end with imperative (e.g., -(으)세요) or propositive (e.g., -(으)ㅂ시다) endings, as -고자 expresses the speaker's or subject's own intention or purpose.

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Conjugation Rules

-고자 is straightforward to conjugate as it attaches directly to the verb stem, regardless of whether the stem ends in a vowel or a consonant.

• Verb Stem + 고자
  • 가다 (to go) + 고자 → 가고자 (in order to go)
  • 먹다 (to eat) + 고자 → 먹고자 (in order to eat)
  • 만들다 (to make) + 고자 → 만들고자 (in order to make)
  • 하다 (to do) + 고자 → 하고자 (in order to do)

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Knowledge Plus

• Formality: Remember that -고자 is generally more formal than -기 위해(서) and much more formal than -(으)러. Choose it when you want to convey a sense of seriousness or official intent.
• Subject Consistency: The subject performing the action in the -고자 clause must be the same as the subject performing the action in the main clause. For example, you cannot say "나는 친구가 오고자 기다렸다" (I waited for my friend to come) – you would use a different construction for that.
• Common Collocations: You'll often see -고자 used with verbs like 하다 (하고자), 말하다 (말하고자), 알리다 (알리고자), 제시하다 (제시하고자), especially in formal contexts where the purpose is to state, inform, or present something.
• No Imperative/Propositive: As mentioned, because it expresses the subject's own intention, it cannot be followed by commands or suggestions directed at others.