아/어 보다

Overview

The Korean grammar pattern -아/어 보다 is used to express the act of trying out an action or experiencing something. It conveys the nuance of performing an action to see what the result is, or to gain experience from it.

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Usage

This pattern is affixed to the stem of a verb to indicate that the subject is attempting an action or experiencing something for the first time. It's often used when suggesting an activity to someone, or when talking about an experience one has had or wants to have. The '보다' part literally means 'to see,' but in this construction, it functions as an auxiliary verb, implying 'to see how it is' or 'to experience and observe.' It's distinct from simply doing an action; it adds the layer of experimentation or initial experience.

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Conjugation Rules

The conjugation follows the standard 아/어 vowel harmony rules:

1. If the last vowel of the verb stem is ㅏ or ㅗ, attach -아 보다.

   • e.g., 가다 (to go) -> 가 + 아 보다 -> 가 보다 (to try going)
   • e.g., 앉다 (to sit) -> 앉 + 아 보다 -> 앉아 보다 (to try sitting)

2. If the last vowel of the verb stem is any other vowel (ㅓ, ㅜ, ㅡ, ㅣ, etc.), attach -어 보다.

   • e.g., 먹다 (to eat) -> 먹 + 어 보다 -> 먹어 보다 (to try eating)
   • e.g., 읽다 (to read) -> 읽 + 어 보다 -> 읽어 보다 (to try reading)

3. For verb stems ending in 하다, it becomes -해 보다.

   • e.g., 공부하다 (to study) -> 공부하 + 여 보다 -> 공부해 보다 (to try studying)
   • e.g., 운동하다 (to exercise) -> 운동하 + 여 보다 -> 운동해 보다 (to try exercising)

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Knowledge Plus

This pattern is very common in suggestions or recommendations, like '이 영화 한번 봐 보세요' (Try watching this movie). It can also be used to talk about past experiences, '저는 김치를 먹어 봤어요' (I have tried eating kimchi). Be careful not to confuse it with '-(으)려고 하다' (to intend to do) or '-(으)면 되다' (to just do something). -아/어 보다 specifically focuses on the act of trying or experiencing. It's often paired with adverbs like '한번' (once, for a try) to emphasize the experimental nature.