아/어 두다

Overview

The grammatical construction -아/어 두다 is a compound verb structure that signifies performing an action and then maintaining the result or state of that action. It implies that the action is done with a purpose: either to prepare for a future event, to keep something in a certain condition, or to store something for later use.

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Usage

-아/어 두다 is primarily used in two main contexts:

1. Preparation for future use or convenience: This is when an action is completed now so that its outcome is ready or available for a later time. It suggests foresight and planning.

   • Example: 여행 가기 전에 비행기 표를 예매해 두다 (to book plane tickets in advance before traveling).
   • Example: 손님들이 올 거라서 음식을 미리 만들어 두었어요. (Guests are coming, so I made the food in advance.)

2. Maintaining a state or condition: This refers to performing an action to ensure that a certain situation or state continues or persists. The focus is on leaving something in a particular way.

   • Example: 문을 열어 두다 (to leave the door open).
   • Example: 불을 켜 두세요. (Please leave the light on.)

This expression emphasizes the lasting effect of the action and the intention behind maintaining that effect.

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Conjugation Rules

-아/어 두다 attaches to the verb stem after the standard -아/어 conjugation rules:

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

   • 닫다 (to close) → 닫 + 아 두다 → 닫아 두다
   • 놓다 (to put down) → 놓 + 아 두다 → 놓아 두다
   • 가다 (to go) → 가 + 아 두다 → 가 두다 (often used as 가 있다 for location)

2. If the last vowel of the verb stem is anything other than ㅏ or ㅗ, add -어 두다.

   • 먹다 (to eat) → 먹 + 어 두다 → 먹어 두다
   • 읽다 (to read) → 읽 + 어 두다 → 읽어 두다
   • 만들다 (to make) → 만들 + 어 두다 → 만들어 두다

3. For verbs ending in -하다, it becomes -해 두다.

   • 준비하다 (to prepare) → 준비 + 하여 두다 → 준비해 두다
   • 공부하다 (to study) → 공부 + 하여 두다 → 공부해 두다

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Knowledge Plus

-아/어 두다 is very similar in meaning and usage to -아/어 놓다. In many contexts, they are interchangeable, both indicating an action performed and its result maintained. However, there can be a subtle difference in nuance:

• -아/어 두다 often carries a stronger sense of purposeful storage, maintenance, or keeping something for a specific future use. It can imply a more active intention to store or preserve the result.
• -아/어 놓다 is often more about simply leaving something in a state after an action, without necessarily emphasizing the 'storage' or 'keeping' aspect as strongly. It can feel a bit more neutral about the future purpose.

For instance, while both 문을 열어 두다 and 문을 열어 놓다 mean 'to leave the door open', 열어 두다 might slightly emphasize the intention of keeping it open (e.g., for ventilation), whereas 열어 놓다 might just state the fact that the door is open after someone opened it. However, this distinction is often very subtle, and in everyday conversation, they are frequently used interchangeably.