Go to do

This pattern expresses the purpose or intention for moving from one place to another. It attaches to a verb stem and is always followed by a verb of motion like 가다 (to go) or 오다 (to come).

Meaning & Usage

Meaning: It translates to "(in order) to [do verb]" and explains why someone is going or coming somewhere.

When to use: Use it when you want to state the reason for your movement. For example, you're not just 'going to the restaurant'; you're 'going to eat'.

Formation

Verb stems ending in a vowel or ㄹ: Attach -러.

보다 (to see) → 보러

놀다 (to play/hang out) → 놀러

마시다 (to drink) → 마시러

Verb stems ending in a consonant (except ㄹ): Attach -으러.

먹다 (to eat) → 먹으러

받다 (to receive) → 받으러

씻다 (to wash) → 씻으러

밥 먹으러 가자. / 영화 보러 가요. / 돈 받으러 왔어. / 손 씻으러 가요.

This pattern is extremely common in daily life and often appears in set phrases. The key is that it must be paired with a verb that indicates movement.

Key Movement Verbs

While 가다 (to go) and 오다 (to come) are the most common, other verbs of movement also work:

다니다 (to attend, go to regularly): 한국어를 배우러 학원에 다녀요. (I attend an academy to learn Korean.)

나가다 (to go out): 담배 피우러 나갔어요. (He went out to smoke.)

들어오다 (to come in): 책 빌리러 들어왔어요. (I came in to borrow a book.)

Important Distinction: -(으)러 vs. -(으)려고

Both patterns can mean "in order to," but they are not interchangeable.

-(으)러: Used ONLY with verbs of movement (가다, 오다, etc.).

운동하러 헬스장에 가요. (I go to the gym to exercise.)

-(으)려고: Used for general purpose/intention with ANY verb. It cannot be used if the main point is the movement itself.

살 빼려고 운동해요. (I exercise in order to lose weight.)

You cannot say *살 빼러 운동해요. because 운동하다 is not a verb of movement.

장 보러 가요. / 널 보러 왔어. / 커피 마시러 가자. / 수영하러 가요.

The -(으)러 part of the pattern does not change based on politeness. Instead, the formality of your sentence is determined entirely by the final verb of motion (like 가다 or 오다).

Casual Language (반말)

Used with close friends, family, or people younger than you. The final verb ends in forms like -아/어 or -자.

놀러 왔어. (I came to hang out.)

밥 먹으러 가자. (Let's go to eat.)

Polite Language (해요체)

Used in most daily situations with colleagues, acquaintances, or people older than you. The final verb ends in -아/어요.

놀러 왔어요. (I came to hang out.)

밥 먹으러 가요. (Let's go to eat.)

Notice how 놀러 and 먹으러 stay the same in both casual and polite sentences.

놀러 왔어. / 놀러 왔어요. / 데리러 왔어. / 데리러 왔어요. / 공부하러 가자. / 공부하러 가요.