Core Pattern Rule: -아/어 놓다/두다
This pattern indicates that an action has been completed and its resulting state is being maintained, often for future use or convenience.
Meaning & Usage
Meaning: It attaches to a verb to express "to do something and leave it that way" or "to do something in advance."
When to use: Use it when you've prepared something, like cooking food, booking a ticket, or leaving a door open. The focus is on the completed action and the continuing state that follows.
Formation
It's formed by adding -아/어 to the verb stem, followed by 놓다 (to put/place) or 두다 (to put/leave).
Verb stems ending in ㅏ or ㅗ: Add -아 놓다/두다
사다 (to buy) → 사 놓다
보다 (to see) → 봐 놓다
Verb stems ending in other vowels: Add -어 놓다/두다
열다 (to open) → 열어 놓다
켜다 (to turn on) → 켜 놓다
하다 verbs: Become -해 놓다/두다
준비하다 (to prepare) → 준비해 놓다
예매하다 (to book) → 예매해 놓다
미리 예매해 놨어. / 문 열어 놔. / 밥 해 놨으니까 먹어. / 다 준비해 놨어요.
Synonyms & Differences: 놓다 vs. 두다
While 놓다 and 두다 are often interchangeable in this pattern, there are subtle differences in nuance. In everyday speech, 놓다 is far more common.
놓다
Nuance: Tends to be used for more concrete, physical actions or for states maintained over a shorter term. It's the general-purpose, default choice.
Example Context: Leaving a door open (문 열어 놓다), turning on the AC (에어컨 켜 놓다), or doing the dishes (설거지해 놓다). These are all tangible results.
두다
Nuance: Can feel slightly more formal or literary. It often implies maintaining a state for a longer period or for more abstract concepts. It can mean "to leave something as is" or "to set something aside for later."
Example Context: The script uses 찜해 뒀어 (I called dibs on it). "Calling dibs" is an abstract state you want to maintain over time. Another example could be 파일을 저장해 두다 (to save a file), where the file is kept for long-term use.