KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean grammar › -도록
Korean Grammar “-도록”: Meaning and Usage (TOPIK 3)
How to attach it
Attach the pattern to the verb stem, which is the dictionary form without 다. Compare how each verb below changes depending on its last sound.
| Dictionary form | Meaning | With this pattern | Romanization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 보다 | to see, to watch | 보도록 | bodorok |
| 읽다 | to read | 읽도록 | ikdorok |
| 하다 | to do | 하도록 | hadorok |
| 살다 | to live | 살도록 | saldorok |
What changes
- This ending attaches directly to the stem. Nothing changes, whether the stem ends in a vowel or a consonant.
Explanation
내일은 늦지 않도록 일찍 일어나세요.
“-도록” means “so that / in such a way that” and expresses a goal; it attaches to verb or adjective stems. The sentence means “Please get up early so that you won’t be late tomorrow.” Unlike “-(으)려고,” the clause after “-도록” can be a command or request, as in “일어나세요.”
아이가 건강하게 자라도록 매일 채소를 먹여요.
“-도록” means “so that / in such a way that …,” expressing the goal or state that the following action aims at. It attaches directly to the stem. The sentence means “I feed my child vegetables every day so that my child grows up healthy.” “-느라고” is for a cause (being busy with something) leading to a bad result.
Pronouncing the example sentence
Example sentence: 내일은 늦지 않도록 일찍 일어나세요.
In natural speech, sounds link and shift across words. The table below reads each word separately, as it sounds when said on its own.
| Syllable | Letters (consonant + vowel + final) | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 내일은 | ||
| 내 | ㄴ+ㅐ | nae |
| 일 | ㅇ+ㅣ+ㄹ | [이] i |
| 은 | ㅇ+ㅡ+ㄴ | [른] reun |
| 늦지 | ||
| 늦 | ㄴ+ㅡ+ㅈ | [늗] neut |
| 지 | ㅈ+ㅣ | [찌] ji |
| 않도록 | ||
| 않 | ㅇ+ㅏ+ㄶ | [안] an |
| 도 | ㄷ+ㅗ | [토] to |
| 록 | ㄹ+ㅗ+ㄱ | rok |
| 일찍 | ||
| 일 | ㅇ+ㅣ+ㄹ | il |
| 찍 | ㅉ+ㅣ+ㄱ | jjik |
| 일어나세요 | ||
| 일 | ㅇ+ㅣ+ㄹ | [이] i |
| 어 | ㅇ+ㅓ | [러] reo |
| 나 | ㄴ+ㅏ | na |
| 세 | ㅅ+ㅔ | se |
| 요 | ㅇ+ㅛ | yo |
A ㅇ at the start of a syllable is silent; at the end of a syllable it sounds like “ng”.
Sound changes in this phrase
- Linking: when a syllable ending in a consonant (patchim) is followed by a syllable that starts with a vowel, the consonant moves over to the next syllable. 일은 → [이른]
- Tensing: after a final ㄱ, ㄷ or ㅂ sound, ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅅ and ㅈ become tense (ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, ㅆ, ㅉ). 늦지 → [늗찌]
- Aspiration: ㅎ next to ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ or ㅈ blends with it into ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ or ㅊ. 않도 → [안토]
Politeness level of the example
Ends in -요. The everyday polite style, and a safe choice with shop staff, colleagues, strangers and anyone older than you.
It contains the honorific -(으)시-, which shows respect to the person being talked about or talked to.
Words in the example sentence
These words from the TOPIK vocabulary lists appear in the phrase (shown in dictionary form).
| Korean | Part of speech | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 일어나다 | verb | to get up | TOPIK level 1 |
| 아이 | noun | child | TOPIK level 1 |
Practice
Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.
Question 1 Choose the word that fits the blank: 내일은 늦지 않____ 일찍 일어나세요.
Show the answer
Answer: 내일은 늦지 않도록 일찍 일어나세요.
Question 2 Choose the word that fits the blank: 아이가 건강하게 자라____ 매일 채소를 먹여요.
Show the answer
Answer: 아이가 건강하게 자라도록 매일 채소를 먹여요.
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