KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean grammar › -(으)ㄹ 정도로
Korean Grammar “-(으)ㄹ 정도로”: Meaning and Usage (TOPIK 4)
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 | 볼 정도로 | bol jeongdoro |
| 읽다 | to read | 읽을 정도로 | ilgeul jeongdoro |
| 하다 | to do | 할 정도로 | hal jeongdoro |
| 살다 | to live | 살 정도로 | sal jeongdoro |
What changes
- After a stem ending in a vowel, ㄹ is added to the last syllable (보 → 볼). After a stem ending in a consonant, 을 is added (읽 → 읽을). A stem ending in ㄹ keeps it (살 → 살), and 하 becomes 할.
Explanation
어제 콘서트에서 목이 쉴 정도로 노래를 불렀어요.
“-(으)ㄹ 정도로” means “to the extent that …,” and it shows how intense the second action or state was by giving a vivid example. Use “-을 정도로” after a stem ending in a patchim. The sentence means “At yesterday’s concert I sang until my voice went hoarse.” 때문에 attaches to nouns to give a reason, not to a verb’s modifier form like this.
Pronouncing the example sentence
Example sentence: 어제 콘서트에서 목이 쉴 정도로 노래를 불렀어요.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 어제 | ||
| 어 | ㅇ+ㅓ | eo |
| 제 | ㅈ+ㅔ | je |
| 콘서트에서 | ||
| 콘 | ㅋ+ㅗ+ㄴ | kon |
| 서 | ㅅ+ㅓ | seo |
| 트 | ㅌ+ㅡ | teu |
| 에 | ㅇ+ㅔ | e |
| 서 | ㅅ+ㅓ | seo |
| 목이 | ||
| 목 | ㅁ+ㅗ+ㄱ | [모] mo |
| 이 | ㅇ+ㅣ | [기] gi |
| 쉴 | ㅅ+ㅟ+ㄹ | swil |
| 정도로 | ||
| 정 | ㅈ+ㅓ+ㅇ | jeong |
| 도 | ㄷ+ㅗ | do |
| 로 | ㄹ+ㅗ | ro |
| 노래를 | ||
| 노 | ㄴ+ㅗ | no |
| 래 | ㄹ+ㅐ | rae |
| 를 | ㄹ+ㅡ+ㄹ | reul |
| 불렀어요 | ||
| 불 | ㅂ+ㅜ+ㄹ | bul |
| 렀 | ㄹ+ㅓ+ㅆ | [러] leo |
| 어 | ㅇ+ㅓ | [써] sseo |
| 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. 목이 → [모기]
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 노래 | noun | song | TOPIK level 1 |
Practice
Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.
Question 1 Choose the word that fits the blank: 어제 콘서트에서 목이 쉴 ____ 노래를 불렀어요.
Show the answer
Answer: 어제 콘서트에서 목이 쉴 정도로 노래를 불렀어요.
Question 2 Which is the correct form of 보다 + -(으)ㄹ 정도로?
Show the answer
Answer: 볼 정도로
Question 3 Which is the correct form of 읽다 + -(으)ㄹ 정도로?
Show the answer
Answer: 읽을 정도로
More grammar at this level
Learn this phrase by playing: typing drills and quizzes help it stick.
Practice in the gameRead this page in: 日本語 简体中文 繁體中文 Tiếng Việt Bahasa Indonesia Oʻzbekcha Монгол Français Español (México) ไทย