Lesson 29
In this lesson, let us take a look at the verb ending -도록, which means “so that”, “in a way that” or sometimes “to the point where” in Korean.
-도록 has three main usages:
1. The verb before -도록 can express the objective of the following verb.
2. The verb before -도록 can express the effect or the method leading to the following verb.
3. The verb before -도록 can express the extent or degree of the following state or action.
Usages
1. Expressing the objective of the following verb
Ex)
지나가다 = to pass through
→ 지나가도록
사람들이 지나가도록 비켜 주세요.
= Please step aside so that people can pass through.
이해하다 = to understand
→ 이해할 수 있도록
제가 이해할 수 있도록 설명해 주세요.
= Please explain so that I can understand.
2. Expressing the effect or the method leading to the following verb
Ex)
들리다 = to be heard
→ 들리도록.
다 들리도록 이야기해 주세요.
= Please talk in a way so that everyone can hear you.
= Please talk so that everyone can hear you.
볼 수 있다 = to be able to see
→ 볼 수 있도록
제가 볼 수 있도록 놓아 주세요.
= Please put it in a way that I can see it.
3. Expressing the extent or degree of the following state or action
Ex)
아프다 = to be painful
→ 아프도록
목이 아프도록 노래를 불렀어요.
= I sang a lot, to the point where my throat hurt.
질리다 = to get sick of, to get tired of
→ 질리도록
바나나를 질리도록 먹었어요.
= I ate so many bananas that I got sick of them.
* Usages 1 and 2 overlap in some contexts and Usages 2 and 3 also overlap in some contexts.
Sample Sentences
그 얘기는 귀가 아프도록 많이 들었어요.
= I heard that story so often, almost to the point of my ears hurting.
늦지 않도록* 빨리 서두르세요.
= Hurry up so that you will not be late.
* Here you have a negative form with -도록. You can use -도록 with negative forms. Also, when you use -도록 after 않, it sounds like [안토록]
넘어지지 않도록 주의해 주세요.
= Please be careful so that you do not fall over.
제가 이해하기 쉽도록 설명했어요.
= I explained it in a way that would be easy to understand.
이 신발은 다 떨어지도록 자주 신었어요.
= I have worn these shoes so often, almost to the point where they are worn out.