Korean Lessons ᚛ Level 6 - Upper-Intermediate Korean #1 (Lessons 151 to 180) ᚛ Lesson 179 - Completion and emotion in Korean [-아/어 버리다]
Completion and emotion in Korean [-아/어 버리다]
The -아/어 버리다 structure
In Korean, there is a structure that allows us to express the idea that an action has been fully carried out and that this completion causes a certain emotion: positive (joy, relief, …) or negative (sadness, anger, disappointment, regret, ...). For this, we use the following structure:
[Verb conjugated to the present tense casual style] 버리다
In English, the -아/어 버리다 structure can be translated by adverbs like "completely" or "totally", or by particles like "up" or "away" (to eat up, to throw away), while expressing an implicit emotion.
Note that, since the -아/어 버리다 form is linked to the completion of an action and to the reaction to it, it is used in the past tense most of the time. This is not a grammar rule, but simple logic given the context in which this structure is used.
Finally, be aware that some verbs already include the 버리다 form, without a space, such as 잃어버리다 (= to lose), 잊어버리다 (= to forget), 저버리다 (= to betray)...
재현이는 내가 어제 산 과자를 다 먹어 버렸어.
→ Jaehyun ate up all the snacks I bought yesterday.
엄마의 잔소리가 계속되는 동안 수진이는 문을 박차고 밖으로 나가 버렸습니다.
→ While her mother kept nagging her, Sujin kicked the door open and stormed out.
어디서 잃어버렸는지 모르겠는데 내가 정말 아끼던 지갑을 잃어버렸어.
→ I don’t know where, but I lost the wallet I really treasured.
이 책을 끝까지 다 읽어 버리려고.
→ I intend to read this book all the way through to the end.
- 너 지금 어디야?
- 정말 미안해. 좀 늦을 것 같아. 내가 약속 시간을 잊어버렸어. 조금만 기다려.
→ - Where are you right now?
- I’m really sorry. I think I’ll be a little late. I completely forgot the time we were supposed to meet. Just wait a little.
나한테 어떻게 그럴 수 있어? 왜 했어? 진짜 널 죽여 버릴 거야!
→ How could you do that to me? Why did you do it? I’m really going to kill you!
- 정말 미안해. 다신 안 그럴게. 한 번만 용서해 줘.
- 아니. 넌 이미 신뢰를 잃어버렸어. 앞으로 널 볼 일은 없을 거야.
→ - I’m really sorry. I won’t do it again. Forgive me just this once.
- No. You have already lost my trust for good. I won’t be seeing you anymore.
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