Korean Lessons ᚛ Level 9 - Advanced Korean #2 (Lessons 241 to 270) ᚛ Lesson 270 - To insist on, to be bent on, in Korean [-(으)려고 들다]

To insist on, to be bent on, in Korean [-(으)려고 들다]

In this course: 려고 들다 / 으려고 들다 / 려고만 들다 / 들다 / obstiner

The verb 들다, as an auxiliary after -(으)려고, turns a simple plan into doggedness: -(으)려고 들다, "to insist on", "to be bent on", "to go at". Where -(으)려고 하다 states a neutral intention, "I intend to", -(으)려고 들다 says that one charges ahead, often too fast, too hard, or against everyone's advice: 자꾸 혼자 하려고 들어요, "he insists on doing everything alone". The judgement is usually critical, and the adverb 자꾸, "constantly", readily goes with it.

"To insist on" with -(으)려고 들다

[Verb]-(으)려고 들다

The construction is that of -(으)려고: -려고 after a vowel or ㄹ, 하려고, 이기려고, -으려고 after a consonant, 먹으려고. 들다 is conjugated normally, 들어요, 들었어요, 들면, 들지 마세요. The subject is often someone whose attitude you disapprove of: they want to win at all costs, to solve everything with money, to pick a fight. In the second person, 왜 자꾸 … -(으)려고 들어?, "why do you keep trying to…?", is a reproach.

아이가 자꾸 혼자 하려고 들어요.
→ The child insists on doing everything by himself.

그 사람은 무조건 이기려고 들어요.
→ He is bent on winning at all costs.

동생은 뭐든지 돈으로 해결하려고 들어요.
→ My brother tries to solve everything with money.

왜 자꾸 싸우려고 들어?
→ Why do you keep trying to pick a fight?

Reproaches, warnings and advice

-(으)려고 하다 and -(으)려고 들다

Exercises

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