Grammar
-(으)러
Meaning
Beginner-(eu)reo
Attaches to a verb stem to give the purpose of a movement — 'go/come in order to ~'. The purpose sits in the -(으)러 clause and the movement itself is the main verb, so the pattern only works when that main verb is one of going, coming or setting out (가다, 오다, 다니다, 떠나다). For a purpose that does not involve moving anywhere, Korean uses -기 위해(서) or -(으)려고 instead.
Form
Verb stem + -으러 after a consonant (찾다 → 찾으러, 받다 → 받으러) and + -러 after a vowel (만나다 → 만나러, 공부하다 → 공부하러). A stem ending in ㄹ takes plain -러 and keeps the ㄹ: 놀다 → 놀러, 벌다 → 벌러. The -(으)러 clause carries no tense of its own — tense and politeness sit on the movement verb (갑니다, 갔습니다) — and the destination is marked as usual with 에 or (으)로.
Examples
저는 친구를 만나러 서울에 갑니다.
I am going to Seoul to meet a friend.
Common mistakes & nuance
The mistake to watch for is pairing -(으)러 with a main verb that is not movement: 살을 빼러 운동합니다 does not work, because 운동하다 is not going anywhere — Korean says 살을 빼려고 운동합니다 or 살을 빼기 위해 운동합니다. Also keep tense out of the -(으)러 clause (만났으러 is not a form), and remember that a ㄹ-final stem gives 놀러, never 놀으러.
Similar grammar
- -기 위해(서)
Both give a purpose, but -기 위해(서) puts no condition on the main verb — you can study, save money or pass a law in order to do something. -(으)러 requires the main verb to be movement, which is why it is limited to 'go and do' situations, and it sounds lighter and more everyday than the written -기 위해(서).
- -(으)려고
-(으)려고 states an intention and accepts any main verb (돈을 모으려고 아르바이트를 합니다), so it covers ground -(으)러 cannot. In return, -(으)러 can be followed by a command or a suggestion — 밥 먹으러 가자 / 가세요 is fine, while 밥 먹으려고 가자 is not.