Grammar
-기 위해(서)
Meaning
Intermediate-gi wihae(seo)
Attaches to a verb stem to express the purpose or goal behind an intentional action — 'in order to ~' or 'for the purpose of ~'. It can also attach directly to a noun as -을/를 위해(서), 'for the sake of N'.
Form
Attaches directly to a verb stem regardless of the final sound: 가다 → 가기 위해서, 먹다 → 먹기 위해서. The 서 is optional and can be dropped (-기 위해), especially in speech. With a noun instead of a verb clause, drop -기 and attach -을/를 위해(서) directly (가족을 위해서, not 가족기 위해서). Requires an action verb showing intentional purpose — not used with adjectives or involuntary events.
Examples
국민연금은 노후 소득을 보장하기 위해 만들어졌습니다.
The National Pension was created to guarantee income in old age.
From: Concerns Grow Over Korea's National Pension Sustainability
정부는 전통시장을 돕기 위해 온누리상품권을 만들었습니다.
The government created Onnuri Gift Certificates in order to help traditional markets.
From: Namdaemun Market, Korea's Historic Traditional Marketplace
시험에 합격하기 위해서 매일 공부합니다.
I study every day in order to pass the exam.
가족을 위해서 열심히 일합니다.
I work hard for my family.
Common mistakes & nuance
Remember the noun form drops -기: it's N을/를 위해(서), not N기 위해(서). Since it expresses intentional purpose, it doesn't fit well with adjectives or verbs describing something that just happens to the subject.
Similar grammar
- -(으)려면
-(으)려면 sets up a conditional — 'if you intend to do X, then you need Y' — while -기 위해(서) simply states the purpose of an action directly, without the 'if' structure.
- 때문에
때문에 expresses the reason or cause behind something, whatever its tense, while -기 위해(서) expresses the goal behind an intentional action that hasn't necessarily happened yet — they answer different questions: 'why did it happen' versus 'what is it for'.