Done and Gone: Expressing Completion or Regret (-a/eo beorida)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use -아/어 버리다 to emphasize that an action is completely finished or to express a feeling of regret or relief.
- Attach -아/어 to the verb stem (e.g., 먹다 -> 먹어).
- Add 버리다 to the conjugated stem (e.g., 먹어 버리다).
- Use it to show finality: 'I finished it all!' or 'Oh no, I lost it!'
Overview
The Korean grammatical pattern -아/어 버리다 (a/eo beorida) signifies the complete execution or definitive conclusion of an action, often accompanied by the speaker's emotional response to that outcome. This response can range from relief, satisfaction, or a sense of finality to regret, frustration, or a feeling of loss. The pattern effectively transforms a neutral statement of fact into an expression imbued with subjective sentiment regarding the action's irreversible completion.
While the base verb 버리다 literally means 'to throw away' or 'to discard,' its use as an auxiliary verb here extends this concept to actions, implying that the action is 'thrown away' into the past, completed beyond retrieval or alteration. This pattern is fundamental for B1-level learners to express nuanced emotional states tied to completed events.
This auxiliary construction emphasizes the finality and decisiveness of an action. It is not merely about an action having occurred, but about its consequence being definitive and often having a significant impact on the speaker or situation. Understanding this pattern allows you to move beyond basic factual statements and convey a deeper layer of personal engagement with the described event.
For instance, simply stating 먹었어요 (meogeosseoyo - I ate) is a neutral report, whereas 먹어 버렸어요 (meogeo beoryeosseoyo - I ate it all up / I ended up eating it) conveys a sense of completion, potentially with an underlying emotion like satisfaction (e.g., finishing a difficult meal) or regret (e.g., eating the entire cake).
How This Grammar Works
-아/어 버리다 functions as an auxiliary verb attached to the stem of an action verb. It serves to modify the meaning of the main verb by adding the semantic nuance of completion, finality, and often, an emotional consequence. The pattern is typically applied to actions that result in a definitive change of state or an irreversible outcome.예뻐 버렸어요 (yeppeo beoryeosseoyo - literally, 'it became pretty and gone') to mean 'it was completely pretty.' The completion aspect of -아/어 버리다 strictly applies to the dynamic nature of action verbs.버리다, which is almost invariably conjugated in the past tense to reflect a completed action. While technically possible in present or future tenses, these usages are less common and carry specific, often emphatic meanings. For example, 지금 가 버려요 (jigeum ga beoryeoyo - Go away right now, indicating urgency and finality) or 다 팔아 버릴 거예요 (da para beoril geoyeyo - I will sell it all off completely and definitively).Formation Pattern
-아/어 버리다 follows the standard Korean vowel harmony rules for attaching the -아/어 ending to a verb stem, followed by 버리다. The final form will then be conjugated for tense and politeness level. The most common conjugation of 버리다 in this pattern is 버렸어요 (beoryeosseoyo) for polite past tense or 버렸어 (beoryeosseo) for informal past tense.
아/어 form | Full Pattern (Polite Past) | Romanization | Meaning |
ㅏ or ㅗ | Add -아 | Verb stem + 아 버렸어요 | a beoryeosseoyo | e.g., 찾아 버렸어요 (chaja beoryeosseoyo) |
-어 | Verb stem + 어 버렸어요 | eo beoryeosseoyo | e.g., 먹어 버렸어요 (meogeo beoryeosseoyo)|
하다 verbs | Change 하 to 해 | 해 버렸어요 | hae beoryeosseoyo | e.g., 공부해 버렸어요 (gongbuhae beoryeosseoyo) |
-다 from the infinitive form of the verb.
가다 (to go) → 가-
읽다 (to read) → 읽-
공부하다 (to study) → 공부하-
아/어 conjugation rules:
ㅏ or ㅗ, attach 아.
가- + 아 → 가 (contraction of 가아)
앉- + 아 → 앉아
ㅓ, ㅜ, ㅡ, ㅣ), attach 어.
읽- + 어 → 읽어
만들- + 어 → 만들어
하다, change 하다 to 해.
공부하- + 여 → 공부하여 → 공부해 (contraction)
버리다 and conjugate for tense/politeness: Once the 아/어/여 form of the main verb is obtained, attach 버리다. Since this pattern most commonly describes completed actions, 버리다 is almost always conjugated in the past tense (-ㅆ어요/-ㅆ어).
가 + 버리다 → 가 버리다 → 가 버렸어요 (ga beoryeosseoyo - went away completely)
읽어 + 버리다 → 읽어 버리다 → 읽어 버렸어 (ilgeo beoryeosseo - finished reading it all)
공부해 + 버리다 → 공부해 버리다 → 공부해 버렸습니다 (gongbuhae beoryeotseumnida - finished studying completely [formal])
아아 to 아 (e.g., 가다 → 가) and 하여 to 해 (e.g., 하다 → 해) are standard in Korean conjugation and apply here as well. The resulting form is [Verb]-아/어/여 버리다.
When To Use It
-아/어 버리다 is a versatile pattern used in several distinct scenarios, always emphasizing the decisive completion and the accompanying subjective emotion.- 1To Express Complete and Irreversible Action: This is the most fundamental usage. The action is done, and its effects are final, with no possibility of reversal. This can be positive or negative depending on the context.
친구와 다투고 연락처를 지워 버렸어요.(chinguwa datugo yeollakcheoreul jiwo beoryeosseoyo - I fought with my friend and deleted their contact information completely.) - Here,지워 버리다highlights the decisive, perhaps regrettable, act of cutting ties.드디어 숙제를 다 해 버렸습니다.(deudieo sukjereul da hae beoryeotseumnida - I finally finished all my homework completely.) - This conveys relief and satisfaction at completing a task.
- 1To Indicate an Action Done with a Sense of Relief or Satisfaction: When a task is difficult, burdensome, or long-awaited, completing it with
-아/어 버리다expresses the positive feeling of being done with it.
오랫동안 고민하던 문제를 해결해 버려서 마음이 편해요.(oraetdongan gominadeon munjereul haegyeolhae beoryeoseo maeumi pyeonhaeyo - I resolved the problem I’d been worrying about for a long time, so I feel at ease.) - The speaker is relieved to have concluded the issue.한 달 동안 준비한 발표를 성공적으로 마쳐 버렸어요.(han dal dong-an junbihan balpyoreul seonggongjeogeuro machyeo beoryeosseoyo - I successfully finished the presentation I prepared for a month.) - Expresses accomplishment and relief.
- 1To Express Regret, Frustration, or an Undesirable Outcome: This is a very common usage, especially when an action happens unexpectedly or against one's will, leading to a negative consequence. The speaker feels helpless or wishes the action hadn't occurred.
휴대폰을 길에 떨어뜨려 버렸어요.(hyudaeponeul gire tteoreotteuryeo beoryeosseoyo - I accidentally dropped my phone on the street [and now it's broken/lost]). - Implies regret or misfortune.중요한 파일을 실수로 삭제해 버렸습니다.(jungyohan paireul silchuro sakjehae beoryeotseumnida - I mistakenly deleted an important file.) - Clearly indicates an unfortunate, irreversible error.
- 1To Describe an Action That Occurred Unexpectedly or Unintentionally: Sometimes, the pattern is used simply to mark an unforeseen event, emphasizing its occurrence as a definitive fact, even if neutral in emotional valence.
비가 갑자기 와 버렸네요.(biga gapjagi wa beoryeotneyo - It suddenly rained.) - Could be neutral observation or mild annoyance depending on context.
- 1With Verbs of Losing or Forgetting: Certain verbs inherently imply a sense of completion and potential regret when combined with
-아/어 버리다.잊어버리다(ijeobeorida - to forget completely) and잃어버리다(ireobeorida - to lose completely) are so common that they are often treated as single lexical units. This highlights the pattern's ability to create idiomatic expressions.
지갑을 잃어버렸어요.(jigabeul ireobeoryeosseoyo - I lost my wallet [completely and it's gone]).그 사람 이름을 깜빡 잊어버렸어요.(geu saram ireumeul kkampak ijeobeoryeosseoyo - I completely forgot that person's name.)
Common Mistakes
-아/어 버리다. Avoiding these common pitfalls will significantly improve naturalness and accuracy.- 1Using with Adjectives (Descriptive Verbs): As discussed,
-아/어 버리다is almost exclusively used with action verbs. It denotes the completion or finality of an action, not the state of being. Attempting to use it with adjectives like예쁘다(to be pretty),크다(to be big), or슬프다(to be sad) is grammatically incorrect and will sound unnatural to native speakers. You cannot 'throw away' a state.
- Incorrect:
그녀가 예뻐 버렸어요.(geunyeoga yeppeo beoryeosseoyo) - This implies that her prettiness has somehow been completed or discarded, which makes no sense. - Correct (alternative for effect): You might say
예쁘게 되어 버렸어요(yeppeuge doeeo beoryeosseoyo - She ended up becoming pretty) using~게 되다if you want to express an unexpected or finalized state change related to prettiness.
- 1Double Past Tense Conjugation: A frequent error is conjugating the main verb into the past tense before attaching
버리다and then conjugating버리다into the past tense again. The tense is only applied to버리다.
- Incorrect:
밥을 먹었어 버렸어요.(babeul meogeosseo beoryeosseoyo) - Correct:
밥을 먹어 버렸어요.(babeul meogeo beoryeosseoyo - I finished eating the meal).
- 1Confusing
버리다as an auxiliary vs. main verb: If you say숙제를 버렸어요(sukjereul beoryeosseoyo), this means you literally 'threw away' your homework. If you mean you finished your homework, you must use the auxiliary pattern:숙제를 해 버렸어요(sukjereul hae beoryeosseoyo).
- The placement of
아/어/여is critical.[Object] + [Verb stem]-아/어/여 버리다implies the action's completion.[Object] + [Verb stem] + 버리다(where버리다is the main verb) means discarding the object.
- 1Overuse and Misjudging Emotional Nuance: While versatile,
-아/어 버리다carries significant emotional weight. Using it for every completed action diminishes its impact and can make the speaker sound overly dramatic or constantly in a state of strong emotion. Reserve it for actions that genuinely have a sense of finality, decisiveness, or a clear emotional impact (relief, regret, satisfaction).
- When simply stating a fact, use the regular past tense:
어제 영화를 봤어요.(eojje yeonghwareul bwasseoyo - I watched a movie yesterday.) - Do not say
어제 영화를 봐 버렸어요.(eojje yeonghwareul bwa beoryeosseoyo) unless watching the movie had some profound or regrettable finality, which is unlikely in a casual context.
- 1Distinguishing from
-고 말다(go malda): Both patterns convey an action that 'ended up happening' or 'eventually happened.' However,-고 말다often implies an unwanted or unavoidable outcome after some struggle or against one's will, carrying a more negative or tragic connotation.-아/어 버리다is broader, encompassing both positive (relief, satisfaction) and negative (regret, frustration) emotions, and is generally more common in everyday speech.
버스를 놓치고 말았어요.(beoseureul nochigo marasseoyo - I ended up missing the bus [and it was unfortunate/unavoidable]). This suggests a sense of resigned failure.버스를 놓쳐 버렸어요.(beoseureul nochyeo beoryeosseoyo - I missed the bus [and it's gone/I'm annoyed]). This focuses more on the finality and the immediate feeling of annoyance or frustration rather than an unavoidable outcome after struggle.
Real Conversations
-아/어 버리다 is widely used in both casual and formal Korean, reflecting its utility in conveying the speaker's emotional connection to completed actions. Its adaptability allows it to appear in diverse contexts, from personal lamentations to expressions of resolve.
Casual Conversation (해체 - hae-che):
- Relief/Completion:
- A: 시험 공부 다 했어? (siheom gongbu da haesseo? - Did you finish studying for the exam?)
- B: 응! 어젯밤에 밤새서 다 해 버렸어! (eung! eojetbame bamsaeoseo da hae beoryeosseo! - Yeah! I stayed up all night last night and finished it all!)
- Insight: This common exchange highlights the relief and sense of accomplishment after a strenuous effort.
- Regret/Accidental Action:
- A: 헐, 내 새 폰 액정 깨졌어. (heol, nae sae pon aekjeong kkaejyeosseo - Oh no, my new phone screen broke.)
- B: 아 진짜? 어쩌다 그랬어? (a jinjja? eojjeoda geuraesseo? - Really? How did that happen?)
- A: 계단에서 발 헛디뎌서 손에서 놓쳐 버렸어… (gyedaneseo bal heotdidyeoseo soneseo nochyeo beoryeosseo… - I tripped on the stairs and dropped it from my hand…)
- Insight: 놓쳐 버렸어 conveys the irreversible, regrettable nature of the accident.
- Decisive Action (often with an impatient or resolute tone):
- A: 걔랑 얘기해봤는데 답이 없어. (gyaerang yaegihaebwanneunde dabi eopseo - I talked to him, but there's no answer/solution.)
- B: 그럼 이제 어떻게 할 거야? (geureom ije eotteoke hal geoya? - So what are you going to do now?)
- A: 모르겠다. 그냥 다 포기해 버릴까 봐. (moreugessda. geunyang da pogihae beorilkka bwa - I don't know. I think I'll just give up on everything.)
- Insight: 포기해 버릴까 봐 implies a strong, almost desperate, intention to definitively abandon the effort.
Formal Conversation/Written Context (합니다체 - hamnida-che):
- Reporting a Finalized Action (can be positive or negative):
- 저희는 프로젝트를 성공적으로 완료해 버렸습니다. (jeohuineun peurojekteureul seonggongjeogeuro wanllyohae beoryeotseumnida. - We successfully completed the project.)
- Insight: In a formal report, this adds a sense of definitive achievement and pride in the completion.
- Expressing Unfortunate but Concluded Events:
- 회사의 주요 고객 정보가 해킹으로 인해 유출되어 버렸습니다. (hoesaui juyo gogaek jeongboga haekingeuro inhae yuchuldwoeeo beoryeotseumnida. - The company's major customer information was leaked due to hacking.)
- Insight: 유출되어 버렸습니다 gravely reports an irreversible and damaging event.
Common Expressions and Idioms:
- 잊어버리다 (ijeobeorida - to forget completely): This is almost always used when you mean to forget something definitively. (비밀번호를 잊어버렸어요. - I forgot the password.)
- 잃어버리다 (ireobeorida - to lose completely): Similarly, for losing objects. (열쇠를 잃어버렸어요. - I lost my keys.)
- 반해 버리다 (banhae beorida - to fall completely for someone/something): Often used dramatically in K-dramas or romantic contexts. (첫눈에 그에게 반해 버렸어요. - I fell completely for him at first sight.)
- 사라져 버리다 (sarajyeo beorida - to disappear completely): Emphasizes utter disappearance. (소중한 추억들이 시간과 함께 사라져 버렸다. - Precious memories disappeared completely with time.)
Quick FAQ
-아/어 버리다 to solidify your understanding:- Q: Can I use
-아/어 버리다in both formal and informal situations? - A: Yes, absolutely. The choice between
버렸어요(polite, standard) and버렸어(informal, casual) or버렸습니다(formal, declarative) depends on the social context and your relationship with the listener. The grammatical pattern itself is versatile across registers.
- Q: Is this pattern always negative?
- A: No. While it often expresses regret or an undesirable outcome, it can just as frequently convey a sense of relief, satisfaction, or definitive accomplishment. The emotional valence is heavily dependent on the specific verb and the context in which it's used. For example,
드디어 목표를 달성해 버렸어요!(deudieo mokpyoreul dalssonghae beoryeosseoyo! - I finally achieved my goal!) is unequivocally positive.
- Q: How does this differ from simply using the past tense? (e.g.,
먹었어요vs.먹어 버렸어요) - A: Simply using the past tense (
-았/었/였어요) states a fact: the action occurred.-아/어 버리다adds a crucial layer of subjective evaluation and finality.먹었어요just means 'I ate.'먹어 버렸어요means 'I ate it all (and it's gone / I'm relieved to have finished / I regret eating it all).' It's about the completeness and the speaker's feeling about that completion.
- Q: Can I use
-아/어 버리다in the present or future tense? - A: While most commonly seen in the past tense, it can be used in the present and future to convey strong emphasis on immediate or future finality. In the present tense, it often expresses a strong sense of urgency, decisiveness, or even exasperation. For instance,
지금 당장 가 버려요!(jigeum dangjang ga beoryeoyo! - Go away right now!) is a strong command. In the future tense (-아/어 버릴 거예요), it signifies a firm intention to complete an action decisively, leaving no room for doubt or reversal.이 문제를 오늘 안에 다 해결해 버릴 거예요.(i munjereul oneul ane da haegyeolhae beoryeopil geoyeyo. - I will resolve this problem completely by today.)
- Q: Are there verbs that almost always appear with
-아/어 버리다? - A: Yes, as mentioned,
잊다(to forget) and잃다(to lose) are almost universally paired with this pattern to form the idiomatic잊어버리다and잃어버리다, meaning to forget or lose something completely and irreversibly. Other verbs that frequently combine with it include하다(to do/finish),먹다(to eat up),없애다(to get rid of), and나가다(to leave/go out).
- Q: What if I want to say an action happened 'by mistake' but without strong regret?
- A: If the action was merely accidental without a significant emotional impact or irreversible negative consequence, you might use
실수로(silsuro - by mistake/accidentally) with the regular past tense. However, if the mistake led to a definitive, often undesirable, outcome,-아/어 버리다is highly appropriate. For example,실수로 파일을 삭제했어요(I deleted the file by mistake) vs.실수로 파일을 삭제해 버렸어요(I deleted the file by mistake [and now it's gone and I can't get it back]).
- Q: Can it be used to describe someone else's actions?
- A: Yes, it can. When used to describe others' actions, it still reflects the speaker's emotional take on that action's completion. For example,
친구가 외국으로 떠나 버렸어요.(chinguga oegugeuro tteona beoryeosseoyo - My friend left for abroad [and I miss them / they're gone for good]). The emotional nuance here would be the speaker's sadness or acceptance of the finality of their friend's departure. This demonstrates its function in conveying the speaker's perspective, even for external events.
- Q: How does it compare to
-아/어 놓다(a/eo nota)? - A: These two patterns are often contrasted due to their similar structure but opposite meanings.
-아/어 놓다means to do an action and leave the result in a particular state for future use or purpose. It implies preparedness or a preserved state. In contrast,-아/어 버리다emphasizes the definitive completion and often the 'disposal' of the action itself or its immediate impact, not the preservation of its outcome. Think of버리다as 'throwing away the action' and놓다as 'setting aside the result.'
-아/어 버리다 | -아/어 놓다 |먹어 버렸어요 (meogeo beoryeosseoyo - Ate it all up/finished) | 사 놓았어요 (sa noasseoyo - Bought and kept it ready) |-아/어 버리다, you are not just reporting a fact; you are sharing your experience of its definitive conclusion.Conjugation Table
| Verb | Stem | 아/어 Form | Final Form |
|---|---|---|---|
|
가다
|
가-
|
가
|
가 버리다
|
|
먹다
|
먹-
|
먹어
|
먹어 버리다
|
|
하다
|
하-
|
해
|
해 버리다
|
|
쓰다
|
쓰-
|
써
|
써 버리다
|
|
듣다
|
듣-
|
들어
|
들어 버리다
|
|
살다
|
살-
|
살아
|
살아 버리다
|
Meanings
This pattern indicates the complete fulfillment of an action, often implying a sense of relief, finality, or regret depending on the context.
Total Completion
Emphasizing that an action is 100% finished.
“케이크를 다 먹어 버렸어요.”
“책을 다 읽어 버렸다.”
Regret/Unfortunate Outcome
Expressing sadness or frustration about an irreversible event.
“지갑을 잃어 버렸어요.”
“그를 떠나 보내 버렸다.”
Relief
Expressing the feeling of a burden being lifted.
“고민을 털어 버렸어요.”
“빚을 다 갚아 버렸다.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Verb-아/어 버리다
|
먹어 버렸어요
|
|
Negative
|
Verb-아/어 버리지 않다
|
먹어 버리지 않았어요
|
|
Question
|
Verb-아/어 버렸어요?
|
먹어 버렸어요?
|
|
Past
|
Verb-아/어 버렸다
|
먹어 버렸다
|
|
Future
|
Verb-아/어 버릴 것이다
|
먹어 버릴 거예요
|
|
Regret
|
Verb-아/어 버리고 말다
|
먹어 버리고 말았어요
|
Formality Spectrum
일을 끝내 버렸습니다. (Work completion)
일을 끝내 버렸어요. (Work completion)
일을 끝내 버렸어. (Work completion)
일 다 조져 버림. (Work completion)
The Emotional Spectrum of -아/어 버리다
Positive
- 해결 Resolution
- 안도 Relief
Negative
- 후회 Regret
- 상실 Loss
Examples by Level
밥을 다 먹어 버렸어요.
I finished all the rice.
숙제를 다 해 버렸어요.
I finished all the homework.
우유를 다 마셔 버렸어요.
I drank all the milk.
영화를 다 봐 버렸어요.
I watched the whole movie.
지갑을 잃어 버렸어요.
I lost my wallet (and I'm sad).
열쇠를 두고 와 버렸어요.
I left my keys behind (oops).
비밀을 말해 버렸어요.
I accidentally told the secret.
시간을 다 써 버렸어요.
I used up all the time.
그는 나를 떠나 버렸다.
He left me (and it's final).
모든 고민을 털어 버렸어요.
I let go of all my worries.
기차를 놓쳐 버리고 말았어요.
I ended up missing the train.
계획을 다 망쳐 버렸어요.
I ruined all the plans.
그동안의 노력이 물거품이 되어 버렸어요.
All the effort has gone to waste.
마침내 그 문제를 해결해 버렸습니다.
I finally solved the problem (relief).
그 사실을 알고 나니 정이 떨어져 버렸어요.
After knowing the truth, I lost my affection.
기회를 놓쳐 버린 것이 너무 아쉬워요.
It's a pity that I missed the chance.
그는 결국 모든 것을 포기해 버리고 말았다.
He eventually ended up giving up everything.
오랜 세월이 흘러 기억이 희미해져 버렸다.
As time passed, the memories have faded away.
그의 오만한 태도가 모든 사람을 질리게 해 버렸다.
His arrogant attitude made everyone sick of him.
결국 우리는 서로에게 상처만 남겨 버렸다.
In the end, we only left each other with wounds.
그는 운명의 장난에 굴복해 버리고 말았다.
He succumbed to the play of fate.
그의 야망은 결국 파멸을 자초해 버린 셈이다.
His ambition essentially invited his own ruin.
오랜 관습이 현대 사회에서 도태되어 버렸다.
Old customs have become obsolete in modern society.
그는 자신의 신념을 저버려 버리는 선택을 했다.
He made the choice to abandon his beliefs.
Easily Confused
Both indicate completion, but -고 말다 emphasizes the 'unintended' nature more strongly.
Both involve a verb, but -아/어 놓다 means 'do something in advance'.
Simple past is neutral; -아/어 버리다 is emotional.
Common Mistakes
공부해 버려요 (while studying)
공부하고 있어요
먹어 버렸다 (neutral)
먹었어요
가 버리다 (future)
갈 거예요
예뻐 버려요
예뻐요
숙제를 해 버릴 거예요
숙제를 다 할 거예요
자 버렸어요 (on purpose)
잤어요
읽어 버렸어요 (a book)
읽었어요
그를 사랑해 버렸어요
그를 사랑하게 되었어요
비가 와 버렸어요
비가 왔어요
기다려 버렸어요
기다렸어요
그는 죽어 버렸다 (in a formal obituary)
그는 돌아가셨다
결정을 해 버렸다 (in a meeting)
결정을 내렸다
이해해 버렸다
이해했다
Sentence Patterns
___을/를 다 ___아/어 버렸어요.
___를 잃어 버려서 속상해요.
결국 ___를 포기해 버리고 말았어요.
그는 ___를 망쳐 버린 것에 대해 후회해요.
Real World Usage
배터리 다 돼 버렸어 ㅠㅠ
보고서 다 작성해 버렸습니다.
다이어트 망쳐 버림...
기차를 놓쳐 버렸어요.
음식을 다 먹어 버렸어요.
실수를 해 버렸습니다.
Use with '다'
Avoid for states
Emotional context
Venting
Smart Tips
Add '다' before the verb.
Use it with loss verbs.
Use it with worry/problem verbs.
Use it for venting.
Pronunciation
Linking
The 'ㄹ' in 버리다 often links to the next word.
Falling
먹어 버렸어요↘
Finality and completion.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of '버리다' as 'throwing away'. Once you throw it away, it's gone forever—that's the finality!
Visual Association
Imagine a cake on a table. You eat it all (completion). Now the plate is empty (the action is 'thrown away' or finished).
Rhyme
When the task is done and you want to say, just add -아/어 버리다 to end the day.
Story
Min-su was hungry. He saw a pizza. He ate it all (먹어 버렸다). Now he feels full (relief) but also sad because it's gone (regret).
Word Web
Challenge
Write 3 sentences about things you finished today using this pattern.
Cultural Notes
Koreans use this to show they are 'done' with a stressful situation. It's a way of venting.
Derived from the verb '버리다' (to throw away/discard).
Conversation Starters
오늘 숙제 다 했어요?
어제 뭐 먹었어요?
가장 후회되는 일이 뭐예요?
어떻게 그 문제를 해결했어요?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
나는 케이크를 다 ___ 버렸어요.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
공부하고 있어 버렸어요.
숙제를 다 했어요.
예뻐 버렸어요.
A: 기차 탔어요? B: 아니요, ___.
다 / 먹어 / 버렸어요 / 사과를
Which expresses regret?
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises나는 케이크를 다 ___ 버렸어요.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
공부하고 있어 버렸어요.
숙제를 다 했어요.
예뻐 버렸어요.
A: 기차 탔어요? B: 아니요, ___.
다 / 먹어 / 버렸어요 / 사과를
Which expresses regret?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercises친구가 말도 없이 ___.
I spent all my money.
말해 / 비밀을 / 버렸어요
Select the correct sentence:
중고차를 팔어 버렸어요.
Match the pairs:
우유가 ___.
I ended up buying it (even though I shouldn't have).
Select the future form:
놓쳐 / 비행기를 / 버렸어요
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
No, only for actions that have a sense of finality or emotional weight.
No, it can be positive, like finishing a hard task.
Conjugate the main verb to 아/어, then add 버리다.
It's rare, as it implies completion.
It can be used in formal settings if conjugated correctly.
It's a great way to express emotion and finality.
It's grammatically incorrect.
끝내다 is just 'to finish'; -아/어 버리다 adds the emotional nuance.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
~てしまう (-te shimau)
The nuance of 'relief' is slightly more common in Korean.
weg- (prefix)
Korean uses a full verb conjugation.
acabar de / terminar
Spanish requires specific verbs rather than a suffix.
finir par
Korean is more versatile in emotional range.
掉 (diào)
Korean conjugates the verb; Chinese adds a particle.
تماماً (tamaman)
Korean grammar is synthetic; Arabic is analytic.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Related Videos
![[왕과 사는 남자] 공식 예고편](https://sublearn.com/storage/thumbnails/9sxEZuJskvM.jpg)
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