Planning to do something (려고/으려고)

• 하려고/으려고 (General Intention): This pattern is broad in its application, attaching to most action verbs (동사 dong-sa) to convey an intention or purpose. The subsequent action is performed as a result of this intention. The emphasis is on the deliberate intent that serves as the driving force behind the action.
• Example: 한국 드라마를 보려고 한국어를 배워요. (I learn Korean to watch Korean dramas.) (Learning is the action; watching dramas is the intention.)
• -(으)러 (Purpose of Movement): This pattern is highly specialized, exclusively combining with verbs of movement such as 가다 (to go), 오다 (to come), or 다니다 (to attend/commute). It explicitly states the purpose for going to or coming to a particular location. The emphasis here is on the destination-oriented purpose of the movement itself.
• Example: 밥을 먹으러 식당에 가요. (I go to the restaurant to eat.) (The act of eating is the purpose for the physical trip.)
• Key Distinction: While 밥을 먹으려고 식당에 가요 is grammatically correct and frequently used, 밥을 먹으러 식당에 가요 is often perceived as more natural and concise when the purpose directly involves a physical journey. If the verb is not a movement verb (e.g., 보다 – to see, 공부하다 – to study), only 려고/으려고 can be directly employed.

• 하려고/으려고 (General Intention): This is the more common and conversational choice, expressing a direct and often immediate intention. It is suitable for most everyday contexts, spanning informal to semi-formal situations. In social media or texting, its informal variants are ubiquitous.
• Example: 승진하려고 열심히 일해요. (I work hard to get promoted.)
• -(기) 위해서 (Formal/Grandiose Purpose): This pattern conveys a more formal, significant, or long-term purpose. It implicitly suggests a greater degree of effort, importance, or solemnity attached to the goal. While 위해서 literally translates to "for the sake of," when preceded by 기, it functions as "in order to." It is often found in formal writing, public speeches, academic texts, or when discussing noble/large-scale objectives. Employing it in casual conversation might sound overly formal or even stiff, much like wearing a tuxedo to a casual gathering.
• Example (합니다체): 나라의 발전을 위해서 최선을 다하겠습니다. (I will do my best for the development of the country.) (Very formal and strongly emphasizes a significant purpose.)
• Example (해요체): 대학에 가기 위해서 밤새 공부했어요. (I studied all night in order to go to university.) (Implies a significant, long-term goal and substantial effort.)
• Key Distinction: The primary difference lies in register and perceived gravity. 려고/으려고 is the versatile, everyday tool for expressing purpose, whereas -(기) 위해서 elevates the purpose to a more formal, weighty, or grand scale.

• 려고/으려고 (Connective Ending): This form functions strictly as a clause connector, linking the intention (expressed in the preceding clause) to the action (in the subsequent clause) undertaken to fulfill that intention. It cannot stand alone as the final predicate of a sentence.
• Example: 공부하려고 도서관에 갔어요. (I went to the library to study.)
• 려고/으려고 하다 (Auxiliary Verb Construction): This is a complete predicate, meaning "to intend to," "to plan to," or "to be about to." The 하다 component is conjugated for appropriate tense and politeness, allowing the entire phrase to function as the main verb of a sentence. It expresses a speaker's current state of intention or describes an impending action or event.
• Example (해요체): 내년에 유학을 가려고 해요. (I'm planning to study abroad next year.)
• Example (합니다체): 지금 막 출발하려고 합니다. (I am just about to depart now.)
• Key Distinction: 려고/으려고 introduces a purpose as part of a larger sentence, while 려고/으려고 하다 states an intention or impending action as the central point of a sentence.

No, not directly. 려고/으려고 expresses an intention to perform an action. Adjectives describe states or qualities. However, you can express the intention to become a certain state by combining an adjective with verbs like 지다 (to become) or 되다 (to become). For example, 건강해지려고 운동해요 (I exercise to become healthy), where 건강하다 (to be healthy) becomes 건강해지다 (to become healthy).

While 려고/으려고 is acceptable in general formal contexts like emails or reports, for very high-level formal writing, academic papers, or official speeches, -(기) 위해서 is generally preferred. -(기) 위해서 carries a more weighty and formal nuance, signifying a more significant or long-term purpose. Think of 려고/으려고 as versatile and standard, and -(기) 위해서 as elevated and profound.

려구 is an informal, phonetic abbreviation or casual pronunciation of 려고, commonly seen in texting, online chats, or very casual spoken Korean (often associated with 애교 ae-gyo or cute speech). It's similar to saying "gonna" instead of "going to" in English. It's not grammatically standard but is widely understood in informal digital communication.

Yes, specifically in the context of an impending natural event. For example, 비가 오려고 해요 (It looks like it's about to rain) or 눈이 오려고 해요 (It looks like it's about to snow). In these instances, 하려고 하다 metaphorically attributes intent to natural phenomena, indicating that the event is imminent or appears to be on the verge of happening. This is an idiomatic usage for weather predictions.

No. The 려고/으려고 clause inherently describes an intention before the main action takes place. You cannot attach past tense markers to 려고/으려고. The tense is always indicated by the final verb of the main clause. The intention itself is formed in the present or past (leading to a past action), but the form 려고/으려고 remains untensed.