Processing keyword: ~아/어 버리다 [a/eo beorida] (To completely)

Korean Grammar Point: ~아/어 버리다 [a/eo beorida] (To completely)

1. Introduction

The Korean grammar pattern ~아/어 버리다 is used to express the completion of an action, often with an emotional nuance such as relief, regret, or frustration. It can indicate that something has been done thoroughly, entirely, or irreversibly.

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2. Core Grammar Explanation

Meaning

• Completion: Indicates that an action has been completed entirely.
• Emotional Nuance: Conveys the speaker's feelings about the action, such as relief, regret, disappointment, or surprise.

Structure

The pattern is formed by attaching ~아/어 버리다 to the verb stem.

Formation Diagram

Verb Stem Ending	Connection	Example Verb	Conjugated Form
Verb stem ending with 아 or 오 vowel	Attach -아 버리다	가다 (to go)	가 + 아 버리다 = 가버리다
Other verb stems	Attach -어 버리다	먹다 (to eat)	먹 + 어 버리다 = 먹어버리다
하다	Attach -여 버리다 (often contracted to -해 버리다)	하다 (to do)	해버리다

Detailed Explanation

1. Identify the verb stem:
   • Remove 다 from the dictionary form of the verb.
   • Example: 가다 → 가
2. Determine the appropriate connector:
   • If the verb stem ends with 아 or 오 vowel, use -아 버리다.
   • Otherwise, use -어 버리다.
   • For 하다 verbs, use -여 버리다 (commonly contracted to -해 버리다).
3. Attach ~아/어 버리다 to the verb stem:
   • Combine the verb stem with the appropriate connector.
   • Example: 가 + 아 버리다 = 가버리다

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3. Comparative Analysis

~고 말다 vs. ~아/어 버리다

• ~고 말다: Emphasizes that an action occurred unintentionally or against one's intentions, often with regret.
• ~아/어 버리다: Focuses on the completion of an action, with an emotional nuance that can be positive or negative. Example:
• 비가 와서 행사가 취소되고 말았다.
  • The event ended up being canceled due to rain (regretful).
• 비가 와서 준비한 음식을 다 먹어버렸다.
  • Because it rained, we ended up eating all the prepared food (completed action).

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4. Examples in Context

Example Sentences

1. Positive Emotion (Relief):
   • 드디어 숙제를 끝내버렸어요.
     • I finally finished my homework (and I'm relieved).
2. Negative Emotion (Regret):
   • 지갑을 잃어버렸어요.
     • I lost my wallet (and I regret it).
     • (Note: 잃다 + 어 버리다 → 잃어버리다)
3. Frustration:
   • 친구가 약속을 또 깨버렸어요.
     • My friend broke the promise again (and I'm frustrated).
4. Surprise:
   • 그 사람이 갑자기 나타나버렸어요.
     • That person suddenly appeared (and I'm surprised).
5. Informal Speech:
   • 어제 책을 다 읽어버렸어.
     • I completely finished reading the book yesterday.
6. Formal Written Context:
   • 연구원들은 실험 결과를 발표해버렸습니다.
     • The researchers have completely released the experiment results.

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5. Cultural Notes

Levels of Politeness and Formality

The use of ~아/어 버리다 remains consistent across different speech levels, but the verb 버리다 should be conjugated appropriately:

• Informal Low/Formal:
  • 먹어버려 (Informal Low)
  • 먹어버렸어요 (Polite Informal)
  • 먹어버립니다 (Polite Formal)

Idiomatic Expressions

• 잊어버리다 (to forget completely):
  • 약속을 잊어버렸어요.
    • I completely forgot about the appointment.
• 없어지다 vs. 없어져버리다:
  • 돈이 없어졌어요.
    • The money is gone.
  • 돈이 없어져버렸어요.
    • The money has completely disappeared (and I'm affected by it).

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6. Common Mistakes and Tips

Common Mistakes

1. Forgetting the Emotional Nuance:
   • Using ~아/어 버리다 without considering the emotional context can make the sentence sound unnatural.
2. Incorrect Attachment:
   • Misapplying the connector (-아 vs. -어) can lead to incorrect conjugation.
   • Incorrect: 먹아버렸어요.
   • Correct: 먹어버렸어요.

Tips

• Mnemonic Device:

  • 버리다 sounds like "bury" in English. Think of "burying" the action completely.

• Remember the Emotion:

  • Always consider the feeling you want to convey—relief, regret, frustration—when using this grammar point.

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7. Summary and Review

Key Takeaways

• ~아/어 버리다 expresses the complete action with an emotional nuance.
• Attach -아 버리다 or -어 버리다 to the verb stem, depending on the vowel.
• Conveys feelings such as relief, regret, frustration, or surprise.

Quick Recap Quiz

1. How do you attach ~아/어 버리다 to the verb 팔다 (to sell)?
   • Answer: 팔아버리다
2. What emotional nuance does ~아/어 버리다 often carry?
   • Answer: It conveys emotions like relief, regret, frustration, or surprise about the completion of an action.
3. Correct the mistake in the sentence:
   • 책을 읽아버렸어요.
   • Answer: 책을 읽어버렸어요.

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By understanding ~아/어 버리다, you can express complete actions with emotional depth, making your Korean more fluent and expressive.

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