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-거라

-geora

do (old-fashioned command)

A highly addressee-lowering imperative ending, traditionally used with certain verbs (especially 가다) to give a command, often by elders to younger people; today largely replaced by '-아/어라' in everyday speech.

Form

Attaches to
Verb, Auxiliary

Meanings

  1. 1

    (formal, highly addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used when ordering.

    (아주낮춤으로) 명령의 뜻을 나타내는 종결 어미.

Examples

  • 학교 늦겠다. 빨리 가거라.

    You'll be late for school. Hurry up and go.

  • 잘 가거라. 다음에 또 보자.

    Go safely. See you again next time.

  • 아들아, 너는 하고 싶은 일을 하면서 기쁘게 살아가거라.

    Son, live your life happily doing what you want to do.

  • 엄마, 저 놀이터에 갔다 올게요. 혼자 가지 말고 동생도 좀 데려가거라.

    Mom, I'm going to the playground and I'll be back. Don't go alone, take your little sibling with you.

  • 저 이제 그만 가 볼게요. 벌써 가려고? 점심은 먹고 가거라.

    I should get going now. Already? Have lunch before you go.

  • 엄마, 저 놀이터에 갔다 올게요.

    Mom, I'm going to the playground and I'll be back.

Examples: 한국어기초사전, CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.

Quick check

  1. 1. What does ‘-거라’ mean?

  2. 2. Which form means “do (old-fashioned command)”?