-로/-으로 in Korean grammar: indicating particle (e.g. with, by, as, for, to)
Jan 15, 2023
- Author: Tina Fennell (U.K.), Alyaa Saeed Almarshoodi (United Arab Emirates)
- Editor: Good Job Korean team
-(으)로 is used to indicate direction, method, cause, and status, and it can be translated ‘with’, ‘by’, ‘as’, ‘for’, or ‘to’. It seems very confusing, right?
Before getting into the many different usages, let’s check out how it is conjugated first.
Conjugation rules for –(으)로
1) Noun with ending with consonant add –으로
Ex)
핸드폰으로
by cellphone
*핸드폰: cellphone
2) Noun with ending with vowel or ‘ㄹ’ final consonant add –로
Ex)
자전거로
by bicycle
*자전거: bicycle
연필로
with pencil
*연필: pencil
4 different usages of -으로/로
Usage #1.
-(으)로 can mark a noun that is used as a method, ingredient, or a tool. This case –(으)로 is often translated as ‘with’, ‘by’, or ‘using~’
ex)
밀가루로 빵을 만들었어요.
I made bread with flour. (I made bread, using flour.)
*밀가루: flour *빵: bread *만들다: to make
이 파일은 이메일로 보내 주세요.
Please send this file by email. (Please send this file, using email)
*이: this *파일: file *이메일: e-mail *보내다: to send *Verb + 해주세요: please do Verb
Usage #2.
-(으)로 can mark the direction or place where someone is going. This case –(으)로 is often translated as ‘to’, or ‘towards’
Ex)
학교로 가요
I go to school.
*학교: school
오른쪽으로 가면 카페가 있어요.
There is a café when you go to the right.
*오른쪽: right(side) *가다: to go
*Note
You might think what is the difference between the location marker ‘–에’ and ‘-(으)로’ as ‘to/towards’. ‘-에’ marks a location noun that is a destination. But in ‘(으)로’ the location doesn’t have to be a destination.
Ex)
학교에 가요.
I go to school. (School is a destination)
학교로 가요.
I go to school. (I am heading towards school, but maybe, the destination is a store behind the school)
Usage #3.
‘-으로’ can mark a cause of something that happens. This case –(으)로 is often translated as ‘from’, or ‘for’
Ex)
사고로 다쳤어요.
I got hurt from an accident.
*사고: accident *다치다: to get hurt
이 식당은 맛있는 김치로 유명해요.
This restaurant is famous for its tasty Kimchi.
*식당: restaurant *맛있는: tasty (adjective) *김치: Kimchi *유명하다: to be famous
Usage #4.
‘-으로’ can mark the status or identity of a person doing something. This case –(으)로 is often translated as ‘as’
Ex)
저는 작년에 가수로 데뷔했어요.
I made a debut as a singer last year.
*작년: last year *가수: singer *데뷔하다: to make a debut
저는 프리랜서로 일하고 있어요.
I am working as a freelancer.
*프리랜서: freelancer *일하다: to work
Example sentences
핸드폰으로 사진을 찍었어요.
I took a picture with my cellphone.
*사진: picture *찍다: to take
한국으로 갈 거예요.
I will go to Korea.
우리 학교는 축구부로 유명해요.
Our school is famous for its soccer team.
*우리: our *축구부: soccer team(school) *유명하다: to be famous
한국어 선생님으로 일해요.
I work as a Korean teacher.
*한국어: Korean language *선생님: teacher *일하다: to work
- Author: , Tina Fennell (U.K.), Alyaa Saeed Almarshoodi (United Arab Emirates)
- Editor: Good Job Korean team
