The 아/어 주다 Korean grammar pattern means “to do something for someone.” It commonly appears when describing favors, making requests, offering help, and making promises.
In this lesson, you will learn how to form and use 아/어 주다 with natural Korean examples. You will also learn its word order, spacing, and the particles used to identify who performs the action and who the action is for.
1. What Does 아/어 주다 Mean?
아/어 주다 shows that someone does an action for another person.
주다 Means “to Give”
The verb 주다 means “to give.”
- 친구가 저에게 선물을 줬어요.
My friend gave me a present.
When 주다 follows another verb, its meaning changes. It shows that the action is done for someone.
Verb + 아/어 주다
to do something for someone
When 주다 follows another verb, do not translate it separately as “give.” Instead, focus on who does the action and who the action is for.
Compare the Meaning
Compare these two sentences:
- 유나가 창문을 열었어요.
Yuna opened the window. - 유나가 창문을 열어 줬어요.
Yuna opened the window for someone.
The first sentence only describes Yuna’s action. The second sentence shows that she opened the window for another person.
The main action is still 열다, “to open.” Adding 아/어 주다 shows that the action was done for someone.
2. How to Form 아/어 주다
To form 아/어 주다, remove 다 from the dictionary form and add 아 주다, 어 주다, or 해 주다.
Verb stem + 아/어 주다
The form you choose depends on the final vowel of the verb stem.
Verb Stems with ㅏ or ㅗ
If the final vowel of the verb stem is ㅏ or ㅗ, add 아 주다.
Verb stem + 아 주다
- 닫다 (to close) → 닫아 주다 (to close something for someone)
- 방에 들어올 때 문을 닫아 주세요.
Please close the door when you come into the room.
Some forms contract when 아 is added.
- 보다 (to see; to look at) → 보아 주다 → 봐 주다 (to look at something for someone)
봐 주다 is more common than 보아 주다 in everyday Korean.
Verb Stems with Other Vowels
If the final vowel of the verb stem is not ㅏ or ㅗ, add 어 주다.
Verb stem + 어 주다
- 읽다 (to read) → 읽어 주다 (to read something for someone)
- 할머니가 아이에게 동화책을 읽어 줬어요.
The grandmother read a storybook to the child.
Some verb forms change when 어 is added.
- 쓰다 (to write) → 써 주다 (to write something for someone)
The vowel ㅡ disappears when 어 is added. This is why 쓰어 주다 becomes 써 주다.
하다 Verbs
For verbs ending in 하다, change 하다 to 해 주다.
하다 → 해 주다
- 청소하다 (to clean) → 청소해 주다 (to clean something for someone)
- 확인하다 (to check) → 확인해 주다 (to check something for someone)
- 아빠가 부엌을 청소해 줬어요.
(My father cleaned the kitchen for me.)
After forming 아/어 주다, the ending changes according to the tense or purpose of the sentence. The four common forms are introduced in the next section.
Spacing
The general rule is to write the main verb and 주다 separately. In this type of construction, writing them together is also allowed.
- 찾아 주다 (to find something for someone) ✓
- 찾아주다 (to find something for someone) ✓
For clarity and consistency, this article uses spaced forms.
3. Four Common Uses of 아/어 주다
아/어 주다 can describe a favor, make a request, offer help, or promise to do something for another person.
The ending attached to 주다 changes according to the speaker’s purpose.
1. Describing a Favor
Use 아/어 줬어요 when someone did something for another person in the past.
아/어 줬어요 (did something for someone)
The person the action was for can be omitted when the context is clear.
- 엄마가 김밥을 만들어 줬어요.
My mother made gimbap for me. - 친구가 사진을 찍어 줬어요.
My friend took a picture for me.
2. Making a Polite Request
Use 아/어 주세요 to ask someone politely to do something.
아/어 주세요 (please do something)
The listener is normally the person expected to perform the action, so the subject is usually omitted.
- 가방을 여기에 놓아 주세요.
Please put the bag here. - 전화번호를 말해 주세요.
Please tell me the phone number.
V-아/어 주세요 is used for requests, while V-(으)세요 is often used for instructions, directions, or advice.
3. Offering to Help
Use 아/어 줄까요? to ask whether the listener wants you to do something for them.
아/어 줄까요? (shall I do something for you?)
The speaker is normally the person offering to perform the action. For this reason, 저 or 제가 is often omitted.
- 불을 켜 줄까요?
Shall I turn on the light for you? - 우산을 빌려 줄까요?
Shall I lend you an umbrella?
4. Making a Promise
Use 아/어 줄게요 when the speaker promises or decides to do something for the listener.
아/어 줄게요 (I’ll do something for you)
The speaker is normally the person who will perform the action.
- 내일 우유를 사 줄게요.
I’ll buy you some milk tomorrow. - 주말에 방을 청소해 줄게요.
I’ll clean your room this weekend.
아/어 줄게요 is an informal polite form commonly used with friends, family members, and other people with whom the speaker has a familiar relationship.
4. Word Order and Particles with 아/어 주다
A sentence with 아/어 주다 can include the person doing the action, the person the action is for, and the object involved in the action.
A common word order is:
Doer + 이/가 + Person + 에게/한테 + Object + 을/를 + Verb-아/어 주다
Korean word order can change, and information that is clear from the context can be omitted.
Basic Word Order
Look at the following sentence:
- 민지가 동생에게 그림을 그려 줬어요.
Minji drew a picture for her younger sibling.
Each part has a different role:
- 민지가 (Minji—the person doing the action)
- 동생에게 (for her younger sibling—the person the action is for)
- 그림을 (a picture—the object)
- 그려 줬어요 (drew it for someone—the action)
이/가 marks the person doing the action. 을/를 marks the object of the main verb. 에게 or 한테 marks the person the action is for.
에게 and 한테
Use 에게 or 한테 after the person the action is done for.
Person + 에게/한테
- 언니가 동생한테 노래를 불러 줬어요.
My older sister sang a song for my younger sibling.
In this sentence, 언니 performs the action. 동생 is the person the action is for.
에게 and 한테 have the same basic function here.
- 친구에게 (for a friend)
- 친구한테 (for a friend)
한테 is more common in everyday conversation. 에게 is neutral and is more common in writing or formal explanations.
Do not mark the person the action is for with 을 or 를.
The Doer or the Person the Action Is For Can Be Omitted
Korean often leaves out the person doing the action or the person the action is for when the context is clear.
- 이모가 도시락을 준비해 줬어요.
My aunt prepared a lunchbox for me.
The sentence states that 이모 performed the action, but it does not state who the lunchbox was prepared for. The context tells the listener whether the action was for the speaker, the listener, or someone else.
The person doing the action can also be omitted when everyone already knows who that person is. This commonly happens in requests and offers.
5. Common Mistakes to Avoid with 아/어 주다
Here are three common mistakes to avoid when forming and using 아/어 주다.
1. Using the Dictionary Form Before 주다
Do not place 주다 directly after a verb ending in 다. Remove 다 and change the verb to its 아/어 form first.
- 동생이 접시를 씻다 줬어요. ✗
Intended meaning: My younger sibling washed the dishes for me. - 동생이 접시를 씻어 줬어요. ✓
My younger sibling washed the dishes for me.
The correct change is:
- 씻다 (to wash) → 씻어 주다 (to wash something for someone)
Use verb stem + 아/어 주다, not dictionary form + 주다.
2. Adding the Past-Tense Ending to the Main Verb
In an 아/어 주다 construction, the first verb stays in the 아/어 form. Add the past-tense ending to 주다.
- 형이 자전거를 고쳤어 줬어요. ✗
Intended meaning: My older brother fixed the bicycle for me. - 형이 자전거를 고쳐 줬어요. ✓
My older brother fixed the bicycle for me.
The correct change is:
- 고치다 (to fix) → 고쳐 주다 (to fix something for someone)
- 고쳐 주다 (to fix something for someone) → 고쳐 줬어요 (fixed something for someone)
Do not add a past-tense ending to both verbs.
3. Adding 주다 When No One Benefits from the Action
Do not add 아/어 주다 automatically to every action. Use it when an action is performed for another person or for that person’s benefit.
- 저는 공원에서 혼자 걸었어요. ✓
I walked alone in the park. - 저는 공원에서 혼자 걸어 줬어요. △
I walked alone in the park as a favor for someone.
The second sentence requires a special context in which another person wants or needs the speaker to walk. Without that context, it sounds unusual.
If the sentence only describes the speaker’s own activity, use the main verb without 아/어 주다.
6. Practice Exercises for 아/어 주다
Change each dictionary form into the 아/어 주다 form. Write the main verb and 주다 with a space.
Exercise 1: Verb Stems with ㅏ or ㅗ
Add 아 주다. Remember that some forms contract.
| No. | Dictionary Form | Meaning | 아/어 주다 Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 사다 | to buy | ____________________ |
| 2 | 잡다 | to hold | ____________________ |
| 3 | 찾다 | to find | ____________________ |
| 4 | 오다 | to come | ____________________ |
Exercise 2: Verb Stems with Other Vowels
Add 어 주다. Change the verb naturally when a contraction is needed.
| No. | Dictionary Form | Meaning | 아/어 주다 Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 보내다 | to send | ____________________ |
| 6 | 기다리다 | to wait | ____________________ |
| 7 | 가르치다 | to teach | ____________________ |
| 8 | 가져오다 | to bring | ____________________ |
Exercise 3: 하다 Verbs
Change 하다 to 해 주다.
| No. | Dictionary Form | Meaning | 아/어 주다 Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 전화하다 | to call | ____________________ |
| 10 | 설명하다 | to explain | ____________________ |
| 11 | 준비하다 | to prepare | ____________________ |
| 12 | 예약하다 | to make a reservation | ____________________ |
Answer Key
| No. | Dictionary Form | Correct Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 사다 | 사 주다 | to buy something for someone |
| 2 | 잡다 | 잡아 주다 | to hold something for someone |
| 3 | 찾다 | 찾아 주다 | to find something for someone |
| 4 | 오다 | 와 주다 | to come for someone |
| 5 | 보내다 | 보내 주다 | to send something for someone |
| 6 | 기다리다 | 기다려 주다 | to wait for someone |
| 7 | 가르치다 | 가르쳐 주다 | to teach someone |
| 8 | 가져오다 | 가져와 주다 | to bring something for someone |
| 9 | 전화하다 | 전화해 주다 | to call someone |
| 10 | 설명하다 | 설명해 주다 | to explain something for someone |
| 11 | 준비하다 | 준비해 주다 | to prepare something for someone |
| 12 | 예약하다 | 예약해 주다 | to make a reservation for someone |
7. FAQ About 아/어 주다 Korean Grammar
These common questions explain the meaning, formation, sentence structure, translation, and negative form of 아/어 주다 in Korean.
Q1. What does 아/어 주다 mean in Korean?
아/어 주다 means “do something for someone” in Korean. The first verb describes the action, while 주다 shows that the action is performed for another person or for that person’s benefit.
Q2. How do you form 아/어 주다 in Korean?
Remove 다 from the dictionary form. Add 아 주다 after a verb stem with ㅏ or ㅗ, and add 어 주다 after most other vowels. For 하다 verbs, change 하다 to 해 주다.
Q3. Does 아/어 주다 always mean that the action is for the speaker?
No. The action can be for the speaker, the listener, or another person. 에게 or 한테 can identify the person the action is for. When that person is omitted, the context determines who the action is for.
Q4. Is 아/어 주다 always translated as “for someone”?
No. “Do something for someone” explains its general meaning, but a natural English translation may use “for,” “to,” or a different sentence structure. Translate the complete meaning instead of translating 주다 separately.
Q5. Can 아/어 주다 be used in a negative sentence?
Yes. Use V-아/어 주지 않다 to say that someone does not perform an action for another person. The main verb stays in the 아/어 form, while 주다 changes to 주지 않다.
Related Korean Grammar Lessons
Continue learning how Korean speakers express favors, requests, politeness, and respect with these related grammar lessons.
V-(으)세요: Polite Instructions and Commands
Learn how to use V-(으)세요 for polite instructions and commands, and compare it with V-아/어 주세요 when asking someone to do something for you.
주시다 vs 드리다: Korean Honorific Verbs
Learn the difference between 주시다 and 드리다 by identifying who performs the action and who receives respect.
Korean Present Tense Conjugation Chart
Review how regular and irregular Korean verbs change into the -아요, -어요, and -해요 forms used to make V-아/어 주다.
아/어 보세요: How to Make Polite Suggestions in Korean
Compare V-아/어 보세요, which suggests trying an action, with V-아/어 주세요, which asks someone to perform an action as a favor.