아/어 보면 grammar - a/eo bomyeon grammar

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June 12, 2018

A lot of people get these three (annoyingly similar) grammar patterns mixed up, so I’m here to clarify their nuanced differences! Hope this helps~

~다 보니(까) – to discover/realize something after doing an action repeatedly/continuously.

한국어를 공부하다 보니까 실력이 많이 늘었다.
카페에서 친구랑 이야기를 하다 보니 벌써 문 닫는 시간이 돼 버렸어요.
한국에서 몇 년동안 혼자 살다 보니까 꽤 외롭더라고.

~고 보니(까) – to discover/realize something (usually unexpected) after completing an action.

집을 사고 보니 낡고 고장이 난 곳이 되게 많았다.
아이를 낳고 보니까 부모님 마음이 이해가 돼.
그 말을 듣고 보니 제가 큰 실수를 한 것 같아요.

~아/어 보니(까) – to discover/realize something after trying an action (for the first time).

카페에서 공부해 보니까 집중할 수 없었다.
김밥을 직접 만들어 보니 아주 쉽더라고요.
새벽에 일어나서 한강에서 조깅해 보니까 제법 추웠어.

Filed under korean grammar korean 한국어 한국어공부 grammar

Description

Verb + 아/어/여 보다 : This pattern is used to:

Tell someone to try or attempt something and to see the result of doing so.
As a question this can be used to ask if someone has ever done or tried something, for example "미국에 가 봤어요?" could be translated to "Have you ever been to America?"
It can also be used to make a command sound less strong and demanding.

This pattern sometimes really doesn't have a specific meaning, it just makes the sentence sound more natural, for example "기다려 봐" isn't exactly telling someone to try waiting, it's just telling them to wait.

For Conjugation rules, see the basic conjugation for 아/어/여. Some basic examples:

Korean	English	Notes
이거 먹어 봐.	Try this (food).	low form
미국에 한번 가 봤어요.	I've been to America once.	polite informal form
한번 마셔 보세요.	Please try this one time (drink).	polite informal form
입어 보세요.	Please try this on.	polite informal form
그 책 읽어 봤어?	Have you (ever) read that book?	low form
잘 생각해 보세요.	Please try to think about it.	polite informal form
그 사람 만나 봤어?	Have you ever met that person?	low form
말 타 봤어요?	Have you ever rode a horse?	polite informal form
생각해 볼게.	I'll think about it.	low form
고생을 많이 해 봤어요.	I've suffered a lot.	polite informal form