기로 하다: Decided to (do something)

Hello, you awesome language aficionados! 🚀 Ever had that “aha!” moment where you decide to binge-watch your favourite Korean drama till 3 am or promise yourself you’ll finally learn that dance routine to the latest K-pop hit? Well, in English we’d say, “I’ve decided to…” But how do you drop that nugget of determination in Korean? Buckle up, folks, because today we’re venturing into the fabulous realm of ‘-기로 하다’, the Korean way to express our decisions!

Get ready to master the art of Korean decisiveness, one sentence at a time. Let’s embark on this adventure, because by the end of this lesson, I’ve decided… err… ‘기로 했어요’ that you’ll be making decisions in Korean like a pro! 🎉🤓 Let’s get rolling! 🎲📚

Conjugation

VERB STEM + 기로 하다

Take a verb i.e. 가다
Drop “다” i.e. 가
Add -기로 하다 i.e. 가기로 하다

먹다 –> 먹 + 기로 하다 –> 먹기로 하다
사다 –> 사 + 기로 하다 –> 사기로 하다
주다 –> 주 + 기로 하다 –> 주기로 하다

보다 –> 보 + 기로 하다–> 보기로 하다

Understanding the meaning of -기로 하다

Navigating the world of decisions can be challenging, especially if you’re not equipped with the right words to express them. But fear not! In Korean, there’s a unique and specific way to convey such determinations, and it’s with the handy structure: -기로 하다.

What is -기로 하다?
- At its core, -기로 하다 translates to “decide to do (something)” or “have decided to do (something).” It is a phrase used to express a firm decision or resolution regarding an action in the future.
Breaking it Down:
- -기: This is a nominalizing particle. Fancy term, but it just means that it turns a verb into a noun form. For example, 읽다 (to read) becomes 읽기 (reading).
- 로 하다: This can be understood as “to choose a path or way.” When combined with -기, it denotes the decision to take a particular action.
How does it differ from other expressions?
- While Korean has other ways to express intentions or plans, -기로 하다 brings a sense of finality and resolution to the decision. It’s not just about wanting or planning to do something; it’s about making a clear-cut decision to go through with it.

Degree of Certainty:
- Using -기로 하다 implies a strong commitment. So, if you say you’ve decided on something using this structure, it’s assumed you’re quite sure about it. It’s like planting a flag on Decision Island!
Tense Variations:
- The beauty of -기로 하다 is that it can be conjugated in different tenses to convey when the decision was made.
  - Present: 읽기로 해요. (I decide to read.)
  - Past: 읽기로 했어요. (I had decided to read.)
  - Future: 읽기로 할 거예요. (I will decide to read.)

As you can probably see, the most common sentences will be made in the past tense as we would use that most commonly to tell someone what we HAD decided already.

Sample sentences

저는 매일 운동하기로 했어요. – I decided to exercise every day.

우리는 서울에 여행하기로 했어요. – We decided to travel to Seoul.
그녀는 책을 사기로 했어요. – She decided to buy the book.
수진이는 노래방에 가기로 했어요. – Sujin decided to go to the karaoke.

Crafting Negative Sentences with -기로 하다

Hold up, decision-makers! So, you’ve gotten the hang of -기로 하다, but what if you’re in a moody, rebellious phase and decide not to do something? Worry not; here’s how you can convey that in Korean.

안 + VERB STEM + -기로 하다

You can just add 안 in front of the verb.

안 하기로 했어요. – I decided not to do it.

그 친구랑 내일 안 만나기로 했어요. – I decided not to meet that friend tomorrow.
오늘은 한국 음식 안 만들기로 했어요. – I decided not to make Korean food today.

VERB STEM + 지 않 + 기로 하다

우리는 아침을 먹지 않기로 했어요. – We decided not to eat breakfast.

우리는 그 영화 보지 않기로 했어요. – We decided not to watch that movie.
그 파티 가지 않기로 했어요. – I decided not to go to that party.

So, the next time you decide against a plan (like skipping that extra episode of a K-drama or resisting that tempting dessert), you’ll know how to express it with confidence! You’re not just a decision maker; you’re a decision breaker, too! 😉🙌

Activity 1

Fill in the blanks.

오늘은 집에서 ____________. – I decided to rest at home today.
지민이는 새로운 가방을 ____________. – Jimin decided not to buy a new bag.

우리는 다음 주에 ____________. – We decided to meet next week.
그들은 파티에서 ____________. – They decided to sing at the party.
학생들은 도서관에서 ____________. – The students decided to study at the library.

Activity 1 Answers

오늘은 집에서 쉬기로 했어요. – I decided to rest at home today.
지민이는 새로운 가방을 사지 않기로 했어요. – Jimin decided not to buy a new bag.
우리는 다음 주에 만나기로 했어요. – We decided to meet next week.

그들은 파티에서 노래 부르기로 했어요. – They decided to sing at the party.
학생들은 도서관에서 공부하기로 했어요. – The students decided to study at the library.

Wrap up

Well, well, decision-making dynamos, you’ve revved through this lesson like it’s the Autobahn of Korean grammar! Not only have you tackled the ups and downs of -기로 하다, but you’ve also (hopefully) decided to make it a permanent resident in your ever-growing Korean vocabulary mansion. 🏰

Before you scoot off to probably make more informed and linguistically impressive decisions, remember this: just like deciding between flavors of soju or picking which K-drama episode to re-watch for the umpteenth time, using -기로 하다 takes practice and a sprinkle of fun. 😄

We’re all out of decisions for today, but hey, see you in the next lesson. Until then, keep those decision-making wheels greased and spinning! And if you ever decide to give up… well, let’s just say there’s probably a fun Korean phrase for that too. 😉🎉

잘 했어요! (Well done!) Keep it rolling and 화이팅! (Fighting!) 🎈🎉📚