TOPIK II · LEVEL 3
-고 말다
Says that something ended up happening in the end, usually against one's wishes or expectations (often with regret); with -겠다 it expresses strong determination.
시제·상Tense & aspectHan: -고 말다 marks an outcome reached despite wishes or efforts; an ordinary, planned, happy event does not take it.
Examples
알람 소리를 못 들어서 또 지각하고 말았어요.I didn't hear the alarm, so I ended up being late again.
이번 대회에서는 꼭 우승하고 말겠어.I'm determined to win this competition.
웃음을 참으려고 했지만 결국 터지고 말았다.I tried to hold back my laughter, but in the end it burst out.
Don’t mix up
-고 말다vs-아/어 버리다-아/어 버리다 stresses that the action is completely done (with relief or regret) and is more casual; -고 말다 stresses the final outcome despite efforts: 숙제를 다 해 버렸어요 'got it all done' vs 참다가 결국 울고 말았어요 'in the end I cried anyway'.-고 말다vs-고야 말다Adding 야 makes it stronger and more dramatic: 이기고 말겠다 'I will win' vs 끝내 이기고야 말겠다 'I'll win no matter what'.How to build it
V+고 말다 (말았다 = outcome; 말겠다 = determination)
잊다 → 잊고 말았다; 지각하다 → 지각하고 말았어요; 울다 → 울고 말았다; 이기다 → 이기고 말겠다
- Mostly used in the past (말았다/말았어요) for a final outcome, often with 결국, 끝내 or 그만: 결국 비밀을 말하고 말았어요.
- With 말겠다 / 말 거예요 it is the speaker's resolve to make something happen: 이번에는 꼭 합격하고 말겠어요.
- It goes with action verbs, not adjectives, and is not used in commands or suggestions.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 어제 친구를 만나고 말았어요. 정말 즐거웠어요.
Right: 어제 친구를 만났어요. 정말 즐거웠어요.
-고 말다 marks an outcome reached despite wishes or efforts; an ordinary, planned, happy event does not take it.
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All TOPIK grammar- -던-던 describes a noun with an action that was ongoing, repeated or left unfinished in the past: 'that I used to / was doing'.
- -곤 하다-곤 하다 says something was done repeatedly, as a habit: 'used to / would often'.
- -는 중이다Shows that someone is right in the middle of an action, either now or at a given moment in the past.
- -아/어 오다 (화자 쪽으로)Shows that someone else's action is directed toward the speaker or the speaker's side: 'X contacted us, X proposed to me, X came asking'. Common in reports and news.
- -아/어 가다/오다-아/어 가다 means a change continuing from now into the future; -아/어 오다 means a change that has continued up to now.
- -아/어 두다(놓다)-아/어 두다(놓다) means you do something on purpose and leave the result in place, usually so it is ready for later.
- -아/어 버리다-아/어 버리다 shows that an action is completely finished and gone, usually adding the speaker's feeling of regret ("ended up") or relief ("got it over with").
- -았/었었--았/었었- is the 'more past' form: something was true or done in the past but is no longer so.
- -(으)ㅁ-(으)ㅁ turns a verb or adjective into a noun; it is used in notes, notices, memos and written records.