TOPIK II · LEVEL 6
-구려 (권유·명령)
A 하오체 ending after an action verb that gently urges or advises the listener: 'do …, why don't you …'. Old-fashioned; heard from elderly speakers (often between spouses), in period dramas and novels.
문장 끝·말투Endings & speech styleHan: As a piece of advice it takes no 았/었; 쉬었구려 would be the exclamation 'oh, you've had a rest'.
Examples
사극 속 주인은 길손에게 "먼 길 오셨으니 오늘은 여기서 편히 쉬시구려" 하고 말했다.In the historical drama, the host told the traveller, 'You've come a long way, so rest here comfortably tonight.'
날이 추우니 이 목도리를 하고 가구려.It's cold out, so wear this scarf when you go.
여보, 너무 걱정 마시구려. 애들은 잘 지낼 거요.Don't worry so much, dear. The children will be fine.
Don’t mix up
-구려 (권유·명령)vs-구려/-는구려 (감탄)The exclamatory -구려 remarks on a fact; this one urges an action: 많이 드시는구려 'you're eating a lot, I see' vs 많이 드시구려 'do eat plenty'.
-구려 (권유·명령)vs-(으)시오-(으)시오 is a firmer 하오체 command, also used on signs: 들어오지 마시오. -구려 sounds like friendly advice: 어서 들어오구려.
-구려 (권유·명령)vs-게 (하게체 명령)-게 is one step lower (하게체), from an older speaker to an adult junior: 어서 가게. -구려 (하오체) shows more respect: 어서 가구려.
How to build it
V+구려
with respect: V+(으)시구려
가다 → 가구려; 쉬다 → 쉬구려 / 쉬시구려; 드시다 → 드시구려; 입다 → 입으시구려; 해 보다 → 해 보구려; 말다 → 마시구려 (걱정 마시구려)
- Action verbs only, with no 았/었 or 겠: it asks for an action now or later. With 았/었, or after an adjective, -구려 is the exclamatory ending instead (쉬었구려 'oh, you've rested').
- The doer is the listener. It is softer and warmer than -(으)오/-(으)시오; adding -시- (드시구려, 쉬시구려) makes it kinder still.
- Register is 하오체: to a spouse, an equal adult or a younger adult treated with some respect. Never in modern polite speech to seniors; there use -(으)세요.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 여보, 피곤하면 좀 쉬었구려.
Right: 여보, 피곤하면 좀 쉬구려.
As a piece of advice it takes no 았/었; 쉬었구려 would be the exclamation 'oh, you've had a rest'.
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All TOPIK grammar- -(이)라 (예스러운 서술)An archaic plain (해라체) statement ending attached to 이다 and 아니다: 'X is Y.' It sounds solemn and old, as in classical texts, proverbs, historical-drama narration and poetry; modern Korean uses -(이)다.
- -(으)오/-소Ending of the 하오체, an old-fashioned semi-formal style: one form serves statements and questions, and with -(으)시오 commands. Heard in period dramas, between older spouses, and in written notices such as 손대지 마시오.
- -(으)리오An archaic, literary rhetorical-question ending: 'how could …? who would …?'. The question implies the opposite (누가 알리오 = nobody knows). Found in classical poetry and prose, speeches and period dramas.
- -나 (의문)A question ending without 요 with two uses: the 하게체 question an older speaker asks an adult junior ('are you …?'), and a casual question to oneself ('did I …?', 'is it …?').
- -네 (하게체 서술)Statement ending of the 하게체: an older speaker telling an adult junior (son-in-law, grown-up former student) a fact or an intention, plainly but with courtesy. Old-fashioned; today mostly heard from elderly men and in novels and dramas.
- -그려Added after another sentence ending (-네, -구먼, -세, -ㅂ시다…) to give an old-fashioned emphatic or exclamatory touch: '…, indeed / you know'. Now found mainly in novels, period dramas and the speech of very old people.
- -던가 (회상 의문)A 하게체 question ending asking the listener about something they saw or experienced in the past: 'was it …? did you find that …?'. Old-fashioned, used by older speakers to adult juniors.
- -던가 (혼잣말·추측)Used when talking to oneself about the past: the speaker wonders about something remembered only vaguely, or makes a tentative guess about it: 'was it …?', 'I wonder if …'. Reflective; common in essays, lyrics and inner monologue.
- -구려/-는구려Exclamatory ending of the old-fashioned 하오체: the speaker remarks on something just realised, with feeling: '…, I see / how …!'. Today heard mostly from elderly speakers (for example between older spouses) and in period dramas and novels.