-라
-ra
(literary statement/command ending)
A highly addressee-lowering, old-fashioned or literary sentence-final ending used to explain a fact, to instruct an unspecified reader or listener (as in books, slogans, or exam questions), or to give a blunt command.
Form
- Attaches to
- Verb, 이다, Auxiliary
Meanings
- 1
(formal, highly addressee-lowering)(old-fashioned) A sentence-final ending used when explaining a certain fact.
(아주낮춤으로)(옛 말투로) 어떤 사실을 설명함을 나타내는 종결 어미.
- 2
(formal, highly addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used when demanding a certain act of readers or listeners who are not mentioned in detail, in newspapers, books, etc.
(아주낮춤으로) 신문이나 책 등에서 구체적으로 정해지지 않은 독자나 청자에게 어떤 행동을 요구함을 나타내는 종결 어미.
※ 받침이 없거나 ‘ㄹ’ 받침인 동사 또는 ‘-으시-’ 뒤에 붙여 쓴다.
- 3
(formal, highly addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used to indicate a statement as a command.
(아주낮춤으로) 명령을 나타내는 종결 어미.
※ ‘ㅏ’, ‘ㅓ’, ‘ㅕ’, ‘ㅐ’, ‘ㅔ’, ‘ㅚ’로 끝나는 동사 뒤에 붙여 쓴다.
Examples
너는 내가 사랑하는 아들이라.
You are the son I love.
남을 시기하는 자는 대장부가 아니라.
One who envies others is no great man.
백성을 소중히 여기고 나라를 잘 다스리는 것이 군주의 기본 도리라.
Cherishing the people and governing the nation well is the ruler's fundamental duty.
청춘이여, 영원하라!
Youth, be eternal!
마음을 열어 하늘을 보라.
Open your heart and look up at the sky.
다음 중 맞는 답을 고르라.
Choose the correct answer from among the following.
Examples: 한국어기초사전, CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.
Don’t confuse with
Forms with a close meaning — a favourite source of wrong answers on TOPIK.
Quick check
1. What does ‘-라’ mean?
2. Which form means “(literary statement/command ending)”?