If you are studying Korean grammar a duda, this lesson is the one to keep. You will learn how -아/어 두다 works in real conversation, when to use it, and the mistakes English speakers make first. This is a Korean advanced grammar guide with examples, romanization, and a five-minute speaking drill.
By the end you should be able to hear -아/어 두다 in dramas and K-talk, then reuse it in your own sentences. Read once. Say the examples out loud. Then drill the same lines on Practice.
What -아/어 두다 means
-아/어 두다 means do something now so you have it later. 자격증 준비나 외국어 공부도 미리 해 두면 좋을 거야: it would be good to get certificates or language study done ahead. 두다 is the “keep it in the drawer” cousin of 놓다.
How to form it
- Stem + -아/어 두다 (해 두다, 적어 두다, 알아 두다)
- Advice: 해 두면 좋아요
- Memory: 기억해 두세요, 알아 두세요
- Past stored result: 해 뒀어요 (contraction of 두었어요)
-아/어 두다 examples
Use these Korean grammar a duda example sentences as a speaking list. Korean first, then pronunciation, then English.
| Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 자격증은 미리 따 두면 좋아요. | jagyeokjeungeun miri tta dumyeon joayo. | It’s good to get a certificate in advance. |
| 비밀번호를 적어 두세요. | bimilbeonhoreul jeogeo duseyo. | Write the password down and keep it. |
| 그 얘기 잊지 말고 알아 두세요. | geu yaegi itji malgo ara duseyo. | Don’t forget that — keep it in mind. |
| 발표 자료는 어제 만들어 뒀어요. | balpyo jaryoneun eoje mandeureo dwosseoyo. | I made the slides yesterday and have them ready. |
| 비상금을 모아 두고 있어요. | bisanggeumeul moa dugo isseoyo. | I’m setting emergency money aside. |
| 읽어 두고 내일 얘기해요. | ilgeo dugo naeil yaegihaeyo. | Read it (and keep that knowledge), and we’ll talk tomorrow. |
When to use it
- Study and career prep.
- Instructions: 체크해 두세요.
- Storing information: 기억해 두다.
Common mistakes
These are the traps English speakers hit when they translate word-for-word. Fix the pattern, not just the vocabulary.
Watch-out
❌ 해 두다 for leaving a window open
✅ 열어 놓다 is more natural for a leftover physical state
두다 likes stored value. 놓다 likes left-on state.
Watch-out
❌ 두어요 written form in chat
✅ 둬요 / 뒀어요
Learn the contractions or you’ll sound like a textbook.
Watch-out
❌ 알아 두세요 vs 알아요
✅ 알아 두세요 = file this for later
It’s an instruction to retain, not a quiz.
Mini dialogue
Read it twice. Second time, cover the English.
| Speaker | Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 유학 준비 뭐부터 할까요? | yuhak junbi mwobuteo halkkayo? | What should I start with for study-abroad prep? |
| B | 토픽이랑 통장부터 만들어 두세요. 나중에 시간이 없어요. | topig-irang tongjangbuteo mandeureo duseyo. najunge sigani eopseoyo. | Get TOPIK and a bank account done first. You won’t have time later. |
| A | 지금 해 둘게요. | jigeum hae dulgeyo. | I’ll get those done now. |
Don’t mix these up
놓다 = leave the result sitting. 두다 = keep it for future use. Overlap is huge; native choice is often collocation (열어 놓다, 알아 두다).
Five-minute Korean speaking practice
Korean speaking practice beats extra grammar notes. Do this once today, then again tomorrow without looking.
- Read each example slowly, Korean only.
- Say it at natural speed. Record yourself if you can.
- Cover the Korean and rebuild the sentence from English.
- Swap in your own details: your job, your city, your weekend.
Starter lines for today:
- 주소를 저장해 두었어요.
- 질문은 적어 두고 나중에 물어보세요.
- 체력은 젊을 때 만들어 두세요.
Lesson summary
- Pattern: -아/어 두다
- Search topic: Korean grammar a duda
- -아/어 두다 stores the result for later. Pair it with prep, memory, and files.
- Say it out loud on Practice, then come back to Guides if a particle still feels sticky.
Homework
- Write three 해 두면 좋아요 career/study tips.
- Write two 놓다 state sentences and two 두다 store sentences.
- Learn 알아 두세요 as a set phrase.
Korean grammar a duda: quick answers
뒀다 vs 두었다?
뒀다 is the everyday contraction.
해 두고 vs 해 놓고?
Often interchangeable. Prefer 두고 for abstract prep, 놓고 for physical leftover states.
Keep going
Want a path, not a single grammar point? Open Learn or browse the rest of this series in Korean advanced.