If you are studying Korean grammar a nota, this lesson is the one to keep. You will learn how -아/어 놓다 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 놓다 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 놓다 means
-아/어 놓다 means you do an action and leave the result in place for later. 채소부터 씻어서 썰어 놓자: let’s wash the vegetables first and have them chopped. Cooking, packing, and office prep run on 놓다.
How to form it
- Stem + -아/어 놓다 (써 놓다, 열어 놓다, 예약해 놓다)
- Spoken 놔 is the contraction of 놓아
- Result often remains: 창문을 열어 놓았어요 (it is still open)
- Sequence: 어서 + 어 놓다 is very common in recipes
-아/어 놓다 examples
Use these Korean grammar a nota example sentences as a speaking list. Korean first, then pronunciation, then English.
| Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 채소부터 씻어서 썰어 놓자. | chaesobuteo siseoseo sseoreo noja. | Let’s wash the vegetables first and chop them ahead. |
| 문을 열어 놓으세요. 환기해야 해요. | muneul yeoreo noeuseyo. hwangihaeya haeyo. | Leave the door open. We need to air the room. |
| 표를 미리 예매해 놓았어요. | pyoreul miri yemaehae noasseoyo. | I booked the tickets in advance. |
| 이름을 적어 놓으세요. | ireumeul jeogeo noeuseyo. | Write your name down and leave it there. |
| 밥을 해 놓고 나갔어요. | babeul hae noko nagasseoyo. | I cooked rice and then went out. |
| 자료를 공유해 놓을게요. | jaryoreul gongyuhae nokeulgeyo. | I’ll share the files and leave them there. |
When to use it
- Recipes and meal prep.
- Leaving a state as-is: 켜 놓다, 열어 놓다.
- Doing a favor in advance of a meeting.
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 놓다 vs 하다 when the result doesn’t remain
✅ Use 놓다 only if the result sits there
그냥 했어요 is enough if nothing is left ready.
Watch-out
❌ 놓여 for your own action
✅ 놓다 is active; 놓이다/놓여 있다 is the resulting state
책을 놓았어요 vs 책이 놓여 있어요.
Watch-out
❌ Ignoring 놔
✅ You’ll hear 해 놔, 열어 놔 constantly
Write 놓아/놓았-; say 놔/놨-.
Mini dialogue
Read it twice. Second time, cover the English.
| Speaker | Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 저녁 뭐 할까? | jeonyeok mwo halkka? | What should we do for dinner? |
| B | 파스타 하자. 마늘은 내가 썰어 놓을게. | paseuta haja. maneureun naega sseoreo nokeulge. | Let’s do pasta. I’ll chop the garlic ahead. |
| A | 나는 물을 끓여 놓을게. | naneun mureul kkeuryeo nokeulge. | I’ll get the water boiling. |
Don’t mix these up
아/어 두다 also means do-and-keep. 놓다 often highlights the visible leftover state. 두다 often highlights storing for later use. Advanced learners keep both.
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:
- 창문을 닫아 놓으세요.
- 링크를 채팅에 올려 놓을게요.
- 고기를 미리 재워 놓았어요.
Lesson summary
- Pattern: -아/어 놓다
- Search topic: Korean grammar a nota
- -아/어 놓다 = do it and leave the result ready.
- Say it out loud on Practice, then come back to Guides if a particle still feels sticky.
Homework
- Write a four-step recipe using 어서 and 어 놓다.
- Describe two things you left in a state: 켜 놓다 / 열어 놓다.
- Say the 놔 versions out loud.
Korean grammar a nota: quick answers
놓다 vs 두다?
Very close. 두다 leans “store for later.” 놓다 leans “leave it so.”
Can it be negative?
안 해 놓으면 나중에 바빠요 is a useful warning.
Keep going
Want a path, not a single grammar point? Open Learn or browse the rest of this series in Korean advanced.