Unit 23: To Accomplish With Effort (-아/어/여 내다)

When you complete a task that was very difficult, requiring a lot of struggle and effort, you attach -아/어/여 내다 to the verb in Easy Korean.

Structure

Verb Stem + -아/어/여 내다 (Usually used in past tense: -내고 말았다 or -냈어요)

• 이기다 (to win) -> 이겨 냈어요 (I triumphed / won through hardship)
• 찾다 (to find) -> 찾아 냈어요 (I figured it out / found it after a long search)
• 버티다 (to endure) -> 버텨 냈어요 (I made it through / endured it to the end)

Emotion

It carries a strong sense of pride, relief, or victory.

Examples

• 긴 마라톤을 끝까지 달려 냈어요. (I managed to run the long marathon to the very end.)
• 그 어려운 문제를 드디어 풀어 냈습니다. (I finally managed to solve that difficult problem.)
• 우리는 이 위기를 극복해 낼 것입니다. (We will overcome this crisis [with effort].)