-아/어 내다 grammar = manage to do ~express the completion of an action after effort or difficulty

What is -아/어 내다 Grammar?

The grammar pattern -아/어 내다 is used to indicate that an action has been completed, often after effort, difficulty, or persistence. It’s not just about finishing something — it’s about achieving something, especially when it wasn’t easy. The expression is frequently translated as "manage to do," "succeed in doing," or "end up doing" in English.

아/어 내다 grammar

Key Characteristics:

• Focuses on the completion or result of an action.
• Often implies overcoming difficulty, effort, or persistence.
• Common in written and spoken Korean to describe success, effort, or even unfortunate outcomes.

How to Conjugate -아/어 내다

 -아/어 내다 is only used with action verbs.

1. Verb stem ending in ㅏ or ㅗ → -아 내다

찾다 → 찾아 내다 (to manage to find out)
잡다 → 잡아 내다 (to manage to catch)

2. Verb stem ending in other vowels → -어 내다

이해하다 → 이해해 내다 (to manage to understand)
견디다 → 견뎌 내다 (to endure, to overcome)

3. 하다 verbs → -해 내다

기억하다 → 기억해 내다 (to manage to remember)

When and How to Use -아/어 내다

1. To show successful completion of an action with effort or difficulty:

드디어 숙제를 다 해 냈어요.
(I finally managed to finish the homework.)

그 어려운 시험을 통과해 냈어요.
(I managed to pass that difficult exam.)

2. Used in both positive and negative outcomes:

결국 비밀을 알아내 버렸어요.
(He ended up finding out the secret.)

그가 진실을 밝혀 냈어요.
(He uncovered the truth.)

Differences from Similar Grammar Patterns

Grammar Pattern	Meaning	Nuance
-아/어 내다	To successfully do something	Focus on achieving result after effort
-고 말다	To end up doing (negative)	Often expresses regret or unwanted outcome
-아/어 버리다	To finish completely	Emphasizes finality, sometimes relief or regret
-아/어 보다	To try something	Indicates attempting an action

Quick Comparison:

• -아/어 내다 → Completion after effort
• -고 말다 → Unwanted, inevitable result
• -아/어 버리다 → Completed action (regardless of effort)
• -아/어 보다 → Attempting an action

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using with simple or short actions
❌ 문을 열어 냈어요 (incorrect) → Use only with actions that imply difficulty, time, or effort.

2. Confusing with -아/어 버리다
→ -아/어 내다 highlights effort or difficulty, whereas -아/어 버리다 focuses on finality without implying effort.

3. Using it for habitual or ongoing actions
→ -아/어 내다 is for completed actions only, not repeated or habitual ones.

4. Using it with descriptive verbs (adjectives)
❌ 예뻐내다 (incorrect) — This pattern only works with action verbs, not descriptive ones.

Examples of -아/어 내다 in Use

1. 그 복잡한 문제를 결국 풀어 냈어요.
(I finally solved that complicated problem.)

2. 아이가 숨겨 놓은 장난감을 찾아 냈어요.
(I found the toy the child hid.)

3. 저는 그 고통을 끝까지 견뎌 냈어요.
(I endured the pain until the end.)

4. 친구가 잃어버린 지갑을 찾아 냈어요.
(My friend managed to find the lost wallet.)

5. 팀이 어려운 상황에서도 승리를 해 냈어요.
(The team pulled off a win despite the hard situation.)

6. 그녀는 결국 진실을 밝혀 냈어요.
(She finally revealed the truth.)

7. 우리는 이 문제의 해답을 알아 냈어요.
(We figured out the solution to this problem.)

8. 모든 질문에 정확히 대답해 냈어요.
(He answered all the questions correctly.)

9. 혼자서 무거운 짐을 옮겨 냈어요.
(I managed to move the heavy load by myself.)

10. 그는 유명 작가가 되기까지 많은 고난을 이겨 냈어요.
(He overcame many hardships to become a famous writer.)

Practice Sentences

Translate into Korean using -아/어 내다

1. She finally passed the difficult test.

2. We found the solution at last.

3. He endured the pain and didn't give up.

4. I figured out the answer to the riddle.

Answers

1.  그녀는 그 어려운 시험을 결국 통과해 냈어요.
2. 우리는 마침내 해결책을 찾아 냈어요.
3. 그는 고통을 견뎌 내고 포기하지 않았어요.
4. 나는 수수께끼의 답을 알아 냈어요.

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