VX: Verb_auxiliary (보조 동사)

Definition

VX refers to an auxiliary verb that modifies the meaning of a main predicate rather than functioning as an independent verb.

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Characteristics

• VX is often used to express grammatical nuances such as necessity, attempt, completion, or politeness, among others, to modify the meaning of a predicate.
• VX is attached to a main verb using an EC (Ending Connecting, 연결 어미) such as -아/어-.
• Examples:
  • 먹어야 한다 (must eat)
  • 먹어 보다 (try eating)
  • 먹어 버리다 (end up eating)

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Boundary cases and clarifications

Special cases

• ‘-ㄹ 수 있/없다’ construction:
  • The words ‘있다’ and ‘없다’ are originally adjectives. However, in the specific construction ‘-ㄹ 수 있/없다’, ‘있-‘ and ‘없-‘ are exceptionally tagged as VX because they morphologically and semantically depend on the preceding elements.
  • This structure corresponds to can/can’t in English.
    • 나는 수영을 할 수 있다. (I can swim.)
    • 나는 춤을 출 수 없다. (I can’t dance.)

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Examples

• 환경 문제를 해결하기 위해 노력해야 한다.
• 제주도에 가고 싶습니다.
• 저는 새 옷을 사지 않습니다.
• 히터를 켜 두고 가세요.
• 한국에서 한국어를 공부하고 있어요.