-아/어 보다 뜻: Try vs Have Tried (Error Clinic)

A 3-branch chooser + ‘see’ trap rewrites teaches -아/어 보다 (try / have tried) with 한 번·두 번 frequency drills.

This is an error clinic because this one tiny verb, 보다boda, causes a big beginner mistake: translating English “see” and accidentally adding “try.” I once heard a learner say 내일 봐 봐요naeil bwa bwayo to mean “See you tomorrow,” and the cashier just blinked—because it sounded like “Try seeing me tomorrow.”

Mistakes checklist

• Using 봐 봤어요bwa bwasseoyo when you simply mean “saw/watched”
• Using V-아/어 봐요V-a/eo bwayo when you mean “(I) will see/watch”
• Mixing up “suggestion” vs “past experience” forms
• Forgetting that “try” often needs 한 번/두 번/몇 번han beon/du beon/myeot beon for natural rhythm
• Writing 먹어보다/봐봤어요meogeoboda/bwabwasseoyo as one chunk and not recognizing the two-verb idea (try + see/do)

Next steps

1. Write 3 sentences (one for each branch) using 먹다meokda and 한 번han beon.
2. Turn this into a suggestion: “Try this coffee once.” (Use 마시다masida + 한 번han beon.)
3. Say “I’ve tried wearing it twice” using 입다ipda + 두 번du beon.
4. Ask a friend: “How many times have you listened to it?” using 듣다deutda + 몇 번myeot beon.
5. Fix the trap: rewrite “I saw it on YouTube” without -아/어 보다-a/eo boda.
6. Now make it “try watching”: “Try watching that video once” using 보다boda + 한 번han beon.
7. Say “I’ll try making it today” using 만들다mandeulda (trying it now).
8. Ask “Have you ever been there?” using 가다gada and the best experience pattern.
9. Make 2 pairs: one sentence meaning “watch” and one meaning “try watching,” using the same noun.
10. Make a mini-drill: pick 5 verbs from the table and answer 몇 번 V-아/어 봤어요?myeot beon V-a/eo bwasseoyo? with different numbers.

Mini quiz

(1) Fill the blank to mean “Try this coffee once.”: 이 커피 ____.i keopi ____. (2) Fill the blank to mean “I saw it on YouTube.” (literal, not “try”): 유튜브에서 그거 ____.yutyubeueseo geugeo ____. (3) Fill the blank to mean “Try watching that video once.”: 그 영상 한 번 ____.geu yeongsang han beon ____. (4) Fill the blank to mean “Have you ever seen this drama?” (ever-in-your-life): 이 드라마 ____?i deurama ____?

Answers:

1. 한 번 마셔 봐요han beon masyeo bwayo / 한 번 마셔 보세요han beon masyeo boseyo
2. 봤어요bwasseoyo
3. 봐 봐요bwa bwayo / 봐 보세요bwa boseyo
4. 본 적 있어요bon jeok isseoyo

Notes:

• Q1: 한 번 마셔 봐요han beon masyeo bwayo / 한 번 마셔 보세요han beon masyeo boseyo are standard suggestion/request forms with -아/어 보다-a/eo boda plus a natural count (한 번han beon).
• Q2: 봤어요bwasseoyo uses plain past 보다boda for a literal “saw/watched,” avoiding the “try” meaning.
• Q3: 봐 봐요bwa bwayo / 봐 보세요bwa boseyo correctly add -아/어 보다-a/eo boda to frame it as “try watching,” and 한 번han beon makes the suggestion sound natural.
• Q4: 본 적 있어요bon jeok isseoyo is the clearest “ever” experience pattern for “Have you ever seen…?”.