A2
아/어 보다 — trying something
How 아/어 보다 expresses attempting or experiencing something in Korean, and how its past form states experience.
보다 means see. After another verb’s 아/어 form it means trying something out.
한번 먹어 보세요.
Hanbeon meogeo boseyo.
Try eating it.
입어 봐도 돼요?
Ibeo bwado dwaeyo?
Can I try it on?
한번 — once — is almost always there in an invitation, and softens it further.
Not trying hard
This is the distinction English blurs. 아 보다 is do it and see, not make an effort. Effort is 려고 하다 or 노력하다.
이해해 봤지만 너무 어려웠어요.
이해하려고 했지만 너무 어려웠어요.
이해해 보다 would mean sampling understanding to see what it is like. Trying in the sense of attempting takes 려고 하다.
The past states experience
봤어요 on the end says you have done something at least once — the standard way to ask about experience.
김치를 먹어 봤어요?
Kimchireul meogeo bwasseoyo?
Have you tried kimchi?
한국에 가 봤어요.
Hanguge ga bwasseoyo.
I’ve been to Korea.
This overlaps with 은 적이 있다 — see experience. 아 봤다 is lighter and far more common in conversation.
보다 keeps its own meaning too
봐 주세요 is please look, not please try. Only the 아/어 보다 pattern carries the attempt sense, and 보다 after a noun with 을/를 is the ordinary verb.