This expression refers to the complete and thorough finishing of an action or event. It can refer to the fact that nothing remains after the completion of the event or action, and it can also express a variety of feelings and attitudes toward the completed event or action. For example, it can express the speaker's feeling of regret, sorrow, and lament at an unfortunate result, the speaker's feeling of relief about a positive change of events, or the speaker's feeling of anger or surprise about how a situation turned out. Only verbs can be attached to this expression.

Details

Because this expression can indicate a wide variety of emotional states, it is important to understand the emotional state of the speaker from the particular context.

그 사람이 드디어 떠나 버렸어요. (그래서 너무 시원해요.)

(S)he eventually left. (So I'm very relieved.)

그 사람이 통화 중간에 전화를 끊어 버렸어요.

(S)he hung up the phone in the middle of the conversation.

(그 사람이 화가 많이 났나 봐요. / 그 사람은 버릇없고 무례하게 행동했어요.)
(Thus (s)he must have been really angry. / (S)he was very rude)

Kimchi Reader

Used after an action or event is finished and completed. It can refers to facts nothing remains after that or the speaker's feeling about it.

Details

Spacing

Both versions [아/어]버리다 and 아/어 버리다 (with space) exist and can be used interchangeably.

-아/어 버리다

Kimchi Reader

Spacing