How can we talk about your plan or schedule? In this lesson, you will learn how to talk about future events.
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1. V(으)ㄹ 거예요 Grammar
V(으)ㄹ 거예요 is attached to a verb stem and shows your "volition" and "intention" about what you'll do. You can also show your plan or schedule.
It is one way that you can talk about the future. So, people call it Korean future ending, future expression, or future tense. Anyway, you can translate it as "will" in English.
The original form of this "(으)ㄹ 거예요" is "(으)ㄹ 것이다" In this lesson, we will see the informal polite version.
Originally, 이다 is conjugated 이에요 because the noun 것 has the final consonant; 것이에요. However, in daily conversation, people more frequently use the contracted form 거예요.
will V : V(으)ㄹ 것이에요. = V(으)ㄹ 거예요.
It can be used for statements and questions. It can't be used as a propositive(suggest) or command.
As a question, you can ask the listener's intention or plan. As a statement, you can express your intention or schedule. (=The speaker's plan)
Q: Will you eat? | |
A: I'll eat. |
This ending also can be used to express your guess, but you will learn about this part in the next lesson. For now, you will see the future tense version with verb conjugation!
2. Conjugation Rules
This (으)ㄹ 것이다 has two froms; 을 것이다 and ㄹ 것이다. The final consonant (받침) is the key to deciding which one. I'll show you some examples using the commonly used conversational version; "(으)ㄹ 거예요". Be aware of a space between 을 and 거예요!
Regular Conjugation Rules
1) 받침 O: +을 거예요.
If a verb stem ends with the final consonant, use this rule. You can simply attach 을 거예요 to it. For meaning, you can translate it as "I'll V".
먹다 to eat
The stem is 먹. → It has the final consonant ㄱ so you need 을 거예요. → 먹을 거예요. I'll eat.
읽다 to read
The stem is 읽 and it has the final consonant. → So attach 을 거예요. → 읽을 거예요.
2) 받침 X: +ㄹ 거예요
When the stem ends with a vowel (without a final consonant), you will attach ㄹ as if the new final consonant and add 거예요.
마시다 to drink
The stem is 마시. → The last syllable is what we need to check; 시. → It doesn't have the final consonant. Let's add ㄹ under the 시. → 마실 거예요.
쓰다 to write / to use
The stem is 쓰. → It doesn't have the final consonant. Make one for it! → 쓸 거예요.
3) ㄹ 받침: +거예요
Even though the stem ends with the final consonant, if it is ㄹ, you can simply attach 거예요. Well, ㄹ is already there!
놀다 to play / to hang out
놀 → It already has ㄹ. → So, just add 거예요. → 놀 거예요.
만들다 to make
The stem is 만들. → The last syllable is 들. It ends with ㄹ. → 만들 거예요.
Irregular Conjugation Rules
As I mentioned above, we are talking about the future plan with verbs. So, you will see irregular(불규칙) ㄷ, ㅅ, and ㅂ verbs here!
1) ㄷ 받침: ㄷ → ㄹ + 을 거예요
When you see the irregular ㄷ verbs, you always have to start by changing ㄷ to ㄹ. Then, you can add 을 거예요 to it.
듣다 to listen
The stem is 듣. → You must change ㄷ to ㄹ. → 들 → 들을 거예요.
걷다 to walk
걷 → 걸 → 걸을 거예요.
⚠️ Not all ㄷ verbs are irregular. 닫다 ends with ㄷ but it is a regular verb. So, you don't have to change ㄷ to ㄹ for this word. You must memorize these special words separately with caution!
닫다 to close
닫 → It has the final consoant. It's ㄷ but it's not an irregular word. → 닫을 거예요.
2) ㅅ 받침: Erase ㅅ + 을 거예요
For irregular ㅅ verbs, you have to get rid of the ㅅ first. Then, please attach 을 거예요.
긋다 to draw (lines)
The stem is 긋. → Erase the final consonant ㅅ. →그 → 그을 거예요.
잇다 to connect
잇 → 이 → 이을 거예요.
3) ㅂ 받침: Erase ㅂ + 울 거예요
For irregular ㅂ verbs, you will erase ㅂ and then add 울 거예요. Watch out for spelling! You don't attach 을 거예요 like other rules for this one!
줍다 to pick up
The stem is 줍. → Erase ㅂ. → 주 We need the spcial ㅂ form. → 주울 거예요.
돕다 to help
돕 → 도 → 도울 거예요.
3. Comparison
You've learned the Korean intention ending (으)ㄹ 래요 before. It meant "I will" or "I would like to". Then how these (으)ㄹ 래요 and (으)ㄹ 거예요 will be different? If you want to know details please continue to read!
The common
They can both be used to tell intention, plan, and future. = Will, would
I will study hard.
저는 열심히 공부할래요.
저는 열심히 공부할 거예요.
The differences
In a statement, 을래요 can only be used in the first person. You can't talk about someone else' plan!
(으)ㄹ거예요 also shows the speaker's intention and plan. However, it is possible to use someone else with it. In this case, it is close to stating your guess about the person. (You'll learn the details next time!)
(X) 제인이 학교에 갈래요. - You can't talk about someone other than yourself.
(O) 제인이 학교에 갈 거예요. - It is your guess of "Jane will go to school."
In questions, (으)ㄹ래요 is used to ask the listener's intention or suggest to do something together. (으)ㄹ 거예요 has more confirming/checking vibe.
젠 씨, 같이 밥 먹을래요? Hey Jen, would you like to eat with me? - suggesting tone
젠 씨, 같이 밥 먹을 거예요? Hey Jen, will you eat with me? - confirming tone
4. Examples
1
저는 내일 학교에 갈 거예요. I will go to school tomorrow.
2
나중에 친구를 만날 거예요. I will meet my friends later.
3
오늘 저녁에 한국어를 공부할 거예요. I will study Korean tonight.
오늘 is today. 저녁 is evening. By combining two, you can say tonight, 오늘 저녁 and since it is "time", you need a "time marker." If you want to know more about the time marker 에 please click here.
4
Q: 내일 뭐 할 거예요? What will you do tomorrow?
A: 영화를 볼 거예요. I'll watch a movie.
영화 is a movie. 보다 means "to see, watch, look." So, 영화를 보다 means to watch a movie.
5
Q: 언제 친구를 만날 거예요? When will you see your friends?
A: 내일 만날 거예요. I will see them tomorrow.
You can use "언제" to ask when. You can also answer "내일 친구를 만날 거예요." But the object (친구) is obvious, so it was omitted.
5. Wrap-up & Worksheet: Korean Future Tense
How was the lesson? Let's review using the summary!
(으)ㄹ 것이다 is used to show the plan or schedule of the future.
In an Informal polite way, you can say 을 것이에요 or 을 거예요.
Depending on the final consonant of the verbs' stems, you will add either 을 거예요 or ㄹ 거예요.
I prepared the worksheet for you. It's a free and printable PDF file. Please download and write the answers using your 연필(pencil). Make sure to check your answer with the included answer sheet!
If you have any questions, please scroll down and leave a comment. In the next lesson, I'll show you another meaning of (을) 거예요.
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