안녕하세요? 😊 Today, you will learn how to express your intention in Korean like "I'll eat pizza." or "I'll study Korean hard!" I'll provide you with the free worksheet as well.
<Table of Contents>
0. Words
Let's check out some food. Listen and repeat the words! Don't forget to add these new words to your noun organizer! I recommend to designated page for food (음식).
bread | |
pizza | |
hamburger | |
coffee | |
bibimbap |
Some nouns may sound familiar. For many words that came from abroad, people use it Koreanized versions. Those are called 외래어(loanword).
⚐ Language Tips!
① 빵 (bread)
It has an interesting background. It originated from the Portuguese word "pão". Japan adopted this term and pronounced it as "パン(pang)". Korea then borrowed this Japanese-influenced term, which eventually became "빵(bbang)". Japan adopted the Portuguese term because Portugal was the initial European nation to engage with Japan.
② 비빔밥 (bibimbap)
비빔밥 is one of the traditional Korean dishes. You put assorted vegetables on the bed of rice. You'll eat it after mixing the ingredients. 비빔 came from 비비다 which means mix.
Here are some other words that you'll need in this lesson.
the Korean language | |
mountain | |
sea |
1. The Intention Ending: V(으)ㄹ래요
(으)ㄹ래요 Grammar
(으)ㄹ래요 attaches to a verb stem and shows the intention or will, meaning "would like to," "want to," or "will". In a statement, it indicates the speaker's intention. In a question, it can be used to ask the listener's intention.
젠 씨, 뭐 먹을래요? Jen, what would you like to eat? (What will you eat?)
저는 피자를 먹을래요. I'd like to eat pizza. (I'll eat pizza.)
It can only attach with verbs(V). It doesn't attach to an adjective.
(X) 예쁠래요. - I would like to pretty. - It doesn't make sense in Korean.
Statement
In a statement, you can only use the first-person pronouns. It is because (으)ㄹ래요 meant to show the speaker's intention. The first-person pronouns are like below.
The first-person | 반말 (non-polite) | 존댓말 (polite) |
단수 (Singular) I | ||
복수 (Plural) We |
(O) 저는 피자를 먹을래요. I'd like to eat pizza.
(O) 저희는 피자를 먹을래요. We'd like to eat pizza.
(X) 너는 피자를 먹을래요. You'd like to eat pizza.
(X) 젠 씨는 피자를 먹을래요. Jen would like to eat pizza.
↪ You can not express someone else's intention using this ending. (No third person!)
It ends with "요" which means it is a conversational expression that is polite enough and friendly. However this (으)ㄹ래요 is not appropriate to use for someone quite older than you or who has a higher social status. It sounds too direct and forward. When you want to express your intention to those people, you have to use an indirect, asking permission tone sentence.
(X) 선생님, 저 집에 갈래요. Teacher, I want to go home.
→It sounds too direct and forward.
(O) 선생님, 저 집에 가도 될까요? Teacher, may I go home?
→ You should use this asking permission tone to superiors. You'll learn about this in the future.
Then when can you use this "(으)ㄹ래요" ending? You can use it for someone who has a similar social status; someone like similar-level colleagues. You can use it for someone who is slightly older than you (who still holds a similar social status); like university seniors. You can use this with friends or someone younger than you if you want to be super polite to them.
Question
In a question, you can use the second-person pronoun; you. You are asking about the listener's intention or will in this case.
The second-person | 반말 (non-polite) | 존댓말 (polite) |
단수 (Singular) You | Use titles | |
복수 (Plural) You | Use titles |
When you call someone else politely, you can use appropriate titles or names with the calling words. There is the word 당신 that is politer than 너. However, in the modern Korean language, it is not that polite anymore. Unless he or she is your boyfriend or girlfriend or spouse. Then you can call them 당신.
(O) 젠 씨, 뭐 먹을래요? Hey Jen, what would you like to eat?
(O) 유리 씨, 어디에 갈래요? Yuri, where do you want to go?
2. Regular Conjugation Rules
I wrote this ending (으)ㄹ래요 using parenthesis. This is because there are two conjugate forms; 을래요 and ㄹ래요. To decide which form to use, you must pay attention to the last syllable of the stem.
The existence of the final consonant (받침) will decide which one to use. First, see the quick chart. Then I will show you each step and then you will have a chance to conjugate forms yourself!
받침 | (으)ㄹ래요 | Examples |
O | 을래요 | 먹다→먹을래요 |
X | ㄹ래요 | 가다→갈래요 |
ㄹ | 래요 | 놀다→놀래요 |
1) 받침O: +을래요.
읽다 to read
Get rid of 다 and leave only the stem. → 읽 → The last (and only) syllable is 읽 with the final consonant ㄺ. → So, we add 을래요. → 읽을래요. I'd like to read it.
The basic form | The conjugated form |
먹다 to eat
먹 → It has the final consonant ㄱ so add 을래요. → 먹을래요. I want to eat.
2) 받침X: +ㄹ래요.
When the stem ends with a vowel, in other words, when there is no final consonant, we add ㄹ래요. The first ㄹ will go under the end of the stem and take the final consonant spot! (You are making the final consonant!)
가다 to go
가 → It doesn't have the final consonant. We need ㄹ래요. Put ㄹ under 가. → 갈래요. I want to go. (I'll go.)
보다 to see
보 → It doesn't have the final consonant. Add ㄹ래요. The first ㄹ will be the final consonant of the stem.→ 볼래요. I'd like to see it.
드시다 (honorific) eat/drink
드시 → It doesn't have the final consonant. Add ㄹ래요. → 드실래요? Would you like to eat(drink?)
드시다 is an honorific version of eat/drink. When you ask very politely, you need to use this verb instead of 먹다 or 마시다. You can't use this verb to talk about your intention. Honoring yourself is considered rude in Korean. That is why I show this example with the question mark!
쓰다 to write/to use
The stem is 쓰. → Tell me what we have to add. Yes, ㄹ래요. → 쓸래요. I want to write.
3) ㄹ받침: +래요.
Even though the stem has the final consonant, if it is ㄹ, you add 래요 not 을래요. It's because ㄹ is already there! Here are some examples.
놀다 to play
놀 → The final consonant of the stem is ㄹ so add 래요. → 놀래요. I want to play.
만들다 to make
만들 → Attach 래요 because it already has ㄹ at the end. → 만들래요. I'd like to make.
3. Irregular Conjugation Rules
Since (으)ㄹ래요 only conjugates with verbs, you don't have to worry about irregular adjectives... We will see the irregular ㄷ, ㅅ, ㅂ verbs here. Let's see how the Korean intention ending changes for the irregular verbs!
1) ㄷ 받침: ㄷ → ㄹ + 을래요
When the stem ends with the final consonant ㄷ, change that ㄷ to ㄹ and add 을래요.
듣다 to listen
듣 → The last (and only) syllable is 듣 with the final consonant ㄷ. → So, let's change that ㄷ to ㄹ. → 들 → Now add 을래요. → 들을래요. I'd like to listen.
2) ㅅ 받침: Erase ㅅ + 을래요
When the stem ends with the final consonant ㅅ, erase that ㅅ and add 을래요.
짓다 to build/to make cooked rice
짓 → Since it has ㅅ, let's erase it. → 지 → Let's add 을래요. → 지을래요. I want to cook rice.
3) ㅂ 받침: Erase ㅂ + 울래요
When the stem ends with the final consonant ㅂ, erase that ㅂ and add 울래요. Watch out! It is 울래요 with the vowel ㅜ not 을래요 like other rules. ㅂ is always the more special one!
굽다 to bake/pan-fry
굽 → Drop ㅂ → 구 → ㅂ always has its own wired conjugation form. At this time, we need 울래요, not 을래요 like others. → 구울래요. I'd like to bake.
4. Examples
Let's ask the listener's intention and express your intention as well!
1
(식당에서 In the restaurant)
Q: 뭐 먹을래요? What you would like to eat?
A: 저는 햄버거를 먹을래요. I'd like to eat a hamburger.
Try to use this V(으)래요 to ask about the intentions of the listener. 햄버거 is a hamburger and it is the object. Since it ends with 거 and doesn't have the final consonant, we will add the object marker 를.
2
(카페에서 In the cafe)
Q: 뭐 마실래요? What would you like to drink?
A: 커피를 마실래요. I'd like to drink coffee.
The full sentence is "저는 커피를 마실래요." You can omit the "저는(I)" part because it is obvious.
3
(식당에서 In a restaurant)
Q: 뭐 드실래요? (polite) What would you like to eat(drink)?
A: 비빔밥을 먹을래요. I will eat bibimbap.
드시다 is a honorific version word of 먹다 or 마시다. So, if you want to ask politely, you can say "뭐 드실래요?" instead of "뭐 먹을래요?" or "뭐 마실래요?" If you ask your boss what he or she wants to eat, you must use this expression!
4
Q: 빵 먹을래요? Would you like to eat some bread?
A: 아니요, 안 먹을래요. No, I don't want to eat.
안 is an adverb that adds the meaning of "not" in a sentence. It comes in front of the verb and makes the negative sentence.
5
Q: 내일 산에 갈래요? Would you like to go to the mountain tomorrow?
A: 네, 좋아요. Yes, that sounds good.
We can use this "V(으)ㄹ래요" expression to suggest doing something together. "N에 가요 is an expression to say "go N."
To agree, you can say an expression, "좋아요." It came from 좋다, meaning to be good. So, you are saying "Good," or "Sounds good."
6
Q: 내일 바다에 갈래요? Would you like to go to the sea tomorrow?
A: 아니요, 안 갈래요. No, I don't want to go.
One more example with 가다(to go). If you want to disagree, you can use "아니요(No)." By the way, take a look at the punctuation after 아니요. Did you notice? It's a comma. If you say yes or no and add details, you need the comma after 네(yes) or 아니요(no). If you are curious more about Korean punctuation, please click here to read my other lesson.
5. Wrap-up & Worksheet: Korean intention ending
How was your lesson today? Here is the summary for you.
(으)ㄹ래요 is attached to a verb stem.
In a statement, you can express your intention.
In a question, you can ask the listener's intention.
The final consonant is important to decide the form 을래요 or ㄹ래요.
Here is a quick quiz! How can you say "I'll study Korean hard!" Try to use 공부하다 (study) and 열심히 (hard). Yes, you can say "한국어를 열심히 공부할래요!" And I hope I can help your Korean learning journey!
To do so, I prepared the worksheet for you! You can download the free printable PDF worksheet to practice this intention ending 을래요 grammar. The answer sheet is also included!
If you have any questions, please scroll down and leave a comment. Next lesson, you'll learn how to talk about your plan. Thanks for studying with My Korean Lesson! 감사합니다! 🤗