haru Korean › Grammar › Level 2A › A/V-(으)ㄹ 것 같다
A/V-(으)ㄹ 것 같다 — I think it will … — guessing what is going to happen
I think it will … — guessing what is going to happen. Korean grammar for upper beginner learners — Level 2A, lesson 7: 길을 잃으면 어떻게 해요? (What if I get lost? — asking the way).
What it means
-(으)ㄹ 것 같다 is a guess about something that hasn't happened yet: 'I think it will …', 'it looks like …'. You see dark clouds: 비가 올 것 같아요 'it looks like it's going to rain'. You look at the traffic: 길이 막힐 것 같아요 'I think the roads will be busy'. You check the time: 조금 늦을 것 같아요 'I think I'll be a bit late' — a very useful message to send a friend. After a 받침 add -을 것 같아요 (늦을, 많을); after a vowel add -ㄹ 것 같아요 (올, 막힐, 걸릴); a stem that ends in ㄹ keeps just one ㄹ (멀다 → 멀 것 같아요). The usual irregular verbs change: 덥다 → 더울 것 같아요, 걷다 → 걸을 것 같아요. Compare Lesson 4: 비가 오는 것 같아요 'it seems to be raining (now)' and 비가 올 것 같아요 'it's going to rain'. It is also softer than -(으)ㄹ 거예요 from Lesson 5: 늦을 거예요 sounds sure, while 늦을 것 같아요 says 'I think so'. Koreans use it for opinions, too: 이게 더 좋을 것 같아요 'I think this one would be better'.
Forms
| Pattern | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -을 것 같아요 | 받침 O (ㅂ → 울: 더울 · ㄷ → ㄹ: 걸을) | 늦다 + 을 것 같아요 → 늦을 것 같아요 |
| -ㄹ 것 같아요 | 받침 X · ㄹ 받침 (ㄹ 하나만) | 오다 + ㄹ 것 같아요 → 올 것 같아요 |
Key points
- A/V-(으)ㄹ 것 같아요 = I think it will … · it looks like …: 비가 올 것 같아요 · 늦을 것 같아요
- 받침 O → -을 것 같아요 (늦을 · 많을) · 받침 X · ㄹ → -ㄹ 것 같아요 (올 · 막힐 · 멀) — compare 지금 비가 오는 것 같아요 (Lesson 4)
Examples
- 비가 와요? 아직 안 와요. 그런데 … → 비가 올 것 같아요.
- 받침 O → -을 것 같아요: 늦을 · 많을 · 좋을
- 받침 X → -ㄹ 것 같아요: 올 · 막힐 · 걸릴
- ㄹ → ㄹ 하나만: 멀 것 같아요. ㅂ → 울: 더울 것 같아요.
- 지금: 비가 오는 것 같아요. 이따가: 비가 올 것 같아요.
Where university textbooks teach it
This point also appears in: Seoul National University Korean 2A, lesson 7; Yonsei University Korean 1-2, lesson 18; Sogang University Korean 2B, lesson 3; Ewha Womans University Korean 2-1, lesson 7.
Also in this lesson
- V-다가 — doing one thing, then something else — 'go along and then …' · 'in the middle of …'
- A/V-(으)ㄴ/는지 알다 · 모르다 — do you know where …? — a question inside a sentence
- V-(으)려면 — if you want to … — asking how, and giving advice