haru Korean › Grammar › Level 6A › V-(으)려나 보다
V-(으)려나 보다 — looks as if … is about to — guessing what is going to happen from what you see
Looks as if … is about to — guessing what is going to happen from what you see. Korean grammar for high advanced learners — Level 6A, lesson 1: 서울 돌아보기 (Touring Seoul — city landmarks, a magazine article, news and speeches).
What it means
V-(으)려나 보다 means 'it looks as if … is about to': from what you see or hear, you guess that something will happen soon or that someone is about to do something — 하늘이 어두워지는 걸 보니 비가 오려나 봐요. It is -(으)려고 하다 (Lesson 1B-3) plus -나 보다. After a 받침 use -으려나 보다 (먹으려나 봐요), after a vowel or ㄹ -려나 보다 (오려나 봐요, 열려나 봐요). The evidence often comes first with -는 걸 보니(까). Do not use it for your own plans, and never put -았/었- before it. Alone, -(으)려나? is a doubtful question to yourself: 오늘 안에 끝나려나?
Forms
| Pattern | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -으려나 보다 | 받침 O | 먹다 → 먹으려나 봐요 |
| -려나 보다 | 받침 X · ㄹ 받침 | 오다 → 오려나 봐요 |
Key points
- V-(으)려나 보다 = it looks as if … is about to — -(으)려고 하다 (Lesson 1B-3) + -나 보다 (a guess from evidence). 받침 O -으려나 보다 (먹으려나 봐요) · 받침 X · ㄹ -려나 보다 (오려나 봐요 · 열려나 봐요).
- Evidence first, often with -는 걸 보니(까). Not for your own plans, no -았/었- inside. -(으)려나? alone = I wonder if … (혼잣말).
Examples
- 보고 들은 것을 바탕으로 「곧 그 일이 일어날 것 같다」고 짐작할 때 써요: 하늘이 어두워지는 걸 보니 비가 오려나 봐요.
- 받침 O → -으려나 보다: 먹으려나 보다 · 받침 X · ㄹ 받침 → -려나 보다: 오려나 보다 · 열려나 보다
- 앞에 「-는 걸 보니(까)」가 자주 와요. 내 계획에는 쓰지 않아요.
- 혼자 말할 때는 「-(으)려나?」: 오늘 안에 끝나려나?
Where university textbooks teach it
This point also appears in: Yonsei University Korean 4-2, lesson 18.
Also in this lesson
- A/V-다고 해도 과언이 아니다 — it is no exaggeration to say — a strong claim you can stand behind
- A/V-(으)ㄹ 법하다 — likely · it makes sense — a guess that common sense supports, a reaction that is only natural
- V-(으)ㄹ 겸 V-(으)ㄹ 겸 (해서) — partly to … and partly to … — two purposes in one trip