Korean grammar '-ㄹ 것 같다/을 것 같다.'

1. Explanation

 : '-ㄹ 것 같다/을 것 같다' is used when the speaker makes an assumption about something. Usually it is used when making guesses based on various situation. It attached after verb and adjective. These forms are conjugated with the verb or adjective. When the verb stem or the adjective stem ends with vowel or 'ㄹ' consonant, it conjutes with '-ㄹ 것 같다'. Whie when the verb stem or the adjective stem ends with a consonant, it conjugates with '-을 것 같다'. Let's look at examples together.

 ( *같다. = 같아요. )

2. Examples

 내일 비가 올 것 같아요. (It looks like it will rain tomorrow.)

 *비가 오다 to rain

  1) A verb stem is '오-'

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅗ'

  3) It conjugates with '-ㄹ 것 같다.'

  4) 올 것 같아요.

 

 이 떡볶이 매울 것 같아요. (This tteokbokki seems spicy.)

 *맵다 spicy

  1) An adjective stem is '맵-'

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅐ'

  3) It conjugates with '-ㄹ 것 같다.'

  4) 'ㅂ' irregular drop

  5) '매-' '-ㅜ-'

  6) 매울 것 같아요.

 

 다음 주말에는 바쁠 것 같아요. (I think I'll be busy next weekend.)

 *바쁘다 busy

  1) An adjective stem is '바쁘-'

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅡ'

  3) It conjugates with '-ㄹ 것 같다'.

  4) 바쁠 것 같아요.

 

 자고 나면 괜찮아질 것 같아요. (I think I'll be fine after sleeping.)

 *괜찮아지다 to be fine

 1) A verb stem is '괜찮아-'

 2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅏ'

 3) It conjugates with '-ㄹ 것 같다.'

 4) 괜찮아질 것 같아요.

 

 회의가 늦게 끝날 것 같아요. (I think the meeting will end late.)

 *끝나다 to end

  1) A verb stem is '끝나-'

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅏ'

  3) It conjugates with '-ㄹ 것 같다.'

  4) 끝날 것 같아요.

 

 치킨이 진짜 맛있을 것 같아요. (The chicken looks like really tasty.)

 *맛있다 delicious

 1) An adjective stem is '맛있-'

 2) It ends with a consonant 'ㅆ'

 3) It conjugates with '-을 것 같다.'

 4) 맛있을 것 같아요.

 

 이 영화는 정말 재밌을 것 같아요. (I think this movie will be really fun.)

 *재미있다 fun

  1) An adjective stem is '재미있-'

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㅆ'

  3) It conjugates with '-을 것 같다.'

  4) 재미있을 것 같아요.

  5) '미있' can be contracted to '밌'

  6) 재밌을 것 같아요.

 

 작년에 입었던 옷이 조금 작을 것 같아요. (I think the clothes that I wore last year are a bit small.)

 *작다 small

  1) An adjective stem is '작-'

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㄱ'

  3) It conjugates with '-을 것 같다.'

  4) 작을 것 같아요.

 

 30분 정도 늦을 것 같아요. (I think I'll be about 30 minutes late.)

 *늦다 late

  1) An adjective stem is '늦-'

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㅈ'

  3) It conjugates with '-을 것 같다.'

  4) 늦을 것 같아요.

 

 배고파서 죽을 것 같아요. (I feel like I'm starving to death.)

 *배고파서 죽다 strave to death

  1) A verb stem is '배고파서 죽-'

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㄱ'

  3) It conjugates with '-을 것 같다.'

  4) 배고파서 죽을 것 같아요.

 

3. Practice

 I can't eat anymore becaus I'm full.

 배불러서 더 이상 못 _________________. ( *먹다 to eat )

 

 I think I'll learn Korean from next month.

 다음 달부터 한국어를 _________________. ( *배우다 to learn )

 

 I think I'll be busy tomorrow.

 나는 내일 _________________. ( *바쁘다 to learn )

 

 She looks like a English teacher.

 그녀는 영어 선생님 _________________. (*이다 = be verb)

 

 My mom might be sleepy because she drove for too long.

 엄마가 운전을 너무 오래 해서 _________________. (*졸리다 = sleepy)

 

 I think It will be prettier if you plant some flowers in the garden.

 네가 꽃을 심는다면 정원이 더 _________________. (*이쁘다 = pretty)  

 

 I think I'll go to Indonesia during the summer vacation.

 나는 여름 방학 때 인도네시아에 _________________. (*가다 = to go)

 

 I think my brother's shoes will be too big for me.

 형의 신발은 나에게 너무 _________________. (*크다 = big)   

 

4. Vocabulary

 내일 tomorrow / 비가 오가 rain / 맵다 spicy / 다음 next / 주말 weekend / 바쁘다 busy / 자다 to sleep / -나면 after / 괜찮아지다 be fine / 회의 meeting / 늦게 late / 끝나다 to end / 치킨 chicken / 정말 really / 맛있다 tasty / 영화 movie / 재밌다 fun / 옷 clothes / 작년 last year / 조금 a bit / 작다 small / 정도 about / 늦다 to be late / 배고파서 죽다 starving to death / 배 부르다 be full / 더 이상 못 anymore / 먹다 to eat / 달 month / 부터 from / 한국어 Korean / 배우다 to learn / 영어 English / 선생님 teacher / 엄마 mom / 운전하다 to drive / 너무 too / 오래 하다 do sth during long time / 꽃을 심다 plant a flower / 정원 garden / 예쁘다 pretty / 여름 summar / 방학 vacation / 인도네시아 Indonesia / 가다 to go / 형 brother / 신발 shoes / -에게 to- / 크다 big

 

5. Answer

 먹을 것 같아요. / 배울 것 같아요. / 바쁠 것 같아요. / 일 것 같아요. / 졸릴 것 같아요. / 이쁠 것 같아요. / 갈 것 같아요. / 클 것 같아요.