Korean grammar '-ㄹ까/을까 보다.(2)'

Korean grammar #62 - '-ㄹ까/을까 보다.(2)'

1. Explanation

 : '-ㄹ까/을까 보다.(2)' is an expression that indicates concerning conjecture regarding a certain action or situation. So it indicates the supposition about certain actions that may happen or some situation may become. This guess based on the mind of worry or concern. It is attached after verbs, adjectives and '-이다', 아니다'. '- ㄹ까 보다.' conjugates with vowel ending verbs or consonant 'ㄹ' ending verbs. However '-을까 보다.' conjugates with consonant ending verbs.

 This expression shows the worry or concern about something. Therefore it is used in the preceding clause, and it conjugates with '-아서/어서/여서'. The verb stem '보-' ends with the vowel 'ㅗ'. So the verb stem '보-' conjugates with '-아서'. You can see '보아서'. However, we can contract '보아' to '봐'. Also we can drop '-서' as well. Finally you can use this expressions as '-ㄹ까/을까 봐'. Let's look at examples.

 

2. Examples

 목이 마를까 봐 물을 챙겨왔어요. (I'm worried about being thirsty, I brought waters.)

 *목이 마르다 thirsty

  1) An adjective stem is '목이 마르-'

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅡ'

  3) It conjugates with 'ㄹ까 봐'

  4) 목이 마를까 봐

 

 버스에서 심심할까 봐 영화를 다운로드 받았어요. (I'm worried about getting bored on the bus, I downloaded a movie.)

 *심심하다 bored

  1) An adjective stem is '심심하-'

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅏ'

  3) It conjugates with '-ㄹ까 봐'

  4) 심심할까 봐

 

 길을 헤맬까 봐 계속 구글맵을 보고 있어요. (I'm worried about getting lost the way, I keep watching Goolgle maps.)

 *(길을) 헤매다 to get lost (the way)

  1) A verb stem is '헤매-'

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅐ'

  3) It conjugates with '-ㄹ까 봐'

  4) 헤맬까 봐

 

 운동하다 다칠까 봐 늘 보호 장비를 착용해요. (I'm worried about getting hurt while exercising, I always wear protective gear.)

 *다치다 to get hurt

  1) A verb stem is '다치-'

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅣ'

  3) conjugates with '-ㄹ까 봐'

  4) 다칠까 봐

 

 친구 결혼식에 늦을까 봐 어제 근처 호텔에서 잤어요. (I'm worried about being late for my friend's wedding. I slept at a hotel nearby yesterday.)

 *늦다 late

  1) An adjective stem is '늦-'

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㅈ'

  3) It conjugates with '-을까 봐'

  4) 늦을까 봐

 식당이 문을 닫을까 봐 택시를 타고 왔어요. (I'm worried that the restaurant is closed, I took a taxi.)

 *닫다 to close

  1) A verb stem is '닫-'

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㄷ'

  3) It conjugates with '-을까 봐'

  4) 닫을까 봐

 

 살이 쪄서 옷이 작을까 봐 걱정이에요. (I'm worried about the clothes is small because I gained weight.)

 *작다 small

  1) A verb stem is '작-'

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㄱ'

  3) It conjugates with '-을까 봐'

  4) 작을까 봐

 

 혹시나 병원을 못 찾을까 봐 미리 전화했어요. (I'm worried that if I can't find the hotpital. I called in advance.)

 *찾다 to find

  1) A verb stem is '찾-'

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㅈ'

  3) It conjugates with '-을까 봐'

  4) 찾을까 봐

*infinitive

 

3. Practice

 I'm worried about eating a whole bowl of ramyeon, because I'm on a diet.

 다이어트 중인데 라면 한 그릇을 다 _________________ 걱정이에요. ( *먹다 to eat )

 I'm worried there is additional homework. I checked the website.

 추가 과제가 _________________ 홈페이지를 체크했어요. ( *있다 there is, are )

 

 I'm worried about failing the exam.

 시험에서 _________________ 걱정돼요. ( *떨어지다 to fail )

 

 I'm worried it's chilly at night. I brought my wind jacket.

 아무래도 밤에는 _________________ 바람막이를 가져왔어요. ( *쌀쌀하다 cold )

 

 I'm worried the water is deeper than I thought. I'm observing it.

 물이 생각보다 _________________ 관찰 중이에요. ( *깊다 deep )

 

 When I was on a trip, I'm worried about losing my phone. I was very careful.

 여행할 때 핸드폰을 _________________ 엄청 조심했어요. ( *잃어버리다 to lose )

 

 I'm worried that the sunlight is too bright. I wore sunglasses.

 햇살이 너무 _________________ 선글라스를 썼어요. ( *밝다 bright )

 

 I'm worried that the room is small. I brought less luggage.

 방이 _________________ 짐을 적게 들고 왔어요. ( *좁다 small )

 

4. Vocabulary

 목이 마르다 thirsty / 물 water / 가져오다 to bring / 버스 bus / 심심하다 bored / 영화 movie / 다운로드 받다 to download / 길 way / 헤매다 wander / 길을 헤매다 to get lost the way / 계속 continuously / 계속 -하다 to keep -ing / 보다 to watch / 운동하다 to exercise / 다치다 to get hurt / 늘 always / 보호 장비 protective gear / 착용하다 to wear / 친구 friend / 결혼식 wedding / 늦다 late / 어제 yesterday / 근처 nearby / 호텔 hotel / 자다 to sleep / 식당 restausrant / 문 door / 닫다 to close / 택시 taxi / 타다 to take / 오다 to come / 살이 찌다 to get weight / 옷 cloth / 작다 small / 걱정이다 be worried / 혹시나 by any chance / 병원 hospital / 찾다 to find / 미리 in advance / 전화하다 to call / 다이어트 diet / 중 while / 라면 ramyeon / 한 그릇 a bowl of / 다 whole / 먹다 to eat / 추가 additional / 과제 homework / 있다 there is, are / 홈페이지 website / 체크하다 to check / 시험 exam / 떨어지다 to fail / 걱정되다 to be worried / 아무래도 probably / 밤 night / 쌀쌀하다 chilly / 바람막이 wind jacket / 생각 thoguth / 보다 rather than / 깊다 deep / 관찰하다 to observe / 여행하다 to go on a trip / ㄹ 때 when / 핸드폰 phone / 잃어버리다 to lose / 엄청 too / 조심하다 be careful / 햇살 sunlight / 너무 too / 밝다 bright / 선글라스 sunglasses / 쓰다 to wear / 방 room / 좁다 small / 짐 luggage / 적게 less / 들고 오다 to bring

 

5. Answer

  먹을까 봐 / 있을까 봐 / 떨어질까 봐 / 쌀쌀할까 봐 / 깊을까 봐 / 잃어버릴까 봐 / 밝을까 봐 / 좁을까 봐