Are you trying to say things like “I will eat” or “We will go” in Korean? Then you're in the right place! Today, we’ll explore the future tense pattern ~ㄹ/을 거예요, one of the easiest ways to talk about what you're going to do.
📘 Korean Grammar Lesson: Talking About the Future with ~ㄹ/을 거예요
Want to say things like “I will go” or “She will study” in Korean? In this lesson, we’ll explore how to express the future tense using ~ㄹ/을 거예요, one of the most common future forms in Korean.
🧠 What does ~ㄹ/을 거예요 mean?
~ㄹ/을 거예요 is used to describe actions or events that will happen in the future. It’s similar to saying “will” in English.
Pattern: Verb stem + ㄹ/을 거예요
📌 Example Conjugations:
- 가다 (to go) → 갈 거예요 = will go
- 먹다 (to eat) → 먹을 거예요 = will eat
- 공부하다 (to study) → 공부할 거예요 = will study
🛠️ Conjugation Rules
Choose ~ㄹ 거예요 if the verb stem ends in a vowel, and ~을 거예요 if it ends in a consonant.
| Verb | Stem | Future Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 가다 (to go) | 가 | 갈 거예요 | I will go |
| 먹다 (to eat) | 먹 | 먹을 거예요 | I will eat |
| 살다 (to live) | 살 | 살 거예요 | I will live |
| 읽다 (to read) | 읽 | 읽을 거예요 | I will read |
🔄 Present Tense vs Future Tense
Let’s compare the simple present tense with the future tense:
- 먹어요 = I eat / I am eating (present)
- 먹을 거예요 = I will eat (future)
While both use polite speech, ~을 거예요 clearly shows that something will happen later.
📝 Sample Sentences
- 저는 내일 영화를 볼 거예요. (I’m going to watch a movie tomorrow.)
- 친구가 한국어를 공부할 거예요. (My friend will study Korean.)
- 우리는 공원에 갈 거예요. (We will go to the park.)
💡 Quick Grammar Tip
- If the verb stem ends in ㄹ, just attach 거예요 — don’t double the ㄹ.
- Example: 살다 → 살 거예요 ✅ (not 살ㄹ 거예요 ❌)
📚 Recap
- ~ㄹ/을 거예요 expresses future plans or predictions.
- Use ~ㄹ after vowels, and ~을 after consonants.
- It’s one of the easiest and most common ways to talk about the future in Korean!
🎉 Nice work! Now try writing a few of your own sentences using ~ㄹ/을 거예요.
👉 Coming next: How to say “I want to...” in Korean with ~고 싶다!
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