KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean grammar › -(으)ㄹ 걸 그랬다
Korean Grammar “-(으)ㄹ 걸 그랬다”: How to Use It (TOPIK 3)
How to attach it
Attach the pattern to the verb stem, which is the dictionary form without 다. Compare how each verb below changes depending on its last sound.
| Dictionary form | Meaning | With this pattern | Romanization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 보다 | to see, to watch | 볼 걸 그랬다 | bol geol geuraetda |
| 읽다 | to read | 읽을 걸 그랬다 | ilgeul geol geuraetda |
| 하다 | to do | 할 걸 그랬다 | hal geol geuraetda |
| 살다 | to live | 살 걸 그랬다 | sal geol geuraetda |
What changes
- After a stem ending in a vowel, ㄹ is added to the last syllable (보 → 볼). After a stem ending in a consonant, 을 is added (읽 → 읽을). A stem ending in ㄹ keeps it (살 → 살), and 하 becomes 할.
Explanation
비가 올 줄 몰랐어요. 우산을 가져올 걸 그랬어요.
“-(으)ㄹ 걸 그랬다” means “I should have ~” and expresses regret about something you did not do. The two sentences mean “I didn’t know it would rain. I should have brought an umbrella.” To regret something you did do, use “-지 말걸 그랬다” (I shouldn’t have ~) instead.
이렇게 재미있는 영화인 줄 알았으면 어제 볼 걸 그랬어요.
“-(으)ㄹ 걸 그랬다” expresses regret about something you did not do: “I should have ….” The sentence means “If I had known it was such a fun movie, I would have watched it yesterday.” To regret something you did, use “-지 말걸 그랬다” (I shouldn’t have …).
Pronouncing the example sentence
Example sentence: 비가 올 줄 몰랐어요. 우산을 가져올 걸 그랬어요.
In natural speech, sounds link and shift across words. The table below reads each word separately, as it sounds when said on its own.
| Syllable | Letters (consonant + vowel + final) | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 비가 | ||
| 비 | ㅂ+ㅣ | bi |
| 가 | ㄱ+ㅏ | ga |
| 올 | ㅇ+ㅗ+ㄹ | ol |
| 줄 | ㅈ+ㅜ+ㄹ | jul |
| 몰랐어요 | ||
| 몰 | ㅁ+ㅗ+ㄹ | mol |
| 랐 | ㄹ+ㅏ+ㅆ | [라] la |
| 어 | ㅇ+ㅓ | [써] sseo |
| 요 | ㅇ+ㅛ | yo |
| 우산을 | ||
| 우 | ㅇ+ㅜ | u |
| 산 | ㅅ+ㅏ+ㄴ | [사] sa |
| 을 | ㅇ+ㅡ+ㄹ | [늘] neul |
| 가져올 | ||
| 가 | ㄱ+ㅏ | ga |
| 져 | ㅈ+ㅕ | jyeo |
| 올 | ㅇ+ㅗ+ㄹ | ol |
| 걸 | ㄱ+ㅓ+ㄹ | geol |
| 그랬어요 | ||
| 그 | ㄱ+ㅡ | geu |
| 랬 | ㄹ+ㅐ+ㅆ | [래] rae |
| 어 | ㅇ+ㅓ | [써] sseo |
| 요 | ㅇ+ㅛ | yo |
A ㅇ at the start of a syllable is silent; at the end of a syllable it sounds like “ng”.
Sound changes in this phrase
- Linking: when a syllable ending in a consonant (patchim) is followed by a syllable that starts with a vowel, the consonant moves over to the next syllable. 랐어 → [라써]
Politeness level of the example
Ends in -요. The everyday polite style, and a safe choice with shop staff, colleagues, strangers and anyone older than you.
Words in the example sentence
These words from the TOPIK vocabulary lists appear in the phrase (shown in dictionary form).
| Korean | Part of speech | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 비 | noun | rain | TOPIK level 1 |
| 우산 | noun | umbrella | TOPIK level 1 |
| 재미있다 | adjective | fun, interesting | TOPIK level 1 |
| 알다 | verb | to know | TOPIK level 1 |
Practice
Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.
Question 1 Choose the word that fits the blank: 비가 올 줄 몰랐어요. 우산을 가져올 ____.
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Answer: 비가 올 줄 몰랐어요. 우산을 가져올 걸 그랬어요.
Question 2 Choose the word that fits the blank: 이렇게 재미있는 영화인 줄 알았으면 어제 볼 ____.
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Answer: 이렇게 재미있는 영화인 줄 알았으면 어제 볼 걸 그랬어요.
Question 3 Which is the correct form of 보다 + -(으)ㄹ 걸 그랬다?
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Answer: 볼 걸 그랬다
Question 4 Which is the correct form of 읽다 + -(으)ㄹ 걸 그랬다?
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Answer: 읽을 걸 그랬다
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