KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean grammar › -(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다
Korean Grammar “-(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다” (TOPIK 6)
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 수밖에 없다 | bol subakke eopda |
| 읽다 | to read | 읽을 수밖에 없다 | ilgeul subakke eopda |
| 하다 | to do | 할 수밖에 없다 | hal subakke eopda |
| 살다 | to live | 살 수밖에 없다 | sal subakke eopda |
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
길이 너무 막혀서 약속에 늦을 수밖에 없었어요.
“-(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다” means “have no choice but to ~ / cannot help but ~” and shows that there is no other option (stem + (으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다). The sentence means “The traffic was so bad that I had no choice but to be late for the appointment.” Don’t confuse it with “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” (“there’s no way that ~”), which negates a supposition.
Pronouncing the example sentence
Example sentence: 길이 너무 막혀서 약속에 늦을 수밖에 없었어요.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 길이 | ||
| 길 | ㄱ+ㅣ+ㄹ | [기] gi |
| 이 | ㅇ+ㅣ | [리] ri |
| 너무 | ||
| 너 | ㄴ+ㅓ | neo |
| 무 | ㅁ+ㅜ | mu |
| 막혀서 | ||
| 막 | ㅁ+ㅏ+ㄱ | [마] ma |
| 혀 | ㅎ+ㅕ | [켜] kyeo |
| 서 | ㅅ+ㅓ | seo |
| 약속에 | ||
| 약 | ㅇ+ㅑ+ㄱ | yak |
| 속 | ㅅ+ㅗ+ㄱ | [쏘] so |
| 에 | ㅇ+ㅔ | [게] ge |
| 늦을 | ||
| 늦 | ㄴ+ㅡ+ㅈ | [느] neu |
| 을 | ㅇ+ㅡ+ㄹ | [즐] jeul |
| 수밖에 | ||
| 수 | ㅅ+ㅜ | su |
| 밖 | ㅂ+ㅏ+ㄲ | [바] ba |
| 에 | ㅇ+ㅔ | [께] kke |
| 없었어요 | ||
| 없 | ㅇ+ㅓ+ㅄ | [업] eop |
| 었 | ㅇ+ㅓ+ㅆ | [써] seo |
| 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. 길이 → [기리]
- Aspiration: ㅎ next to ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ or ㅈ blends with it into ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ or ㅊ. 막혀 → [마켜]
- Tensing: after a final ㄱ, ㄷ or ㅂ sound, ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅅ and ㅈ become tense (ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, ㅆ, ㅉ). 약속에 → [약쏘게]
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 길 | noun | road, way | TOPIK level 1 |
| 너무 | adverb | too, so | TOPIK level 1 |
| 막히다 | verb | to be blocked, to be congested | TOPIK level 3 |
| 없다 | adjective | to not exist, to not have | TOPIK level 1 |
Practice
Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.
Question 1 Choose the word that fits the blank: 길이 너무 막혀서 약속에 늦을 ____.
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Answer: 길이 너무 막혀서 약속에 늦을 수밖에 없었어요.
Question 2 Which is the correct form of 보다 + -(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다?
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Answer: 볼 수밖에 없다
Question 3 Which is the correct form of 읽다 + -(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다?
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Answer: 읽을 수밖에 없다
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