KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean grammar › -(으)ㄹ까 하다

Korean Grammar “-(으)ㄹ까 하다”: Meaning and Usage (TOPIK 4)

Pattern: -(으)ㄹ까 하다Level: TOPIK level 4

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	볼까 하다	bolkka hada
읽다	to read	읽을까 하다	ilgeulkka hada
하다	to do	할까 하다	halkka hada
살다	to live	살까 하다	salkka hada

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

이번 방학에는 제주도에 갈까 해요.

“-(으)ㄹ까 하다” means “I’m thinking of …,” expressing a plan or idea that is not yet settled. The sentence means “I’m thinking of going to Jeju Island this vacation.” It is less decided than “-(으)려고 하다” (intend to).

Pronouncing the example sentence

Example sentence: 이번 방학에는 제주도에 갈까 해요.

Syllables: 14 · Words: 5

Said aloud, it sounds like [이번 방하게는 제주도에 갈까 해요].

Syllable	Letters (consonant + vowel + final)	Romanization
이번
이	ㅇ+ㅣ	i
번	ㅂ+ㅓ+ㄴ	beon
방학에는
방	ㅂ+ㅏ+ㅇ	bang
학	ㅎ+ㅏ+ㄱ	[하] ha
에	ㅇ+ㅔ	[게] ge
는	ㄴ+ㅡ+ㄴ	neun
제주도에
제	ㅈ+ㅔ	je
주	ㅈ+ㅜ	ju
도	ㄷ+ㅗ	do
에	ㅇ+ㅔ	e
갈까
갈	ㄱ+ㅏ+ㄹ	gal
까	ㄲ+ㅏ	kka
해요
해	ㅎ+ㅐ	hae
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. 학에 → [하게]

Politeness level of the example

Style: Polite (해요체)Sentence type: Statement or set phrase

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
방학	noun	school vacation	TOPIK level 2
하다	verb	to do	TOPIK level 1

Practice

Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.

Question 1 Choose the word that fits the blank: 이번 방학에는 제주도에 ____ 해요.

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Answer: 이번 방학에는 제주도에 갈까 해요.

Question 2 Which is the correct form of 보다 + -(으)ㄹ까 하다?

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Answer: 볼까 하다

Question 3 Which is the correct form of 읽다 + -(으)ㄹ까 하다?

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Answer: 읽을까 하다

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