KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean grammar › -(으)ㄹ까요?
Korean Grammar “-(으)ㄹ까요?”: Meaning and Usage (TOPIK 1)
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 | 볼까요? | bolkkayo? |
| 읽다 | to read | 읽을까요? | ilgeulkkayo? |
| 하다 | to do | 할까요? | halkkayo? |
| 살다 | to live | 살까요? | salkkayo? |
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
배가 고파요. 우리 같이 밥을 먹을까요?
“-(으)ㄹ까요?” suggests doing something together (“Shall we…?”) or asks for the listener’s opinion. Use “-ㄹ까요” after a vowel or ㄹ, and “-을까요” after other consonants. “먹다” ends in a consonant, so it becomes “먹을까요?” The sentences mean “I’m hungry. Shall we eat together?”
Pronouncing the example sentence
Example sentence: 배가 고파요. 우리 같이 밥을 먹을까요?
Said aloud, it sounds like [배가 고파요 우리 가치 바블 머글까요].
| Syllable | Letters (consonant + vowel + final) | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 배가 | ||
| 배 | ㅂ+ㅐ | bae |
| 가 | ㄱ+ㅏ | ga |
| 고파요 | ||
| 고 | ㄱ+ㅗ | go |
| 파 | ㅍ+ㅏ | pa |
| 요 | ㅇ+ㅛ | yo |
| 우리 | ||
| 우 | ㅇ+ㅜ | u |
| 리 | ㄹ+ㅣ | ri |
| 같이 | ||
| 같 | ㄱ+ㅏ+ㅌ | [가] ga |
| 이 | ㅇ+ㅣ | [치] chi |
| 밥을 | ||
| 밥 | ㅂ+ㅏ+ㅂ | [바] ba |
| 을 | ㅇ+ㅡ+ㄹ | [블] beul |
| 먹을까요 | ||
| 먹 | ㅁ+ㅓ+ㄱ | [머] meo |
| 을 | ㅇ+ㅡ+ㄹ | [글] geul |
| 까 | ㄲ+ㅏ | kka |
| 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
- Palatalization: a final ㄷ or ㅌ followed by 이 or 히 is pronounced ㅈ or ㅊ. 같이 → [가치]
- 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. 밥을 → [바블]
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 같이 | adverb | together | TOPIK level 1 |
Practice
Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.
Question 1 Choose the word that fits the blank: 배가 고파요. 우리 같이 밥을 먹____?
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Answer: 배가 고파요. 우리 같이 밥을 먹을까요?
Question 2 Which is the correct form of 보다 + -(으)ㄹ까요?
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Answer: 볼까요?
Question 3 Which is the correct form of 읽다 + -(으)ㄹ까요?
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Answer: 읽을까요?
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