을까 말까 grammar is used to show hesitation to do something / to intend to do something but not certain to do it yet.
오늘 아침에 빨래를할까 말까 해요. I’m thinking of doing the laundry or not this morning.
‘-(으)ㄹ까 말까’ attaches after a verb stem. It is usually followed by verbs such as ‘하다 (to do), 고민하다 (to consider), 생각하다 (to think).’
‘verb-(으)ㄹ까’ indicates that you have the mind or thoughts to do something. And ‘말까’ is the combination of the verb ‘말다’ and ‘ㄹ까’. ‘말까’ indicates that there is no mind or intention to take the preceding action. So, combining the two expressions, ‘-(으)ㄹ까 말까’ is used when thinking about what action to take or not.
을까 말까 grammar examples
‘-(으)ㄹ까 말까’ examples
Let’s find out more by looking at the examples.
피곤해서 운동을 하러 (가다) 생각 중이에요. I’m tired, so I’m thinking about whether to go to the gym or not.
피곤해서 운동을 하러 갈까 말까 생각 중이에요.
‘갈까 말까’ is a combination of the verb ‘가다’ and ‘-ㄹ까 말까’.
졸업 후에 한국에서 살까 말까 고민 중이에요.
‘살까 말까’ is a combination of the verb ‘살다 and ‘-ㄹ까 말까’ after removing ‘ㄹ’
새로산 구두가 불편해서 신을까 말까 고민 중이에요.
‘신을까 말까’ is a combination of the verb ‘신다’ and ‘-을까 말까’.
노트북이 너무 비싸서 살까말까 고민 중이에요. I’m thinking about whether to buy a laptop or not because it’s too expensive.
That person wants to buy a laptop. But it was expensive. So, she considers whether 사요? (to buy a laptop?) 안 사요? (or not to buy a laptop?)
사요? – 살까
안 사요? – 말까
In the sentence, you can say ‘살까 말까.’
Here, ‘살까 말까’ is a combination of the verb ‘사다’ and ‘-ㄹ까 말까.’
What does this sentence mean?
It means that, because a laptop is expensive, ‘사요? (buying?) – 살까’, ‘안 사요? (not buying) – 말까’.
속이 안 좋아서 밥을 먹을까 말까 고민 중이에요. I feel stomachache, so I’m thinking about whether to eat or not.
밥을 먹어요? (to eat?) – 먹을까
안 먹어요? (not to eat) – 말까
Here, ‘먹을까 말까’ is a combination of the verb ‘먹다’ and ‘-을까 말까.’
을까 말까 conjugation
Now let’s look at the combination information.
When a verb stem has the final consonant, ‘-을까 말까’ is used.
When you look at the verb 먹다, remove ‘다.’ Then there is the final consonant before ‘다’. Then ‘을까 말까’ is used after that. So you can say ‘먹을까 말까’.
When you look at the verb 읽다, remove ‘다.’ Then there is the final consonant before ‘다’. Then ‘-을까 말까’ is used after that. So you can say ‘읽을까 말까’.
when a verb stem does not have the final consonant, ‘-ㄹ까 말까’ is used. For example-
가다
When you look at the verb 가다, remove ‘다.’
Then there is no final consonant before ‘다.’ So ‘-ㄹ까 말까’ is used after that. you can say ‘갈까 말까’.
보다
Let’s look at the verb 보다. Remove ‘다.’ Then there is no final consonant before ‘다.’ Then ‘-ㄹ까 말까’ is used after that. So you can say ‘볼까 말까’.
when a verb stem ends with the final consonant ‘ㄹ’ delete ‘ㄹ’ and attach ‘-ㄹ까 말까’. For example-
when you look at the verb 만들다, remove ‘다.’
Then the final consonant is ‘ㄹ’ before ‘다’. Then, delete ‘ㄹ’ and then attach ‘-ㄹ까 말까’
So you can say ‘만들까 말까’.
놀다
Let’s look at the verb 놀다. Remove ‘다.’
Then the final consonant is ‘ㄹ’ before ‘다’. Then, delete ‘ㄹ’ and then attach ‘-ㄹ까 말까’. So you can say ‘놀까 말까’.
을까 말까 grammar summary
In summary, when a verb stem has the final consonant, ‘-을까 말까’ is used.
So ‘먹다’ becomes ‘먹을까 말까.’
when a verb stem does not have the final consonant, ‘-ㄹ까 말까’ is used.
So ‘가다’ becomes ‘갈까 말까.’
when a verb stem ends with the final consonant ‘ㄹ’ delete ‘ㄹ’ and attach ‘-ㄹ까 말까’. So ‘만들다’ becomes ‘만들까 말까.’
