을/ㄹ게요 grammar (Korean future tense)
Today, we’re going to learn ‘Verb-을/ㄹ게요’. This grammar is used to talk about the future and it shows the will of a person.
Verb-(으)ㄹ게요 indicates the will or promises of the speaker. ‘ 을/ㄹ게요’ attaches after the verb stem and it is an expression made by combining the endings ‘을/ㄹ게’ and ‘요.’
It is used when the speaker notifies or promises the listener that the speaker will do something. (It corresponds to ‘will’ in English.). Let’s look at some examples.
을/ㄹ게요 examples
같이 점심 먹으러 갈까요? Shall we go to have lunch together?
‘지금은 바빠서 점심은 나중에 먹을게요.’ I’m busy now, so I’ll eat lunch later. 먼저 드세요. Please eat first.
When you look at ‘먹을게요’ it is an expression made by adding ‘을게요’ to ‘먹다 (to eat)’. I’m busy now. So, I speak of my willingness that I will have lunch later.
Let’s look at another example.
‘늦어서 죄송합니다. 내일은 일찍 올게요.’ I’m sorry for coming late. I will come early tomorrow. 올게요 is an expression made by adding ‘ㄹ게요’ to ‘오다 (to come)’.
I’m late today so I promise that I will come early tomorrow. I express my will.
Let’s see some more examples.
제가 전화해 볼게요.’ I’ll try to call her.
‘전화해 볼게요’ is an expression made by adding ‘ㄹ게요’ to ‘전화해 보다 (try to call).’
“길이 막혀서 조금 늦을 것 같아요.” The traffic is heavy so I think I’ll be a little late.
그래요? 그럼 우리는 커피숍에서 기다릴게요.” Really? Then we will wait at the coffee shop.
“네, 미안해요. 금방 갈게요.” I’m sorry. I’ll be there soon.
‘기다릴게요’ is an expression made by adding ‘ㄹ게요’ to ‘기다리다 (to wait).’
‘갈게요’ is an expression made by adding ‘ㄹ게요’ to ‘가다 (to go).’
How to use 을/ㄹ게요?
When do we use ‘을게요, ㄹ게요?’ Let’s find out together.
When the verb stem has the final consonant, ‘을게요’ is used. For example, when you remove ‘다’ from the verb ‘먹다 (to eat), there is the final consonant. ‘을게요’ is attached after that. So it becomes ‘먹을게요 (will eat).’
One the other hand, when the verb stem does not have the final consonant, ‘ㄹ게요’ is used. when you remove ‘다’ from the verb ‘오다 (to come), there is no final consonant in the stem. ‘ㄹ게요’ is attached after that. So it becomes ‘올게요 (will come).’
Also, when the verb stem ends in ‘ㄹ’, remove ‘ㄹ’ from the verb stem, and attach ‘ㄹ게요.’ For example-
만들다 (to make)
Firstly, remove ‘다.’ There is the final consonant ‘ㄹ.’ Again remove ‘ㄹ’ and attach ‘ㄹ게요.’ So it becomes ‘만들게요 (will make).’
Let’s look at another example.
놀다 (to play)
Remove ‘다’ from the verb ‘놀다 (to play).’ There is the final consonant ‘ㄹ,’. Again remove ‘ㄹ’ and attach ‘ㄹ게요.’ So it becomes ‘놀게요 (will play).’
을/ㄹ게요 Pronunciation
This time, let’s look at the pronunciation of ‘을게요.’
‘게’ after ‘을/ㄹ’ is pronounced as [께].
For example-
‘나중에 먹을게요.’ I will eat later.
Here ‘게’ after ‘을’ is pronounced as [께].
나중에 먹을게요. [나중에 머글께요]
Let’s look at another example.
‘일찍 올게요.’ I will come early.
Likewise, ‘게’ after ‘ㄹ’ is pronounced as [께].
‘일찍 올게요’ [일찍 올께요].
As ‘을게요’ is used to express the speaker’s will or intention, the subject of the sentence should only be the first person – 나, 저, 우리.
을/ㄹ게요 conjugation
When the verb stem has the final consonant, ‘을게요’ is used. For example: ‘먹다 (to eat) becomes 먹을게요 (will eat).’ And, when the verb stem does not have the final consonant or when the final consonant ends ‘ㄹ’ in the stem, ‘ㄹ게요’ is used. So, ‘오다 (to come) becomes ‘올게요 (will come).’ And ‘만들다 (to make) becomes ‘만들게요 (will make)’
Now let’s do some practice by conjugating some sentences. Let’s make a sentence using ‘을/ㄹ게요.’
The teacher asks: ‘누가 교실을 청소할 거예요?’ Who is going to clean the classroom?
I answered it. ‘제가 청소할게요.’ I will clean it.
The subject of the sentence is ‘제’ which is the first person. So it is correct. But, if you answer ‘김 씨가 청소할게요 (Kim will clean it.), The subject of the sentence is ‘김 씨’ which is the third person. So it is wrong.
‘한국어책을 + 읽다’
How would you say it?
한국어책을 Korean books
읽을게요 I will read
‘읽을게요’ is an expression made by adding ‘을게요’ to ‘읽다 (to read).’
‘조금 이따가 + 연락하다’
How would you say it?
조금 이따가 a bit later
연락할게요. I will contact you
‘연락할게요’ is an expression made by adding ‘ㄹ게요’ to ‘연락하다 (to contact).’
‘조금 이따가 연락할게요.’ I will contact you a bit later.
‘숙제를 다하고 + 놀다’
How would you say it?
숙제를 다하고 After I finish my homework
놀게요 I will play.
‘놀게요’ is an expression made by adding ‘ㄹ게요’ to ‘놀다 (to play).’
‘숙제를 다 하고 놀게요.’ After I finish my homework, I will play.
을/ㄹ게요 Summary
Today we’ve learned Korean grammar ‘Verb-으/ㄹ게요’ which express the speaker’s will or promise.
When the verb stem has the final consonant 을게요’ is used.
먹다 (To eat) = 먹을게요 (will eat).’
When the verb stem does not have the final consonant, ‘ㄹ게요’ is used.
verb 오다 (to come) = 올게요 (will come).
when the verb stem ends in ‘ㄹ’, remove ‘ㄹ’ from the verb stem, and attach ‘ㄹ게요.’ For example-
만들다 (to make) = 만들게요 (will make).
If you don’t understand anything kindly leave a comment.
