LEARN + KOREAN / Note 19 TOPIK I
Shall We? (-ㄹ까요?)
a
-(으)ㄹ까요 attaches to a verb or adjective stem to mean “shall we” or “do you think.” The attachment rule is the same three-way split you’ve seen before: vowel-ending stems take -ㄹ까요, consonant-ending stems take -을까요, and 하다 verbs contract straight to -할까요.
Shall We?
In Real Life
Dropping straight to 을까?/ㄹ까? with no 요 is exactly how Koreans text friends about plans: 먹을까? on its own is a complete, natural “wanna eat?” No subject, no object needed when it’s obviously about the two of you.
Do You Think…?
The same ending doubles as wondering out loud or asking someone’s opinion, not just proposing a plan together.
jeoneun geimeul joahaeyo. geureom gachi geimhalkkayo?
I like games. Then shall we play games together?
In Real Life
Notice there’s no formal register here. -(으)ㄹ까요 already carries a built-in softness (it’s a question, a proposal, never a command), so Korean doesn’t reach for the stiffer -습니다 style with it in everyday use. You’ll see this ending almost exclusively in polite or casual speech.
Vocabulary
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
gachi | together |
sajin | photo |
sanchaek | a walk, stroll |
geureom | then, in that case |
jean | suggestion, proposal |
uigyeon | opinion |
joeun saenggak | good idea |
geulsseyo | well... (hesitating) |
kol! | deal!, I'm in! (casual agreement, from English "call") |
joa | sounds good (casual) |
daeume | next time, some other time |
paeseu | pass (declining an offer, from English "pass") |
moim | gathering, meetup |
deiteu | date |
hoesik | company dinner, work gathering |
beongae | spontaneous meetup (slang) |
mannam | meeting, encounter |
chamseokhada | to attend |
chwisohada | to cancel |
miruda | to postpone |