Korean Pattern ~(으)ㄹ 거예요: How to Say "will / going to (plan)"

Verb stem + (으)ㄹ 거예요. Future tense for plans/intentions. Different from ~(으)ㄹ게요 (on-the-spot decision).

The Rule

~(으)ㄹ 거예요 = "will / going to (plan)" Verb stem + (으)ㄹ 거예요. Future tense for plans/intentions. Different from ~(으)ㄹ게요 (on-the-spot decision). This is one of the essential Korean grammar patterns. Mastering it unlocks the ability to express "will / going to (plan)" naturally in conversation — something you'll need almost every day.

Why English Speakers Get It Wrong

In English, "will / going to (plan)" is expressed with separate words (auxiliary verbs, modals). In Korean, ~(으)ㄹ 거예요 is a grammatical ENDING attached to the verb stem. You can't just translate word-by-word. The common mistake: trying to combine Korean words the way English does instead of attaching the pattern to the verb stem. Korean grammar works by stacking endings, not by adding separate helper words.

How It Works

Formation: Verb stem + (으)ㄹ 거예요 Verb stem + (으)ㄹ 거예요. Future tense for plans/intentions. Different from ~(으)ㄹ게요 (on-the-spot decision). Step by step: 1. Take any verb (e.g., 가다 = to go) 2. Remove 다 to get the stem (가) 3. Add the pattern: 가으ㄹ 거예요 This works with virtually any Korean verb.

Real Examples

• 내일 영화를 볼 거예요. (naeir yeonghwareur bor geoyeyo.) — "I'm going to watch a movie tomorrow." • 주말에 뭐 할 거예요? (jumare mwo har geoyeyo?) — "What are you going to do this weekend?"

Common Mistakes

❌ Trying to translate "will / going to (plan)" word-by-word from English ✅ Use the pattern ~(으)ㄹ 거예요 attached to the verb stem → Korean expresses "will / going to (plan)" as a single grammatical construction, not separate words. ❌ Forgetting vowel harmony or consonant rules ✅ Check if the verb stem ends in a vowel or consonant — the pattern may change form → Pay attention to the verb stem's final sound when attaching the pattern.

Quick Tip

Practice ~(으)ㄹ 거예요 with 5 verbs you already know. Write them out: • 가다 (go) → 가으ㄹ 거예요 • 먹다 (eat) → 먹으ㄹ 거예요 Repetition with familiar verbs builds the pattern into muscle memory. Once automatic, you can use it with ANY verb.

~(으)ㄹ 거예요 = "will / going to (plan)"

Examples

내일 영화를 볼 거예요. — naeir yeonghwareur bor geoyeyo. — I'm going to watch a movie tomorrow.

주말에 뭐 할 거예요? — jumare mwo har geoyeyo? — What are you going to do this weekend?