Korean Pattern ~(으)ㄹ까요?: How to Say "shall we? / do you think?"

Verb stem + (으)ㄹ까요? Used for suggestions (shall we?) or wondering/asking opinions.

The Rule

~(으)ㄹ까요? = "shall we? / do you think?" Verb stem + (으)ㄹ까요? Used for suggestions (shall we?) or wondering/asking opinions. This is one of the essential Korean grammar patterns. Mastering it unlocks the ability to express "shall we? / do you think?" naturally in conversation — something you'll need almost every day.

Why English Speakers Get It Wrong

In English, "shall we? / do you think?" is expressed with separate words (auxiliary verbs, modals). In Korean, ~(으)ㄹ까요? 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)ㄹ까요? Verb stem + (으)ㄹ까요? Used for suggestions (shall we?) or wondering/asking opinions. Step by step: 1. Take any verb (e.g., 가다 = to go) 2. Remove 다 to get the stem (가) 3. Add the pattern: 가으ㄹ까요? This works with virtually any Korean verb.

Real Examples

• 같이 갈까요? (gati garkkayo?) — "Shall we go together?" • 뭐 먹을까요? (mwo meokeurkkayo?) — "What shall we eat?"

Common Mistakes

❌ Trying to translate "shall we? / do you think?" word-by-word from English ✅ Use the pattern ~(으)ㄹ까요? attached to the verb stem → Korean expresses "shall we? / do you think?" 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)ㄹ까요? with 5 verbs you already know. Write them out: • 가다 (go) → 가으ㄹ까요? • 먹다 (eat) → 먹으ㄹ까요? Repetition with familiar verbs builds the pattern into muscle memory. Once automatic, you can use it with ANY verb.

~(으)ㄹ까요? = "shall we? / do you think?"

Examples

같이 갈까요? — gati garkkayo? — Shall we go together?

뭐 먹을까요? — mwo meokeurkkayo? — What shall we eat?