IPSAE

-(으)ㄹ까

(eu)lkka

Grammar · 3 senses

I wonder if, shall I, do you want me to

Examples

제가 몇 시에 전화할까요?

What time shall I call you?

오늘 백화점에 사람이 많을까요?

Do you think there will be a lot of people at the department store today?

공기가 나쁜데 창문을 닫을까요?

The air is bad. Shall I close the window?

When you'd hear it

The polite form -(으)ㄹ까요 is common in everyday conversation, including with coworkers, service staff, and people who are not close. The plain form -(으)ㄹ까 is used with close friends or in inner thoughts, while -(으)ㄹ까요 often appears when making a suggestion or asking for an opinion.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse -(으)ㄹ까(요) with -(으)ㄹ래(요). Use -(으)ㄹ까(요) to raise a possibility or ask about a plan, but -(으)ㄹ래(요) to ask about someone's willingness or preference.

shall we

Examples

비가 많이 와요. 택시를 탈까요?

It's raining a lot. Shall we take a taxi?

어디에서 사진을 찍을까요?

Where shall we take a picture?

When you'd hear it

This is common in spoken Korean for making a suggestion or deciding something together. It appears with 요 in polite conversation, including everyday workplace talk, and without 요 among close friends or family.

What learners get wrong

Unlike -(으)ㄹ래요, which asks about someone’s willingness or preference, -(으)ㄹ까 asks about a joint decision: “Shall we...?”

I wonder, should I?

Examples

이게 맛있을까?

I wonder if this will taste good?

오늘 시장에 갈까?

Should I go to the market today?

그래서... 음... 뭐랄까? 아니야, 상관없어.

So then... hmm... what am I trying to say (how should I put it)? Nevermind, it doesn't matter.

When you'd hear it

This is common in casual spoken Korean, especially when thinking aloud or making an informal suggestion with friends and family. It also appears in expressions such as 뭐랄까 in conversational speech, including dramas and interviews.

What learners get wrong

Unlike -(으)ㄹ까요?, which politely asks or proposes something to another person, -(으)ㄹ까 often sounds like a private thought or an informal suggestion. Context and intonation show whether it means “I wonder” or “Shall we?”

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