IPSAE

-(으)리

(eu)ri

Grammar · 3 senses

Informal logical rebuttal

Examples

그런 사람이 무슨 애국자이리?

How could someone like that be a patriot?

어찌 내가 이런 일을 하리?

How could I ever do such a thing?

When you'd hear it

This is an old-fashioned, literary ending found in written rhetoric, historical dramas, and elevated speeches. It is uncommon in everyday conversation and can make a rhetorical question sound dramatic or archaic.

What learners get wrong

In this use, it presents a rhetorical rebuttal rather than a genuine question. Unlike -(으)ㄹ까?, it does not usually invite the listener to suggest or consider an answer.

Intention

Examples

잠시 기다리면 내가 곧 처리해 주리다.

If you wait a moment I will take care of it right away.

내 반드시 돌아오리니 꼭 기다려 다오.

I will definitely come back, so please wait for me.

뒷일은 내가 맡으리다.

I'll take care of the rest.

When you'd hear it

This ending appears mainly in literary writing, poetry, vows, and historical or solemn drama dialogue; forms such as -(으)리다 and -(으)리니 are especially common. It sounds archaic or ceremonious in ordinary conversation, where speakers usually use -겠어요 or -(으)ㄹ게요.

What learners get wrong

Learners may treat -(으)리 as an ordinary future ending, but it has a distinctly literary or solemn tone. Use -(으)ㄹ게요 for a conversational promise to someone, and -겠어요 for a more neutral intention or prediction.

Prediction

Examples

그는 뭐든 열심히 일하니 꼭 성공하리라.

That guy works hard at everything so he’s bound to succeed.

내일이면 늦으리니 빨리 대책을 세워야 할 것이다.

Tomorrow will be too late, so we'll have to come up with a plan quickly.

사노라면 슬픈 날도 있겠지만 즐거운 날도 있으리다.

As you go through life there may be sad days, but there will certainly be happy days too.

When you'd hear it

This is literary and formal, most often encountered in writing, historical or period dramas, speeches, and solemn statements. In contemporary everyday conversation, speakers usually choose more ordinary prediction forms instead.

What learners get wrong

Unlike -(으)ㄹ 것이다, -(으)리 often gives a solemn, literary, or emphatic sense of prediction. The related forms -리라 and -리니 commonly appear in written-style endings such as 성공하리라 and 늦으리니.

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