Korean Lessons ᚛ Level 5 - Intermediate Korean #2 (Lessons 121 to 150) ᚛ Lesson 122 - "Might, who knows" in Korean [-(으)ㄹ지도 모르다]

"Might, who knows" in Korean [-(으)ㄹ지도 모르다]

In this course: ㄹ지도 몰라 / ㄹ지도 몰라요 / 을지도 몰라 / 을지도 몰라요

In the previous lesson, we saw the -(으)ㄹ 수도 있다 form to express a probability in Korean. Let us now look at the particularities of the -(으)ㄹ지도 모르다 form.

Maybe with -(으)ㄹ지도 모르다

One way to express the fact that an event might occur is to use the following structure:
[Modifier -(으)ㄹ]지도 모르다

Reminder: the modifier -(으)ㄹ

Using this structure indicates a fairly low probability that an action will take place, although it is possible. It can also sometimes convey a certain worry about the action happening. In English, a close equivalent would be "might" or "may", often with the nuance of "who knows?" or "for all we know".

내일 비가 올지도 몰라.
→ It might rain tomorrow. / It may rain tomorrow, who knows?

내가 그 시험에서 합격할지도 몰라.
→ I might pass that exam, who knows?

재현이는 길을 잃었을지도 몰라.
→ Jaehyeon might have lost his way, who knows?

예측보다 파티에 열 명이 더 와서 음식이 부족할지도 몰라요.
→ Since ten more people than expected are coming to the party, we might run out of food.

그가 한 말이 모두 거짓말일지도 몰라요.
→ Everything he said might be a lie, who knows?

시험 잘 본 것 같은데 제가 실수했을지도 몰라요.
→ I think I did well on the exam, but I might have made a mistake.

Differences between -(으)ㄹ지도 모르다 and -(으)ㄹ 수도 있다

Summary table of structure

Exercises

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