Korean Lessons ᚛ Level 3 - Korean for Beginners #2 (Lessons 61 to 90) ᚛ Lesson 85 - Suggesting and asking questions in Korean [-(으)ㄹ까(요)]

Suggesting and asking questions in Korean [-(으)ㄹ까(요)]

In this course: ㄹ 까 / 을 까 / ㄹ 까요 / 을 까요

In this chapter, we're going to talk about the ending -(으)ㄹ까(요), which can be used for several things:

• Suggest something to someone
• Ask someone a question

This structure attaches to a verb in the following manner:

• In the casual style: [Stem + modifier -(으)ㄹ]까?
• In the polite style: [Stem + modifier -(으)ㄹ]까요?

Review: modifier -(으)ㄹ

Note that this form isn't used in formal contexts. Instead, a question is asked in the usual way using the form with -(스)ㅂ니까? or -(으)시겠습니까?

Make a suggestion with -(으)ㄹ까(요)

The most common use of the -(으)ㄹ까(요) ending is to suggest something to someone. We ask a person if he/she is interested in doing something.

The speaker is included in his/her suggestion to the listener. Otherwise, the -(으)ㄹ래(요) structure, which we will see later, is better suited. The listener is also generally included in the suggestion made by the speaker, but not always. In ambiguous cases, words like 같이 or  함께 (= together) can be added to the question.

오늘 저녁을 같이 먹을까?
→ Shall we have dinner together? / What about eating dinner together?

영화를 볼까요?
→ Shall we watch a movie? / What about watching a movie?

같이 갈까?
→ Shall we go together?

8시에 만날까요?
→ Shall we meet at 8:00?

주말에 요리해 드릴까요?
→ Should I cook for you this weekend?

Finally, if the listener is included in the suggestion and you generally use honorific forms towards this person, you should include honorific forms in your question.

같이 춤 추실까요?
→ Shall we dance together?

학교에 같이 가실까요?
→ Shall we go to school together?

Ask oneself questions with -(으)ㄹ까

Summary table of structure

Exercises

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