Korean Lessons ᚛ Level 3 - Korean for Beginners #2 (Lessons 61 to 90) ᚛ Lesson 86 - Suggestion and intention in Korean [-(으)ㄹ래(요)]

Suggestion and intention in Korean [-(으)ㄹ래(요)]

In this course: ㄹ래 / 을래 / ㄹ래요 / 을래요

In this chapter, we're going to talk about the ending -(으)ㄹ래(요), useful in several situations:

• Make a suggestion to someone
• Make a request to someone
• Express that one has the intention of doing

This structure attaches to a verb in the following manner:

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

Review: modifier -(으)ㄹ

This form is not used in formal situations. Instead, a question is asked in the usual way using the form with -(스)ㅂ니까? or -(으)시겠습니까?

Make a suggestion

The -(으)ㄹ래(요) ending is often used to make a suggestion to someone, to ask the listener if he/she wants to do something.

We saw the form with -(으)ㄹ까(요), which also allows one to make a suggestion, in the previous chapter. However, with -(으)ㄹ래(요), the speaker isn't necessarily included in the suggestion, even if he or she could be included. In ambiguous cases, 같이 or 함께 (= together) can be added to the question.

저녁밥으로 중국집에 갈래요?
→ Shall we go to the Chinese restaurant for dinner?

점심은 배달 주문해서 먹을래?
→ For lunch, should we order delivery to eat?

조금 더 드실래요?
→ Would you like to eat a little more?

오늘 학교 끝나고 우리 집에 올래?
→ Do you want to come to my place after school today? (Lit: Today, school ends and you will come to my place?)

여기 잠시 앉으실래요?
→ Would you like to sit here for a minute?

Note: Fans of Korean dramas know the following very informal phrase quite well:

죽을래!?
→ You want to die!?

Make a request

Express intention

It is possible to use the -(으)ㄹ래(요) ending in declarative sentences in the first person in order to express the intention to do something.

In this case, the meaning is similar to that of the structure -(으)ㄹ게(요) seen in a previous chapter, however -(으)ㄹ게(요) gives more of the idea of a promise made to someone, while the -(으)ㄹ래(요) structure represents an intention made for ourselves.

저도 거기 갈래요.
→ I'll go there too.

배가 너무 불러서 좀 걸을래.
→ Since my belly is too full, I'm going to walk a little.

저녁 먹고 운동할래요.
→ I’ll exercise after dinner.

이 책 읽을래.
→ I’ll read this book.

저는 떡볶이를 먹을래요.
→ I’ll eat a tteokbokki.

전 그 시계를 살래요.
→ I’ll buy the watch.

Summary table of structure

Exercises

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