한글
GuidesSign inGet started

Grammar / Level 2 / Lesson 43

ㄹ/을게요: I'll do it

By Daniel Buckley · 9 minute read · TOPIK 2

Vocabulary

  1. 내다 - to pay
  2. 받다 - to receive, to answer (a phone)
  3. 전화하다 - to call
  4. 기다리다 - to wait
  5. 시작하다 - to start
  6. 열심히 - hard, diligently
  7. 이따가 - in a little while
  8. 꼭 - definitely, without fail
  9. 빌려주다 - to lend
  10. 돌려주다 - to give back

The bill comes, and someone reaches for it: 제가 낼게요, I'll pay. A phone rings across the room: 제가 받을게요, I'll get it.

English "I'll" does two jobs. It can report a plan, "I'll be in Busan next year", or it can be something you take on in front of someone, "I'll get it". Korean splits them: ㄹ/을 거예요 does the first, and ㄹ/을게요 does the second.

Making ㄹ/을게요

Making ㄹ/을게요

  • Stem ends in a vowel: ㄹ게요 attaches to it.가다 → 갈게요하다 → 할게요
  • Stem ends in a consonant: add 을게요.먹다 → 먹을게요받다 → 받을게요
  • Stem ends in ㄹ: the ㄹ is already there, so add 게요.만들다 → 만들게요열다 → 열게요

Irregular verbs behave as they do before any 으: 듣다 gives 들을게요 and 돕다 gives 도울게요. One thing to watch is that 사다 and 살다 both give 살게요, so 제가 살게요 is usually "I'll buy it", and context does the rest.

Pick a verb

가다가갈게요

※ It's pronounced 께요 but spelled 게요. You'll see 갈께요 all over text messages, and it's still a misspelling.

Taking something on

ㄹ/을게요 says "I'll do this" to someone, and takes the listener into account. It's an offer, a promise or an answer to what they just said. You've decided something with them in mind.

  1. 제가 할게요.

    I will do (it).

  2. 제가 낼게요.

    I will pay.

  3. 이따가 전화할게요.

    In a little while (I) will call.

  4. 다음에는 안 늦을게요.

    Next time (I) will not be late.

  5. 열심히 공부할게요.

    (I) will study hard.

  6. 이걸로 할게요.

    With this (I) will do. (Choosing in a shop.)

Saying what you're about to do

It also works as a heads-up. Before you do something that affects the person with you, ㄹ/을게요 tells them it's coming. You'll hear it from photographers, and from anyone leaving a room.

  1. 사진 찍을게요.

    Photo (I) will take.

  2. 이제 시작할게요.

    Now (I) will start.

  3. 먼저 갈게요.

    First (I) will go.

  4. 문 닫을게요.

    Door (I) will close.

※ Hospital and salon staff often say things like 앉으실게요, meaning "please sit". It's very common, but it's widely criticised as bad Korean, since 게요 is the speaker's own commitment, while 시 honours the listener as the one acting. Understand it, and say 앉으세요 yourself.

ㄹ/을 거예요 or ㄹ/을게요

거예요 reports something as a fact about the future, and the plan would stand whoever you were talking to. 게요 is said to you, because of you. Compare these pairs.

  1. 내년에 한국에 갈 거예요.

    Next year (I) am going to go to Korea. (A plan.)

  2. 내일 꼭 갈게요.

    Tomorrow definitely (I) will go. (A promise.)

  3. 오늘은 일찍 잘 거예요.

    Today (I) am going to sleep early. (My plan.)

  4. 알겠어요. 오늘은 일찍 잘게요.

    Understood. Today (I) will sleep early. (You told me to.)

ㄹ/을래요 is different again, because it's about what you feel like doing. 저는 커피 마실래요 is your preference. 제가 커피 살게요 is a job you're taking on.

In formal settings 겠습니다 does this job: 제가 하겠습니다. With friends, drop 요: 내가 할게.

Offering to do something for someone

Put ㄹ/을게요 on 주다 and you have the standard offer: I'll do this for you. To someone you owe respect, use 드리다 instead.

  1. 제가 도와줄게요.

    I will help (you).

  2. 제가 가르쳐 줄게요.

    I will teach (you).

  3. 우산을 빌려줄게요.

    (I) will lend umbrella.

  4. 선생님, 제가 도와 드릴게요.

    Teacher, I will help (you).

Who can say it

ㄹ/을게요 only reports your own decision, and that sets its limits. The subject is I or we, the verb is something you can choose to do, and the sentence is a statement.

The limits of ㄹ/을게요

  • I or we, not anyone else. For someone else, use ㄹ/을 거예요.친구가 할 거예요.
  • Statements, not questions. To ask, use ㄹ/을까요.제가 할까요?
  • Things you can decide. Usually no adjectives.오늘은 바쁠 거예요.

못 is shakier, because you can't really promise to be unable. You may hear 못 갈게요, but the safe way to say you can't make it is 못 갈 것 같아요. 안 is fine: 안 갈게요, I won't go.

  1. 전화 왔어요! 제가 ___.

    The phone's ringing! I'll get it.

  2. 내년에 일본에 ___.

    I'm going to Japan next year. (Telling a friend your plans.)

  3. 제가 창문을 ___?

    Shall I open the window?

  4. 문 좀 닫아 주세요. 네, ___.

    Please close the door. OK, I will.

  5. 친구가 내일 ___.

    My friend will come tomorrow.

  6. 선생님, 제가 ___.

    Teacher, I'll help you.

Listen and type

1 / 3

Play it as often as you like.

In a conversation

A

벌써 열 시예요. 저는 먼저 갈게요.

Already ten o'clock. I first will go.

B

밖에 비가 와요. 제 우산을 빌려줄게요.

Outside rain comes. My umbrella will lend.

A

고마워요. 내일 돌려줄게요.

Thanks. Tomorrow will give back.

B

네, 조심해서 가세요.

Yes, carefully please go.

A

집에 도착하면 문자 보낼게요.

Home when arrive, text will send.

Common mistakes

  1. 제가 내일 전화할께요.

    제가 내일 전화할게요.

    It sounds like 께 but it's spelled 게.

  2. 친구가 할게요.

    친구가 할 거예요.

    ㄹ/을게요 is your own decision, so it's for I and we.

  3. 제가 창문을 열게요?

    제가 창문을 열까요?

    ㄹ/을게요 doesn't make a question. To offer by asking, use ㄹ/을까요.

One sentence in each group is wrong. Tap it.

Check yourself

Quick check

1 / 6

제가 ___. (하다) I'll do it.

The stem ends in a vowel.

Summary

ㄹ/을게요 forms
DictionaryStemㄹ/을게요
가다가갈게요
먹다먹먹을게요
만들다만들만들게요
듣다듣들을게요
돕다돕도울게요
하다하할게요

Now you can say

  1. 제가 낼게요.

    I will pay.

  2. 이따가 전화할게요.

    In a little while (I) will call.

  3. 제가 도와줄게요.

    I will help (you).

Sign in to keep track of the lessons you've finished.