Korean grammar patterns › Level 3
-(으)ㄹ걸요
I guess …, probably … (soft guess, often against expectation)
Level 3 · TOPIK II · intermediate
How to use it
Gives a mild, uncertain guess, often gently correcting what the listener expects. Said with rising intonation. Casual: -(으)ㄹ걸.
Forming it
| 오다 | → 올걸요 |
| 많다 | → 많을걸요 |
| 학생 | → 학생일걸요 |
| 닫다 | → 닫았을걸요 |
Not for the speaker's intention: ✗ 제가 할걸요 → 할게요.
Examples
지금 가면 아마 문을 닫았을걸요.
If you go now, they've probably already closed.
그 식당은 주말에 사람이 많을걸요.
That restaurant is probably crowded on weekends.
Compared with similar patterns
-(으)ㄹ걸 (그랬다) with falling intonation expresses regret ('I should have'). -(으)ㄹ게요 is a promise or the speaker's intention.