Korean grammar patterns › Level 4
-(으)ㄹ까 싶다
I'm thinking of …; (worried) that … might
Level 4 · TOPIK II · intermediate
How to use it
With the speaker's own action it's a tentative plan: 'I'm thinking I might …'. -(으)ㄹ까 싶어서 often expresses worry ('in case …, for fear that …'), followed by the precaution taken.
Forming it
| 가다 | → 갈까 싶어요 |
| 먹다 | → 먹을까 싶어요 |
| 막히다 | → 막힐까 싶어서 |
| 만들다 | → 만들까 싶어요 |
As a plan, it's only for the speaker and not very firm.
Examples
주말에 오랜만에 고향에 갈까 싶어요.
I'm thinking of going back to my hometown this weekend for the first time in a while.
길이 막힐까 싶어서 일찍 나왔어요.
I left early in case the roads were busy.
Compared with similar patterns
-(으)ㄹ까 하다 (G2-011) is the same tentative plan. -(으)ㄹ까 봐(서) (G3-013) is the usual way to say 'for fear that'; -(으)ㄹ까 싶어서 is similar but softer.