Korean grammar patterns › Level 5
-기 십상이다
be likely to (with a bad result)
Level 5 · TOPIK II · advanced
How to use it
Predicts that a bad result will easily happen under a condition. Often after -(으)면 or -다가는.
Forming it
| 늦다 | → 늦기 십상이다 |
| 실수하다 | → 실수하기 십상이에요 |
| 걸리다 | → 걸리기 십상이에요 |
Used for negative results only: ✗ 열심히 하면 합격하기 십상이에요 → 합격하기 마련이에요.
Examples
이렇게 늦게 출발하면 지각하기 십상이에요.
If you leave this late, you're likely to be late.
겨울에 얇게 입으면 감기에 걸리기 십상이에요.
If you dress lightly in winter, you can easily catch a cold.
Compared with similar patterns
-기 일쑤이다 describes a bad habit that actually happens often; -기 마련이다 / -는 법이다 state a natural, general truth (good or bad).