LESSON 38

In the Future

The ordinary present form of verbs often has a future meaning:

Naeil hakgyo-e gayo.

내일 학교에 가요.

I’m going to school tomorrow.

But if you want to make the future specific, or if you want to refer to a probable present (especially with adjectives), you can use the gesseoyo form.

This -gesseyo is added to the verb base in the same way -go and -gi are added:

Bi-ga ogi jeon-e usan-eul sayagesseoyo.

비가 오기 전에 우산을 사야겠어요.

I’ll have to buy an umbrella before it rains.

Naeil byeongwon-e ga bwayagesseoyo.

내일 병원에 가 봐야겠어요.

I’ll have to go to a doctor.

Mueo-seul deusigesseoyo?

무엇을 드시겠어요?

What will we eat?

Mueos-eul bosigesseoyo?

무엇을 보시겠어요.

What are you (going) to see?

You can use the ending -l geongayo ㄹ 건가요 to ask about someone’s future plans.

The ending of the future modifier form is -eul after a consonant base, -l after a vowel base. Here are some typical verb types, with future and future modifier forms:

Miguk-e doragasimyeon, mueo-seul hasil geongayo?

미국에 돌아가시면 무엇을 하실 건가요?

What will you do when you get back to America?

Eodi-seo sasil geongayo?

어디서 사실 건가요?

Where will you live?

Eonje Hanguk-e doraosil geon gayo?

언제 한국에 돌아오실 건가요?

When will you return to Korea?

Notice the difference between Jigwon-i jigeum il-eul hago isseul geoyeyo 직원이 지금 일을 하고 있을 거예요 The factory-worker must be working now, and Jigwon-i jigeum il-eul haeya haeyo 직원이 지금 일을 해야 해요 The factory-worker must work now. Sometimes must means likely, probably; sometimes it means has to.

There is also a FUTURE MODIFIER form meaning …that will do or …that someone will do or …that is to be done:

Sseul pyeonji-ga isseoyo.

쓸 편지가 있어요

I have letters to write.

I il-eul hal saram-i isseoyo?

이 일을 할 사람이 있어요?

Is there someone (a person) to do this job?

Jeo-reul annaehaejul saram-eul chakko isseoyo.

저를 안내해 줄 사람을 찾고 있어요.

I’m looking for someone to show me around (guide me).

Meogeul geot-i isseoyo?

먹을 것이 있어요?

Is there anything to eat?

Je-ga meogeul geot-i innayo?

제가 먹을 것이 있나요?

Would there (likely) be anything for me to eat?

Eomma-ga jeonyeok-eul junbi hago isseul geoeyo.

엄마가 저녁을 준비하고 있을 거예요.

My mother will be cooking dinner for us.

Another way to put sentences in the future is ㄹ 거예요 (l geoyeyo), which has exactly the same meaning as -gesseoyo, but is much less formal and more commonly used. -gesseoyo is most often used in more formal situations or to express real determination, while -l geoyeyo has no such connotations and just puts your sentence in the future.

Oneul bam-e yeonghwareul bol geoyeyo.

오늘 밤에 영화를 볼 거예요.

I’m going to watch a movie tonight.

Naeil je chinguga seumateuponeul sal geoyeyo.

내일 제 친구가 스마트폰을 살 거예요.

Tomorrow my friend is going to buy a smartphone.

Seonsaengnimi sukjereul jul geoyeyo.

선생님이 숙제를 줄 거예요.

The teacher will give homework.

I. CONSONANT BASES
MEANING	BASE	-GESSEOYO	-EUL/-L
catches	jab-	japgesseoyo	jabeul
	잡	잡겠어요	잡을
is high	nop-	nopgesseoyo	nopeul
	높	높겠어요	높을
is nonexistent	eops-	eopgesseoyo	eopseul
	없	없겠어요	없을
closes	dad-	dakkesseoyo	dadeul
	닫	닫겠어요	닫을
is like	gat-	gakkesseoyo	gateul
	같	같겠어요	같을
laughs	us-	ukkesseoyo	useul
	웃	웃겠어요	웃을
exists	iss-	ikkesseoyo	isseul
	있	있겠어요	있을
finds	chaj-	chakkesseoyo	chajeul
	찾	찾겠어요	찾을
washes	ssich-	ssikkesseoyo	ssiseul
	씻	씻겠어요	씻을
reads	ilg-	ilkkesseoyo	ilgeul
	읽	읽겠어요	읽을
loses	ji-	jigesseoyo	jil
	지	지겠어요	질
licks	halt-	halkkesseoyo	halteul
	핥	핥겠어요	핥을
steps on	balb-	balkkesseoyo	balbeul
	밟	밟겠어요	밟을
puts	noh-	nokesseoyo	noeul
	놓	놓겠어요	놓을
eats	meog-	meokkesseoyo	meogeul
	먹	먹겠어요	먹을
cuts	kkakk-	kkakkesseoyo	kkakkeul
	깎	깎겠어요	깎을
shampoos	gam-	gamkkesseoyo	gameul
	감	감겠어요	감을
wears on feet	sin-	sinkkesseoyo	sineul
	신	신겠어요	신을
sits	anj-	ankkesseoyo	anjeul
	앉	앉겠어요	앉을
breaks	busu-	busugesseoyo	busul
	부수	부수겠어요	부술
is, equals	(i)-	-(i)gesseoyo	(i)-l
	이	(이)겠어요	을
honorific	-(eu)si-	-(eu)sigesseoyo	-(eu)sil
	(으)시	(으)시겠어요	(으)실

II. VOWEL BASES
rests	swi-	swigesseoyo	swil
	쉬	쉬겠어요	쉴
becomes	dwe-	dwegesseoyo	dwel
	되	되겠어요	될
pays	nae-	naegesseoyo	nael
	내	내겠어요	낼
writes	sseu-	sseugesseoyo	sseul
	쓰	쓰겠어요	쓸
goes	ga-	gagesseoyo	gal
	가	가겠어요	갈
gives	ju-	jugesseoyo	jul
	주	주겠어요	줄
sees	bo-	bogesseoyo	bol
	보	보겠어요	볼
does	ha-	hagesseoyo	hal
	하	하겠어요	할
calls	bureu-	bureugesseoyo	bureul
	부르	부르겠어요	부를

III. -W BASES
MEANING	BASE	-GESSEOYO	-EUL/-L
helps	dow-	dopgesseoyo	doul
	도	돕겠어요	도울
lies down	nuw-	nupgesseoyo	nuul
	누	눕겠어요	누울
is near	gakkaw-	gakkapgesseoyo	gakkaul
	가까우	가깝겠어요	가까울
buys	saw-	sagesseoyo	sal
	사	사겠어요	살

IV. -R BASES
walks	geor-	geokkesseoyo	georeul
	걸	걷겠어요	걸을
listens	deur-	deukkesseoyo	deureul
	듣	듣겠어요	들을

V. L- EXTENDING VOWEL BASES
hangs	geo-l-	geolgesseoyo	geol
	걸	걸겠어요	걸
enters	deul-	deureogagesseoyo	deul
	들	들어가겠어요	들