Korean Future Tense: -(으)ㄹ 거예요 Explained
Written and reviewed by Jun and Jin, native Korean speakers
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After this page, you can use -(으)ㄹ 거예요 to talk about future plans and intentions.
10-second answer
How do you say -(으)ㄹ 거예요 in Korean?
-(으)ㄹ 거예요 (-(eu)l geoyeyo) attaches to a verb stem to express future plans or predictions — "will [verb]" or "going to [verb]." 가다 (gada, go) → 갈 거예요 (gal geoyeyo, "will go"). Whether you insert 으 (eu) before ㄹ depends on the same batchim rule you've already seen elsewhere on this site.
Quick check — did that land?
1. 가다 (go, vowel-ending stem) — what's the future tense?
The Pattern
| Stem ends in… | Attach | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a vowel | -ㄹ 거예요 | 가다 → 가 + ㄹ 거예요 → 갈 거예요 |
| a consonant (batchim) | -을 거예요 | 먹다 → 먹 + 을 거예요 → 먹을 거예요 |
Same batchim logic as the particles you already know: vowel-ending stems get the lighter ㄹ-only form, consonant-ending stems need the extra 으 to connect smoothly.
See also: Korean Present Tense: -아요/-어요
Quick Examples
내일 학교에 갈 거예요.
naeil hakgyo-e gal geoyeyo.
I'll go to school tomorrow.
In speech the particles often go: 내일 학교 갈 거예요 (naeil hakgyo gal geoyeyo), 저녁 뭐 먹을 거예요? (jeonyeok mwo meogeul geoyeyo?), 비 올 거예요 (bi ol geoyeyo).
저녁에 뭐 먹을 거예요?
jeonyeoge mwo meogeul geoyeyo?
What are you going to eat for dinner?
비가 올 거예요.
biga ol geoyeyo.
It's going to rain.
Also works as a prediction, not just a personal plan.
Two Jobs: Plans and Predictions
This pattern covers both "I will do X" (intention) and "X will probably happen" (prediction) — English sometimes distinguishes these more sharply ("I will go" vs "it's probably going to rain"), but Korean's -(으)ㄹ 거예요 handles both naturally.
The Casual and Formal Versions
| Level | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | -(으)ㄹ 거야 | 갈 거야 (will go) |
| Polite | -(으)ㄹ 거예요 | 갈 거예요 (will go) |
| Formal | -(으)ㄹ 겁니다 | 갈 겁니다 (will go) |
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Forgetting the batchim rule
먹다 (consonant-ending stem) needs 을 거예요, not just ㄹ 거예요 attached directly.
Mistake #2 — Only using it for plans, not predictions
It works for both — don't reach for a separate structure just to express "it will probably…"
Mini Quiz
2. 먹다 (eat, consonant-ending stem) — what's the future tense?
3. Can -(으)ㄹ 거예요 be used for weather predictions, not just personal plans?
Related Knowledge
Learn Next
-세요: The Polite Command Form Explained
Tense is covered — polite commands and requests are the next essential verb-ending pattern.
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