Example Sentences#

1. 민준: 나 친구들이랑 노래방 갈까 생각 중이야.¹
   Minjun: I’m thinking about going to a karaoke room with my friends.

   • 가다 means ‘to go’.
   • -ㄹ까 is a sentence ending that indicates curiosity, wonder, or uncertainty about a potential action. In this context, it functions as an indirect quotation of the speaker’s thoughts, embedding their internal deliberation about the action within the larger sentence.

2. 걷고 나면 보이는 길은 왜일까²
   Why do the roads only reveal themselves after I walk?

   • 왜 is an interrogative adverb meaning ‘why’.
   • 이다 is the copula ‘to be’.
   • -ㄹ까 is a question ending indicating curiosity, wonder, or uncertainty, often reflecting deliberation or weighing options. It can suggest actions to do together (‘Shall we…?’), ask someone’s opinion or show curiosity about a situation (‘Do you think…?’), or express personal deliberation about one’s own actions (‘Shall I…?’).

3. 모르는 것처럼 할까³
   Should I pretend not to know?

   • 하다 means ‘to do’.
   • -ㄹ까 is a question ending indicating curiosity, wonder, or uncertainty, often reflecting deliberation or weighing options. It can suggest actions to do together (‘Shall we…?’), ask someone’s opinion or show curiosity about a situation (‘Do you think…?’), or express personal deliberation about one’s own actions (‘Shall I…?’).

4. 떨어질까 두려운 꽃잎을 꽉 쥐고⁴
   Clutching petals, afraid they might fall

   • 떨어지다 means ‘to fall’ or ‘to drop’.
   • -ㄹ까 is a sentence ending that indicates curiosity, wonder, or uncertainty about a potential event. In this context, it functions as an indirect quotation of the speaker’s thoughts, embedding their internal sense of speculation or questioning about the event within the larger sentence.

5. 단순한 구름이 어떻게 그의 힘을 가릴 수 있을까?⁵
   How could a simple cloud obscure his power?

   • 있다 means ‘to exist’ or ‘to be’.
   • ㄹ 수 있다 forms a grammar pattern that expresses ability or possibility.
   • 을까 is a question ending indicating curiosity, wonder, or uncertainty, often used when the speaker is asking themselves a question.

6. 서준: 뭐 먹을까?⁶
   Seojun: What shall we eat?

   • 먹다 means ‘to eat’.
   • -을까 is a sentence ending used to ask for a suggestion or propose an action, often translated as ‘shall we…?’ or ‘how about…?’

7. 너에게 닿을 수 있을까?²
   Will it ever reach you?

   • 있다 means ‘to exist’.
   • -을 수 있다 forms a grammar pattern that expresses ability or possibility.
   • -을까 is a question ending indicating curiosity, wonder, or uncertainty, often reflecting deliberation or weighing options.

8. 아니면 살짝 웃어볼까³
   Or should I give a soft smile?

   • 웃다 means ‘to smile’.
   • -어 보다 is a grammatical construction where 보다 (to see) is used as an auxiliary verb to indicate that one attempts or tests the action described in the preceding statement.
   • -ㄹ까 is a question ending indicating curiosity, wonder, or uncertainty, often reflecting deliberation or weighing options. It can suggest actions to do together (‘Shall we…?’), ask someone’s opinion or show curiosity about a situation (‘Do you think…?’), or express personal deliberation about one’s own actions (‘Shall I…?’).

9. 돌아보면 차이가 있었을까?²
   When I look back, was there ever a difference?

   • 있다 means ‘to exist’.
   • 었 is a past tense marker.
   • 을까 is a question ending indicating curiosity, wonder, or uncertainty, often used when the speaker is asking themselves a question.

10. 모르는 게 나을까³
    Would it be better not to know?

    • 낫다 means ‘to be better’.
    • -을까 is a question ending indicating curiosity, wonder, or uncertainty, often reflecting deliberation or weighing options. It can suggest actions to do together (‘Shall we…?’), ask someone’s opinion or show curiosity about a situation (‘Do you think…?’), or express personal deliberation about one’s own actions (‘Shall I…?’).