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 question ending indicating curiosity, wonder, or uncertainty about a potential action or state. In this type of construction, the clause functions as an embedded question, acting like a noun phrase meaning ‘whether the action or state might occur or be the case’.
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 question ending indicating curiosity, wonder, or uncertainty about a potential action or state. In this type of construction, the clause functions as an embedded question, acting like a noun phrase meaning ‘whether the action or state might occur or be the case’.
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. 도둑은 떨어지면 호랑이에게 잡아먹힐까 봐 등을 꽉 붙잡았습니다.⁶
   The thief, afraid he would be eaten by the tiger if he fell off, held on tightly to its back.
   • 잡아먹히다 is a passive compound verb formed from 잡다 (to catch) and 먹다 (to eat), which together make 잡아먹다 (to catch and eat), plus the passive suffix -히-, resulting in the meaning ‘to be caught and eaten’.
   • -ㄹ까 is a sentence ending that indicates curiosity, wonder, or uncertainty about a potential event. In this context, it functions as part of the -ㄹ까 보다 pattern, expressing worry that the situation mentioned in the preceding clause might occur.
7. 서준: 뭐 먹을까?⁷
   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…?’.
8. 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.
9. 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…?’).
10. 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.
11. 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…?’).