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. 모르는 것처럼 할까²
   Should I pretend not to know?

   • 하다 means ‘to do’.
   • -ㄹ까 is a sentence ending used to ask for a suggestion or propose an action, expressing uncertainty or contemplation, often used when speaking to oneself.

3. 단순한 구름이 어떻게 그의 힘을 가릴 수 있을까?³
   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.

4. 서준: 뭐 먹을까?⁴
   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…?’

5. 아니면 살짝 웃어볼까²
   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 sentence ending used to ask for a suggestion or propose an action, expressing uncertainty or contemplation, often used when speaking to oneself.

6. 모르는 게 나을까²
   Would it be better not to know?

   • 낫다 means ‘to be better’.
   • -을까 is a question ending indicating curiosity, wonder, or uncertainty, often used when the speaker is asking themselves a question.