Lesson 25
There has never been a better time to start learning how to create and use future tense noun groups than right now!
-(으)ㄹ + noun
The usages of this verb ending can be best explained through examples, but fundamentally, “verb stem + -(으)ㄹ” expresses the adjective form of a verb in the future tense.
Ex)
읽다 = to read → 읽 + -(으)ㄹ = 읽을
→ 읽을 책 = a book which (someone) will read; a book to read
초대하다 = to invite → 초대하 + -(으)ㄹ = 초대할
→ 초대할 사람 = a person that (someone) will invite; a person to invite
보내다 = to send → 보내 + -(으)ㄹ = 보낼
→ 보낼 편지 = a letter that (someone) will send, a letter to send
All of the examples above were in the “verb stem + -(으)ㄹ + noun” form.
When the word 것 (which means “thing” or “the fact”) is used rather than a specific noun, the noun group can mean “something to + verb”.
Ex)
먹다 = to eat → 먹 + -(으)ㄹ = 먹을
→ 먹을 것 = something to eat = food
* 먹을 것 directly translates to “something to eat” or “thing(s) I will eat”, but over the course of time, it has gained the meaning of “food”.
타다 = to ride → 타 + -(으)ㄹ = 탈
→ 탈 것 = something to ride = vehicle
* 탈 것 directly translates to “something that I will ride” or “a thing that I will ride”, but colloquially, it means “vehicle”.
마시다 = to drink → 마시 + -(으)ㄹ = 마실
→ 마실 것 = something to drink = beverages
Now, do you recognize the ending -(으)ㄹ 거예요 from the lesson on future tense (Level 2 Lesson 1)? In future tense, add -(으)ㄹ 거예요 after a verb stem.
-(으)ㄹ 것 + 이에요 = -(으)ㄹ 것이에요 → -(으)ㄹ 거예요
Since the future tense stems from -(으)ㄹ 것, a Korean sentence like this can be translated in two different ways.
Ex) 이거 누가 먹을 거예요?
If you think of this sentence as “누가 먹다 (who + eat) + future tense”, it will be translated as “who will eat this?” If you think of it as “누가 먹을 거 (who + will + eat + thing) + to be”, it will be translated as “this thing, who will eat it?”
Sample Sentences
내일 할 일이 많아요.
= I have a lot (of work) to do tomorrow.
= There is a lot of stuff that I will do tomorrow.
지금은 할 이야기가 없어요.
= Right now, I have nothing to say.
= For now, there is nothing I will say.
냉장고에 먹을 것이 전혀 없어요.
= In the refrigerator, there is not any food at all.