Usage
i) Contrary conjecture
비가 올걸.
I think it will rain (contrary to the weather report).
ii) Non-committal conjecture
철수 아빠도 키가 클걸.
철수’s father is probably tall as well.
iii) Regret
우산을 가져올걸.
I wish I brought an umbrella (contrary to what I did).
Conjugation
| Type | Example | Past | Present (processive) |
Future (prospective) |
Retrospective |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AV (vowel) | 하다 | 한걸 | 하는걸 | 할걸 | 하던걸 |
| AV (cons.) | 듣다 | 들은걸 | 듣는걸 | 들을걸 | 듣던걸 |
| DV (vowel) | 빠르다 | 빨랐는걸 | 빠른걸 | 빠를걸 | 빠르던걸 |
| DV (cons.) | 어둡다 | 어두웠는걸 | 어두운걸 | 어두울걸 | 어둡던걸 |
| Noun (vowel) | 남자 | 남자였는걸 | 남자인걸 | 남자일걸 | 남자던걸 |
| Noun (cons.) | 사람 | 사람이었는걸 | 사람인걸 | 사람일걸 | 사람이던걸 |
Where:
AV = action verb / processive verb.
DV = descriptive verb / ‘adjective’.
Nouns take the copula (이다) and this becomes a DV.
Contents
Introduction
i) Contrary conjecture
ii) Non-committal conjecture
iii) Regret
Additional details
Associated grammar
See also
Bibliography
User examples
Introduction
The sentence/clause ending -걸 is used by speakers to indicate conjecture or regret. It is used by speakers for three reasons.
The three usages:
i) Contrary conjecture
비가 올걸.
I think it will rain (contrary to the weather report).
ii) Non-committal conjecture
철수 아빠도 키가 클걸.
철수’s father is probably tall as well (but I could be wrong).
iii) Regret
우산을 가져올걸.
I wish I brought an umbrella (contrary to my actions).
The first and third usages share a common theme (contrary to X); and the second usage is possibly an extension of the first.
걸 is a contraction of 것을 – where 것 (fact) takes particle 를. The pattern ㅁㅁㅁ 것을 can be used to mean contrary to the fact. This is believed to have developed from 것을 가지고 (with the fact).
싫다고 하는 것을 부모가 결혼하게 했다.
His parents made him get married despite his objections.
In this example, the act of his parents making him get married is contrary to the fact that he said he hated it. Here we see the importance of interpreting ㅁㅁㅁ 것을 as being used to mean contrary to the fact. The action/state in the second clause is contrary to the action/state in the first clause.
The -걸 sentence ending is believed to have developed from this concept. Essentially, the clause which describes the action/state as contrary to the fact is omitted and inferred by the listener.
Examine:
i) Contrary conjecture
비가 올걸.
I think it will rain (contrary to the weather report).
ii) Non-committal conjecture
철수 아빠도 키가 클걸.
철수’s father is probably tall as well (but I could be wrong (contrary to the truth)).
iii) Regret
우산을 가져올걸.
I wish I brought an umbrella (contrary to my actions).
Here we see the speaker is making a statement contrary to some fact. This is the key to distinguishing between -걸 and other grammatical forms.
i) Contrary conjecture
When expressing a contradictory conjecture, -걸 can be preceded by any modifier (ㄴ|는|ㄹ|던). The underlining theme is usually a meaning of contrary to what expectations you/we have.
금발 여자는 똑똑한걸.
That blond girl is actually smart (contrary to what you would expect).
화내는 모습을 본 적도 없는걸.
I’ve never seen him angry before (despite what everyone says about him).
A: You speak Korean well.
B: 잘 못하는걸요.
B: I can’t, really (despite how it seems).
자, 이제 가야겠는걸.
Well, I’ve got to get going (though it appears I’d have more time).
좀 촌스러울걸.
That’d look tacky (contrary to your tastes).
A: Why don’t we just buy tickets from the stadium?
B: 좋은 자리는 매진될걸.
B: I reckon the best seats will sell out (contrary to what you suggest).
철수가 춤을 잘 추던걸.
[From what I saw] 철수 danced really well (contrary to his awkward demeanour).
혼자 있을걸 생각하니 슬퍼졌다.
I became sad thinking I would be alone (contrary to how I anticipated).
ii) Non-committal conjecture
While the previous examples are all nuanced as contrary to the fact, this is not always the case with -걸. There are examples where the speaker is simply making a tentative conjecture. This is perhaps an extension of the contrary to the fact conjecture.
In this usage, the speaker provides a non-committal answer or statement. This enables speakers to manage situations where they may not have all the knowledge. Thus, -걸 is an economical tool for reaching a level of understanding necessary for the conversation to continue. In this usage, only the prospective modifier (ㄹ) is used.
철수 아빠도 키가 클걸.
철수’s father is probably tall as well (but I don’t know).
영희는 어렸을 때도 예뻤을걸…
영희 would have been pretty when she was young as well (but I can’t be sure).
A: I wonder what 철수 is doing.
B: 집에서 공부할걸.
B: I’d say he’s studying at home (but I could be wrong).
케이크는 다 먹혔을걸.
The cake has probably been eaten (but you might want to check anyway).
iii) Regret
The third usage of -걸 is to express regret over actions; either taken or not taken. Since all regrets are over past actions, past tense is inferred and marking with 었 is optional (use of 었 can carry nuances of ‘distant past’). This usage can optionally take 그랬다 (the inferred clause).
우산을 가져올걸 (그랬다).
I wish I brought an umbrella (contrary to my inactions).
더 열심히 공부했을걸.
I wish I had studied harder (contrary to my laziness).
사랑한다고 말할걸 그랬지.
I should have told him I loved him so (contrary to my apprehension).
비트코인을 더 일찍 살 걸.
I wish I bought Bitcoin earlier.
우산을 가져올걸 후회하고 있다.
I’m regretting not bringing an umbrella.
When expressing negatives (should not have), the following forms can be used:
-지 말걸 (그랬다)
-지 않았을 걸 (그랬다)
안 -ㄹ걸 (그랬다)
밤을 지세우지 말걸.
I shouldn’t have stayed up all night (contrary to doing so).
엄마가 찜닭을 만드는 줄 알았으면 외출하지 않았을걸.
I wouldn’t have gone out if I knew Mum was making 찜닭 (contrary my decision).
이 무거운 가방을 안 가져올걸 그랬다.
I wish didn’t bring such a heavy bag (contrary to the fact).
In addition, speakers use the form 잘못하다 to express making a mistake.
꿈을 좇(았)을걸 잘못했다.
I made a mistake in following my dreams (contrary to what I now know).
Additional details
General
• This form is more common in spoken than written language because it serves an immediate, speaker-listener oriented purpose.
• With conjecture usages, the strength of conviction is often expressed by words such as 아마 (maybe).
• It is important to remember that this form developed from ellipsis (the clause which followed 것을 has been removed over time). Ending sentences in Korean (a verb-final language) with an object very unusual and naturally invites the listener to look for what has been omitted.
Tone
• Korean speakers use tones (changes in pitch) to help differentiate between the conjecture and regret usages. Understanding this difference is important.
Conjecture: High tone on 걸. ↑
Regret: Falling tone on 걸. ↓
There may be some ambiguity in writing, however -ㄹ걸 is used mostly in speech.
Impoliteness
• Given it can be rude to question or even make suggestions to people in hierarchy – the conjecture usage of -ㄹ걸 should be used with caution. It can be interpreted as meaning (contrary to what you think… I disagree).
Spacing
• When used as a sentence ending form, conventional rules dictate the modifier (M) and 걸 are written without a space. This helps differentiate between -ㄹ걸 and regular (non-contrary to the fact) 것을. Despite this rule, Koreans (even editors of publishing works) will use spacing between them.
비가 올 것을 (regular 것을)
비가 올 걸 (regular 것을)
비가 올걸 (-ㄹ걸)
비가 올 걸 (-ㄹ걸)
Associated grammar
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See also
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Bibliography
Affiliate links help support uK.
— Choo, M., & Kwak, H. (2008). Using Korean: A Guide to Contemporary Usage. New York: Cambridge University Press.
— Ihm, H.B., Hong, K.P., & Chang, S.I. (2001). Korean Grammar for International Learners. Seoul: Yonsei University Press.
— Lee, D. Epistemic Congruence as Motivation for Grammar Use: A Study of the Final Suffix kel in Korean Conversation. PhD diss. University of California. (2017).
— King, R., Yeon, J., Kim, C., & Baker, D. (2015). Advanced Korean. Boston: Tuttle Publishing.
— Martin, S. E. (1992). A Reference Grammar of Korean. Singapore: Tuttle Publishing.
— Park, S. Lexical Tones in Korean. (2015). Korean Studies, 19, 151–161.
— Rhee, S. (2008). On the rise and fall of Korean nominalizers. In M. J. López-Couso & E. Seoane (Eds.), Rethinking Grammaticalization: New perspectives (pp. 239–264).
— Sohn, H. (1999). The Korean Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
— Yeon, J., & Brown, L. (2008). Korean: A Comprehensive Grammar. New York: Routledge.
User examples
ii) Non-committal conjecture
Context: Interview with a singer.
저 같은 연예인도 없을 걸요?[Submitted by 주호]
There’s probably isn’t another entertainer like me.