Have you ever come across the phrase -(으)ㄹ 리가 없어요 in Korean conversations or texts and wondered about its meaning and usage? This unique grammar structure holds a special place in the Korean language and is essential to understanding the nuances of expressing impossibility and intentions.
In this blog post, we will delve into the intricacies of -(으)ㄹ 리가 없어요 and explore its various applications in everyday conversations. From expressing disbelief and refusal to conveying a lack of intention or possibility, -(으)ㄹ 리가 없어요 captures a strong sense of impossibility or unlikelihood. Understanding and incorporating this grammar structure into your Korean language skills will undoubtedly elevate your communication abilities.
Throughout this post, we will explore the meaning, formation, and usage of -(으)ㄹ 리가 없어요. We will also delve into common situations and expressions where this structure is commonly used, providing you with practical examples to enhance your understanding. Additionally, we will address any exceptions, politeness considerations, and common misconceptions associated with this grammar structure.
Conjugation
- Take a verb i.e. 가다
- Drop “다” i.e. 가
- Add the appropriate ending based on the following rules:
- If the verb ends in a vowel, add ㄹ 리가 없어요.
- If the verb ends in a consonant, add 을 리가 없어요.
- If the verb ends in a consonant “ㄹ” add 리가 없어요.
In this case, the verb 가다 ends with a vowel so we add ㄹ 리가 없어요 –> 갈 리가 없어요.
- 먹다 –> 먹 + 을 리가 없어요 –> 먹을 리가 없어요 (There is no way I can eat it)
- 오다 –> 오 + ㄹ 리가 없어요 –> 올 리가 없어요 (There is no way I can come)
- 보다 –> 보 + ㄹ 리가 없어요 –> 볼 리가 없어요 (There is no way I can see it)
- 하다 –> 하 + ㄹ 리가 없어요 –> 할 리가 없어요 There is no way I can do it)
- 놀다 –> 놀 + ㄹ 리가 없어요 –> 놀 리가 없어요 (There is no way I can hang out)
Understanding the meaning
리
The noun “리” comes from the Hanja “理” which means “reason” or “truth” or “logic”.
가
“가” is a subject marking particle and marks the subject of the sentence. In this case, it places an emphasis on the fact that there is no “logic” in the sentence.
없어요
없어요 comes from the verb “없다” which means “to not be” or “to not have” or “to not exist”.
Therefore, combining all three of these, the meaning is “there is no logic” / “there is no way” / “it’s not possible”.
Examples
The most common verb that is used with this expression is the verb “그렇다” which means “to be so”. This verb was explained in the previous lesson as well as it’s different conjugation. You can review it here.
If you remember, the “ㅎ” is often dropped when conjugating this verb and so with today’s grammar structure it becomes “그럴 리가 없어요” which then translates to “That cannot be”.
It can also mean:
- No way!
- That’s not possible!
- There is no way!
- It cannot be!
- 이 시간에 잘 리가 없어요. – There is no way he/she is asleep at this hour.
- 아직도 일할 리가 없어요. – There is no way he/she is still working.
- 그때는 아기였는데 그거 기억할 리가 없어요. – I was a baby back then, there is no way I can remember that.
- 이거 먹을 리가 없어요. 너무 매워요. – There is no way I can eat this. It’s too spicy.
Adding 안
-(으)ㄹ 리가 없어요 is already a negative sentence since it ends with the verb “없다”. Let’s see how the sentence changes when we add 안 in front of the first verb. I have added some more info in each sentence for the purpose of context so that the usage and meaning is easily understood.
- 안 줄 리가 없어요! 저랑 약속 했어요. – There is no way he/she won’t give it to me. They made promise with me.
- 같은 도신데 안 만날 리가 없어요. – We are in the same city. There is no way we won’t meet.
- 이거 제일 좋아하는 음식인데 안 먹을 리가 없어요. – This is my favourite food there is no way I won’t eat it.
- 오래 사귀었는데 결혼 안 할 리가 없어요. – They have been dating for a long time there is no way they won’t get married.
As you can see, the sentences make sense. In these examples, we are saying there is no way something doesn’t happen.
Past tense
To make past tense with this grammar structure just follow the below:
Verb stem + 았/었/였 + 을 리가 없어요.
- 혼자 갔을 리가 없어요. – There is no way he/she went alone.
- 다 먹었을 리가 없어요. – There is no way he/she ate it all.
- 그거 봤을 리가 없어요. – There is no way he/she saw it.
- 거기 있었을 리가 없어요. – There is no way he/she was there.
- 받았을 리가 없어요. – There is no way he/she accepted that.
Future tense
The future tense is the same as the present tense. You can emphasize you are talking about the future tense by using other words such as “tomorrow”, “next year” etc.
- 내일 올 리가 없어요. – There is no way he/she will come tomorrow.
- 주말에 눈이 올 리가 없어요. – There is no way it will snow on the weekend.
- 다음주 만날 리가 없어요. – There is no way we will meet next week.