안녕하세요! Today we’re looking at ㄹ래요 — a super useful expression for saying what you want to do or making suggestions. You’ll hear this one all the time in Korean dramas, so it’s definitely worth adding to your toolkit. Compare it with 고 싶다 (I want to) to understand when to use each!
What is ㄹ래요?
“ㄹ래요” is an informal Korean expression that conveys the meaning of “I want to” or “let’s” in English. It is formed by combining the future tense marker “ㄹ/을” (pronounced “l/eul”) with the verb stem and the polite ending “래요” (pronounced “rae-yo”). The final result, “ㄹ래요,” is a versatile phrase that can be used in various contexts to express one’s desires, suggestions, or plans.
Conjugation
- Take a verb i.e. 가다
- Drop 다 –> 가
If the verb ends in a vowel, add ㄹ래요 –> 가 –> 갈래요
If the verb ends in a consonant, add 을래요 –> 먹다 –> 먹 –> 먹을래요
If the verb ends in a ㄹ, add just 래요 –> 놀다 –> 놀 –> 놀래요
These rules exist for easier pronunciation, so just think of it that way. Now, let’s conjugate few more of these.
Conjugation examples
- 오다 –> 오 + ㄹ래요 –> 올래요 (want to come)
- 보다 –> 보 + ㄹ래요 –> 볼래요 (want to see)
- 있다 –> 있 + 을래요 –> 있을래요 (want to be)
- 도와주다 –> 도와주 + ㄹ래요 –> 도와줄래요 (want to help)
- 하다 –> 하 + ㄹ래요–> 할래요 (want to do)
- 팔다 –> 팔 + 래요–> 팔래요 (want to sell)
Usage 1 – expressing desires
The first use of ㄹ래요 is to express personal desires. When you want to do something — and you really mean it — this is your go-to. For example, if you want to say “I want to eat,” you say 먹을래요. It’s a stronger version of 고 싶어요, which we’ll get to in a moment. Think of ㄹ래요 as “I want to and I’m probably going to do it regardless!”
Usage 2 – making suggestions or plans
You can also use ㄹ래요 to make suggestions or invite someone to do something with you. For example, 영화 보러 갈래요? means “Do you want to go watch a movie?” — it’s friendly and casual, perfect for making plans with friends. This is probably the usage you’ll use most in everyday conversation!
What is the difference between 고 싶어요 and ㄹ래요?
So what’s the actual difference between 고 싶어요 and ㄹ래요? Both mean “I want to,” but there is a subtle difference worth knowing.
- “고 싶어요” (go sip-eo-yo):
- Meaning: “I want to” or “I would like to.”
- Formation: Verb stem + “고 싶어요.”
- Politeness Level: Polite.
- Usage:
- It is used to express personal desires or wants.
- It can be used to talk about things one wants to do, experience, or have.
- It is commonly used to express individual preferences or wishes.
- Examples:
- 먹고 싶어요 (meok-go sip-eo-yo) – “I want to eat.”
- 여행하고 싶어요 (yeo-haeng-ha-go sip-eo-yo) – “I want to travel.”
- 커피 마시고 싶어요 (keo-pi ma-si-go sip-eo-yo) – “I want to drink coffee.”
- “ㄹ래요” (l-lae-yo):
- Meaning: “Let’s” or “I suggest we.”
- Formation: Verb stem + “ㄹ래요.”
- Politeness Level: Polite.
- Usage:
- It is used to make suggestions or proposals.
- It can be used to invite or propose an activity or course of action to another person.
- It is commonly used to express a shared intention or plan.
- When talking about myself, it implies a stronger desire to do something than 고 싶어요.
- Examples:
- 먹을래요 (meog-eul-lae-yo) – “I want to eat.” (Compared to 고 싶어요, this implies that no matter what you say I will not change my mind).
- 같이 영화 보러 갈래요? (ga-chi yeong-hwa bo-reo gal-lae-yo) – “Do you want to go watch a movie together?”
- 운동하러 갈래요? (un-dong-ha-reo gal-lae-yo) – “Do you want to go exercise (together)?”
고 싶어요 is softer and more about expressing a wish — it’s like saying “I’d really like to.” ㄹ래요 is more assertive, more like “I’m going to.” So 먹을래요 sounds more decisive than 먹고 싶어요. When used as a question, ㄹ래요 becomes an invitation — “갈래요?” is “Do you want to go?” not “Do you wish to go?”
Of course, context matters a lot — just like in English! The more you hear and practice both expressions, the more naturally you’ll know which one fits. Also related: ㄹ게요 (I will), 거예요 Future Tense, and Negative Sentences in Korean.
Forming negative sentences using ㄹ래요.
To make a negative sentence with ㄹ래요, just add 안 in front of it. Simple! Here are a few examples:
- 영화 보러 안 갈래요. – I don’t want to go watch a movie.
- 안 먹을래요. – I don’t want to eat.
- 운동을 안 할래요. – I don’t want to exercise.
Sample sentences
- 같이 밥 먹을래요? – Do you want to eat together?
- 여행을 가보고 싶어요. 같이 갈래요? – I want to go on a trip. Would you like to come with me?
- 그냥 집에 갈래요. – I am just going to go home./I just want to go home.
- 오늘은 영화를 안 볼래요. – I don’t want to watch a movie today.