Language serves as a powerful tool for communication, allowing us to express our thoughts, desires, and emotions. Korean, with its unique grammar and vocabulary, offers plenty of linguistic expressions. In this blog post, we will explore the meaning and usage of the expression “ㄹ래요” (pronounced “l-lae-yo”) in Korean. Whether you’re a language enthusiast, a Korean learner, or simply curious about linguistic diversity, this post will help you unravel the expressive power behind this versatile phrase.
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
One of the primary uses of “ㄹ래요” is to express personal desires. When combined with a verb, it can indicate the speaker’s wish or intention to engage in a specific action. For example, if you want to say “I want to eat,” you can say “먹을래요” (meog-eul-lae-yo). Similarly, “I want to go” can be expressed as “갈래요”. Using this form expresses much stronger desire to do something and implies that you will do it regardless of what the other person say. A more basic or subtle way of saying “I want to do” something is using the form “고 싶어요”. You can check out this post that explains it.
Usage 2 – making suggestions or plans
Another common usage of “ㄹ래요” is to make suggestions. By using this expression, one can propose an activity or course of action to another person in a polite and friendly manner. For instance, if you want to suggest going to the movies, you can say “영화 보러 갈래요?” (yeong-hwa bo-reo gal-lae-yo), which translates to “Do you want to watch a movie?.” The flexibility of “ㄹ래요” allows it to be used in various social settings, from casual conversations among friends to more formal situations.
What is the difference between 고 싶어요 and ㄹ래요?
In Korean, both “고 싶어요” (go sip-eoyo) and “ㄹ래요” (l-lae-yo) are used to express desires or wants, but they have some subtle differences in usage and nuance.
- “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)?”
While both expressions convey desires, “고 싶어요” focuses more on individual wants or preferences, whereas “ㄹ래요” is used to suggest and invite others to participate in an activity or plan together. “고 싶어요” emphasizes personal desires, whereas “ㄹ래요” emphasizes shared intentions or proposals.
It’s important to note that the choice between “고 싶어요” and “ㄹ래요” depends on the context and the relationship between the speakers. The level of politeness and formality also influences the choice of expression. Understanding these nuances will help you effectively express your desires or make suggestions in Korean conversations.
Forming negative sentences using ㄹ래요.
To form negative sentences using “ㄹ래요,” you can add the negative particle “안” (an) before “ㄹ래요.” Here are some examples of negative sentences using “ㄹ래요”:
- 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.