Future Tense with Strong Will or Commitment : -(으)ㄹ게요

'-(으)ㄹ게요'

is a pattern for the future tense and is used to speak your strong will or commitment.

As it's talking about someone's will, only 'I' can be the subject of '-(으)ㄹ 게요' and there must be a listener that you are giving a promise.

*To speak it casually in 반말(low form), drop the 요 ending.

For example,

one of your friends is moving place and asking for help from you.

A: 이번 주말에 나 이사하는데, 도와줄 수 있어?

I'm moving this weekend, can you help me?

B: 그럼! 내가 도와줄게.

Sure! I'll help you.

Conjugation Rule

Notes

1. Only the first person(I) can be the subject.

2. There must be a listener and the action of the subject must be related to the listener's situation.

3. This pattern can be used as a statement but not as a question.

4. Native Koreans often misspell or mispronounce it as '-(으)ㄹ께요' but it is wrong.

Conjugations & Examples

Verb	Rule	Conjugation	Example
가다	받침 X	갈게요	일요일에 집에 갈게요. I'll go home on Sunday.
전화하다	받침 X	전화할게요	제가 나중에 다시 전화할게요. I'll call you back later.
도와주다	받침 X	도와줄게요	제가 도와줄게요. I will help you.
하다	받침 X	할게요	설거지하지 마세요. 제가 할게요. Don't wash the dishes. I'll do it.
먹다	받침 O	먹을게요	이거 안 먹어요? 그럼 제가 먹을게요. Aren't you going to eat this? Then I'll eat it.
팔다	ㄹ 받침	팔게요	5000원에 팔게요. I'll sell it for 5,000 won.

-(으)ㄹ게요 VS -(으)ㄹ 거예요

I guess many of you would be confused between -(으)ㄹ게요 and -(으)ㄹ 거예요. They are both future tense but are actually different patterns of grammar.

	-(으)ㄹ게요	-(으)ㄹ 거예요
meaning	Future tense with a strong will, promise or commitment	Future tense
usage	ONLY statement	statement question prediction(with ADJ)
rule	VERB + -(으)ㄹ게요	VERB or ADJECTIVE + -(으)ㄹ 거예요
notes	Only the first person(I) can be the subject and there must be a listener.	The subject can be a first, a second or a third person.
example	제가 설거지할게요. (statement) I will wash the dishes.	제가 설거지할 거예요. (statement) I'm going to wash the dishes. 민수가 설거지할 거예요? (question) Is Minsu going to wash the dishes?

Conversation

A: 이번 주말에 뭐 해요?

What are you doing this weekend?

B: 공부할 거예요. 같이 공부할까요?

I'm going to study. Shall we study together?

A: 좋아요. 그리고 한국어 숙제 좀 도와줄 수 있어요?

I'd love to. And could you please help me with the Korean homework?

B: 그럼요, 도와줄게요.

Sure, I'll help you.

A: 고마워요. 제가 저녁 살게요.

Thank you. I'll treat you dinner.

B: 좋아요!

Cool!

JIJEON Korean