(으)ㄹ까요 (eulkkayo) means "shall we?, I wonder".
Asking for someone's opinion or suggesting doing something together.
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- After a vowel or ㄹ: ㄹ까요 lkkayo. After other consonants: 을까요 eulkkayo.
Build it
The forms you need
Polite
갈까요?galkkayo?shall we go?Casual
갈까?galkka?shall we go? (to friends)Past guess
갔을까요?gasseulkkayo?do you think they went?Thinking of
갈까 해요galkka haeyoI'm thinking of goingWhen to use it
Suggesting
"Shall we …?" for you and the listener.
Offering
"Shall I …?" for something you'd do.
Wondering
Asking what someone thinks will happen.
Watch out
Answer with a plain 먹어요 meogeoyo, not the question form.
Stems ending in ㄹ just add 까요 kkayo.
Guesses need 까요 kkayo. 래요 raeyo asks what someone wants.
In context
8 examples- 1
내일 만날까요?
Naeil mannalkkayo?
Shall we meet tomorrow?
- 2
이게 좋을까요?
Ige joeulkkayo?
Do you think this will be good?
- 3
우리 뭐 먹을까?
Uri mwo meogeulkka?
What should we eat?
- 4
제가 가방 들어 드릴까요?
Jega gabang deureo deurilkkayo?
Shall I carry your bag for you?
- 5
이 색이 저한테 어울릴까요?
I saegi jeohante eoullilkkayo?
Do you think this color suits me?
- 6
주말에 같이 영화 볼까요?
Jumare gachi yeonghwa bolkkayo?
Want to see a movie together this weekend?
- 7
그 사람이 벌써 도착했을까요?
Geu sarami beolsseo dochakaesseulkkayo?
Do you think he has already arrived?
- 8
날씨도 좋은데 좀 걸을까?
Nalssido joeunde jom georeulkka?
The weather's nice. Shall we walk for a bit?
Practice
8 questions읽다 + (으)ㄹ까요?
(으)ㄹ까요? vs (으)ㄹ래요?
These look alike but ask different things. 까요 kkayo asks what you think, or invites you to decide together. 래요 raeyo asks what you want.
- 뭐 먹을까요? mwo meogeulkkayo "What should we eat?" Let's decide.
- 뭐 먹을래요? mwo meogeullaeyo "What do you want to eat?" Your call.
Only 까요 kkayo works for guesses about the world, like the weather.
Asking vs deciding
갈까요? galkkayo leaves the choice open. 갑시다 gapsida and 가자 gaja have already decided. With someone older or senior, the question form sounds much more polite:
- 회의 시작할까요? hoeui sijakalkkayo "Shall we start the meeting?"
- 회의 시작합시다. hoeui sijakapsida "Let's start the meeting." Fine from a boss, bossy from anyone else.
Wondering out loud
In the casual form, 까 kka often isn't a question to anyone. You're just thinking aloud:
- 왜 그랬을까? wae geuraesseulkka "I wonder why he did that."
- 내일 뭐 입을까? naeil mwo ibeulkka "What should I wear tomorrow?"
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 으ㄹ까요? in two trusted Korean dictionaries.
