14. Korean Future Tense

Simple Future

Korean future tense is quite simple than other Korean tenses. It literally describes things that will happen in the future just like English future tense.

Actually it’s simpler than other languages’ future tense because ‘will’ and ‘be going to’ are both same in Korean grammar. Korean language has ‘be going to’ but it literally means ‘be going to somewhere to do something’ or ‘leave a place to do something’.

저는 운동할거예요.
I’ll workout
I’m going to workout

With 하다 Verb (Do)

Korean future tense use ‘ㄹ거’ between a verb and an ending to make future tense. Tense is decided always between verb and ending.

하다 verb conjugation becomes ‘할 거예요’ or ‘ㄹ(받침) 거예요’ in 해요 speech style.

저는 요리 할거예요
I will cook
= Will do (Noun + 할거예요)

저는 점심 먹을거예요
I will eat lunch
= I will have lunch
= Will do (Root + ㄹ거예요)

저는 바쁠거예요
I will be busy
바쁘다 + ㄹ거예요
= Will be (Root + ㄹ거예요)

ㄹ거 Makes The Future Tense

Another great tip for Korean tenses. Do you remember 받침 ㅆ always makes the past tense with verb conjugations? Just like that, ㄹ거 always make the future tense with verb conjugations. Check if the sentence has ㄹ거 when you are confused.

Spacing between ㄹ and 거예요

You can often see Koreans use ‘할거예요’ and ‘할 거예요’ both. It may confuse you which one is correct. Both are very correct.

With 이다 Verb (Be)

You might be thinking the future tense conjugation with 이다 is 일거예요 because Korean conjugations have similar rules always. But, its meaning is different than what you expect. ‘일거예요’ is used to describe an assumption more than a future tense especially for ‘someone will be + noun’ and ‘someone will be + location’.

이다 variations change by the presence of 받침, not the word stem. 이다 becomes ‘일 거예요’ or ‘ㄹ(받침) 거예요’ with 해요 speech style.

저는 선생님일 거예요
I will be a teacher (Wrong)
I guess I’m a teacher
= May be + Noun
It has only the meaning of guessing. You must use a verb 되다 (become) to describe what someone will be. You’ll learn about details of 되다 verb in Basic Course.

그건 선물일 거예요
That may be a present
/ That will be a present
= May be + noun
It sounds describing future but also guessing.

그 방법은 꽤 수동적일 거예요
That way may be quite passive
/ That way will be quite passive
= may be + adjective
This sentence also sounds describing future and guessing at same time.

준이 물을 끓일 거예요
Jun will boil the water
= Will do + Root
This is important. 이다 loses the meaning of assumption as ‘will do + root’ does.

Make 100% Natural

Native Koreans use verb 되다 to make a meaning ‘become’. It often replaces 이다 verb when the sentence has future tense.

저는 선생님이 될거예요
I’ll become a teacher
= I will be a teacher /
= Will be + Noun (되다 : become)

With 있다 (location / possession)

You’ve learn 있다 is used to describe location and possession. However, Possessive 있다 can sound a bit unnatural often with 해요 speech style. But don’t worry! I will teach you how to make it so natural in this lesson!

있다 becomes 있을 거예요 in 해요 speech style.

저는 집에 있을거예요
I will be home (= I will stay home)
= Location

저는 내년에 차가 있을거예요
I will have a car next year
= Possession

It makes sense in Korean grammar but not 100% natural yet. Let’s learn how to make it much more natural in a native Korean way. One step closer to be a native Korean.

Let’s Make It 100% Natural

So, you need other vocabularies to make the sentence natural for future possession. Native Koreans use verbs such as ‘get’, ‘buy’, ‘receive’ or other possessive verbs instead of ‘있다’. This is how native Koreans really say.

저는 내년에 차를 살거예요
I will buy a car next year
= When you have it by buying it

저는 내년에 그 책을 받을거예요
I will receive the book next year
= When you have it for free