안녕하세요. 토미입니다.
Let’s have fun learning Korean today!
Today, we are going to learn three grammatical expressions.
1) -(으)ㄹ지(도) 모르다, “maybe (I) will do ~,”
2) -ㄴ/은/는지, “whether,” and 3) -(으)ㄹ지라도, “even if ~.”
Once you learn today’s grammatical rules, you will be able to understand expressions like,
긍정적으로 생각해라. 비록 그것이 착각일지라도….
Think positively. Even if it may be a “delusion”…
After hearing this, you might want to say, “Really?Can thinking positively be a delusion?”
But let’s put that thought aside.
By the way, since this is the twentieth lesson, I prepared a small gift for you, which is a test!
The test will cover from lesson number 16 to 20.
I put a lot of example sentences you learned in Youtube videos on the test, so you can review what you have learned.
And intermediate lessons deal with expressions with deeper meanings.
It could be a little bit challenging for you, but I am sure you can get through this, pass level 4 of TOPIK, and become a super master of Korean!
그럼 시작할게요！
-(으)ㄹ지(도) 모르다
-(으)ㄹ지(도) 모르다 means, “might do ~.”
You use -(으)ㄹ지 to express a vague conjecture or question such as, “whether to do ~ or not.”
Here, you connect -(으)ㄹ지 to 모르다 to make, “don’t know whether to do ~ or not.”
Therefore, it turns into an expression that conjectures a possibility, such as, “might do ~.”
In addition, as you can see, (도) in -(으)ㄹ지(도) 모르다 has parentheses.
So, you can omit it and the meaning is not going to change much. But today, I will explain with -(으)ㄹ지도 모르다.
You add -(으)ㄹ지(도) 모르다 to a verb or an adjective.
For a verb or an adjective, which does not have a final consonant, you attach ㄹ지(도) 모르다 to the stem.
For example, 가다 “to go” does not have a final consonant.
So, you attach ㄹ지(도) 모르다 to make 갈지도 모르다 “might go.”
If a verb has a final consonant, you attach-을지(도) 모르다 to the stem.
For example, 먹다 “to eat” has a final consonant.
So, you attach -을지(도) 모르다 to the stem to make 먹을지도 모르다 “might eat.”
For a noun, you attach -일지(도) 모르다 regardless of a final consonant.
Then, let’s read a sample sentence.
냄비가 뜨거울지도 모르니까 조심해.
The pot might be hot, so please be careful.
Here, since the adjective 뜨겁다, “to be hot” has a final consonant, you add -을지도 모르다.
However, since ㅂ irregular applies to 뜨겁다.
So, 으 changes into 우 to make, 뜨거울지도 모르다, “(the pot) might be hot.”
Let’s read the next sample sentence.
아직 확실하지 않지만 이게 원인일지도 몰라요.
It is not for sure yet, but this might be the cause.
Here, since 원인, a “cause” is a noun, you add -일지도 모르다 to make, 원인일지도 모르다, “(this) might be the cause.”
Quiz
Then, let’s deepen our understanding with some quizzes.
Which one is the correct answer?
유미 씨가 도서관에서 ( ) 한번 전화해 봐.
Yumi might be waiting at the library, so please call her phone once.
(1)기다릴지도 모르니까 (2)기다리지도 모르니까
The correct answer is number one. Since the verb 기다리다, “to wait” does not have a final consonant, you add -ㄹ지도 모르다 to the verb to make 기다릴지도 모르다.
Then, you want to say“since,” so you add -(으)니까 to make 기다릴지도 모르니까 “(Yumi) might be waiting, so~.”
Number two, 기다리지도 모르니까, is close but incorrect because it omits ㄹ to a verb.
Now, let’s read the sentence together!
유미 씨가 도서관에서 (기다릴지도 모르니까) 한번 전화해 봐.
Please practice this sentence until it flows smoothly from your mouth.
Then, let’s try the next quiz!
지금 백화점에 가면 사람이 ( ).
If you go to the department store now, there may be many people.
(1)많을지도 몰라요. (2)있을 수도 있어요.
The correct answer is number one.
Since the adjective 많다, “to be many” has a final consonant, you add -을지도 모르다 to make 많을지도 모르다.
Then, you need to change this to the 요 form to make 많을지도 몰라요 “there may be many~.”
Number two is wrong because 있을 수도 있어요 means, “there may be〜,” which is a different meaning.
Now, let’s read the sentence together clearly!
지금 백화점에 가면 사람이 (많을지도 몰라요).
Please practice until this sentence flows naturally from your mouth.
-ㄴ/은/는지
The second grammatical rule is -ㄴ/은/는지 “whether ~”.
You can use it in the form of -ㄴ/은/는지 + Verbs. You usually use the following verbs to confirm something such as 알다 “to know,” 모르다 “not to know.”
Therefore, I said it means “whether” in the beginning, but if I go into more detail, it can express verbs such as “know/teach/confirm +who/what/where/when/how.
For example, if you want to say, “I know where to go” in Korean, you use this expression.
Ok. So let’s move on to how to apply this grammar.
For verbs, you attach -는지 regardless of a final consonant.
For example, 가다 “to go” will become 가는지 “whether (I) go.” 먹다 “to eat” will become 먹는지 “whether I eat.”
For adjectives, you attach -(으)ㄴ지. If an adjective does not have a final consonant, you attach ㄴ지 to the stem.
For example, 바쁘다 “to be busy” does not have a final consonant.
So, you attach ㄴ지 to make 바쁜지 “whether (I) am busy.”
If an adjective has a final consonant, you attach-은지 to the stem.
For example, 많다 “to be plenty” has a final consonant.
So, you attach 은지 to the stem to make 많은지 “whether (it) is plenty.”
For nouns, you attach -인지 regardless of a final consonant.
Additionally, you can often use -는지 in a phrase 얼마나 -는지 모르다 to mean “[I] don’t even know how much ~.”
In other words, it means “very ~,” which you use to emphasize a fact or an idea.
Since this is like an idiom, please memorize it as it is.
Then, are you ready for this grammar?
Let’s read a sample sentence which uses “when.”
그 사람이 언제 떠나는지 확인해 봤어?
Did you confirm when that person will leave?
Here, since 떠나다 “to leave” is a verb, which does not have a final consonant.
So, you add -는지 to the stem to make 떠나는지 “(when that person will) leave.”
You can see 언제 “when” is used as a pair of 떠나는지.
Next, let’s read a sample sentence that uses 얼마나 -는지 모르다 “do not know how much.”
일요일은 백화점에 사람들이 얼마나 많은지 몰라요.
On Sunday, there will be so many people in the department store.
Here, since the adjective 많다 “to be many” has a final consonant, you add -은지 to make 많은지 “how many.”
얼마나 많은지 모르다 means “(I) don’t even know how many,” which emphasizes the meaning of “so many.” Do you get it?
So the direct translation would be “On Sunday, I don’t even know how many people are in the department store.”
But the speaker wants to emphasize that there will be many people in the store.
Quiz
Then, let’s deepen our understanding with some quizzes.
Which one is the correct answer?
비행기가 몇 시에 ( ) 모르고 나왔어.
I came out without knowing what time the airplane would arrive.
(1)도착하는지 (2)떠나는지
The correct answer is number one.
Since 도착하다 “to arrive” is a verb, you add -는지 to the stem to make 도착하는지 “would arrive.”
Number two is wrong because 떠나는지 means “would leave,” which is the opposite meaning. Now, let’s read the sentence together!
비행기가 몇 시에 (도착하는지) 모르고 나왔어.
Please practice this part until the sentence flows naturally from your mouth.
Then, let’s try the next quiz!
한국에서는 어떻게 버스를 ( ) 가르쳐 주세요.
Please teach me how to ride a bus in Korea.
(1)탄지 (2)타는지
The correct answer is number two.
Since 타다 “to ride” is a verb, you just attach 는지 to the stem to make 타는지 “(how to) ride.”
Number one is wrong because you add 는지 to verbs, not ㄴ지.
Now, let’s read the sentence together!
한국에서는 어떻게 버스를 타는지 가르쳐 주세요.
Please read this part at least three times.
-(으)ㄹ지라도
The last grammar, -(으)ㄹ지라도 means “even if ~(I must).”
You can use this grammar even if you acknowledge or hypothesize the situation, the result is not going to be affected by it.
When you use -(으)ㄹ지라도, you can convey a nuance of your strong opinion.
For example, you can say like “Even if I fail this test, I will keep challenging myself.”
In this kind of sentence, you use -(으)ㄹ지라도.
You often use this grammar together with 아무리 “however” 비록 “even if” before saying -(으)ㄹ지라도 “even though ~.”
To apply this grammar, you add -(으)ㄹ지라도 to a verb or an adjective.
For a verb or an adjective, which does not have a final consonant, you attach -ㄹ지라도 to the stem.
For example, 가다 “to go” does not have a final consonant. So, you attach -ㄹ지라도 to make 갈지라도 “even if (I) go.”
If a verb or an adjective has a final consonant, you attach -을지라도 to the stem.
For example, 먹다 “to eat” has a final consonant.
So, you attach -을지라도 to the stem to make 먹을지라도 “even if (I) eat.”
For a noun, you attach -일지라도 regardless of a final consonant.
Then, let’s read a sample sentence.
지금 당장 떠난다고 할지라도 내일이나 도착할 수 있을 거야.
Even if you leave now, you will arrive tomorrow.
Here, since 하다 “to do” does not have a final consonant, you add -ㄹ지라도 to make 할지라도 “even if [you] do ~.”
Then let’s see the next sentence!
그 친구 체격은 작을지라도 힘은 굉장히 세요.
Even though that friend is small in stature, he is very strong.
Height does not matter with one’s strength, right?
Here, since the adjective 작다 “to be small” has a final consonant, you add -을지라도 to make 작을지라도 “even though he is small.” Let’s read the next sample sentence.
비록 사소한 일일지라도 그냥 넘어가면 안 돼.
Even if it is a trivial thing, you shouldn’t skip it.
That’s so true, right?
Here, since 일 a “thing” is a noun, you add -일지라도 to make 일일지라도 “even if (it is) a thing.”
Also, this sentence has 비록 “even if” in the front.
Therefore, you can see the speaker is hypothesizing a certain circumstance.
Quiz
Then, let’s deepen our understanding with some quizzes. Which one is the correct answer?
큰 돈은 ( ) 남을 위해 기부를 한다는 것 자체가 대단한 일이에요.
Even if it is not a lot of money, it is a great virtue to donate to others.
(1)않을지라도 (2)아닐지라도
The correct answer is number two.
Since the adjective 아니다 “not to be ~” does not have a final consonant, you add -ㄹ지라도 to make 아닐지라도 “even if (it) is not~.
Number one is wrong because you don’t use 않다 alone like this.
You always have to use the form of -지 않다. OK?
Now, let’s read the sentence together!
큰돈은 (아닐지라도) 남을 위해 기부를 한다는 것 자체가 대단한 일이에요.
Please practice until you can say this sentence naturally.
Let’s read the next sample sentence.
비록 승산은 ( ) 도전해 보지 않고 포기한다는 게 말이 돼?
Even if there is no chance to win, you can’t give up without trying.
(1)없을지라도 (2)없겠을지라도
The correct answer is number one.
Since 없다 “to be not” has a final consonant, you add -을지라도 to make 없을지라도 “even if there is no~”.
The direct translation is “Does it make sense to give up without trying even if there is no chance of winning?” but I changed this a little bit for you to understand it better.
Number two is wrong because you don’t connect with 겠 like 없겠을지라도.
This is grammatically incorrect. So, please be careful. Now, let’s read the sentence together!
비록 승산은 (없을지라도) 도전해 보지 않고 포기한다는 게 말이 돼?
Yes, that’s so true, you should try at least!! Anyway, please read out loud three times!!
Homework
Everyone, it’s time for your favorite homework!
Before the homework, I will tell you a famous quote from Hellen Keller in Korean.
세상이 비록 고통으로 가득하더라도, 그것을 극복하는 힘도 가득하다.
Although the world is full of pain, it is also full of strength to overcome it.
I love this sentence. Anyway, come on, homework!
There are two parts of the homework.
The first part is to make three sentences using the grammatical rules that you learned today.
For the first sentence, please use -(으)ㄹ지(도) 모르다 “may do ~” to make a sentence of conjecture. For example,
지금이 절호의 기회일지도 모르잖아요.
Now may be the perfect opportunity.
You never know when it is your opportunity or not. I hope that we are prepared for every opportunity.
For the second sentence、please use 얼마나 -는지 모르다 “never know how much ~.”
For example,
콘서트 티켓을 얻을 수 있어서 얼마나 좋은지 몰라요.
Since I got a ticket to a concert, you never know how happy I am!
Oh, I want to go to a concert. Do you?
For the third sentence, please use -(으)ㄹ지라도 “even if ~” to make a sentence to state something you want to complete no matter what.
For example,
비록 힘들지라도 꾸준히 유튜브에 영상을 올리고 싶어요.
Even if it is a lot of work, I want to upload YouTube videos diligently.
I am looking forward to reading your sentences that are full of imagination!
The second homework is to memorize new words.
Please memorize the forty words from number 761 to number 800 on page 10 in the intermediate vocabulary list.
There is a vocabulary quiz of forty words on my website, so just feel free to try it. The link is in the description box.
Also, since this is the 20th lesson, I have a small gift for you guys!! Which is a test!!
This test covers from lesson 16 to lesson 20.
It is a multiple-choice quiz based on the sample sentences in the videos.
I recommend taking this test for those who want to practice reading and enhance the grammatical rules.
Please, come to my website and challenge yourself~!!
That’s all for today!
Great job. For today, you learned 비록 -일지라도 “even though ~,’ which is a very sophisticated expression.
Now, you can say this in Korean! Yay!!
Like today, I hope you are going to enjoy this Korean learning journey!
그럼 오늘도 행복 가득, 웃음 가득한 하루 되세요！
한국어 화이팅, 화이팅, 화이팅！！
