The future: -(으)ㄹ 거예요

A plan, and a probable guess

The future attaches ㄹ 거예요 to a stem ending in a vowel and 을 거예요 to a stem ending in a consonant: 가다 → 갈 거예요 I will go, 먹다 → 먹을 거예요, 하다 → 할 거예요, 읽다 → 읽을 거예요. It states a plan or intention in the first person and, said of someone else or of the weather, a probable guess: 친구가 올 거예요 my friend will probably come, 비가 올 거예요 it will probably rain. The 거 is pronounced 꺼, and the whole ending sounds like 갈 꺼예요.

Tomorrow and the days after

The future needs its time words: 내일 tomorrow, 모레 the day after tomorrow, 다음 주 next week, 다음 달 next month, 내년 next year, 이따가 a little later today, 나중에 later in general. As with the past, the words built on a unit of time take 에 (다음 주에, 내년에) and the adverbs do not (내일, 모레, 이따가, 나중에). The question 뭐 할 거예요? what will you do? opens every conversation about 계획 plans, 방학 school holidays and 휴가 leave from work.

다음 주에 친구가 한국에 올 거예요Next week my friend will come to Korea.

내일은 비가 올 거예요It will probably rain tomorrow.