-(으)ㄹ 생각이다 expresses plans or intentions. It means "plan to," "intend to," "be thinking of," or "have in mind to."
Structure
Verb stem + -(으)ㄹ 생각이다
Breakdown:
- -(으)ㄹ: Future modifier
- 생각: Thought/plan
- 이다: To be
Literal meaning: "It is my thought/plan to..."
Conjugation Rules
After Vowel or ㄹ: -ㄹ 생각이다
No final consonant:
- 가다 → 갈 생각이에요 (plan to go)
- 오다 → 올 생각이에요 (plan to come)
- 하다 → 할 생각이에요 (plan to do)
After ㄹ (drop ㄹ):
- 만들다 → 만들 생각이에요 (plan to make)
- 팔다 → 팔 생각이에요 (plan to sell)
After Consonant: -을 생각이다
Final consonant present:
- 먹다 → 먹을 생각이에요 (plan to eat)
- 읽다 → 읽을 생각이에요 (plan to read)
- 앉다 → 앉을 생각이에요 (plan to sit)
Politeness Levels
Formal: -(으)ㄹ 생각입니다
- 갈 생각입니다 (I plan to go)
Polite: -(으)ㄹ 생각이에요
- 갈 생각이에요 (I plan to go)
Casual: -(으)ㄹ 생각이야
- 갈 생각이야 (I plan to go)
Core Usage: Expressing Plans
Future Intentions
What you plan to do:
- 내년에 유학 갈 생각이에요 (I plan to study abroad next year)
- 이번 주말에 여행할 생각이에요 (I plan to travel this weekend)
- 회사를 그만둘 생각이에요 (I plan to quit my job)
- 집을 살 생각이에요 (I plan to buy a house)
Common Patterns
Life Plans
Major decisions:
- 결혼할 생각이에요 (I plan to get married)
- 이사 갈 생각이에요 (I plan to move)
- 창업할 생각이에요 (I plan to start a business)
- 은퇴할 생각이에요 (I plan to retire)
Career/Study
Academic and professional plans:
- 대학원에 갈 생각이에요 (I plan to go to graduate school)
- 자격증을 딸 생각이에요 (I plan to get a certification)
- 이직할 생각이에요 (I plan to change jobs)
- 취직할 생각이에요 (I plan to get employed)
Daily Plans
Everyday intentions:
- 오늘 일찍 잘 생각이에요 (I plan to sleep early today)
- 내일 운동할 생각이에요 (I plan to exercise tomorrow)
- 주말에 쉴 생각이에요 (I plan to rest this weekend)
Negative Form
Not Planning To
Pattern: -지 않을 생각이다 / 안 -(으)ㄹ 생각이다
Examples:
- 가지 않을 생각이에요 (I don't plan to go)
- 안 갈 생각이에요 (I don't plan to go)
- 하지 않을 생각이에요 (I don't plan to do it)
- 사지 않을 생각이에요 (I don't plan to buy it)
Question Form
Asking About Plans
Pattern: -(으)ㄹ 생각이에요?
Examples:
- 갈 생각이에요? (Are you planning to go?)
- 뭐 할 생각이에요? (What are you planning to do?)
- 언제 할 생각이에요? (When are you planning to do it?)
- 어디 갈 생각이에요? (Where are you planning to go?)
Contrast with Similar Forms
-(으)ㄹ 생각이다 vs -(으)ㄹ 거예요
-(으)ㄹ 생각이다: Definite plan/intention
- 갈 생각이에요 (I plan to go / I'm thinking of going)
- → Considered plan, decided
-(으)ㄹ 거예요: Simple future
- 갈 거예요 (I will go)
- → Can be plan or prediction
Nuance: 생각이다 emphasizes it's your thought-out plan
-(으)ㄹ 생각이다 vs -(으)려고 하다
-(으)ㄹ 생각이다: Have plan in mind
- 갈 생각이에요 (I plan to go)
- → Mental plan
-(으)려고 하다: Trying/intending to
- 가려고 해요 (I'm trying to go)
- → Active effort or immediate intention
-(으)ㄹ 생각이다 vs -고 싶다
-(으)ㄹ 생각이다: Plan/intention
- 갈 생각이에요 (I plan to go)
- → Decided plan
-고 싶다: Want/desire
- 가고 싶어요 (I want to go)
- → Just wish/desire
With Time Expressions
When You Plan to Do It
Time + -(으)ㄹ 생각이다:
- 내년에 갈 생각이에요 (I plan to go next year)
- 곧 시작할 생각이에요 (I plan to start soon)
- 다음 달에 이사할 생각이에요 (I plan to move next month)
- 졸업하고 여행할 생각이에요 (I plan to travel after graduation)
Past Tense: Had Plan
-았/었던 생각이다
Past intention:
- 갈 생각이었어요 (I was planning to go)
- 할 생각이었어요 (I was planning to do it)
- 사려던 생각이었어요 (I was planning to buy)
Usage: Talking about plans that changed or didn't happen
Emphasizing Determination
Adding 꼭 (Definitely)
Strong intention:
- 꼭 갈 생각이에요 (I definitely plan to go)
- 꼭 성공할 생각이에요 (I definitely plan to succeed)
Adding 정말 (Really)
Serious plan:
- 정말 할 생각이에요 (I really plan to do it)
- 정말 그만둘 생각이에요 (I really plan to quit)
Example Dialogues
Dialogue 1: Future Plans
A: 졸업하고 뭐 할 생각이에요?
(What do you plan to do after graduation?)
B: 대학원에 갈 생각이에요.
(I plan to go to graduate school.)
Dialogue 2: Weekend
A: 이번 주말에 뭐 할 거예요?
(What will you do this weekend?)
B: 집에서 쉴 생각이에요.
(I plan to rest at home.)
Dialogue 3: Career Change
A: 회사 그만둘 생각이에요?
(Are you planning to quit your job?)
B: 네, 내년에 그만둘 생각이에요.
(Yes, I plan to quit next year.)
Dialogue 4: Shopping
A: 이거 살 생각이에요?
(Are you planning to buy this?)
B: 아니요, 안 살 생각이에요.
(No, I don't plan to buy it.)
Common Expressions
Life Decisions
- 결혼할 생각이에요 (I plan to get married)
- 아이 가질 생각이에요 (I plan to have children)
- 집 살 생각이에요 (I plan to buy a house)
- 차 바꿀 생각이에요 (I plan to change cars)
Career
- 이직할 생각이에요 (I plan to change jobs)
- 사업할 생각이에요 (I plan to do business)
- 자격증 딸 생각이에요 (I plan to get certified)
- 유학 갈 생각이에요 (I plan to study abroad)
Study
- 열심히 공부할 생각이에요 (I plan to study hard)
- 한국어 배울 생각이에요 (I plan to learn Korean)
- 시험 볼 생각이에요 (I plan to take the exam)
Common Mistakes
❌ Incorrect: 갈 것 생각이에요
Mixing forms
✅ Correct: 갈 생각이에요
Just -(으)ㄹ 생각이다
❌ Incorrect: 가는 생각이에요
Wrong modifier
✅ Correct: 갈 생각이에요
Use future -(으)ㄹ
❌ Incorrect: 생각해요 가다
Wrong order
✅ Correct: 갈 생각이에요
Complete pattern
When to Use
Best Contexts
Use -(으)ㄹ 생각이다 for:
- Talking about future plans
- Explaining intentions
- Answering "what will you do?"
- Discussing life decisions
- When plan is thought-out
Alternatives
Can also use:
- -(으)ㄹ 거예요 (will do - simpler)
- -(으)려고 해요 (trying to - more active)
- -(으)ㄹ 예정이에요 (scheduled to - more formal)
Summary Table
| Tense | Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present plan | -(으)ㄹ 생각이에요 | 갈 생각이에요 | I plan to go |
| Past plan | -(으)ㄹ 생각이었어요 | 갈 생각이었어요 | I was planning to go |
| Negative | 안 -(으)ㄹ 생각이에요 | 안 갈 생각이에요 | I don't plan to go |
| Question | -(으)ㄹ 생각이에요? | 갈 생각이에요? | Do you plan to go? |
Key Takeaways
✅ Expresses plans: "Plan to" / "Intend to"
✅ After vowel/ㄹ: -ㄹ 생각이다
✅ After consonant: -을 생각이다
✅ Emphasizes thought-out plan: More than simple future
✅ Common for major decisions: Career, life changes
✅ Can be past: -았/었던 생각 (was planning)
-(으)ㄹ 생각이다 is perfect for expressing well-considered plans and intentions. It's more deliberate than simple future -(으)ㄹ 거예요 and emphasizes that you've thought about and decided on your plan.