-(으)ㄹ래요 (eullaeyo) - Want to/Offer

The ending -(으)ㄹ래요 (eullaeyo) expresses informal intention or offers, similar to "will you" or "do you want to" in English. It's more casual than -고 싶다 and commonly used in everyday conversation.

Basic Function

-(으)ㄹ래요 is used for:

1. Stating casual intentions - "I'll..." / "I want to..."
2. Making informal offers - "Shall I...?"
3. Asking about intentions - "Will you...?" / "Do you want to...?"

Usage: Casual, friendly contexts with equals or younger people

Formality: Informal polite (cannot use in formal situations)

Formation

After Vowels or ㄹ: -ㄹ래요

• 가다 → 갈래요 (will go / want to go)
• 오다 → 올래요 (will come / want to come)
• 보다 → 볼래요 (will see / want to see)
• 하다 → 할래요 (will do / want to do)
• 만들다 → 만들래요 (will make / want to make)

After Consonants: -을래요

• 먹다 → 먹을래요 (will eat / want to eat)
• 읽다 → 읽을래요 (will read / want to read)
• 입다 → 입을래요 (will wear / want to wear)

Function 1: Stating Casual Intentions

Pattern: [Subject] Verbㄹ래요

Expressing what you'll do (casual):

• 저는 갈래요. (I'll go. / I want to go.)

• 이거 먹을래요. (I'll eat this. / I want to eat this.)

• 여기서 기다릴래요. (I'll wait here.)

• 집에서 쉴래요. (I'll rest at home.)

Function 2: Making Offers

Pattern: Verbㄹ래요?

Offering to do something:

• 제가 도와줄래요? (Shall I help?)

• 같이 갈래요? (Shall we go together? / Want to go together?)

• 이거 드릴래요? (Shall I give you this?)

• 창문 닫을래요? (Shall I close the window?)

Function 3: Asking Intentions

Pattern: Verbㄹ래요?

Asking what someone wants to do:

• 뭐 먹을래요? (What do you want to eat?)

• 어디 갈래요? (Where do you want to go?)

• 영화 볼래요? (Do you want to watch a movie?)

• 같이 놀래요? (Do you want to hang out together?)

Difference from -고 싶다

-(으)ㄹ래요 (Casual, immediate)

More casual and conversational:

• 갈래요. (I'll go. / I wanna go.)
• 먹을래요. (I'll eat. / I wanna eat.)

Feels more:

• Immediate decision
• Casual, friendly
• Less emphasis on desire
• More about intention/will

-고 싶다 (Neutral, desire)

Standard way to express wanting:

• 가고 싶어요. (I want to go.)
• 먹고 싶어요. (I want to eat.)

Feels more:

• General desire
• Can be formal or informal
• Emphasis on the wanting
• More about wish/desire

Formality Level

Cannot Use in Formal Situations

-(으)ㄹ래요 is inherently casual:

Casual contexts (correct):

• Friends, classmates
• Family members
• People of similar age
• Casual service situations

Formal contexts (avoid):

• Business meetings
• Academic presentations
• Talking to superiors
• Formal requests

No Formal Equivalent

There's no -(으)ㄹ래요 formal form. Use other expressions:

Instead of: ❌ 갈래요 (in formal context) Use: ✓ 가겠습니다 (I will go - formal) Or: ✓ 가고 싶습니다 (I want to go - formal)

Only with Action Verbs

Cannot Use with Adjectives

Like -고 싶다, only with action verbs:

✓ 갈래요 (will go) ✗ 크ㄹ래요 (incorrect - can't use with 크다)

Cannot Use with 있다/없다

Don't use with stative verbs:

✗ 있을래요 (incorrect)

Common Verbs with -(으)ㄹ래요

Movement

• 갈래요 - will go / want to go

  • 집에 갈래요. (I'll go home.)

• 올래요 - will come / want to come

  • 같이 올래요? (Want to come together?)

Eating and Drinking

• 먹을래요 - will eat / want to eat

  • 뭐 먹을래요? (What do you want to eat?)

• 마실래요 - will drink / want to drink

  • 커피 마실래요? (Want to drink coffee?)

Activities

• 할래요 - will do / want to do

  • 뭐 할래요? (What do you want to do?)

• 놀래요 - will play / want to hang out

  • 주말에 놀래요? (Want to hang out on the weekend?)

• 볼래요 - will see/watch / want to see/watch

  • 영화 볼래요? (Want to watch a movie?)

Help and Assistance

• 도와줄래요 - will help / shall I help
  • 도와줄래요? (Shall I help? / Want me to help?)

Questions with -(으)ㄹ래요

Asking About Plans

Pattern: [Question word] Verbㄹ래요?

• 뭐 먹을래요? (What do you want to eat?)

• 어디 갈래요? (Where do you want to go?)

• 누구랑 놀래요? (Who do you want to hang out with?)

• 언제 만날래요? (When do you want to meet?)

Yes/No Questions

• 영화 볼래요? (Do you want to watch a movie?)

• 같이 갈래요? (Do you want to go together?)

• 이거 먹을래요? (Do you want to eat this?)

Negative Forms

Don't Want to / Won't: 안 -(으)ㄹ래요

Pattern: 안 Verbㄹ래요

• 안 갈래요. (I won't go. / I don't want to go.)

• 안 먹을래요. (I won't eat. / I don't want to eat.)

• 안 할래요. (I won't do it. / I don't want to do it.)

Alternative: -(으)ㄹ래요 with negative verb

Less common:

• 가지 않을래요. (Won't go.)

Making Suggestions

Pattern: [Together] Verbㄹ래요?

Suggesting activities together:

• 같이 영화 볼래요? (Want to watch a movie together?)

• 같이 점심 먹을래요? (Want to eat lunch together?)

• 같이 공부할래요? (Want to study together?)

• 오늘 만날래요? (Want to meet today?)

Responses to -(으)ㄹ래요 Questions

Positive Responses

Yes, I want to:

• 네, 좋아요. (Yes, sounds good.)
• 네, 갈래요. (Yes, I want to go.)
• 그래요. (Okay.)
• 좋아요! (Good!)

Negative Responses

No, I don't want to:

• 아니요, 안 갈래요. (No, I don't want to go.)
• 괜찮아요. (I'm okay. / No thanks.)
• 다음에요. (Next time.)

Offering Help

Pattern: [Action]해 줄래요?

Offering to do something for someone:

• 도와줄래요? (Shall I help?)

• 가르쳐 줄래요? (Shall I teach you?)

• 사 줄래요? (Shall I buy it for you?)

• 설명해 줄래요? (Shall I explain?)

Immediate Decisions

Deciding on the Spot

-(으)ㄹ래요 is great for immediate, spontaneous decisions:

• A: 뭐 먹을래요? (What do you want to eat?)

• B: 피자 먹을래요! (I'll have pizza!)

• A: 어디 갈래요? (Where do you want to go?)

• B: 카페 갈래요. (I'll go to a cafe.)

Irregular Verbs

ㄹ Irregular

ㄹ drops before ㄹ:

• 알다 → 알 + ㄹ래요 → 알래요 (will know)
• 살다 → 살 + ㄹ래요 → 살래요 (will live)
• 만들다 → 만들 + ㄹ래요 → 만들래요 (will make)

Other Irregulars

Most irregulars follow normal patterns with -(으)ㄹ:

• 듣다 → 들을래요 (will listen)
• 걷다 → 걸을래요 (will walk)
• 돕다 → 도울래요 (will help)

Only Informal Polite

No Plain Form

Can't drop -요 with -(으)ㄹ래:

✗ 갈래 (doesn't exist as plain form) ✓ 갈래요 (correct)

For plain/casual speech, use different forms:

• 갈까? (Shall we go?)
• 갈게. (I'll go.)

Conversational Patterns

Making Plans

A: 주말에 뭐 할래요? (What do you want to do on the weekend?)

B: 영화 볼래요. (I want to watch a movie.)

A: 좋아요! 같이 갈래요? (Good! Want to go together?)

B: 네, 좋아요! (Yes, sounds good!)

Ordering Food

A: 뭐 먹을래요? (What do you want to eat?)

B: 불고기 먹을래요. (I'll have bulgogi.)

A: 음료는요? (How about drinks?)

B: 콜라 마실래요. (I'll have cola.)

Immediate Reactions

Spontaneous Choices

-(으)ㄹ래요 works well for immediate choices:

• A: 택시 탈까요? 버스 탈까요? (Shall we take a taxi? Or bus?)

• B: 택시 탈래요! (Let's take a taxi!)

• A: 이거 살까요? (Should we buy this?)

• B: 네, 살래요! (Yes, let's buy it!)

With Children

Common in Parent-Child Conversations

Often used when talking to or with children:

• 뭐 먹을래? (What do you want to eat?) - to child
• 놀이터 갈래요? (Want to go to the playground?)
• 책 읽을래요? (Want to read a book?)

Common Mistakes

❌ Using in Formal Contexts

Wrong: 회의에 참석할래요 (in business meeting) Right: 회의에 참석하겠습니다

❌ Using with Adjectives

Wrong: 행복할래요 (want to be happy) Right: 행복하고 싶어요

❌ Creating Plain Form

Wrong: 갈래 (plain form doesn't exist) Right: 갈래요 (must use -요)

Common Patterns

Asking Preferences

• 뭐 먹을래요? (What do you want to eat?)
• 어디 갈래요? (Where do you want to go?)
• 뭐 할래요? (What do you want to do?)

Stating Intentions

• 이거 먹을래요. (I'll eat this.)
• 집에 갈래요. (I'll go home.)
• 여기서 쉴래요. (I'll rest here.)

Making Offers

• 도와줄래요? (Shall I help?)
• 같이 갈래요? (Want to go together?)
• 사 줄래요? (Shall I buy it for you?)

Negative Responses

• 안 갈래요. (I don't want to go.)
• 안 먹을래요. (I don't want to eat.)
• 괜찮아요. (I'm okay / No thanks.)