The -겠- suffix expresses intention, will, supposition, or polite determination. It's one of two main future tenses in Korean, alongside -(으)ㄹ 거예요.
Basic Pattern
Formula: Stem + 겠 + Ending
Simple attachment to any verb stem:
Vowel stems: -겠어요 Consonant stems: -겠어요 ㄹ stems: -겠어요 하다 verbs: -겠어요
No vowel harmony needed - always 겠
Politeness Levels
Informal polite: -겠어요 (most common) Formal polite: -겠습니다 Casual: -겠어
Informal Polite: -겠어요
Regular Conjugation
Simply add 겠어요:
- 가다 → 가겠어요 (will go)
- 먹다 → 먹겠어요 (will eat)
- 보다 → 보겠어요 (will see)
- 읽다 → 읽겠어요 (will read)
- 만들다 → 만들겠어요 (will make)
- 공부하다 → 공부하겠어요 (will study)
No exceptions - completely regular
Formal Polite: -겠습니다
Used in Formal Settings
Add 겠습니다:
- 가다 → 가겠습니다 (will go)
- 먹다 → 먹겠습니다 (will eat)
- 하다 → 하겠습니다 (will do)
- 돕다 → 돕겠습니다 (will help)
Common in:
- Business settings
- Official statements
- Presentations
- Formal promises
Casual: -겠어
Used with Close Friends
Drop 요:
- 가다 → 가겠어 (will go)
- 먹다 → 먹겠어 (will eat)
- 하다 → 하겠어 (will do)
Less common than -(으)ㄹ 거야 for casual speech
Primary Meanings
1. Speaker's Intention/Will
First person subject - what you will do:
- 제가 하겠어요 (I will do it)
- 내일 가겠어요 (I will go tomorrow)
- 열심히 공부하겠어요 (I will study hard)
Emphasizes determination or promise
2. Polite Offers/Suggestions
Polite way to offer help:
- 도와드리겠어요 (I will help you)
- 제가 할게요 대신 → 제가 하겠어요 (I'll do it)
- 안내해 드리겠습니다 (I will guide you - formal)
More formal than -(으)ㄹ게요
3. Supposition/Guess
About other people or situations:
- 비가 오겠어요 (It will probably rain)
- 피곤하겠어요 (You must be tired)
- 맛있겠어요 (It must be delicious)
Expresses conjecture based on evidence
4. Polite Requests (Questions)
Softens requests:
- 창문을 열어 주시겠어요? (Would you open the window?)
- 도와주시겠어요? (Would you help me?)
- 같이 가시겠어요? (Would you like to go together?)
Very polite and formal
Uses in Detail
First Person: Intention
Expressing your will:
- 저는 의사가 되겠어요 (I will become a doctor)
- 최선을 다하겠습니다 (I will do my best)
- 노력하겠어요 (I will try hard)
Shows strong determination
Third Person: Conjecture
Making educated guesses:
- 그 사람은 지금 집에 있겠어요 (That person is probably at home now)
- 날씨가 춥겠어요 (The weather must be cold)
- 힘들겠어요 (It must be difficult)
Based on reasoning or evidence
Questions: Polite Offers
Shall I...? / Would you...?
-
제가 도와드릴까요? vs 제가 도와드리겠어요?
- First: Casual offer
- Second: More formal offer
-
커피 드시겠어요? (Would you like coffee?)
-
언제 오시겠어요? (When would you like to come?)
-겠어요 vs -(으)ㄹ 거예요
Key Differences
-겠어요:
- Speaker's intention/will
- Supposition
- More formal
- Polite requests
-(으)ㄹ 거예요:
- Future plans
- Predictions
- More casual
- General future
Comparison Examples
Intention (겠어요):
- 열심히 하겠어요 (I will work hard - determination)
Plan (ㄹ 거예요):
- 내일 갈 거예요 (I'm going to go tomorrow - plan)
Supposition (겠어요):
- 피곤하겠어요 (You must be tired)
Prediction (ㄹ 거예요):
- 비가 올 거예요 (It's going to rain)
Common Expressions with -겠어요
Polite Statements
잘 먹겠습니다
- Translation: "I will eat well" (before meal)
- Standard polite phrase
잘 부탁드리겠습니다
- Translation: "Please treat me well"
- Very formal introduction
감사하겠습니다
- Translation: "Thank you" (literally: "I will be grateful")
- More formal than 감사합니다
Business/Service
도와드리겠습니다
- Translation: "I will help you"
- Standard service phrase
확인하겠습니다
- Translation: "I will check"
- Business communication
연락드리겠습니다
- Translation: "I will contact you"
- Professional setting
Negative Forms
안 + -겠어요
Won't:
- 안 가겠어요 (won't go)
- 안 하겠어요 (won't do)
- 안 먹겠어요 (won't eat)
-지 않겠어요
Alternative negative:
- 가지 않겠어요 (won't go)
- 하지 않겠어요 (won't do)
못 + -겠어요 (Rare)
Can't (but uncommon with 겠):
- 못 가겠어요 (can't go - rare, usually use 못 가요)
Questions with -겠어요
Asking About Others' Intentions
Rising intonation:
- 가시겠어요? (Will you go?)
- 하시겠어요? (Will you do it?)
- 드시겠어요? (Will you eat? - honorific)
Very polite questions
Shall I...? Offers
First person questions:
- 제가 하겠어요? (Shall I do it? - offer)
- 창문을 열겠어요? (Shall I open the window?)
Less common than -(으)ㄹ까요?
Honorific with -겠어요
-(으)시겠어요
For honored subjects:
- 가시겠어요? (Will you go? - honored)
- 드시겠어요? (Will you eat? - honored)
- 주무시겠어요? (Will you sleep? - honored)
Formation: Stem + (으)시 + 겠어요
Formal Honorific
-(으)시겠습니까?:
- 가시겠습니까? (Will you go? - very formal)
- 참석하시겠습니까? (Will you attend? - formal)
Time Expressions
With Future Time Words
내일 (tomorrow):
- 내일 하겠어요 (I'll do it tomorrow)
다음 (next):
- 다음 주에 가겠어요 (I'll go next week)
나중에 (later):
- 나중에 연락하겠어요 (I'll contact you later)
곧 (soon):
- 곧 시작하겠습니다 (We'll start soon)
Special Uses
Weather and Conditions
Making suppositions:
- 내일은 춥겠어요 (It will be cold tomorrow - guess)
- 비가 오겠어요 (It will probably rain)
- 맑겠어요 (It will be clear)
Common in weather forecasts
Sympathy/Understanding
Showing empathy:
- 힘들겠어요 (That must be hard)
- 걱정되겠어요 (You must be worried)
- 기쁘겠어요 (You must be happy)
Acknowledging someone's feelings
Formal Promises
Making commitments:
- 지키겠습니다 (I will keep it - promise)
- 노력하겠습니다 (I will try - commitment)
- 책임지겠습니다 (I will take responsibility)
Strong formal commitments
Sentence Patterns
Statement Pattern
[Subject] + [Object] + [Verb-겠어요]
- 저는 한국어를 열심히 공부하겠어요 (I will study Korean hard)
- 내일 회의에 참석하겠습니다 (I will attend tomorrow's meeting)
Question Pattern
[Subject] + [Verb-시겠어요?]
- 언제 오시겠어요? (When will you come?)
- 커피 마시겠어요? (Will you have coffee?)
Offer Pattern
제가 [Verb-겠어요]
- 제가 하겠어요 (I'll do it)
- 제가 도와드리겠습니다 (I'll help you)
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using for Simple Future Plans
Awkward: 내일 영화 보겠어요 (sounds overly determined) Natural: 내일 영화 볼 거예요 (going to watch movie)
Use -겠어요 for intention, not simple plans
Mistake 2: Wrong Context with 3rd Person
Awkward: 친구가 가겠어요 (friend will go - implies you know their intention) Better: 친구가 갈 거예요 (friend will go - factual)
-겠어요 for 3rd person = supposition, not simple future
Mistake 3: Overusing in Casual Speech
Too formal: Casual friend: 가겠어 More natural: Casual friend: 갈 거야
-겠- sounds formal even in 반말
Mistake 4: Not Using for Polite Requests
Less polite: 도와줘요? More polite: 도와주시겠어요?
Miss opportunity to be extra polite
Practice Sentences
Personal Intentions
- 열심히 공부하겠어요 (I will study hard)
- 최선을 다하겠습니다 (I will do my best)
- 내일 일찍 일어나겠어요 (I will wake up early tomorrow)
Polite Offers
- 제가 도와드리겠습니다 (I will help you)
- 안내해 드리겠어요 (I will guide you)
- 확인하겠습니다 (I will check)
Suppositions
- 피곤하시겠어요 (You must be tired)
- 어려우시겠어요 (It must be difficult for you)
- 맛있겠어요 (It must be delicious)
Polite Questions
- 커피 드시겠어요? (Would you like coffee?)
- 언제 오시겠어요? (When would you like to come?)
- 도와주시겠어요? (Would you help me?)
Key Points
- ✅ Pattern: Stem + 겠 + ending (always regular)
- ✅ No vowel harmony: Always 겠
- ✅ Main uses: Intention, supposition, polite requests
- ✅ First person: Strong will/determination
- ✅ Third person: Conjecture/supposition
- ✅ Questions: Very polite requests
- ✅ More formal: Than -(으)ㄹ 거예요
- ✅ Common phrases: 잘 먹겠습니다, 도와드리겠습니다
- ✅ Business: Essential for professional language
-겠어요 is crucial for polite, professional Korean. Use it to show determination, make polite offers, express suppositions, and soften requests. It's more formal than -(으)ㄹ 거예요 and essential for business and service contexts.