-(으)ㄹ까요? in Korean: "Shall We?" and "Do You Think?"

Quick answer: -(으)ㄹ까요? (-eulkkayo) does two jobs. With I or we plus an action verb, it means "Shall we…?" or "Shall I…?" — 같이 갈까요? ("Shall we go together?"). With anyone else as the subject, or with an adjective, or in the past tense, it means "Do you think…?" — 비가 올까요? ("Do you think it'll rain?"). The subject tells you which meaning you're hearing.

That's the whole idea, and it's worth saying once more because textbooks usually split these into two separate lessons: it's one ending with one job — floating something for the other person to weigh in on. Sometimes what you're floating is a plan ("should we?"), sometimes a guess ("is it?"). Korean doesn't feel those as two different grammar points.

How to form it

Take the verb or adjective stem and add -을까요? after a consonant, -ㄹ까요? after a vowel or ㄹ.

For the past, add -았/었- first: 갔을까요? (do you think they went?), 먹었을까요? (do you think they ate?).

One pronunciation note: 까 is a tense consonant, not a plain 가. Say it short and tight, with the throat squeezed — 갈까요, not 갈가요. If that distinction still feels fuzzy, the plain, aspirated and tense consonant set is worth five minutes.

Use 1: "Shall we?" and "Shall I?"

When the doer is you and me, -(으)ㄹ까요? proposes something.

• 우리 몇 시에 만날까요? — What time shall we meet?
• 점심 뭐 먹을까요? — What shall we eat for lunch?
• 커피 한 잔 마실까요? — Shall we have a coffee?
• 제가 창문 좀 열까요? — Shall I open the window?
• 이거 어디에 둘까요? — Where shall I put this?
• 제가 도와드릴까요? — Shall I help you?

That last one is the single most useful sentence on this page. It's the standard, warm way to offer help to anyone — a stranger with heavy bags, a coworker, your teacher. It's built on -아/어 주다, the "do it for someone" ending, in its humble form 드리다.

Use 2: "Do you think…?"

When the subject is a third person, or the predicate is an adjective, or you're asking about the past, the same ending becomes a guess you're inviting the listener to share.

• 내일 추울까요? — Do you think it'll be cold tomorrow?
• 이거 너무 비쌀까요? — Do you think this is too expensive?
• 이 색이 저한테 어울릴까요? — Do you think this colour suits me?
• 민수 씨도 올 수 있을까요? — Do you think Minsu can come too?
• 사장님이 벌써 퇴근하셨을까요? — Do you think the boss has already left work?

Notice 올 수 있을까요 — the -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 "can" pattern takes -(으)ㄹ까요? on the end like any other verb, because 있다 is a verb. 있다 → 있을까요.

This second use is also the politest way to ask a favour in Korean, because it softens a request into a question about possibility: 혹시 내일까지 보내 주실 수 있을까요? ("Would it be possible for you to send it by tomorrow?"). Koreans use this constantly at work.

How to tell the two apart

You almost never have to think about it, because the subject does the work:

So 갈까요? on its own is "shall we go?", but 민수 씨 갔을까요? is "do you think Minsu went?" Same ending, no confusion in real speech.

How to answer

This is where learners freeze. A bare 네 sounds oddly flat to a suggestion — Korean expects a little warmth.

To a suggestion:

• 네, 좋아요. — Sure, sounds good.
• 네, 그래요. — Yes, let's.
• 그럽시다. — Let's do that. (peers or people below you, not your boss)
• 음… 다음에 할까요? — Hmm… shall we do it next time? (a soft no)

To a guess:

• 아마 올 거예요. — It'll probably come.
• 안 올 것 같아요. — I don't think it will.
• 글쎄요, 잘 모르겠어요. — Hmm, I'm not sure.

Why a native picks -(으)ㄹ까요? over the alternatives

-(으)ㅂ시다 (갑시다) is a decision; -(으)ㄹ까요? is a question. 갑시다 says "let's go," with you in charge. 갈까요? hands the choice over. And -(으)ㅂ시다 carries a faint whiff of authority, so Koreans avoid saying 갑시다 to a boss or someone older. 같이 갈까요? is safe with almost anyone. For maximum politeness with a senior, go one step further: 같이 가시겠어요?

제가 할까요? asks; 제가 할게요 announces. If you've already decided to do it, say 제가 할게요 ("I'll do it"). If you're offering and the other person might say no, say 제가 할까요?

-(으)ㄹ래요? asks about the other person's wishes. 커피 마실래요? = "Do you want coffee?" 커피 마실까요? = "Shall we have coffee?" The first points at the listener; the second includes you both.

Three common mistakes

1. Using it with "you" as the subject. ✗ 지금 집에 갈까요? to mean "do you want to go home now?" It will be heard as "shall we go home." Say 지금 집에 갈래요? or, more politely, 지금 가시겠어요?
2. Using it after you've decided. If the plan is settled, -(으)ㄹ까요? sounds wobbly. Switch to -(으)ㄹ게요 or -(으)ㅂ시다.
3. Forgetting the 으. 먹다 → ✗ 먹까요 → ○ 먹을까요. 듣다 → ✗ 듣을까요 → ○ 들을까요.

In 반말: -(으)ㄹ까?

Drop 요 and you have the casual form, used with close friends and also for talking to yourself.

• 우리 뭐 먹을까? — What should we eat?
• 내일 비 올까? — Think it'll rain tomorrow?
• 이걸 누구한테 물어볼까? — Who should I ask about this? (on 한테, see 한테 vs 에게 vs 께)

And one bonus pattern worth knowing: -(으)ㄹ까 하다 = "I'm thinking of." 오늘은 집에 일찍 갈까 해요. — "I'm thinking of going home early today." It's a half-formed plan, which is exactly the flavour this ending always has.

FAQ

What does 할까요 mean in Korean?

할까요? is 하다 + -(으)ㄹ까요?, and it means either "Shall I do it?" / "Shall we do it?" or "Do you think they'll do it?" depending on who the subject is. In everyday use it's most often an offer: 제가 할까요? means "Shall I do it?" The ending always leaves the decision with the listener.

What's the difference between 갈까요? and 갈래요??

갈까요? means "Shall we go?" — it includes the speaker and proposes a joint plan. 갈래요? asks the listener what they want: "Do you want to go?" Use 갈까요? when you're suggesting something you'll both do, and 갈래요? when you're checking someone else's wishes.

Is -(으)ㄹ까요? polite?

Yes. The 요 makes it 해요체, polite everyday speech, fine with strangers, coworkers and teachers. For a boss or an elderly stranger you can soften a suggestion further with -(으)시겠어요?, and for requests, 혹시 ~해 주실 수 있을까요? is the gold standard of office politeness.

Practice

1. Conjugate: 듣다, 춥다, 만들다, 있다 + -(으)ㄹ까요?
2. Say in Korean: "Shall we watch a movie together?"
3. Say in Korean: "Shall I close the door?"
4. Say in Korean: "Do you think it'll be cold tomorrow?"
5. Fix it: ✗ 지금 커피 마실까요? — when you mean "Do you want coffee?"