-(으)ㄹ걸 그랬다
I Should Have Done
'-ㄹ걸 그랬다' expresses regret about the past. It's used for actions you wish you had done ('I should have...') and, in its negative form '-지 말걸 그랬다', for actions you wish you hadn't done ('I shouldn't have...').
How It Works
'-ㄹ걸 그랬다' is a common expression used to convey regret about a past decision or action (or lack thereof). It implies that if the speaker could go back, they would have acted differently.
Conjugation:
1. Verb stem ends in a vowel or ㄹ: Add -ㄹ걸 그랬다.
- 가다 (to go) → 갈걸 그랬다 (I should have gone)
- 만들다 (to make) → 만들걸 그랬다 (I should have made)
2. Verb stem ends in a consonant (except ㄹ): Add -을걸 그랬다.
- 먹다 (to eat) → 먹을걸 그랬다 (I should have eaten)
- 읽다 (to read) → 읽을걸 그랬다 (I should have read)
Expressing Regret for an Action Taken:
To express regret for something you did, you use the negative form -지 말걸 그랬다 ('I shouldn't have...').
- 말하다 (to speak) → 말하지 말걸 그랬다 (I shouldn't have said that)
- 사다 (to buy) → 사지 말걸 그랬다 (I shouldn't have bought it)
Nuances:
- Comparison with -았/었어야 하다: Both mean 'should have done'. However, '-ㄹ걸 그랬다' often has a softer, more personal, and monologue-like feel of light regret. In contrast, '-았/었어야 하다' can sound stronger, implying a failed duty or obligation, and can be used to criticize oneself or others more directly.
- Colloquial Usage: In casual conversation, '그랬다' is often dropped, leaving just -ㄹ걸. For example, '아, 그냥 집에 있을걸.' ('Ah, I should have just stayed home.').
Examples (4)
- 우산을 가져올걸 그랬어요. 비가 많이 오네요.
I should have brought an umbrella. It's raining a lot.
Word by Word: Umbrella bring-should have. Rain a lot is coming.
- 어제 파티에 갈걸 그랬다. 재미있었다면서요?
I should have gone to the party yesterday. I heard it was fun, right?
Word by Word: Yesterday party-to go-should have. Was fun-I heard?
- 그렇게 많이 먹지 말걸 그랬어요. 배가 너무 불러요.
I shouldn't have eaten so much. I'm so full.
Word by Word: Like that much eat-not-should have. Stomach too is full.
This example uses the '-지 말걸 그랬다' form to express regret for an action that was taken.
- A: 이 영화 정말 지루하다. B: 그러게. 다른 영화 볼걸.
A: This movie is really boring. B: I know. We should have watched a different movie.
Word by Word: A: This movie really is boring. B: Right. Different movie watch-should have.
This shows the colloquial usage where '그랬다' is omitted, leaving just '-ㄹ걸'.
Common Mistakes
Confusing '-ㄹ걸 그랬다' (regret) with '-ㄹ 뻔했다' (almost did).
Different Meaning버스를 놓칠걸 그랬어요.Better버스를 놓칠 뻔했어요.The incorrect sentence means 'I should have missed the bus,' which is usually not the intended meaning. '-ㄹ걸 그랬다' expresses regret that something didn't happen (but you wish it had). In contrast, -ㄹ 뻔했다 expresses relief that something bad almost happened but didn't. Use '-ㄹ 뻔했다' for 'almost/nearly' situations.
Learn This First
To express regret 'I should have done', you need regret patterns and past tense.
Related Patterns
- -아/어야 되다/하다Have to, Must
Both express 'should have done' (when in the past tense -았/었어야 하다), but '-ㄹ걸 그랬다' often carries a softer, more personal tone of regret, while '-았/었어야 하다' can imply a stronger sense of failed obligation or criticism.
- -(으)ㄹ 뻔하다Almost Did
Often confused. '-ㄹ걸 그랬다' is for regret ('I should have...'), while '-ㄹ 뻔하다' (used in the past as -ㄹ 뻔했다) is for relief after a near-miss ('I almost...'). They describe opposite feelings about a past event.
- -았/었으면 좋겠다I Wish, I Hope
While '-ㄹ걸 그랬다' expresses regret, '-았/었으면 좋겠다' expresses a wish or hope about a past event ('I wish it had been...'). They are similar in looking back at the past with a different desired outcome.
- -더라면If It Had Been
This expresses a hypothetical condition in the past, similar to 'If I had...'. It often precedes a clause of regret, making it a natural partner to '-ㄹ걸 그랬다'. For example, '그 사실을 알았더라면, 가지 말걸 그랬어요.' (If I had known that fact, I shouldn't have gone.)