-(으)ㄹ지도 모르다
Might, May Possibly
Used to say something 'might' or 'may possibly' happen. It shows you're guessing or are uncertain about something.
How It Works
This grammar pattern is used to express the speaker's speculation or uncertainty about a future or present event. It's equivalent to 'might', 'may', or 'it's possible that...' in English.
Conjugation Rules:
1. Verb/Adjective stem ending in a vowel or ㄹ: Add -ㄹ지도 모르다.
- 가다 (to go) → 갈지도 모르다
- 만들다 (to make) → 만들지도 모르다
2. Verb/Adjective stem ending in a consonant: Add -을지도 모르다.
- 먹다 (to eat) → 먹을지도 모르다
- 작다 (to be small) → 작을지도 모르다
Usage with Tense:
You can also use this pattern to speculate about past events by adding the past tense marker -았/었- before it.
- -았/었을지도 모르다 (might have...)
- 가다 → 갔을지도 모르다 (might have gone)
- 먹다 → 먹었을지도 모르다 (might have eaten)
Nuance:
Compared to other speculative patterns like -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 것 같다, -ㄹ지도 모르다 often implies a lower degree of certainty or a more remote possibility. It's a pure guess, not necessarily based on any specific evidence.
Examples (5)
- 내일 비가 올지도 몰라요.
It might rain tomorrow.
Word by Word: Tomorrow rain might come.
- 이 길이 막힐지도 모르니까 다른 길로 가요.
This road might be congested, so let's go another way.
Word by Word: This road might be blocked so with another road let's go.
- 그 사람이 제 말을 오해했을지도 몰라요.
He might have misunderstood what I said.
Word by Word: That person my words might have misunderstood.
This example uses the past tense form -았/었을지도 모르다 to speculate about a past event.
- 시험이 생각보다 어려울지도 몰라요.
The test might be harder than I think.
Word by Word: The test than thought might be difficult.
- 늦게 자면 내일 아침에 못 일어날지도 몰라요.
If you go to bed late, you might not be able to wake up tomorrow morning.
Word by Word: Late if sleep tomorrow morning cannot wake up might.
Common Mistakes
Using -ㄹ지도 모르다 for things that are certain or almost certain.
Different Meaning내일은 금요일일지도 몰라요.Better내일은 금요일이에요.The pattern expresses uncertainty. Since 'tomorrow is Friday' is a known fact, using 'might be' is unnatural. This pattern should only be used for things that are genuinely possible but not guaranteed.
Confusing it with expressing a firm intention.
Different Meaning저는 약속이 있어서 파티에 안 갈지도 몰라요. (When you have already decided not to go)Better저는 약속이 있어서 파티에 안 갈 거예요.If you have a definite plan or reason, use a pattern like -ㄹ 거예요 (will) to state your intention. -ㄹ지도 모르다 is for when you are still undecided. For example, '피곤해서 안 갈지도 몰라요' (I might not go because I'm tired) is okay if you haven't made a final decision.
Learn This First
To express 'might, may possibly', you need conjugation, 도, and negation knowledge.
Related Patterns
- -(으)ㄹ 수도 있다Might, Could Possibly
Both express possibility and are often interchangeable. -ㄹ 수도 있다 focuses on something being 'one of the possibilities,' while -ㄹ지도 모르다 emphasizes the speaker's lack of knowledge or certainty ('I don't know if...').
- -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 것 같다Seems Like, Looks Like
Both are used for guessing. However, -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 것 같다 ('it seems like') is often based on some evidence or feeling (e.g., seeing dark clouds and saying 'it seems like it will rain'). -ㄹ지도 모르다 is more of a pure guess without any specific basis.
- -(으)ㄹ까 봐For Fear That, Worried That
-ㄹ까 봐 also expresses a possibility, but specifically a negative one that the speaker is worried about. It's used to give a reason for an action taken to prevent that negative outcome. -ㄹ지도 모르다 simply states a possibility without the nuance of worry.
- -나 보다It Seems/looks Like
Similar to -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 것 같다, -나 보다 ('it seems/looks like') is a guess based on observation. It's more colloquial and often used when reacting to something you just saw or heard. -ㄹ지도 모르다 is a more general speculation that isn't necessarily tied to immediate evidence.