-ㄴ/는/ㄹ까 보다

How It Works

Examples (5)

1. 비가 올 것 같아서 그냥 집에 있을까 봐요.

   It looks like it's going to rain, so I think I'll just stay home.

   Word by Word: Rain seems like it will come, so just at home I will probably stay.

   This shows a tentative plan made in response to the situation (the possibility of rain).

2. 이 길로 가면 더 빠를까 봐요.

   I guess it might be faster if we go this way.

   Word by Word: This way if we go, more fast I guess it will be.

   This is a conjecture about a future outcome (being faster).

3. 아무도 없는 걸 보니 다들 퇴근했을까 봐요.

   Seeing that no one is here, I guess everyone has already left work.

   Word by Word: Anyone not being here seeing, everyone left work I guess.

   This is a guess about a past event, using the -았/었을까 보다 form.

4. 배고픈데 빵이라도 사 먹을까 봐.

   I'm hungry, so I think I might buy some bread or something to eat.

   Word by Word: Hungry, so bread or something buy and eat I think I might.

   A casual, spontaneous thought about what to do next.

5. 저 사람은 한국 사람이 아닐까 봐요.

   I guess that person might not be Korean.

   Word by Word: That person Korean person is not I guess.

   This is a conjecture about a person's current identity, using the pattern with a noun (사람이 아니다).

Common Mistakes

• Using -(으)ㄹ까 보다 for a strong, definite plan.

  Not Quite저는 내년에 꼭 한국에 유학 갈까 봐요.

  Better저는 내년에 꼭 한국에 유학 갈 거예요.

  -(으)ㄹ까 보다 expresses a tentative, undecided plan. For a definite plan, especially with an adverb like 꼭 (definitely), you should use -ㄹ 거예요 or -려고 해요.

• Confusing -(으)ㄹ까 보다 (guess/plan) with -ㄹ까 봐 (worry/fear).

  Not Quite차가 막힐까 봐요 일찍 출발했어요.

  Better차가 막힐까 봐 일찍 출발했어요.

  -ㄹ까 봐(서) expresses a reason for an action based on a worry or fear ('for fear that...'). -(으)ㄹ까 보다 is a standalone expression of a guess or tentative plan and isn't used to state the reason for another action in this way. The correct sentence means 'I left early for fear that the traffic would be bad.'

Learn This First

To express supposition 'I guess/think', you need modifier forms and wondering patterns.

• -ㄴ/는/ㄹModifier Endings

  This uses various modifier forms for different tenses.

• -(으)ㄹ까Shall We, I Wonder

  This builds on the wondering pattern -(으)ㄹ까.

Related Patterns

• -나 보다It Seems/looks Like

  Both express guessing. However, -나 보다 is typically used when the speaker makes a guess based on observing a present action or state (e.g., '비가 오나 봐요' - 'I guess it's raining'). -(으)ㄹ까 보다 is more for guessing about a future possibility or expressing a tentative personal plan.

• -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 것 같다Seems Like, Looks Like

  Both mean 'it seems like' or 'I think'. -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 것 같다 is a more general and common way to express an opinion or guess. -(으)ㄹ까 보다 is more subjective and often implies a thought that just occurred to the speaker or a tentative decision they are mulling over.

• -(으)ㄹ까 봐For Fear That, Worried That

  These look very similar but have different meanings. -ㄹ까 봐 expresses worry or concern about a potential negative event ('for fear that...'). -(으)ㄹ까 보다 expresses a guess or a tentative plan. The context and the implied emotion (worry vs. contemplation) are completely different.

• -(으)ㄹ까 하다Wonder if, Think About

  Both express a tentative intention or plan. They are often interchangeable. -ㄹ까 하다 means 'I'm thinking of doing...' and is very similar to the 'tentative plan' meaning of -(으)ㄹ까 보다. For example, '주말에 영화나 볼까 해요' and '주말에 영화나 볼까 봐요' are very close in meaning.

Words in This Pattern