-ㄴ/는/ㄹ 리(가) 없다

How It Works

Examples (5)

1. 그 성실한 사람이 회사를 그만둘 리가 없어요.

   There's no way that diligent person would quit the company.

   Word by Word: That diligent person the company quit possibility does not exist.

   Uses the future tense form 그만둘 리가 없다 to express strong disbelief about a potential future action.

2. 어제 분명히 여기에 뒀는데, 내 지갑이 없어졌을 리가 없어.

   I definitely put it here yesterday, so there's no way my wallet disappeared.

   Word by Word: Yesterday clearly here I put, my wallet disappeared possibility does not exist.

   Uses the past tense form 없어졌을 리가 없다 to express disbelief about a past event.

3. 시험공부를 하나도 안 했는데 합격할 리가 있나?

   I didn't study for the exam at all, so how could I possibly pass? (Rhetorical: There's no way I'll pass.)

   Word by Word: Exam study one thing not did but pass possibility is there?

   This example uses 리가 있다 in a rhetorical question to mean the same as 리가 없다. It emphasizes the impossibility.

4. 그 똑똑한 아이가 이렇게 쉬운 문제를 모를 리가 없어요.

   There's no way that smart kid doesn't know such an easy problem.

   Word by Word: That smart child like this easy problem not know possibility does not exist.

   Uses 모를 리가 없다 to express disbelief about a present state of knowledge.

5. 지금이 새벽 3시인데 가게 문이 열려 있을 리 없어.

   It's 3 AM right now, so there's no way the store is open.

   Word by Word: Now is 3 AM but store door open is possibility does not exist.

   Here, 가 is omitted for a more conversational feel (있을 리 없어). It expresses a logical conclusion about the present situation.

Common Mistakes

• Confusing logical impossibility (-ㄹ 리가 없다) with physical inability (-ㄹ 수 없다).

  Different Meaning컴퓨터가 고장 나서 이메일을 보낼 리가 없어요.

  Better컴퓨터가 고장 나서 이메일을 보낼 수 없어요.

  -ㄹ 리가 없다 expresses disbelief or that something is logically impossible. -ㄹ 수 없다 expresses a lack of ability or permission. Since a broken computer causes a physical inability to send an email, -ㄹ 수 없다 is correct.

• Using the present tense form -는 with adjectives.

  Different Meaning이 음식이 맛없는 리가 없어요.

  Better이 음식이 맛없을 리가 없어요.

  To express disbelief about a present state with an adjective (like 맛없다), you must use the future tense form -ㄹ/을. The -는 form is only for present tense action verbs.

Learn This First

To express disbelief 'there's no way that', you need modifier forms and 없다.

• -ㄴ/는/ㄹModifier Endings

  This uses various modifier forms for different tenses.

• 있다/없다To Have/not Have

  This construction uses 없다 to express impossibility.

Related Patterns

• -(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다Can/cannot

  Both express impossibility, but -ㄹ 리가 없다 is for logical impossibility or strong disbelief, while -ㄹ 수 없다 is for physical inability or lack of permission.

• -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 게 뻔하다It's Obvious/certain That

  Both express certainty. However, -ㄹ 리가 없다 asserts that something is impossible, while -ㄹ 게 뻔하다 asserts that something is obvious or certain to happen (often with a negative connotation).

• -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 줄 몰랐다I Didn’t Know That…, I Had No Idea That…

  -ㄹ 리가 없다 is used to deny a possibility you are hearing ('There's no way that's true!'), whereas -ㄹ 줄 몰랐다 is used to express surprise after accepting something as true ('I had no idea that was true!').

• -지 않다Not

  This is a standard, neutral way to negate a verb or adjective. -ㄹ 리가 없다 is a much stronger, more emphatic negation based on the speaker's judgment and conviction.

• -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 게 틀림없다Be Certain/sure

  Both express strong certainty. -ㄹ 리가 없다 expresses certainty that something is not true or impossible, while -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 게 틀림없다 expresses certainty that something is true.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

• -(으)ㄹ 리가 없다There's No Way, Impossible

Words in This Pattern