Logical Past Guess: 'Must Have Done' (-았/었을 것이다)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use -았/었을 것이다 to express a logical guess about something that happened in the past.
- Attach -았/었을 것이다 to the past stem of a verb or adjective.
- Use it when you have evidence for your past-tense deduction.
- It translates to 'must have done' or 'probably did'.
Overview
At the B2 level, your Korean communication gains significant nuance, moving beyond simple statements of fact to express complex thoughts, opinions, and deductions. One crucial pattern enabling this is -았/었을 것이다 (sometimes romanized as -asseul geosida), which allows you to make a strong, logical guess or deduction about a past event or state. It translates most commonly to "must have done," "would have done," or "probably did/was." This structure is distinct from merely stating a past fact; it indicates that while you lack absolute certainty or direct observation, you possess sufficient evidence or logical reasoning to conclude that something likely occurred or was true in the past.
Mastering this allows you to engage in sophisticated conjecture, essential for discussing complex topics, analyzing situations, and inferring motivations, whether in academic discourse or casual conversation.
This grammatical construction is foundational for expressing logical probability regarding past situations. It reflects a cognitive process of evaluating past circumstances based on present or historical evidence, making it a cornerstone for advanced conversational and analytical skills. Without it, your ability to express reasoned speculation about what has already transpired would be severely limited, forcing you into less precise or more declarative language than a native speaker would use.
Consider the difference between stating, "He went home" (집에 갔어요) and "He must have gone home" (집에 갔을 거예요). The latter acknowledges a lack of direct knowledge while still conveying a strong conviction based on available clues.
How This Grammar Works
-았/었-) and the conjecture/potential marker (-(으)ㄹ 것이다). The interplay between these two components creates the specific meaning of logical past deduction. The -았/었- suffix firmly places the action or state in the past, establishing the temporal context for your speculation.-(으)ㄹ 것이다 ending, while often associated with future tense, here signifies a high degree of probability or likelihood regarding that past action or state. It is not predicting a future event, but rather expressing a strong inference about something that has already concluded.-(으)ㄹ 것이다 component, in this context, conveys that strong probability, almost like saying, "it is probable that it was the case that..." or "it would have been the case that...". This makes the entire phrase a sophisticated tool for retrospective analysis and inference. The verb 이다 (to be) also follows this pattern, becoming 이었을 것이다 or 였을 것이다 for past nominal conjecture.하다(to do) →했을 것이다(must have done)먹다(to eat) →먹었을 것이다(must have eaten)예쁘다(to be pretty) →예뻤을 것이다(must have been pretty)
-(으)ㄹ 것이다 frequently contracts to -(으)ㄹ 거예요 (polite) or -(으)ㄹ 거야 (casual). The formal written form remains -(으)ㄹ 것입니다. Despite the apparent 'future' component, the presence of -았/었- unequivocally anchors the deduction in the past.Formation Pattern
-았/었을 것이다 involves first conjugating the verb or adjective stem into its past tense form (-았/었-) and then attaching the conjecture ending. The choice between -았- and -었- follows standard Korean past tense conjugation rules, primarily depending on the final vowel of the verb/adjective stem.
-았-
가다 (to go) → 가 + 았 → 갔
오다 (to come) → 오 + 았 → 왔
높다 (to be high) → 높 + 았 → 높았
-었-
먹다 (to eat) → 먹 + 었 → 먹었
읽다 (to read) → 읽 + 었 → 읽었
배우다 (to learn) → 배우 + 었 → 배웠
크다 (to be big) → 크 + 었 → 컸
하다 verbs/adjectives: 하다 changes to 했
공부하다 (to study) → 공부 + 했 → 공부했
피곤하다 (to be tired) → 피곤 + 했 → 피곤했
-(으)ㄹ 것이다 to the conjugated past tense form
갔, 먹었, 했), you attach -(으)ㄹ 것이다 based on whether the final sound of the past tense stem ends in a consonant or a vowel.
-ㄹ 것이다
갔 (from 가다) → 갔을 것이다 (must have gone)
왔 (from 오다) → 왔을 것이다 (must have come)
잤 (from 자다) → 잤을 것이다 (must have slept)
했 (from 하다) → 했을 것이다 (must have done/been)
-을 것이다
먹었 (from 먹다) → 먹었을 것이다 (must have eaten)
읽었 (from 읽다) → 읽었을 것이다 (must have read)
없었 (from 없다) → 없었을 것이다 (must not have been)
-았/었을 것이다 Conjugation | Meaning Example | Polite Form |
-았- | -았을 것이다 | 갔을 것이다 (must have gone) | 갔을 거예요 |
-었- | -었을 것이다 | 먹었을 것이다 (must have eaten) | 먹었을 거예요 |
-했- | -했을 것이다 | 공부했을 것이다 (must have studied) | 공부했을 거예요 |
듣다 (to listen) → 들었을 것이다 (must have listened)
돕다 (to help) → 도왔을 것이다 (must have helped); 춥다 (to be cold) → 추웠을 것이다 (must have been cold)
모르다 (to not know) → 몰랐을 것이다 (must not have known); 부르다 (to sing) → 불렀을 것이다 (must have sung)
낫다 (to get better) → 나았을 것이다 (must have gotten better)
빨갛다 (to be red) → 빨갰을 것이다 (must have been red)
것이다 can be adjusted for different speech styles:
-았/었을 것이다 (e.g., news reports, academic papers)
-았/었을 것입니다 (e.g., formal presentations, official statements)
-았/었을 거예요 (most common in everyday spoken Korean)
-았/었을 거야 (among close friends, family)
비가 왔을 것이다 (It must have rained).
비가 왔을 것입니다. (Formal, definitive)
비가 왔을 거예요. (Standard polite spoken)
비가 왔을 거야. (Casual spoken)
When To Use It
-았/었을 것이다 lies in its ability to express strong, logical inferences about past situations without definitive proof. This pattern is essential in situations where you are analyzing, speculating, or hypothesizing about events that have already transpired. There are several key scenarios where this grammar is indispensable:- 1Making Strong Deductions Based on Evidence: This is the primary use case. You observe a current state or outcome and logically deduce the most probable past cause or action. The deduction is not a random guess but an informed conclusion.
- Example: 방 불이 꺼져 있어요.
아마 나갔을 거예요.(The room lights are off. They probably/must have gone out.) - Example: 지갑이 비어 있어요.
돈을 다 썼을 것입니다.(My wallet is empty. I must have spent all the money.)
- 1Inferring Others' Past States or Actions: When you speculate about why someone acted a certain way, how they felt, or what happened to them, based on their current demeanor or reported circumstances.
- Example: 제이슨 씨가 요즘 피곤해 보여요.
야근을 많이 했을 거예요.(Jason looks tired these days. He must have worked a lot of overtime.) - Example: 그 배우가 시상식에서 울었어요.
무척 감동했을 거예요.(That actor cried at the awards ceremony. He must have been very touched.)
- 1Expressing Past Possibility or Hypothetical Consequences ("Would Have Done"): In conditional sentences, particularly those discussing counterfactual past events (what would have happened if something else had occurred),
-았/었을 것이다expresses what would have been the likely outcome.
- Example: 제가 알았더라면
도와줬을 거예요.(If I had known, I would have helped.) - Example: 더 열심히 공부했더라면
시험에 합격했을 것입니다.(If I had studied harder, I would have passed the exam.)
-(으)ㄹ 것이다 here expresses the logical consequence rather than just prediction.- 1Evaluating Past Situations or Experiences: When discussing or reflecting upon past events that you did not directly experience or whose details are not fully known, this pattern allows you to offer a reasoned assessment.
- Example: 그 프로젝트는 정말
어려웠을 거예요.(That project must have been really difficult.) - Example: 옛날에는 여행하는 게 지금보다 훨씬
힘들었을 거예요.(Traveling in the old days must have been much harder than now.)
- 1Softening a Strong Statement about the Past: Sometimes, even if you are quite sure, using
-았/었을 것이다can soften a statement, making it sound less confrontational or more considerate by acknowledging that you weren't an eyewitness.
- Example: (Instead of
네가 실수했어.- You made a mistake.)네가 실수했을 수도 있을 거예요.(You might have made a mistake. - slightly different but shows softening for past deduction) - More direct softening:
분명히 도착했을 거예요.(It must have definitely arrived.) - Here, adding분명히(certainly, clearly) reinforces the strength of the deduction while still using the conjecture form.
-았/었어요) is appropriate. The strength of your evidence or the logical connection to the past event determines the suitability of -았/었을 것이다.Common Mistakes
-았/었을 것이다. Avoiding these common errors is critical for conveying your intended meaning accurately and sounding natural in Korean.- 1Omitting the Past Tense Marker
-았/었-: This is perhaps the most frequent and impactful error. If you use only-(으)ㄹ 것이다(e.g.,갈 거예요), it indicates a future intention or conjecture ("will go," "probably will go"), not a past one. The presence of-았/었-is what unequivocally marks the deduction as being about the past.
- Incorrect:
친구가 지금 도착할 거예요.(My friend will probably arrive now.) - This means future/present conjecture. - Correct:
친구가 이미 도착했을 거예요.(My friend must have already arrived.) - This means past conjecture.
- 1Using it for Directly Observed or Known Past Events:
-았/었을 것이다is for deduction, not description. If you have direct knowledge or witnessed something, use the simple past tense. Using the conjecture form when certainty exists can sound awkward or imply you're unsure about something obvious.
- Situation: You saw your friend eat pizza.
- Incorrect:
친구가 피자를 먹었을 거예요.(My friend must have eaten pizza.) - Sounds odd if you saw it. - Correct:
친구가 피자를 먹었어요.(My friend ate pizza.) - Situation: You see an empty pizza box.
- Correct:
친구가 피자를 먹었을 거예요.(My friend must have eaten pizza.)
- 1Applying it to One's Own Intentional Past Actions: Generally, you do not use this pattern to describe your own conscious, remembered past actions or feelings, as you are assumed to know these facts directly. Exceptions exist, such as when you genuinely don't remember (e.g., due to sleep deprivation, memory lapse) or are speculating about your past self from a detached perspective.
- Incorrect:
제가 어제 숙제를 했을 거예요.(I must have done my homework yesterday.) - Unless you genuinely forgot. - Correct:
제가 어제 숙제를 했어요.(I did my homework yesterday.) - Acceptable Exception:
제가 그때는 어렸으니까 그랬을 거예요.(Since I was young then, I must have acted that way.) - Speculating about a past self you no longer identify with or fully remember.
- 1Confusing with
-았/었겠다: While both can translate to "must have,"-았/었겠다(and its polite form-았/었겠어요) conveys an empathetic or immediate subjective feeling/reaction to a past event. It's often an emotional response.-았/었을 것이다is more about objective, logical reasoning based on external evidence. Think of-았/었겠다as your 'heart' reacting, and-았/었을 것이다as your 'brain' deducing.
- Someone tells you they climbed a difficult mountain.
힘들었겠다!(That must have been hard!) - Empathetic reaction.정상까지 가는 길이 힘들었을 거예요.(The path to the summit must have been hard.) - Logical deduction about the journey.
- 1Confusing with Weaker Conjecture Patterns (e.g.,
-았/었을지도 모른다,-나 보다,-는 것 같다):
-았/었을지도 모른다(might have): Expresses a lower degree of certainty (e.g., 30-50%).그가 갔을지도 몰라요.(He might have gone.)-나 보다(looks like, seems): Based on immediate observation or inference from appearance, often less rigorous logic.아이가 자고 있나 봐요.(It looks like the child is sleeping.)-는 것 같다(it seems that): A general, often weaker, impression or opinion without strong evidence.비가 오는 것 같아요.(It seems like it's raining.)
-았/었을 것이다 signifies a stronger, more reasoned conclusion (e.g., 80-95% certainty) based on logical inference, placing it above these other expressions in terms of conviction.-았/었을 것이다 from these related but distinct grammatical patterns, you can convey precise levels of certainty and the basis of your deductions in Korean.Real Conversations
Understanding the grammatical rules is only half the battle; seeing how -았/었을 것이다 is used in authentic, modern Korean conversations helps solidify its application. This pattern appears across various contexts, from casual exchanges to more formal discussions, reflecting its versatility in expressing reasoned past deductions.
1. Casual Conversation/Texting (Using -았/었을 거예요 or -았/었을 거야)
- Scenario: Two friends, Minji and Sora, are discussing why their mutual friend, Junho, hasn't replied to a group chat message.
- Minji: 준호한테 메시지 보냈는데 답장이 없네. (Junho한테 메시지 보냈는데 답장이 없네.) - I sent Junho a message, but no reply.
- Sora: 요즘 바쁘다고 했으니까 아직 못 봤을 거야. (요즘 바쁘다고 했으니까 아직 못 봤을 거야.) - He said he's busy these days, so he probably hasn't seen it yet.
- Scenario: A couple arrives at a restaurant they heard was popular, but it's completely empty.
- Guy: 여기 맛집이라고 했는데 왜 아무도 없지? (여기 맛집이라고 했는데 왜 아무도 없지?) - They said this was a good restaurant, but why is no one here?
- Girl: 음, 소문이 과장됐을 수도 있을 것 같아. (음, 소문이 과장됐을 수도 있을 것 같아.) - Hmm, the rumors might have been exaggerated. (Here, combined with -을 수도 있다 for slightly weaker possibility, but still a deduction)
2. Professional/Slightly More Formal Settings (Using -았/었을 거예요 or -았/었을 것입니다)
- Scenario: Colleagues discussing a late report.
- Colleague A: 김 과장님께 보고서 보냈는데 확인하셨을까요? (김 과장님께 보고서 보냈는데 확인하셨을까요?) - I sent the report to Manager Kim, I wonder if he's checked it?
- Colleague B: 네, 아침에 오자마자 메일 확인하시는 편이니까 벌써 확인했을 거예요. (네, 아침에 오자마자 메일 확인하시는 편이니까 벌써 확인했을 거예요.) - Yes, he usually checks emails first thing in the morning, so he must have already checked it.
- Scenario: A journalist or analyst speculating on the cause of an event.
- 전문가들은 이번 사건이 경제 상황 악화와 관련이 있었을 것이라고 보고 있습니다. (전문가들은 이번 사건이 경제 상황 악화와 관련이 있었을 것이라고 보고 있습니다.) - Experts believe this incident must have been related to the worsening economic situation.
3. Reflective or Analytical Contexts (Often -았/었을 것이다 or -았/었을 거예요)
- Scenario: Someone reflecting on a past decision and its impact.
- 그때 만약 다른 선택을 했더라면 제 인생이 완전히 바뀌었을 거예요. (그때 만약 다른 선택을 했더라면 제 인생이 완전히 바뀌었을 거예요.) - If I had made a different choice then, my life would have completely changed.
- Scenario: Discussing historical figures or events.
- 세종대왕은 백성을 위해 많은 고민을 했을 것이다. (세종대왕은 백성을 위해 많은 고민을 했을 것이다.) - King Sejong must have worried a lot for his people.
These examples illustrate how -았/었을 것이다 is deployed across different formality levels to express educated guesses, logical inferences, and hypothetical past outcomes, making it a truly versatile and high-frequency pattern in advanced Korean communication.
Quick FAQ
-았/었을 것이다 and help you use it more confidently.- Q1: Can
-았/었을 것이다be used with adjectives? - A1: Absolutely, yes. Just like verbs, adjectives can be conjugated into this form to express a logical deduction about a past state or quality. The formation rules remain the same.
- 예쁘다 (to be pretty) →
예뻤을 거예요.(She must have been pretty.) - 춥다 (to be cold) →
추웠을 것이다.(It must have been cold.) - 피곤하다 (to be tired) →
피곤했을 거예요.(They must have been tired.)
- Q2: Does it always translate to "must have"?
- A2: While "must have" is a very common and accurate translation for strong deduction, it can also translate as "would have" in specific conditional or hypothetical past contexts. This is particularly true in sentences using
-(았/었)더라면(if... had/were to have...) to express a counterfactual past. - 알았더라면
갔을 거예요.(If I had known, I would have gone.) - Here, "would have gone" fits better than "must have gone."
- Q3: Is it appropriate for formal writing or speech?
- A3: Yes, it is perfectly appropriate and frequently used in formal contexts to express reasoned conclusions, analyses, or hypotheses. In highly formal settings (e.g., academic papers, news reports, official statements), you would primarily use the
-았/었을 것이다or-았/었을 것입니다forms. - 사고 원인은 운전 부주의
였을 것으로 추정됩니다.(The cause of the accident is presumed to have been careless driving.)
- Q4: Can I use it for my own past actions or feelings?
- A4: Generally, no, not for conscious, remembered actions or feelings. As a speaker, you are usually the authority on your own past. However, exceptions exist when you are genuinely unsure or have forgotten, or when you are reflecting on your past self from a detached perspective, similar to observing someone else.
그때는 왜 그랬을까? 나도 어렸을 때 그랬을 거야.(Why did I do that back then? I must have done that when I was young too.)어제 술을 너무 많이 마셔서 뭘 했는지 기억이 안 나요. 제가 무슨 실수를 했을지도 몰라요.(I drank too much yesterday, so I don't remember what I did. I might have made some mistake.)
- Q5: What's the difference between
-(으)ㄹ 것이다and-(으)ㄹ 거예요? - A5: Functionally, they convey the same meaning. The distinction lies in formality and usage context:
-(으)ㄹ 것이다is the base, more formal, and often written form. It sounds more objective and definitive.-(으)ㄹ 거예요is the contracted, polite, and commonly spoken form. It's used universally in polite conversation.-(으)ㄹ 거야is the casual, contracted spoken form, used with close friends or in informal settings.
- Q6: Can
이다(to be) follow this pattern? - A6: Yes. For nouns, you use
이었을 것이다(if the noun ends in a consonant) or였을 것이다(if the noun ends in a vowel) to express a past conjecture about identity or state. This is crucial for conjecturing about what something was. - 그 사람은
학생이었을 거예요.(That person must have been a student.) - 이것은
오해였을 것입니다.(This must have been a misunderstanding.)
- Q7: Is
-(으)ㄹ 듯하다or-(으)ㄴ/는 듯하다similar? - A7:
-(으)ㄹ 듯하다(past/future) or-(으)ㄴ/는 듯하다(present/past) are also expressions of conjecture, often translating to "it seems like" or "it appears that." They typically convey a slightly weaker or more observational guess than-았/었을 것이다. While-았/었을 것이다implies a strong logical deduction,-(으)ㄴ/는 듯하다leans more towards an impression based on general appearance or feeling, similar in strength to-(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다.
Conjugation Table
| Verb/Adj | Past Stem | Logical Guess (Formal) |
|---|---|---|
|
가다
|
갔-
|
갔을 것입니다
|
|
먹다
|
먹었-
|
먹었을 것입니다
|
|
하다
|
했-
|
했을 것입니다
|
|
예쁘다
|
예뻤-
|
예뻤을 것입니다
|
|
춥다
|
추웠-
|
추웠을 것입니다
|
|
듣다
|
들었-
|
들었을 것입니다
|
Contractions
| Full Form | Short Form |
|---|---|
|
갔을 것입니다
|
갔을 거예요
|
|
먹었을 것입니다
|
먹었을 거예요
|
Meanings
This grammar pattern is used to make a logical deduction or a strong assumption about a past event based on current evidence or general knowledge.
Logical Deduction
Deducing a past event based on present evidence.
“비가 많이 왔을 것이다.”
“그녀가 벌써 도착했을 것이다.”
Retrospective Assumption
Assuming a state of affairs in the past.
“그때는 정말 힘들었을 것이다.”
“그 영화가 재미있었을 것이다.”
Polite Guessing
Softening a statement about the past.
“그분도 알고 있었을 것입니다.”
“이미 결정했을 것입니다.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Stem + 았/었을 것이다
|
갔을 것이다
|
|
Negative
|
Stem + 지 않았을 것이다
|
가지 않았을 것이다
|
|
Question
|
Stem + 았/었을 것인가?
|
갔을 것인가?
|
|
Past State
|
Adj + 았/었을 것이다
|
좋았을 것이다
|
Formality Spectrum
그가 바빴을 것입니다. (Talking about a friend.)
그가 바빴을 거예요. (Talking about a friend.)
그가 바빴을 거야. (Talking about a friend.)
바빴겠지. (Talking about a friend.)
Logical Deduction Flow
Deduction
- 과거 Past
Examples by Level
비가 왔을 것이다.
It must have rained.
그가 피곤했을 것이다.
He must have been tired.
그녀가 이미 떠났을 것이다.
She must have already left.
그 결정이 쉽지 않았을 것이다.
That decision must not have been easy.
그 사건이 사회에 큰 영향을 미쳤을 것이다.
That event must have had a huge impact on society.
그가 그 사실을 몰랐을 리가 없었을 것이다.
It is unlikely that he would not have known that fact.
Easily Confused
Both express guessing.
Both are past guesses.
Both are past.
Common Mistakes
갔을 것이다 (when sure)
갔다
가다을 것이다
갔을 것이다
먹을 것이다
먹었을 것이다
왔을 것이다 (for future)
올 것이다
예쁘었을 것이다
예뻤을 것이다
했었을 것이다
했을 것이다
좋았을 것이다
좋았을 것이다 (correct)
비가 왔을 것 같다
비가 왔을 것이다
안 갔을 것이다
가지 않았을 것이다
그가 먹었을 것이다 (when he didn't)
그가 먹지 않았을 것이다
그가 왔을 리가 없었을 것이다
그가 왔을 리가 없다
그랬을 것이라고 생각한다
그랬을 것이다
이미 도착했을 것이다
이미 도착했을 것이다 (correct)
Sentence Patterns
그가 ___을 것이다.
이미 ___을 것입니다.
Real World Usage
이미 잤을 거야.
그 프로젝트가 성공했을 것입니다.
기차가 떠났을 것이다.
그가 화났을 것이다.
음식이 식었을 것이다.
그 결과가 영향을 미쳤을 것이다.
Use for Evidence
Don't Overuse
Formal vs Informal
Politeness
Smart Tips
Look for the cause and use -았/었을 것이다.
Use this to express your logical deduction.
Use the formal ending.
Use this for past events.
Pronunciation
Linking
The 'ㄹ' in '을' links to the 'ㄱ' in '것'.
Falling
갔을 것이다↓
Certainty in deduction.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Must' as 'M-ust' (Must have done) and '았/었' as the 'Past' marker.
Visual Association
Imagine a detective looking at a footprint. The footprint is the 'Past' (았/었), and the detective's thought bubble is the 'Guess' (을 것이다).
Rhyme
Past event, evidence clear, add 았/었을 것이다, have no fear.
Story
I saw a broken vase. I thought, 'The cat must have jumped.' (고양이가 뛰었을 것이다). Then I saw the cat sleeping. 'He must have been tired.' (피곤했을 것이다).
Word Web
Challenge
Look at 3 things in your room and guess what happened to them using this grammar.
Cultural Notes
Using formal endings is crucial to show respect when making deductions about clients.
Derived from the past tense suffix and the future presumptive.
Conversation Starters
어제 왜 안 왔어요?
그 영화 어땠을 것 같아요?
그 사람이 왜 화가 났을까요?
어제 파티는 어땠을까요?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
그가 이미 (가다) ____.
그녀가 (먹다) ____.
Find and fix the mistake:
그가 왔을 했다.
그는 바빴다. ->
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
하다 ->
그가 / 일 / 끝내다 / 것이다
Use -았/었을 것이다 for 100% facts.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises그가 이미 (가다) ____.
그녀가 (먹다) ____.
Find and fix the mistake:
그가 왔을 했다.
그는 바빴다. ->
비가 왔을 것이다
하다 ->
그가 / 일 / 끝내다 / 것이다
Use -았/었을 것이다 for 100% facts.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
6 exercises그 책이 재미있어서 다 ____.
바빴을 / 그는 / 거예요 / 분명히
It must have been cold yesterday.
Pick the polite honorific form of '오다' (to come).
Match the following:
시험이 어려웠을 거예요?
Score: /6
FAQ (8)
No, use -을 것이다 for the future.
It can be both formal and informal.
Use the simple past tense.
Yes, it works with adjectives too.
Yes, very common.
Use -지 않았을 것이다.
Yes, use -셨을 것이다.
It is a logical guess.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
debe haber + participio
Spanish uses auxiliary verbs.
doit avoir + participe passé
French requires agreement.
muss ... haben
German word order is different.
～たはずだ
Japanese uses a noun-based structure.
لا بد أن + past
Arabic is not a suffix-based system.
应该 + verb + 了
Chinese has no conjugation.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Related Grammar Rules
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Present Progressive: -ing (고 있다)
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To the Absolute Max: (-ㄹ/을 대로)
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Just/Only: Emphatic Limitation (-ㄹ/을 뿐이다)
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Logically Likely: -ㄹ/을 법하다
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