B2 Expressions & Patterns 13 min read Easy

Often / Prone to (-기 일쑤이다)

Use -기 일쑤이다 to describe negative actions or situations that happen much more often than you'd like.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use -기 일쑤이다 to express that someone frequently does a negative or annoying action.

  • Attach -기 to the verb stem: 먹다 -> 먹기.
  • Follow with 일쑤이다: 먹기 일쑤이다.
  • Use it for negative habits only: 지각하기 일쑤이다 (He is always late).
Verb Stem + 기 + 일쑤이다

Overview

When you find yourself describing actions that happen frequently, often with an undesirable or repetitive nuance, the Korean grammar pattern -기 일쑤이다 (romanization: -gi ilssuida) becomes indispensable. This B2-level expression captures the essence of something being "prone to," "apt to," or "often happening," particularly when referring to habits, mistakes, or unfortunate occurrences. It allows learners to articulate a recurring negative pattern, implying a sense of inevitability or difficulty in avoiding a specific outcome.

Unlike neutral expressions of frequency, -기 일쑤이다 inherently carries a connotation of slight exasperation, self-criticism, or an observation of an undesirable regularity. It is not used for positive or even neutral habits, making it a powerful tool for expressing shortcomings, persistent problems, or common annoyances. Understanding its specific usage enriches a learner's ability to engage in nuanced discussions about human behavior and situational patterns in Korean.

This pattern fits within the broader chapter of "Inevitability and Close Calls" because it highlights actions that occur with a high degree of predictability due to established patterns, often beyond immediate control. While -기 마련이다 expresses a universal truth or natural consequence and -ㄹ/을 수밖에 없다 denotes a lack of choice, -기 일쑤이다 focuses on recurring, often problematic, actions that have become a regular part of a person's behavior or a situation's dynamic. Mastering it allows you to move beyond simple descriptions of frequency to express a more critical or regretful perspective on recurring events.

How This Grammar Works

The core of -기 일쑤이다 lies in the combination of the nominalizing suffix -기 and the word 일쑤. The suffix -기 transforms a verb into a noun-like form, enabling it to function as the subject or object of a sentence. In this context, it converts the action into a concept, such as "the act of being late" or "the act of making mistakes." The word 일쑤 (romanization: ilssu) is an archaic noun referring to a "regular occurrence," "common happening," or "frequent event." When combined, -기 일쑤이다 literally means "the act of [verb] is a regular occurrence."
This grammatical construction fundamentally expresses that a particular action is a common, almost habitual, event for the subject. The crucial nuance is its consistent application to negative or undesirable actions, habits, or outcomes. You would not use -기 일쑤이다 to describe positive or commendable actions, as it inherently implies a lack of control, a fault, or an unfortunate inevitability.
For example, 저는 매일 운동하기 일쑤예요 (I'm often prone to exercising every day) sounds unnatural because exercising is generally considered a positive habit. Instead, you would use a neutral frequency expression like 저는 매일 운동해요 (I exercise every day) or 저는 매일 운동하는 편이에요 (I tend to exercise every day).
Consider the sentence 그는 약속 시간에 늦기 일쑤입니다 (He is often late for appointments). Here, 늦다 (to be late) is an undesirable action. By using -기 일쑤이다, the speaker conveys not just that he is sometimes late, but that being late is a regular, almost defining, characteristic of his behavior regarding appointments.
It suggests a pattern that is hard to break or a problem that frequently recurs. This pattern is particularly useful for self-deprecating remarks about one's own flaws or for observing the consistent shortcomings of others or situations.

Formation Pattern

1
The formation of -기 일쑤이다 is straightforward, involving the attachment of -기 to an action verb stem, followed by 일쑤이다. This pattern strictly applies to action verbs (동작동사) and cannot be used with descriptive verbs (형용사) or the copula (이다/아니다) directly.
2
Identify the Action Verb Stem: Remove the dictionary ending -다 from the verb.
3
늦다 (to be late) → 늦
4
잊어버리다 (to forget) → 잊어버리
5
싸우다 (to fight) → 싸우
6
실수하다 (to make a mistake) → 실수하
7
Attach -기: Add -기 directly to the verb stem.
8
늦 + -기 → 늦기
9
잊어버리 + -기 → 잊어버리기
10
Add 일쑤이다: Conclude the pattern with 일쑤이다. The 이다 part conjugates according to the desired politeness level and tense.
11
| Verb Stem + -기 | Dictionary Form | Formal Polite (-ㅂ니다) | Standard Polite (-아요/어요) | Casual (-아/어) | Romanization Example (해요체) |
12
| :-------------- | :---------------------- | :-------------------- | :-------------------------- | :------------------ | :---------------------------- |
13
| 늦기 | 늦기 일쑤이다 | 늦기 일쑤입니다 | 늦기 일쑤예요 | 늦기 일쑤야 | Neuk-gi ilssu-ye-yo |
14
| 잊어버리기 | 잊어버리기 일쑤이다 | 잊어버리기 일쑤입니다 | 잊어버리기 일쑤예요 | 잊어버리기 일쑤야 | Ijeobeor-igi ilssu-ye-yo |
15
| 싸우기 | 싸우기 일쑤이다 | 싸우기 일쑤입니다 | 싸우기 일쑤예요 | 싸우기 일쑤야 | Ssau-gi ilssu-ye-yo |
16
Note on 이다: While 일쑤이다 is the base form, it nearly always appears conjugated. The most common forms are 일쑤입니다 (formal polite) and 일쑤예요 (standard polite). The casual form 일쑤야 is also common among close friends or in less formal writing. The dictionary form 일쑤이다 itself is rare in spoken language but appears in written explanations.
17
Optional Particle (가): You may occasionally encounter the subject particle 가 (romanization: ga) inserted between -기 and 일쑤이다, as in -기가 일쑤이다. This adds a subtle emphasis to the preceding action, highlighting it as the specific element that frequently occurs. While grammatically correct and sometimes used for rhetorical effect, it is less common in everyday conversation than the direct -기 일쑤이다.
18
저는 깜빡 잊어버리기가 일쑤예요. (I'm prone to forgetting things easily.) – emphasizes the act of forgetting.
19
지각하기가 일쑤인 사람 (A person who is prone to being late.) – used as a modifier.

When To Use It

-기 일쑤이다 is a highly specialized expression used to highlight actions that recur with noticeable frequency, almost predictably, and are generally regarded as undesirable or problematic. Its distinct negative connotation is crucial to its appropriate usage.
  1. 1Describing Negative Habits or Personal Faults: This is the most common application. Use -기 일쑤이다 to acknowledge one's own recurring bad habits or to comment on the undesirable tendencies of others. It carries a sense of self-criticism or observation of a flaw.
  • 저는 아침잠이 많아서 지각하기 일쑤예요. (I'm a heavy sleeper in the morning, so I'm often late.)
  • 피곤하면 저도 모르게 실수를 하기 일쑤입니다. (When I'm tired, I'm prone to making mistakes without realizing it.)
  • 그 친구는 계획만 세우고 실천하지 않기 일쑤였어요. (That friend used to be prone to just making plans and not acting on them.)
  1. 1Indicating Undesirable Regular Occurrences in Situations: The pattern can also describe situations or outcomes that happen frequently and are generally seen as problematic or inconvenient. This moves beyond personal habits to comment on the nature of events or systems.
  • 이 앱은 업데이트할 때마다 오류가 생기기 일쑤예요. (This app is prone to errors every time it updates.)
  • 손님이 많으면 계산 실수가 나기 일쑤입니다. (If there are many customers, mistakes in calculation are prone to happening.)
  • 요즘 날씨가 변덕스러워서 갑자기 비가 오기 일쑤다. (The weather these days is fickle, so it's prone to raining suddenly.)
  1. 1Expressing Exasperation or Resignation: When something happens so frequently that it becomes frustrating or simply an accepted (though unwelcomed) part of a routine, -기 일쑤이다 effectively conveys this feeling. It implies a pattern that is difficult to change or avoid.
  • 다이어트 한다고 해놓고 야식을 먹기 일쑤네요. (I say I'm on a diet, but I'm prone to eating late-night snacks.) – self-deprecating resignation
  • 회의만 하면 의견 충돌이 생기기 일쑤라서 힘들어요. (It's hard because every time we have a meeting, conflicts of opinion are prone to arising.) – exasperation
Cultural Insight: In Korean culture, acknowledging one's shortcomings or expressing humility is often valued. Using -기 일쑤이다 for self-deprecating remarks about minor flaws can be seen as a way to relate to others or express an honest assessment of oneself, rather than outright self-criticism. However, when applied to others, it can carry a more direct critical tone, so context and relationship are key.
It is vital to remember the negative constraint of -기 일쑤이다. You would never use it to describe positive occurrences or achievements, no matter how frequent they are. For instance, you cannot say 저는 숙제를 빨리 끝내기 일쑤예요 (I'm prone to finishing homework quickly) because finishing homework quickly is a positive trait.
For such cases, simpler frequency adverbs like 자주 (often) or 늘 (always) paired with neutral verb forms, or patterns like -는 편이다 (tend to), are appropriate.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misapply -기 일쑤이다 due to its similarity to other frequency expressions or by overlooking its crucial negative connotation. Understanding these common pitfalls will refine your usage.
  1. 1Using for Positive or Neutral Actions: This is the most prevalent error. -기 일쑤이다 inherently implies a negative or undesirable action. Applying it to positive habits or neutral occurrences creates an awkward and unnatural sentence.
  • Incorrect: 저는 아침에 일찍 일어나기 일쑤예요. (I'm prone to waking up early in the morning.) – Waking up early is usually seen as positive.
  • Correct Alternative: 저는 아침에 일찍 일어나는 편이에요. (I tend to wake up early in the morning.)
  • Incorrect: 시험을 잘 보기 일쑤입니다. (I'm prone to doing well on exams.) – Doing well is positive.
  • Correct Alternative: 시험을 자주 잘 봅니다. (I often do well on exams.)
  1. 1Confusion with Probability vs. Observed Frequency: Learners sometimes confuse -기 일쑤이다 with -기 십상이다 (romanization: -gi sipsangida), which expresses a high likelihood or ease of something happening. The key difference lies in their focus:
  • -기 십상이다: Focuses on probability or tendency for a future outcome. It means "it is likely to happen" or "it is easy for [something] to happen" if certain conditions are met.
  • 이렇게 급하게 하면 실수하기 십상이다. (If you do it this hastily, you're likely to make a mistake.) – Prediction.
  • -기 일쑤이다: Focuses on observed, recurring frequency of an undesirable event. It means "it happens often" or "one is prone to [something]."
  • 그는 성격이 급해서 실수하기 일쑤예요. (He has a hasty personality, so he's prone to making mistakes.) – Past observation of a pattern.
  1. 1Confusion with Neutral Habit Expressions: Other patterns like -곤 하다 (romanization: -gon hada) and -는 편이다 (romanization: -neun pyeonida) describe habits or tendencies but lack the negative implication of -기 일쑤이다.
  • -곤 하다: Describes a habitual action, either positive, neutral, or negative. It simply means "to do [verb] habitually/often."
  • 저는 주말마다 등산을 가곤 해요. (I habitually go hiking every weekend.) – Neutral.
  • 스트레스를 받으면 술을 마시곤 했어요. (When stressed, I used to habitually drink alcohol.) – Potentially negative, but the pattern itself isn't inherently so.
  • -는 편이다: Expresses a tendency or that something is "on the side of" a certain characteristic, often a softer or more generalized observation.
  • 저는 과묵한 편이에요. (I'm on the quiet side / I tend to be quiet.)
  • 우리 팀은 회식을 자주 하는 편이에요. (Our team tends to have company dinners often.)
  • Contrast: 저는 늦잠을 자곤 해요. (I habitually oversleep.) vs. 저는 늦잠을 자기 일쑤예요. (I'm prone to oversleeping.) The latter emphasizes the undesirable frequency more strongly.
  1. 1Misapplying Tense or Attaching to the Wrong Element: The 이다 part of 일쑤이다 conjugates for tense and politeness, but the 일쑤 itself describes a persistent state. Therefore, you generally wouldn't conjugate 일쑤 into a past tense verb stem.
  • Awkward: 어제는 너무 피곤해서 잠들었기 일쑤였어요. (Yesterday, I was so tired that I was prone to falling asleep.) – The 일쑤 describes a general pattern, not a singular past event.
  • Correct: 어제는 너무 피곤해서 잠들기 일쑤였어요. (Yesterday, I was so tired that I was prone to falling asleep.) – Here, the 였어요 applies to the overall state of 'being prone to something' in the past. The action itself (잠들기) is still happening with frequency within that past context.
  • Consider: 그는 어릴 때 거짓말을 하기 일쑤였다. (He was prone to telling lies when he was young.) The -였다 attaches to the 이다 component, signifying that the state of being prone to lying existed in his youth.
  1. 1Spelling Confusion: 일쑤 vs. 일수: A minor but common mistake is confusing 일쑤 (common occurrence) with 일수 (romanization: ilsu), which means "number of days" or "daily wage (especially from a loan shark)". Always ensure correct spelling to avoid miscommunication.
  • 돈을 빌려주는 일수 (daily wage/loan)
  • 시험을 망치기 일쑤 (prone to failing exams)

Real Conversations

-기 일쑤이다 is commonly used across various registers in modern Korean, from casual chats to more formal written contexts, provided the inherent negative connotation is suitable. Its adaptability through different conjugations of 이다 allows it to fit naturally into diverse communicative situations.

Casual Conversation / Texting: Often used for self-deprecating humor or complaints among friends.

- A: 요즘 일이 너무 많아서 맨날 밤새는 것 같아. (These days there's so much work, I feel like I'm staying up all night every day.)

- B: 나도 그래. 피곤해서 회의 때 졸기 일쑤야. ㅜㅜ (Me too. I'm so tired that I'm prone to dozing off in meetings. ㅜㅜ)

- 점심만 먹으면 잠 오기 일쑤라서 커피 없이는 못 버텨. (After lunch, I'm prone to feeling sleepy, so I can't last without coffee.)

Workplace / Professional Settings (Verbal or Email): Can be used to discuss recurring issues or challenges, albeit carefully to maintain a professional tone.

- 새 시스템은 아직 불안정해서 갑자기 멈추기 일쑤입니다. (The new system is still unstable, so it's prone to crashing suddenly.)

- 잦은 야근으로 직원들의 피로도가 높아져 실수를 하기 일쑤인 상황입니다. (Due to frequent overtime, employees' fatigue levels are high, leading to a situation where they are prone to making mistakes.)

- 이번 프로젝트는 마감 기한을 넘기기 일쑤였어요. (This project was prone to exceeding its deadline.)

Social Media / Online Forums: People use it to share common experiences, frustrations, or relatable observations.

- 요즘 드라마에 한 번 빠지면 다음 날까지 정주행하기 일쑤지. #드라마폐인 (These days, if I get into a drama, I'm prone to binge-watching until the next day. #dramaholic)

- 나는 스마트폰 배터리가 빨리 닳아서 방전되기 일쑤다. 보조배터리 필수! (My smartphone battery drains quickly, so it's prone to running out. A power bank is essential!)

Narrative / Descriptive Contexts: In more descriptive writing or storytelling, it can paint a picture of a character's habits or an environment's characteristics.

- 그는 길을 걷다 넘어지기 일쑤여서 항상 무릎에 상처가 있었다. (He was prone to falling while walking, so he always had wounds on his knees.)

- 이 지역은 겨울만 되면 눈이 많이 오기 일쑤여서 대중교통 이용이 어려웠다. (This area was prone to heavy snowfall every winter, making public transportation difficult to use.)

In all these examples, observe how -기 일쑤이다 consistently points to a recurring, often unwelcome, event that has become an established pattern. The specific nuance can range from mild self-deprecation to a more serious acknowledgement of a problem, but the underlying sense of regular, undesirable occurrence remains constant.

Quick FAQ

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about -기 일쑤이다 to help clarify its usage and avoid common misunderstandings.
Q: Can I use -기 일쑤이다 with adjectives (descriptive verbs)?
A: No, -기 일쑤이다 is exclusively used with action verbs (동작동사). It describes a repeated action or behavior. Adjectives describe states or qualities, which do not typically "happen" or "occur" in the same repetitive way.
For example, you cannot say 피곤하기 일쑤이다 (prone to being tired). If you want to express frequent tiredness leading to an action, you would link them: 피곤해서 잠들기 일쑤예요 (I'm tired, so I'm prone to falling asleep).
Q: Is -기 일쑤이다 always negative? Can it ever be used for good things?
A: Yes, it is inherently negative or describes an undesirable situation. This is a fundamental characteristic of the pattern. You absolutely cannot use it for positive habits or outcomes, no matter how frequent they are. Using it in a positive context would sound unnatural, sarcastic, or simply grammatically incorrect to a native speaker.
For positive frequencies, use 자주, 늘, or patterns like -는 편이다.
Q: Does -기 일쑤이다 imply blame or fault?
A: It can. When used for personal habits, it often implies a level of self-criticism or an acknowledgment of a fault (e.g., 지각하기 일쑤예요 - being prone to being late is a fault). When describing external situations, it might imply a systemic problem or an unfortunate regularity rather than direct blame (e.g., 시스템이 멈추기 일쑤입니다 - the system is prone to crashing, implying a problem with the system).
The degree of blame depends heavily on the context and the speaker's intention.
Q: How does -기 일쑤이다 relate to future predictions?
A: -기 일쑤이다 primarily describes an established pattern of past occurrences that leads to an expectation of similar future events. While it implies that the action is likely to happen again, it's not a direct future prediction tool like -ㄹ/을 것이다 or -기 십상이다. If you say 그는 약속 시간에 늦기 일쑤예요, it means he has often been late, and therefore you expect him to be late in the future.
The emphasis is on the historical frequency informing the future expectation.
Q: Is there a distinction in formality or politeness?
A: The pattern itself is neutral in formality. Its politeness level is determined by the conjugation of the copula 이다 at the end. You can use it in highly formal contexts with 일쑤입니다 (합니다체), in standard polite settings with 일쑤예요 (해요체), or in casual conversations with 일쑤야 (해체).
The choice of ending makes it versatile across various social situations.

Formation Table

Verb Stem Nominalizer Pattern Result
지각하
기
일쑤이다
지각하기 일쑤이다
실수하
기
일쑤이다
실수하기 일쑤이다
잊어버리
기
일쑤이다
잊어버리기 일쑤이다

Meanings

This pattern indicates that a specific action, usually undesirable, happens very frequently or is a habitual tendency.

1

Negative Habit

Expressing frustration or observation of a recurring bad habit.

“숙제를 잊어버리기 일쑤이다.”

“말을 바꾸기 일쑤이다.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Often / Prone to (-기 일쑤이다)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
V-기 일쑤이다
그는 늦기 일쑤이다.
Past
V-기 일쑤였다
그는 늦기 일쑤였다.
Polite
V-기 일쑤예요
그는 늦기 일쑤예요.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
그는 지각하기 일쑤입니다.

그는 지각하기 일쑤입니다. (Talking about a friend.)

Neutral
그는 지각하기 일쑤예요.

그는 지각하기 일쑤예요. (Talking about a friend.)

Informal
그는 지각하기 일쑤야.

그는 지각하기 일쑤야. (Talking about a friend.)

Slang
걔 맨날 늦어.

걔 맨날 늦어. (Talking about a friend.)

Usage Map

-기 일쑤이다

Context

  • 불만 complaint
  • 부정적 negative
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Examples by Level

1

그는 늦기 일쑤이다.

He is always late.

1

나는 실수를 하기 일쑤이다.

I often make mistakes.

1

그는 약속을 어기기 일쑤이다.

He often breaks promises.

1

그는 중요한 순간에 긴장하기 일쑤이다.

He tends to get nervous at important moments.

1

그는 자신의 잘못을 남 탓으로 돌리기 일쑤이다.

He is prone to blaming others for his own mistakes.

1

그는 현실을 도피하기 일쑤이다.

He is prone to escaping reality.

Easily Confused

Often / Prone to (-기 일쑤이다) vs -곤 하다

Both describe habits.

Common Mistakes

✗

공부하기 일쑤이다

✓

공부하기 좋아한다

Studying is positive.
✗

먹기 일쑤이다

✓

자주 먹는다

Eating is neutral.
✗

일하기 일쑤이다

✓

일하곤 한다

Working is neutral.
✗

웃기 일쑤이다

✓

잘 웃는다

Laughing is positive.

Sentence Patterns

그는 ___하기 일쑤이다.

Real World Usage

Texting very common

나 또 늦기 일쑤야 ㅠㅠ

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💡

Check the tone

Only use this when you are unhappy about the habit.

Smart Tips

Use -기 일쑤이다 to sound more natural.

그는 자주 늦어요. → 그는 늦기 일쑤예요.

Pronunciation

gi-il-ssu-i-da

Linking

The 'ㄱ' in '기' and '일' often blend smoothly.

Complaining

지각하기 일쑤예요↓

Falling intonation shows frustration.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of '일쑤' as 'one-soo' (one mistake). If you do it 'one-soo' (one mistake) again and again, it's a bad habit!

Visual Association

Imagine a person constantly dropping their phone. Every time it hits the floor, a sign pops up saying '일쑤!'

Rhyme

Always late, that's the rule, -기 일쑤이다, don't be a fool.

Story

Min-su was always forgetting his keys. His mom sighed, 'Min-su, you are forgetting your keys again!' Min-su replied, 'I know, I am 잊어버리기 일쑤예요.'

Word Web

지각하다실수하다잊어버리다거짓말하다싸우다

Challenge

Write 3 sentences about a bad habit you have using this pattern.

Cultural Notes

Used to describe colleagues who consistently miss deadlines.

Derived from '일' (work/matter) and '쑤' (a suffix for frequency).

Conversation Starters

“

요즘 자주 하는 실수가 있어요?

Journal Prompts

Write about a bad habit you want to break.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Select the correct usage. Multiple Choice

그는 매일 ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
Only '지각' is a negative habit.

Score: /1

Practice Exercises

1 exercises
Select the correct usage. Multiple Choice

그는 매일 ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: b
Only '지각' is a negative habit.

Score: /1

Practice Bank

12 exercises
Fill in the blank. Fill in the Blank

숙제를 안 가져오면 선생님께 혼나기 ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 일쑤이다
Arrange the words to form a correct sentence. Sentence Reorder

일쑤예요 / 잃어버리기 / 자주 / 우산을

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 우산을 자주 잃어버리기 일쑤예요
Identify the correct usage. Multiple Choice

Which verb stem fits best with `...기 일쑤이다`?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 실수하 (Make a mistake)
Fix the grammatical error. Error Correction

늦게 자서 아침에 피곤하기 일수예요.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 피곤하기 일쑤예요
Match the start of the sentence with a logical `일쑤이다` ending. Match Pairs

Match context to result.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["\uc54c\ub78c \uc548 \ub9de\ucd94\uba74 -> \uc9c0\uac01\ud558\uae30 \uc77c\uc464\uc774\ub2e4","\ub2e4\uc774\uc5b4\ud2b8 \ub300\ucda9 \ud558\uba74 -> \ud3ed\uc2dd\ud558\uae30 \uc77c\uc464\uc774\ub2e4","\uc2fc \uc774\uc5b4\ud3f0\uc740 -> \uace0\uc7a5 \ub098\uae30 \uc77c\uc464\uc774\ub2e4"]
Conjugate '넘어지다' (to fall) correctly. Fill in the Blank

길이 미끄러워서 ___ 일쑤였다.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 넘어지기
Which sentence implies a recurring past habit? Multiple Choice

Select the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 그때는 돈이 없어서 굶기 일쑤였어요.
Translate 'I often confuse the names.' Translation

이름을 헷갈리기 일쑤예요.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I often confuse the names.
Why is this sentence unnatural? Error Correction

그는 항상 정시에 도착하기 일쑤이다.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Arriving on time is a positive habit.
Select the particle. Fill in the Blank

물건을 잃어버리___ 일쑤이다.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 기가
Build the sentence. Sentence Reorder

일쑤이다 / 자주 / 계획이 / 바뀌기

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 계획이 자주 바뀌기 일쑤이다
Select the sentence with the correct nuance. Multiple Choice

Context: Your computer crashes frequently.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 컴퓨터가 다운되기 일쑤야.

Score: /12

FAQ (1)

Yes, you can say '나는 늦기 일쑤예요' to admit a flaw.

Scaffolded Practice

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In Other Languages

Japanese high

～がちだ

Japanese uses it for states, Korean for actions.

Spanish moderate

tender a

Korean is strictly negative.

German moderate

neigen zu

Korean is more colloquial.

French moderate

avoir tendance à

Korean implies annoyance.

Chinese moderate

总是

Korean is specific to bad habits.

Arabic low

كثيرًا ما

Korean is specific to bad habits.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
No choice but to... (-ㄹ/을 수밖에 없다)
Next
Close Calls: Almost... (-(으)ㄹ 뻔하다)

Learn These First

B1 Requires

Korean Nominalization: ~기 (Making Verbs into Nouns)

Overview Korean nominalization through `~기` transforms verbs and adjectives into nouns, allowing you to treat actions a...

Related Grammar Rules

B2

No choice but to... (-ㄹ/을 수밖에 없다)

Overview The Korean grammar pattern `-(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다` is a powerful expression of inevitability. It conveys that du...
A2

Present Progressive: -ing (고 있다)

Overview Korean, like English, distinguishes between habitual or general actions and actions that are actively in progre...
B2

To the Absolute Max: (-ㄹ/을 대로)

Overview Korean grammar employs `-(ㄹ/을) 대로` to express that a state or action has reached its absolute **utmost limi...
B2

Just/Only: Emphatic Limitation (-ㄹ/을 뿐이다)

Overview At the B2 CEFR level in Korean, you're moving beyond basic sentence construction to express nuanced ideas, subt...
B2

Logically Likely: -ㄹ/을 법하다

Overview `-(으)ㄹ 법하다` is a Korean grammar pattern that expresses a logical likelihood, plausibility, or reasonable e...
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