Contrary to fact: -ㄹ/을 리가 없다

This pattern combines three main parts to build its meaning.

First, we have the future/prospective marker -ㄹ/을.

Next, we have the noun 리, which means "reason" or "logic."

Finally, we have 없다, which means "to not exist."

When you put them together, you get "reason does not exist."

You use it when your brain rejects a piece of information.

It is based on your logic, experience, or common sense.

If something contradicts what you know, this is your go-to phrase.

It's like a scientific "Nope" for your daily conversations.

1. 1Find the verb or adjective stem you want to use.
2. 2Check if the stem ends in a vowel or a consonant.
3. 3If it ends in a vowel, attach -ㄹ 리가 없다.
4. 4가다 (to go) becomes 갈 리가 없다.
5. 5If it ends in a consonant, attach -을 리가 없다.
6. 6먹다 (to eat) becomes 먹을 리가 없다.
7. 7For stems ending in ㄹ, just add 리가 없다.
8. 8만들다 (to make) becomes 만들 리가 없다.
9. 9For the past tense, use -았/었을 리가 없다.
10. 10했을 리가 없다 (No way they did it).
11. 11For nouns, use 일 리가 없다.
12. 12꿈일 리가 없다 (It can't be a dream).

Use this when you are 100% sure something is false.

Imagine you just saw your friend at the library.

Someone tells you that same friend is at a party right now.

You would say, "그럴 리가 없어요!" (There is no way!)

It is great for reacting to surprising rumors or strange news.

You can use it when ordering food at a restaurant.

If the waiter says they ran out of water, you might be shocked.

"물 이 없을 리가 없는데요?" (No way there's no water?)

It works in job interviews if they ask something impossible too.

It shows you have a strong, logical grasp of the situation.

Use it to sound confident and assertive in your speech.

Do not use this for simple, factual "no" answers.

If someone asks if you like apples, don't use this.

Saying "사과를 좋아할 리가 없어요" sounds like a dramatic movie.

It implies it's logically impossible for you to like apples.

Avoid it if you are only slightly unsure about something.

If you think it might rain, don't say "비가 올 리가 없다".

That means you are certain the clouds are lying to you.

In those cases, use -지 않을 것 같아요 instead.

Keep this pattern for moments of genuine, logical shock.

Don't use it for things that are just unlikely but possible.

Many people forget to use the right connector for consonants.

They might say 먹ㄹ 리가 없다 instead of 먹을 리가 없다.

This sounds like a glitchy robot to native speakers.

Another mistake is using the wrong tense for past events.

If something already happened, you must use -었을.

Saying 그 사람이 갈 리가 없어요 means they won't go now.

Saying 그 사람이 갔을 리가 없어요 means they didn't go before.

Don't mix up 리 with 게 (thing/fact).

-ㄹ 리가 없다 is about reason, not just a simple fact.

Yes, even advanced learners mess this up when they speak fast.

Just take a breath and remember the "reason" (리) part.

How is this different from -지 않다 (not)?

-지 않다 is just a plain, boring negative statement.

-ㄹ 리가 없다 adds a layer of "that's impossible!"

Compare it with -ㄹ 것 같다 (it seems like).

-ㄹ 것 같다 is for guesses and soft opinions.

-ㄹ 리가 없다 is for strong, logical conclusions.

It is also different from -지 않을 것이다 (will not).

That is just a prediction about the future.

Think of -ㄹ 리가 없다 as the "angry cousin" of negation.

It has more energy and more certainty behind it.

It's like comparing "I don't think so" with "Absolutely not!"