Future Modifier ㄹ/을 (verb → adjective)

Imagine you have a verb like 먹다 (to eat). You want to describe "food." Specifically, food you will eat later. You can't just put the verb next to the noun. That would be like saying "eat food" instead of "food to eat." This grammar acts as a modifier. It changes the verb stem into an adjective form. This form always points toward the future. It implies intent, possibility, or a task yet to be finished. It is like putting on "future goggles." Everything you describe with this pattern hasn't happened yet. It is waiting for you in the future. It creates a relationship between the action and the noun. It tells us exactly what that noun is for. Is it a place to go? A person to meet? A song to sing? This grammar clarifies that for everyone.

1. 1Find your verb stem. Just drop the 다 from the dictionary form.
2. 2Check the last letter of the stem. Does it end in a vowel?
3. 3If it ends in a vowel, just slide ㄹ underneath the stem. For example, 가다 becomes 갈.
4. 4Does the stem end in a consonant? Then you need a little help. Add 을 after the stem. For example, 먹다 becomes 먹을.
5. 5Watch out for the ㄹ irregulars! If the stem already ends in ㄹ, don't add anything. 만들다 (to make) just stays 만들. Adding another ㄹ would be like trying to put two hats on one head.
6. 6Remember the ㅂ irregulars too. They like to be special. 돕다 (to help) changes to 도울. The ㅂ turns into a 우 sound before joining the future team.
7. 7Once you have your new modifier, just place it right before your noun. 갈 곳 (a place to go). It’s that easy!

Use this when you have a plan. Are you going to the library to study? Call it your 공부할 시간 (time to study). Use it for items you need to buy at the store. That is your 살 것 (thing to buy). It is perfect for describing roles or duties. If you are the person to lead the meeting, you are the 인도할 사람. Use it when offering choices to others. You can ask if they want "something to drink" using 마실 것. It works beautifully for talking about possibilities. "A movie to watch" becomes 볼 영화. Use it when you want to sound organized. It helps you categorize your world into "done" and "to be done." Think of it like a grammar traffic light. It’s the green light for everything coming your way soon.

Don't use this for things happening right now! If you are currently eating bread, it’s not 먹을 빵. That would mean "bread to eat later." For things happening now, use the present modifier 는. Also, avoid using it for things that already happened. Your finished homework isn't 할 숙제. That’s a one-way ticket to confusing your teacher! Use ㄴ/은 for the past. Don't use it for general facts that don't involve future intent. If you just want to say "water is cold," you don't need this. Only bring out the ㄹ/을 when the action is waiting in the future. If you use it for the past, it sounds like you’re trying to time travel in the wrong direction.

Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes! A classic mistake is forgetting the ㄹ irregular rule. People often try to add 을 to 살다, making 살을. Nope! It’s just 살. Another trap is the ㄷ irregulars. 듣다 (to listen) becomes 들을, not 듣을. The ㄷ turns into ㄹ because it wants to flow better. Many learners also mix up ㄹ/을 with the future tense ending ㄹ 거예요. Remember, ㄹ/을 is an adjective. It MUST be followed by a noun. You can't just end a sentence with 먹을. You need to say 먹을 음식 or 먹을 거예요. Also, don't overthink the vowel-consonant rule. If it sounds clunky, you might be using the wrong one. Trust your ears a little bit!

Let's compare our three main modifiers. Think of them as a timeline.

• Past: ㄴ/은. This is for the "has been." 먹은 빵 is the bread you already ate.
• Present: 는. This is for the "is being." 먹는 빵 is the bread you are chewing right now.
• Future: ㄹ/을. This is for the "will be." 먹을 빵 is the bread sitting on the counter for tomorrow.

It is like a movie. The past is the credits. The present is the scene on screen. The future is the trailer! Another contrast is with 겠. Both talk about the future, but 겠 is about a strong will or a guess. ㄹ/을 is strictly about modifying a noun. One is a sentence ender, the other is a noun-describer. Don't let them switch jobs!