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Questions & Answers about ama geunyeodo ol geoyeyo.
What does the adverb 아마 add here? How strong is it, and how is it different from words like 아마도, 어쩌면, 혹시?
- 아마 means “probably/likely,” expressing a fairly confident guess.
- 아마도 is very similar; it can feel a touch more emphatic or deliberate, but they’re largely interchangeable in everyday speech.
- 어쩌면 leans toward “perhaps/maybe,” often sounding more speculative or even “it might be that...”.
- 혹시 often appears in questions as “by any chance/perhaps,” and in statements it can mean “just in case.” You wouldn’t normally use 혹시 for a straightforward prediction like this sentence.
How does 올 거예요 work grammatically? Is it a future tense?
- 올 거예요 is formed from the verb 오다 (to come).
- Structure: verb stem + -ㄹ/을
- 거예요. Here, 오- + ㄹ → 올.
- 거예요 is a contraction of 것이에요 (“it is a thing”), so literally “it is a thing that will come.”
- Korean doesn’t have a single dedicated future tense; -ㄹ/을 거예요 expresses plan, intention, or prediction depending on context. With 아마, it’s a prediction.
Why is there a space in 올 거예요? Is 올거예요 or 올꺼예요 okay?
- Correct: 올 거예요 (space between the verb part and 거예요).
- Incorrect: 올거예요, 올꺼예요.
- Note: You will often hear it pronounced like [올 꺼예요] due to tensification, but you should not write 꺼. Always keep the space and the correct spelling 거예요.
What exactly does 도 in 그녀도 mean?
- 도 is the additive particle meaning “also/too.”
- 그녀도 = “she too/as well.”
- In negative sentences, 도 can feel like “even” (e.g., 그녀도 안 올 거예요 can read as “Even she won’t come” depending on context).
Is 그녀 natural in everyday conversation?
- 그녀 is common in writing and translations but can sound literary or stiff in casual speech.
- More natural alternatives:
- Neutral: 그 사람 (that person), or the person’s name/title (e.g., 민지 씨).
- Casual and referring to someone familiar/younger: 걔.
- Respectful: 그분.
- So in speech you’d often say: 아마 그 사람도 올 거예요, 아마 그분도 오실 거예요, or use the person’s name/title.
How would I say this in informal or very formal styles?
- Polite (current sentence): 아마 그녀도 올 거예요.
- Informal/casual: 아마 그녀도 올 거야.
- Formal (written/speech): 아마 그녀도 올 것입니다.
What if the person is someone I should honorify?
- Use the honorific verb 오시다: 오실 in this pattern.
- Example: 아마 그분도 오실 거예요. (polite)
- Very formal: 아마 그분도 오실 것입니다.
Can I move 아마 around? What word order is acceptable?
- Common orders:
- 아마 그녀도 올 거예요.
- 그녀도 아마 올 거예요.
- 아마 typically comes before the subject or right before the verb phrase. Don’t split 올 and 거예요 or place 아마 inside them.
When should I use 오다 vs 가다?
- 오다 = come (toward the speaker or the conversation’s reference point).
- 가다 = go (away from the speaker/reference point).
- If “she” is coming to where you are (or where the listener is), use 오다; otherwise, if she is going somewhere else, use 가다: 아마 그녀도 갈 거예요.
How do I say “She probably won’t come (either)”?
- 아마 그녀도 안 올 거예요.
- More formal/neutral negative: 아마 그녀도 오지 않을 거예요.
- With 도 this can mean “she also won’t come” (in addition to others), and often reads as “even she won’t come” depending on context.
Is 오겠어요 interchangeable with 올 거예요? What about 올 것 같아요?
- 올 거예요: neutral, very common prediction/expectation.
- 오겠어요: can express the speaker’s conjecture/inference (“I suppose she’ll come”); feels a bit more formal or bookish in everyday talk.
- 올 것 같아요: “It seems like she’ll come / I think she’ll come,” a softer hedge.
- All can express likelihood, but 올 거예요 is the most broadly used for simple predictions.
Can I drop the subject 그녀?
- Yes. Korean often omits understood subjects: 아마 올 거예요.
- Use the subject if clarity is needed: 아마 민지 씨도 올 거예요.
Any pronunciation tips for 올 거예요?
- You’ll often hear a tense sound due to assimilation: 올 거예요 → roughly [올 꺼예요].
- Despite this, always write 거, not 꺼.
- 그녀 is pronounced [그녀] (geu-nyeo), not like “guh-nyaw.”
Does 도 mean “again”? I’ve seen 또 for “again.”
- 도 = “also/too/even.”
- 또 = “again/also (as an adverb meaning ‘additionally’).”
- Different meanings: 또 올 거예요 = “(She) will come again,” while 그녀도 올 거예요 = “She will come too.”
Can I combine 도 with other particles like 는/은 or 이/가?
- 도 usually replaces 은/는 or 이/가 (so not 그녀는도 or 그녀가도).
- It can stack after case particles: 에게도, 한테도, 에서(도), 으로도, etc.
- In this sentence, 그녀도 is the right form.
How does punctuation/intonation change the meaning?
- 아마 그녀도 올 거예요. (falling intonation) = statement.
- 아마 그녀도 올 거예요? (rising intonation) = question: “Do you think she’ll probably come too?” (or seeking confirmation).
Do I need 아마 here? What changes if I drop it?
- Without 아마: 그녀도 올 거예요 = a plainer will/prediction, often a bit more certain-sounding.
- With 아마: explicitly marks it as a probability/guess.