Expressing 'should' with '-야겠다'

01

Construction

To form -야겠다 (-ya·get·da-ya·get·da-ya·get·da-ya·keyt·ta) ("should", "I guess I need to"), the verb stem is conjugated following the same vowel harmony rules as other 야 (ya) structures, and then 겠 (getgetgetkeyt) is added before the sentence ending.

• Stems whose last vowel is ㅏ (a) or ㅗ (o): Add 아야겠 (a·ya·geta·ya·geta·ya·geta·ya·keyt).
• Stems with any other last vowel: Add 어야겠 (ŏ·ya·geteo·ya·getŏ·ya·gete·ya·keyt).
• For 하다 (ha·daha·daha·daha·ta) verbs: Change to 해야겠 (hæ·ya·gethae·ya·gethae·ya·gethay·ya·keyt).

After 겠 (getgetgetkeyt), add the appropriate sentence ending for the politeness level.

• 가다 → 가야겠어요

  ka·da → ka·ya·gess·ŏ·yoga·da → ga·ya·gess·eo·yoka·da → ka·ya·gess·ŏ·yoka·ta → ka·ya·keyss·e·yo

  to go → I should go

• 먹다 → 먹어야겠어요

  mŏk·da → mŏg·ŏ·ya·gess·ŏ·yomeok·da → meog·eo·ya·gess·eo·yomŏk·da → mŏg·ŏ·ya·gess·ŏ·yomek·ta → meg·e·ya·keyss·e·yo

  to eat → I should eat

• 공부하다 → 공부해야겠어요

  kong·bu·ha·da → kong·bu·hæ·ya·gess·ŏ·yogong·bu·ha·da → gong·bu·hae·ya·gess·eo·yokong·bu·ha·da → kong·bu·hae·ya·gess·ŏ·yokong·pu·ha·ta → kong·pu·hay·ya·keyss·e·yo

  to study → I should study

02

Expressing a Personal Decision

The most common use of -야겠다 (-ya·get·da-ya·get·da-ya·get·da-ya·keyt·ta) is when the speaker reaches a conclusion based on the current situation. The speaker observes something and decides they need to act. This is different from a pre-existing obligation; it is a judgment made in the moment.

• 비가 오니까 우산을 가져가야겠어요.

  pi·ga o·ni·kka u·san·ŭl ga·jyŏ·ga·ya·gess·ŏ·yo.bi·ga o·ni·gga u·san·eul ga·jyeo·ga·ya·gess·eo·yo.pi·ga o·ni·kka u·san·ŭl ga·jyŏ·ga·ya·gess·ŏ·yo.pi·ka o·ni·kka u·san·ul ka·cye·ka·ya·keyss·e·yo.

  It's raining, so I should take an umbrella.

• 시간이 없으니까 택시를 타야겠어요.

  si·gan·i ŏps·ŭ·ni·kka tʰæk·si·rŭl tʰa·ya·gess·ŏ·yo.si·gan·i eops·eu·ni·gga taek·si·reul ta·ya·gess·eo·yo.si·gan·i ŏps·ŭ·ni·kka t'aek·si·rŭl t'a·ya·gess·ŏ·yo.si·kan·i eps·u·ni·kka thayk·si·lul tha·ya·keyss·e·yo.

  There's no time, so I'd better take a taxi.

• 너무 더러워서 청소해야겠어요.

  nŏ·mu dŏ·rŏ·wo·sŏ chʰŏng·so·hæ·ya·gess·ŏ·yo.neo·mu deo·reo·wo·seo cheong·so·hae·ya·gess·eo·yo.nŏ·mu dŏ·rŏ·wŏ·sŏ ch'ŏng·so·hae·ya·gess·ŏ·yo.ne·mu te·le·we·se cheng·so·hay·ya·keyss·e·yo.

  It's so dirty, I should clean up.

03

Casual Politeness Level

In casual speech 반말 (pan·malban·malpan·malpan·mal), the ending -야겠다 (-ya·get·da-ya·get·da-ya·get·da-ya·keyt·ta) ("I should") becomes -야겠어 (-ya·gess·ŏ-ya·gess·eo-ya·gess·ŏ-ya·keyss·e). The meaning stays the same but the tone is more informal.

• 늦어서 가 봐야겠어.

  nŭj·ŏ·sŏ ga bwa·ya·gess·ŏ.neuj·eo·seo ga bwa·ya·gess·eo.nŭj·ŏ·sŏ ga bwa·ya·gess·ŏ.nuj·e·se ka pwa·ya·keyss·e.

  I'm late, so I should get going.

• 배가 고파서 뭐 먹어야겠어.

  pæ·ga go·pʰa·sŏ mwo mŏg·ŏ·ya·gess·ŏ.bae·ga go·pa·seo mwo meog·eo·ya·gess·eo.pae·ga go·p'a·sŏ mwŏ mŏg·ŏ·ya·gess·ŏ.pay·ka ko·pha·se mwe meg·e·ya·keyss·e.

  I'm hungry, so I should eat something.

• 피곤해서 좀 쉬어야겠어.

  pʰi·gon·hæ·sŏ jom swi·ŏ·ya·gess·ŏ.pi·gon·hae·seo jom swi·eo·ya·gess·eo.p'i·gon·hae·sŏ jom shwi·ŏ·ya·gess·ŏ.phi·kon·hay·se com sui·e·ya·keyss·e.

  I'm tired, so I should rest a bit.

04

Comparison with Related Forms

• -야 하다 (-ya ha·da-ya ha·da-ya ha·da-ya ha·ta) / -야 되다 (-ya dwæ·da-ya dwae·da-ya dwae·da-ya tway·ta): States an objective obligation. "I have to go."
• -야겠다 (-ya·get·da-ya·get·da-ya·get·da-ya·keyt·ta): Expresses a subjective decision based on the situation. "I guess I should go."
• -겠다 (-ket·da-get·da-ket·da-keyt·ta) alone: Expresses speculation or intention without the obligation nuance. "I will go."