High School - Grade 12
Lesson 4: Expressing Regret
-(으)ㄹ 걸 그랬다
Looking Back: "Should Have..."
Ever wish you could turn back time and do something differently? Or maybe you wish you *hadn't* done something? This grammar pattern, `-(으)ㄹ 걸 그랬다`, is used to express regret about a past action or inaction.
It translates closely to "**I should have (done)...**" or "**I wish I had (done)...**". When used with a negative verb form (`-지 말다`), it means "**I shouldn't have (done)...**".
The Conjugation Rules
This follows the same pattern as the future tense modifier `-(으)ㄹ`.
Rule 1: Vowel or ㄹ ending
Verb stem ends in a vowel or ㄹ (drop the ㄹ).
... + ㄹ 걸 그랬다
하다 할 걸 그랬다
("I should have done (it)")
가다 갈 걸 그랬다
("I should have gone")
놀다 (ㄹ drops) 놀 걸 그랬다
("I should have played/hung out")
Rule 2: Consonant ending (not ㄹ)
Verb stem ends in a consonant (other than ㄹ).
... + 을 걸 그랬다
먹다 먹을 걸 그랬다
("I should have eaten")
읽다 읽을 걸 그랬다
("I should have read")
Rule 3: Negative Regret ("Shouldn't have...")
Use the `-지 말다` form before adding `-(으)ㄹ 걸 그랬다`.
Verb Stem + 지 말 걸 그랬다
하다 하지 말 걸 그랬다
("I shouldn't have done (it)")
가다 가지 말 걸 그랬다
("I shouldn't have gone")
Examples in Action
POSITIVE REGRET
공부를 더 열심히 할 걸 그랬어요.
I should have studied harder.
POSITIVE REGRET
우산을 가져갈 걸 그랬어요.
I should have brought an umbrella.
NEGATIVE REGRET
그 말을 하지 말 걸 그랬어요.
I shouldn't have said that.
NEGATIVE REGRET
어제 그렇게 많이 먹지 말 걸 그랬어요.
I shouldn't have eaten so much yesterday.
Usage Note:
This expression is primarily used in spoken Korean and conveys a feeling of personal regret. While grammatically correct, it might sound a bit informal in very formal writing.
Often, the final `요` is dropped in casual speech: `할 걸 그랬어`.
Coming Up Next...
Expressing regret is a common part of conversation! Next, we'll learn how to talk about an action being interrupted by another using `-다가`.