Beginner3 Lesson6. V/A-(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 줄 알았다, 몰랐다

If you’d like to download the same pdf note I’m using in this class, you can download by clicking here : Class Note PDF

  • 1. Verb/Adj-ㄹ/을 줄 알았다 
    1) I already knew that (S) would verb/be adjective.
    2) I thought (S) + would verb/be adjective (=> implies that it turns out not to be the case.)

e.g. 

그럴 줄 알았어. (그렇다 + ㄹ/을 줄 알았다) 
*그렇다 : to be like that
1) I knew it (as in, I knew it would be like that or I knew that would happen)
2) I thought that would happen (but it didn’t.)

지수가 올 줄 알았어요. (오다 + ㄹ/을 줄 알았다)
1) I knew Jisoo would come.
2)I thought Jisoo would come (but she didn’t.)

한국어가 어려울 줄 알았어요. (어렵다 + ㄹ/을 줄 알았다)

1)I knew Korean would be difficult.
2) I thought Korean would be difficult. 

1) and 2) are pronounced slightly differently; mainly the stress is placed on different parts of the phrase. Please check the video for the accurate way to stress.

cf) Verb-ㄹ/을 줄 알다 : to know how to verb (skill, ability)

e.g.
피아노 칠 줄 알아요. I can play piano. <-> 피아노 칠 줄 몰라요. = 피아노 못 쳐요. I can’t play piano.

한국어 조금 할 줄 알아요. I can speak Korean a bit. <-> 한국어 할 줄 몰라요. = 한국어 못해요. I can’t speak Korean.0

요리할 줄 알아요. I can cook. <-> 요리할 줄 몰라요. = 요리 못 해요. I can’t cook.

운전할 줄 알아요. I can drive. <-> 운전할 줄 몰라요. = 운전 못 해요. I can’t drive.

(Related Lesson: https://explorekorean.net/beginner2-lesson2/)

Tense Variations

*Past Tense : Verb-ㄴ/은 줄 알았다, Adj-ㄴ/은 줄 알았다, noun 줄 알았다 (이다)
1) I thought (S) + had Verb-ed, had been adj, had been noun (but turns out not)

2) I knew (S) + had Verb-ed, had been adj, had been noun

 

*Present Tense: Verb- 줄 알았다, Adj-ㄴ/은 줄 알았다, noun 줄 알았다 (이다)

1) I thought (S) + Verb-ed, was adjective, was noun (but turns out not.)

2) I already know (S) + Verb, is adjective, is noun 

 

*Future Tense : Verb/Adj-ㄹ/을 줄 알았다, noun 줄 알았다 (이다)

1) I thought (S) + would verb, would be adjective, would be noun (but turns out not.)

2) I knew (S) + would verb, would be adjective, would be noun 

[Example Sentences]

Past Tense

네가 TV를 보고 있어서 숙제를 다 끝낸 줄 알았어. Since you’re watching TV, I thought you had already finished homework. (But you didn’t.)

네가 아직 아침을 안 먹은 줄 알았어. I thought you hadn’t had breakfast yet. (But you did.)

너무 맛있어서 전문 요리사가 만든 줄 알았어요. It’s so delicious that I thought a professional chef had made this. (But that’s not true.)

Present Tense:

지수가 매일 일찍 일어나는 줄 알았어요. 알고 보니 부엉이네요.
I thought Jisoo woke up early everyday. It turns out she’s a night owl.

지수의 성적이 항상 좋아서 매일 공부를 열심히 하는 줄 알았어요. Jisoo always gets good grade, so I thought she studied hard every day. (But she doesn’t.)

지수가 눈을 비벼서 우는 줄 알았어요. Jisoo was rubbing her eyes, so I thought she was crying. (But she isn’t.)

한글을 배울 때는 한국어가 쉬운 줄 알았는데 중급 문법으로 들어가니까 어렵네요. When I was learning Hangeul, I thought Korean was easy, but entering intermediate grammar, I realize it’s hard.

너무 어려보이셔서 학생인 줄 알았어요. You look really young, so I thought you were a student. (But you aren’t.)

Future Tense

지수가 안 할 줄 알았어.

1) I knew Jisoo wouldn’t do it.
2) I thought Jisoo wouldn’t do it (but she did.) 

 

엄마가 일찍 일어나실 줄 알았어.

1) I knew mom would wake up early.
2) I thought mom would wake up early. (But she didn’t.)

 

  • 2. V/A-(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 줄 몰랐다

    : I didn’t know (S) + Verb/Adj

    (Same tense rules apply as “V/A-(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 줄 알았다”)

e.g.

오늘 비가 올 줄 몰랐어요. (future)
I didn’t know it would rain today.

오늘 눈이 오는 줄 몰랐어요. (present)
I didn’t know it was raining today.

어제 비가 온 줄 몰랐어요. (past)
I didn’t know it had rained yesterday.

선생님이신 줄 몰랐어요. (present)
I didn’t know you were a teacher.

밥을 다 먹은 줄 몰랐어. (past)
I didn’t know you had finished your food.

배고픈 줄 몰랐어. (present)
I didn’t know you were hungry.

 

  • 3. More Casual Form of V/A-(으)ㄴ/는/ㄹ/을 줄 알았다

: You can make it sound a lot more casual (almost slangish) by simply omitting “알았다” and just saying “V/A-suffix-줄.”

In this case, it would only mean “I thought ~ (but it turns out not)” and not “I knew~.”

e.g.

취한 줄. I thought you were drunk. (취하다 : to be drunk)

너무 어두워서 밤인 줄. I thought it was nighttime because it’s too dark.

보고 싶어 죽는 줄. I thought I was dying because I missed you. (=I was dying to see you.)

너무 진지해서 뉴스룸 보는 줄. You’re being too serious that I thought I was watching a newsroom.