-(으)ㄹ까 봐

-(으)ㄹ까 봐 means 'worried that something bad might happen', and that worry is the reason for what you do or feel.

추측·판단Guessing & judging

Han: -(으)ㄹ까 봐 cannot be followed by a command; to give advice based on a possible problem, use -(으)ㄹ지도 모르니까.

Examples

혹시 비가 올까 봐 우산을 챙겨 왔어요.I brought an umbrella just in case it rains.

길이 막힐까 봐 지하철을 탔어요.I took the subway in case the roads were jammed.

아기가 깰까 봐 문을 살살 닫았어요.I closed the door gently so the baby wouldn't wake up.

시험에 떨어질까 봐 걱정이에요.I'm worried that I might fail the exam.

Don’t mix up

-(으)ㄹ까 봐vs-(으)ㄹ까 보다 (sentence ending)As a sentence ending, -(으)ㄹ까 봐요 with an action verb usually means 'I'm thinking of doing', not worry: 주말에 여행을 갈까 봐요 'I'm thinking of taking a trip this weekend'.

-(으)ㄹ까 봐vs-지 않도록-지 않도록 states a purpose and allows commands; -(으)ㄹ까 봐 states a worry and does not: 감기에 걸리지 않도록 따뜻하게 입으세요.

-(으)ㄹ까 봐vs-(으)ㄹ지도 모르니까-(으)ㄹ지도 모르니까 gives a neutral possibility as a reason and is the normal choice before advice: 비가 올지도 모르니까 우산을 가져가세요.

How to build it

V/A+(으)ㄹ까 봐(서)

past worry: V/A+았/었을까 봐

늦다 → 늦을까 봐, 막히다 → 막힐까 봐, 잃어버리다 → 잃어버렸을까 봐

The main clause cannot be a command or suggestion (-(으)세요, -(으)ㅂ시다, -자). Use -(으)ㄹ지도 모르니까 or -지 않도록 instead.
The clause before -(으)ㄹ까 봐 is usually something you do not want to happen. With a desired outcome (합격할까 봐) it sounds like you fear success.
Do not add -겠- or -(으)ㄹ 것 before it; the future sense is already built in (비가 올까 봐, not 비가 오겠을까 봐). Use -았/었을까 봐 for worry about something that may already have happened.

Classic mistake

Wrong: ~~늦을까 봐 택시를 타세요.~~

Right: 늦을지도 모르니까 택시를 타세요.

-(으)ㄹ까 봐 cannot be followed by a command; to give advice based on a possible problem, use -(으)ㄹ지도 모르니까.

Practise -(으)ㄹ까 봐 on real TOPIK questions

Hannim plans each day up to your exam date: questions on this pattern, reviews, full mock papers and graded writing. 7 days free, no card.

Start 7-day free trial

More level 4 grammar

All TOPIK grammar