Core Pattern Rule: -게 뻔해
This pattern expresses a strong, confident prediction that something will happen, almost always with a negative outcome. It translates to "It's obvious that..." or "It's clear that..."
Meaning & Usage
Meaning: You use -게 뻔해 when you are almost 100% certain about a future event, a current state, or a past action, based on previous experience or clear signs.
Nuance: It carries a cynical or resigned tone. You're not just guessing; you're stating an unwelcome but unavoidable truth.
Formation
The 게 is a contraction of 것이. The core is attaching a descriptive form of a verb/adjective to 뻔하다 (to be obvious).
Action Verbs & Adjectives (Future/Present State): Stem + -(으)ㄹ 게 뻔하다
늦다 (to be late) -> 늦을 게 뻔해
재미없다 (to be not fun) -> 재미없을 게 뻔해
Nouns: Noun + 일/인 게 뻔하다
거짓말 -> 거짓말일 게 뻔하다 or 거짓말인 게 뻔하다 (both are common)
작심삼일 -> 작심삼일일 게 뻔해
Past Tense: Verb Stem + -(으)었을 게 뻔하다
까먹다 (to forget) -> 까먹었을 게 뻔해
또 늦을 게 뻔해. / 재미없을 게 뻔해. / 까먹었을 게 뻔해. / 거짓말인 게 뻔해요.
Native Nuance & Mistakes
-게 뻔해 is more than just a grammatical structure; it's packed with emotional nuance. Using it correctly helps you sound more natural.
The Negative Expectation
Core Nuance: This pattern is almost exclusively for negative predictions. Using it for something positive sounds unnatural and sarcastic.
Correct: 안 올 게 뻔해. (It's obvious he won't come.)
Awkward/Sarcastic: 성공할 게 뻔해. (It's obvious it will succeed.)
Natural Alternative (Positive): For positive certainty, use expressions like 분명히 성공할 거예요 (It will definitely succeed) or 틀림없이 잘될 거예요 (It will surely go well).
"Seen it a million times" Vibe
Context: This phrase implies you've seen this situation before and know exactly how it will play out. It's often used with a sigh or a shake of the head.