Do you plan to?

This pattern is used to ask about someone's intention or plan, but it's not a neutral question. It often carries a tone of surprise, disbelief, or even accusation.

Meaning & Usage

Meaning: 셈 means 'calculation' or 'intention'. So, -(으)ㄹ 셈이야? literally asks, "Is it your intention to...?"

When to use: Use it when you see someone about to do something and you want to challenge their action. It implies, "Are you really going to do that?" or "You can't be serious."

Formation

It attaches to a verb stem.

Vowel or ㄹ ending stem + -ㄹ 셈이야?

가다 (to go) → 갈 셈이야?

만들다 (to make) → 만들 셈이야?

Consonant ending stem + -을 셈이야?

먹다 (to eat) → 먹을 셈이야?

찾다 (to find) → 찾을 셈이야?

다 먹을 셈이야? / 안 갈 셈이야? / 포기할 셈이야? / 혼자 할 셈이야?

It's crucial to understand that -(으)ㄹ 셈이야? is not a neutral way to ask about future plans. Using it incorrectly can make you sound rude or accusatory.

Contrast with Neutral Questions

To ask about plans neutrally, use -(으)ㄹ 거예요? or -(으)ㄹ 계획이에요?

벌써 퇴근할 거예요? (Are you leaving work already?) → Simple curiosity.

벌써 퇴근할 셈이에요? (Do you intend to leave work already?) → Implies surprise or disapproval, as if they shouldn't be leaving yet.

When to use -(으)ㄹ 셈이야?

Use it when an action seems unreasonable or problematic to you.

계속 모른 척할 셈이야? (Do you intend to keep playing dumb?) → You're accusing them of pretending not to know.

그냥 보고만 있을 셈이야? (Do you intend to just stand there and watch?) → You're urging them to help or take action.

벌써 퇴근할 셈이야? / 계속 모른 척할 셈이야? / 그냥 보고만 있을 셈이야? / 평생 숨길 셈이야?

Because -(으)ㄹ 셈이야? is a challenging question, responses are often defensive or, conversely, defiant.

Denying or Explaining

A common response is to deny the implied intention and provide an explanation.

Q: 다 먹을 셈이야? (Are you planning to eat it all?)

A: 아니, 너 주려고 남겨 놨어. (No, I saved some for you.)

Confirming (Defiantly)

You can also confirm the intention, sometimes with a tone that says, "Yes, and what about it?"

Q: 이렇게 떠날 셈이야? (You plan to leave like this?)

A: 응, 그럴 셈이야. 왜? (Yeah, that's the plan. Why?)

Answering with a Question

Sometimes, the best response is another challenging question.

Q: 내 거 뺏을 셈이야? (Are you planning to take mine?)

A: 그럼 넌 나랑 나눌 셈 아니었어? (Well, weren't you planning to share with me?)

응, 혼자 할 셈이야. / 아니, 포기할 셈 아니야. / 왜? 싸울 셈이야?

This pattern has distinct casual and polite forms, both of which are used frequently in the script lines.

Casual (반말): -(으)ㄹ 셈이야?

This is the form you use with close friends, siblings, or people younger than you. Given the challenging nature of the question, it can sound quite blunt.

Polite (해요체): -(으)ㄹ 셈이에요?

This is the standard polite form. While the -요 makes it grammatically polite, the underlying nuance of questioning someone's judgment remains. It's a very direct way to ask about intentions and can still sound confrontational depending on your tone and the situation.

언제까지 잘 셈이야? / 언제까지 잘 셈이에요? / 나를 속일 셈이야? / 저를 속일 셈이에요? / 제 거 뺏을 셈이에요?