Unit 20: No Choice But To (-(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다)

To wrap up this batch of Easy Korean Level 5, let's learn how to express that something is the only option or unavoidable. We use -(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다.

Structure

Verb Stem + -(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다

• 수 (method/way/ability)
• 밖에 (outside of)
• 없다 (does not exist) Literally: "Outside of this method, none exist." -> "I have no choice but to do this."

Conjugation (Same as Future/Ability rules)

1. Vowel: -ㄹ 수밖에 없다 (하다 -> 할 수밖에 없어요)
2. Consonant: -을 수밖에 없다 (먹다 -> 먹을 수밖에 없어요)

Examples

• 막차가 끊겨서 택시를 탈 수밖에 없었어요. (The last train stopped, so I had no choice but to take a taxi.)
• 비가 와서 집에 있을 수밖에 없어요. (It's raining, so I have no other choice but to stay home.)
• 그 옷은 예뻐서 인기가 많을 수밖에 없어요. (Those clothes are pretty, so they are bound to be / have no choice but to be popular.)