目錄
Korean “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” expresses the judgment that, based on common sense, someone’s personality, or known circumstances, something “could not possibly be the case.” For example, “그 사람이 약속을 잊을 리가 없어요” does not mean that the person lacks the ability to forget. It means that, based on what the speaker knows about them, forgetting the appointment would not make sense.
“-(으)ㄹ 리 만무하다” also denies possibility, but with greater force. It appears more often in commentary, reports, or relatively formal statements. Both patterns can be translated as “cannot possibly” or “there is no way,” but the main difference lies in register and degree of certainty: “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” is very common in everyday conversation, while “-(으)ㄹ 리 만무하다” sounds more like a definite conclusion reached after considering the circumstances.
What Does Korean “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” Mean? How Does Its Tone Differ from “리(가) 만무하다”?
In Korean, “리” is a bound noun that carries the sense of “reason,” “logic,” or “grounds” in this construction. Literally, “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” is close to “there is no reason it would be so,” but in actual usage it is commonly translated as “it can’t be…,” “there’s no way…,” or “it wouldn’t make sense for….”
The impossibility expressed here is not about lacking the ability to do something. Instead, the speaker believes that a certain assumption does not match the facts they currently know. For example, “민지 씨가 거짓말할 리가 없어요” means that, based on what the speaker knows about Minji, she does not seem like someone who would lie. What is being rejected is the assumption that “she lied.”
“-(으)ㄹ 리 만무하다” combines “리” with “만무하다,” which means that there is absolutely no possibility. This gives the sentence a stronger sense of categorical denial, making it more common in news commentary, business analysis, or formal written contexts than in casual conversation.
- Example: 그가 약속을 잊을 리가 없어요.
Romanization: geu-ga yak-sok-eul i-jeul ri-ga eop-seo-yo.
Translation: There’s no way he would forget the appointment.
The speaker is rejecting the assumption that he forgot based on his usual reliability, not discussing his memory ability. - Example: 그런 실수가 다시 일어날 리 만무합니다.
Romanization: geu-reon sil-su-ga da-si i-reo-nal ri man-mu-ham-ni-da.
Translation: There is absolutely no possibility that such a mistake will happen again.
“리 만무합니다” makes the denial more formal and gives the impression of a conclusion reached after reviewing the situation. - Example: 이 소문이 사실일 리가 없어요.
Romanization: i so-mun-i sa-sil-il ri-ga eop-seo-yo.
Translation: There’s no way this rumor is true.
The noun “사실” combines with the adnominal form of “이다,” “일,” producing “사실일 리가 없다.”
How Do You Conjugate Korean “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다”? Verbs, Adjectives, and Nouns
Both “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” and “-(으)ㄹ 리 만무하다” first attach “-(으)ㄹ” to the preceding verb or adjective, followed by the bound noun “리.” Nouns use “이다,” producing “일 리가 없다.”
Stems without a final consonant take “-ㄹ,” while stems with a final consonant take “-을.” If the stem already ends in ㄹ, another ㄹ is not added. For example, “알다” becomes “알 리가 없다.”
| Preceding Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| No final consonant | Stem＋ㄹ 리가 없다 | 가다 → 갈 리가 없다 |
| Final consonant | Stem＋을 리가 없다 | 먹다 → 먹을 리가 없다 |
| Stem ending in ㄹ | Stem＋리(가) 없다 | 알다 → 알 리가 없다 |
| Adjective | -(으)ㄹ 리가 없다 | 비싸다 → 비쌀 리가 없다 |
| Noun＋이다 | Noun＋일 리가 없다 | 사실이다 → 사실일 리가 없다 |
| Past event | -았/었을 리가 없다 | 잊었다 → 잊었을 리가 없다 |
Because “리” is a bound noun, there must be a space between the preceding adnominal form and “리.” “그럴 리가 없다” and “잊을 리가 없다” are the correct spellings.
The particle “가” can also be retained or omitted, so both “그럴 리가 없다” and “그럴 리 없다” are possible. Both forms appear in everyday speech and writing.
How Does Tense Work with “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다”? Present, Future, and “-았/었을 리가 없다”
“-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” does not necessarily refer only to the future. In this construction, “-(으)ㄹ” primarily builds the content being evaluated as a possibility, while the actual time reference depends on context.
To reject the possibility of an already completed event, Korean usually adds “-았/었-,” producing “-았/었을 리가 없다.”
- Example: 민수 씨가 그런 말을 할 리가 없어요.
Romanization: min-su ssi-ga geu-reon ma-reul hal ri-ga eop-seo-yo.
Translation: There’s no way Minsu would say something like that.
This does not necessarily refer to one completed event. It can express a general judgment or reject a current assumption. - Example: 민수 씨가 그런 말을 했을 리가 없어요.
Romanization: min-su ssi-ga geu-reon ma-reul hae-sseul ri-ga eop-seo-yo.
Translation: There’s no way Minsu said something like that.
“했을” shifts the focus to an event that has already happened and rejects the assumption that he said it. - Example: 내일 갑자기 취소할 리가 없어요.
Romanization: nae-il gap-ja-gi chwi-so-hal ri-ga eop-seo-yo.
Translation: There’s no way it will suddenly be canceled tomorrow.
“내일” places the event in the future, so the sentence rejects a possibility that has not yet occurred.
Uses and Examples of Korean “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다”: Judging People, Past Events, and Strong Denial
Both patterns deny the possibility that something is true, but the speaker may base that judgment on a person’s habits, known facts, or the overall circumstances. “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” has a broader range of use, while “-(으)ㄹ 리 만무하다” usually requires a clearer basis for such a strong conclusion.
Use ① of “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다”｜Judging Something as Impossible Based on Personality, Habits, or Relationships
“-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” appears very often between people who know someone well. The speaker already has a certain understanding of that person, so when they hear something that does not match the person’s usual behavior, they can use this pattern to express strong disbelief.
Because the expression contains a clear subjective judgment, the surrounding context should ideally make the basis of the judgment visible. If the speaker knows nothing about the situation but immediately says “리가 없다,” the tone can sound overly categorical.
- Example: 수진 씨가 남의 비밀을 말할 리가 없어요.
Romanization: su-jin ssi-ga nam-ui bi-mi-reul mal-hal ri-ga eop-seo-yo.
Translation: There’s no way Sujin would reveal someone else’s secret.
The speaker knows Sujin’s personality and believes that revealing a secret would be inconsistent with her usual behavior. - Example: 아버지가 중요한 약속을 잊을 리가 없어요.
Romanization: a-beo-ji-ga jung-yo-han yak-sok-eul i-jeul ri-ga eop-seo-yo.
Translation: There’s no way my father would forget an important appointment.
The judgment comes from long-term experience with him, not from an assessment of whether his memory is good or bad. - Example: 그 사람이 이유도 없이 늦을 리가 없잖아요.
Romanization: geu sa-ram-i i-yu-do eop-si neu-jeul ri-ga eop-ja-na-yo.
Translation: There’s no way that person would be late for no reason.
“-잖아요” brings in background knowledge that both sides are expected to share, implying that the person does not normally arrive late without a reason.
Use ② of “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다”｜Rejecting a Past Event or Rumor
When the event being questioned has already happened, Korean generally uses “-았/었을 리가 없다.” This form is common when clearing up misunderstandings, investigating an incident, locating lost belongings, or rejecting rumors.
The main difference from the basic form is time. “할 리가 없다” rejects the idea that someone “would do” something, while “했을 리가 없다” rejects the idea that someone “already did” it.
- Example: 지갑을 집에 두고 왔을 리가 없어요.
Romanization: ji-ga-beul ji-be du-go wa-sseul ri-ga eop-seo-yo.
Translation: There’s no way I left my wallet at home.
“두고 왔을” points to an action that would already have happened before leaving home, while the speaker is trying to determine where the wallet may have been lost. - Example: 그가 내 메시지를 못 봤을 리가 없어요.
Romanization: geu-ga nae me-si-ji-reul mot bwa-sseul ri-ga eop-seo-yo.
Translation: There’s no way he didn’t see my message.
Some time has already passed since the message was sent, so the sentence rejects the past assumption that he failed to see it. - Example: 아무 말도 없이 계획을 바꿨을 리가 없어요.
Romanization: a-mu mal-do eop-si gye-hoe-geul ba-kkwo-sseul ri-ga eop-seo-yo.
Translation: There’s no way they changed the plan without saying anything.
“바꿨을 리가 없다” rejects the possibility of an already completed change.
Use ③ of “-(으)ㄹ 리 만무하다”｜Formally Declaring That Something Has No Possibility of Happening
“-(으)ㄹ 리 만무하다” means that there is absolutely no possibility of something happening. Its tone is heavier than “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다,” and it appears more often in written analysis, reports, commentary, and serious statements.
Because “만무하다” itself means “there is absolutely no possibility,” this expression is not well suited to a casual guess. It sounds more natural when the preceding context already provides concrete conditions, such as insufficient information, inadequate time, or a lack of institutional support.
- Example: 이 정도의 정보만으로 정확한 결론을 내릴 리 만무하다.
Romanization: i jeong-do-ui jeong-bo-man-eu-ro jeong-hwa-kan gyeol-lo-neul nae-ril ri man-mu-ha-da.
Translation: With only this amount of information, there is absolutely no way to reach an accurate conclusion.
Insufficient information provides a clear basis for the strong denial. - Example: 단기간에 모든 문제가 해결될 리 만무합니다.
Romanization: dan-gi-ga-ne mo-deun mun-je-ga hae-gyeol-doel ri man-mu-ham-ni-da.
Translation: There is absolutely no possibility that every problem will be solved in the short term.
The formal ending “-습니다” combines naturally with “리 만무하다” in meetings, analysis, or commentary. - Example: 준비도 없이 좋은 결과가 나올 리 만무하다.
Romanization: jun-bi-do eop-si jo-eun gyeol-gwa-ga na-ol ri man-mu-ha-da.
Translation: Without any preparation, there is absolutely no way to get a good result.
The first part directly provides the condition “without preparation,” supporting the strong conclusion in the second.
Difference Between Korean “리가 없다,” “리(가) 만무하다,” and “수 없다”: Implausibility, Strong Denial, and Inability
“-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” and “-(으)ㄹ 리 만무하다” answer the question “Is it possible that this is true?” “-(으)ㄹ 수 없다,” on the other hand, mainly answers “Is this action actually possible to do?”
For example, “갈 리가 없다” means that, based on what is known, the person would not go. “갈 수 없다” means that the person cannot go because of time, physical condition, or some other practical limitation. Both might be translated as “can’t go” or “there’s no way they’ll go,” but Korean focuses on different questions.
| Point of Comparison | “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” | “-(으)ㄹ 리 만무하다” | “-(으)ㄹ 수 없다” |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic meaning | There’s no way… | There is absolutely no possibility… | Cannot／be unable to… |
| What is judged | Whether an assumption is reasonable | Whether there is any possibility at all | Whether an action can actually be performed |
| Common basis | Common sense, personality, known information | Data, conditions, analysis | Ability, time, environment |
| Register | Common in speech and writing | More formal and written | Common in speech and writing |
| Strength | Strong denial | Even stronger conclusion | Neutral description of limitation |
| Common translation | There’s no way, impossible | Absolutely impossible, no possibility | Cannot, be unable to |
Difference Between “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” and “-(으)ㄹ 수 없다”｜Implausible vs. Impossible to Do
Both patterns may be translated as “cannot” or “impossible,” but “리” and “수” are asking different questions. “리” concerns whether something makes sense as an assumption, while “수” concerns ability or real-world conditions.
✅ 민호 씨가 안 올 리가 없어요.
There’s no way Minho won’t come.
Based on what the speaker knows about Minho, not coming would be inconsistent with his usual behavior.
✅ 민호 씨는 오늘 올 수 없어요.
Minho can’t come today.
This means that time, work, or some other practical limitation prevents Minho from attending.
If the real reason is “he can’t go because he has to work overtime,” use “갈 수 없다.” If the meaning is “given his personality, how could he possibly not go?” use “안 갈 리가 없다.”
Difference Between “리가 없다” and “리(가) 만무하다”｜Everyday Judgment vs. Strong Formal Conclusion
The two forms are close in basic meaning, and many sentences could theoretically use either, but their register differs. “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” sounds completely natural in everyday conversation, while “-(으)ㄹ 리 만무하다” noticeably raises the level of formality.
✅ 언니가 내 생일을 잊을 리가 없어요.
There’s no way my older sister would forget my birthday.
“리가 없다” sounds natural for an everyday judgment between family members.
✅ 그 대책만으로 비용이 줄어들 리 만무하다.
There is absolutely no way costs will decrease through that measure alone.
The sentence sounds like an evaluation of a policy or proposal, so the written tone of “리 만무하다” fits the context.
Difference Between “그럴 리가 없다” and “그럴 수 없다”｜Why Does the First Sound More Like “There’s No Way”?
“그럴 리가 없다” literally means that there is no logical reason for things to be that way, so it is commonly used to directly reject something the speaker has just heard.
A：민지 씨가 일부러 그랬대요.
I heard Minji did it on purpose.
B：그럴 리가 없어요.
There’s no way.／That can’t be true.
If this is changed to “그럴 수 없어요,” the nuance more easily becomes “doing that is impossible” or “it is not possible to act that way,” shifting the focus to practical feasibility rather than strong disbelief about whether the information is true.
Can “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” Mean “Definitely”? Understanding the Double Negative “안 올 리가 없다”
It can indirectly produce a meaning close to “definitely,” especially when a negative expression is itself placed inside the construction.
For example:
안 올 리가 없어요.
There’s no way they won’t come.
The two negatives together produce a meaning close to “they will definitely come.” However, the nuance remains “given the circumstances, not coming would make no sense,” which differs from the direct positive statement “꼭 올 거예요.”
How Is Korean “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” Used in Everyday Conversation? Three Practical Situations
In everyday conversation, “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” frequently appears when someone does not believe a report, defends someone they know, checks where something was lost, or tries to infer a cause. The pattern itself already expresses considerable confidence, so when discussing something important, it is often better to state the reason for the judgment as well.
“-(으)ㄹ 리 만무하다,” meanwhile, is better suited to formal discussion. In a workplace setting, if insufficient manpower, time, or data has already been explained, “리 만무하다” can naturally be used to state the resulting conclusion. In casual conversation between friends, such a heavy expression is usually unnecessary.
Scenario ①｜Not Believing That a Friend Forgot an Appointment
A：지수 씨가 오늘 약속을 잊은 것 같아요.
ji-su ssi-ga o-neul yak-so-geul i-jeu-eun geot ga-ta-yo.
It looks like Jisu forgot today’s appointment.
B：그럴 리가 없어요. 어제도 시간을 다시 확인했어요.
geu-reol ri-ga eop-seo-yo. eo-je-do si-ga-neul da-si hwa-gin-hae-sseo-yo.
There’s no way. She checked the time again yesterday.
📌 Grammar Point: “그럴 리가 없다” does not simply express surprise. The following sentence, “she checked the time yesterday,” provides the basis for rejecting the assumption.
Scenario ②｜Checking Whether a Phone Was Left at a Café
A：휴대폰을 카페에 두고 왔나 봐요.
hyu-dae-po-neul ka-pe-e du-go wat-na bwa-yo.
I think I left my phone at the café.
B：그럴 리가 없어요. 나올 때 손에 들고 있었어요.
geu-reol ri-ga eop-seo-yo. na-ol ttae so-ne deul-go i-sseo-sseo-yo.
That can’t be right. You were holding it when we left.
📌 Grammar Point: The speaker remembers that the phone was still in hand when leaving the café, so they conclude that “leaving it at the café” cannot be true.
Scenario ③｜Judging in a Work Meeting That a Schedule Cannot Be Completed
A：이 자료로 오늘 안에 최종 보고서를 완성할 수 있을까요?
i ja-ryo-ro o-neul a-ne choe-jong bo-go-seo-reul wan-seong-hal su i-sseul-kka-yo.
Can we complete the final report today with these materials?
B：핵심 자료가 아직 없으니 오늘 안에 끝낼 리 만무합니다.
haek-sim ja-ryo-ga a-jik eop-seu-ni o-neul a-ne kkeut-nael ri man-mu-ham-ni-da.
The key materials are still missing, so there is absolutely no way we can finish it today.
📌 Grammar Point: “리 만무합니다” is preceded by the concrete condition that essential materials are missing, so the strong denial is not an emotional reaction but a workplace judgment.
Cultural Notes:
- “그럴 리가 없어요” already expresses a fairly strong degree of certainty. If the other person is sharing important information that has not yet been verified, using only this sentence can sound as though the speaker has rejected the claim before checking. Adding “한번 확인해 볼게요” or explaining the reason for the judgment can make the exchange more complete.
- Although “-(으)ㄹ 리 만무하다” can grammatically appear in speech, it is much less common in everyday conversation than “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다.” It is more likely to appear in commentary, analysis, or situations requiring a definite conclusion.
- “리” is a bound noun, so spacing matters. “그럴 리가 없다” and “할 리가 없다” are the standard spellings. Writing “그럴리가 없다” without a space is a common spacing mistake in Korean.
How Does Korean “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” Compare with Japanese “〜はずがない” and “〜わけがない”?
Korean “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” and Japanese “〜はずがない” can both reject the possibility of something being true based on common sense, known information, or reasonable inference. In both languages, the focus is not on lack of ability, but on the idea that “logically, this should not be the case.”
Japanese “〜わけがない” can likewise express strong denial and often sounds more direct than “〜はずがない.” When translating Korean “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” into Japanese, either form may be possible depending on how categorical the surrounding context is.
As for “-(으)ㄹ 리 만무하다,” Japanese does not have one fixed expression that matches both its meaning and register perfectly. Depending on the context, formal writing may use “〜はずがない,” “〜わけがない,” “〜可能性はない,” or another natural expression.
◆ Similar Grammar ①: Japanese “〜はずがない”
“〜はずがない” means that, based on the information currently available or on reasonable inference, something should not be possible. This makes it very close to Korean “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다.”
- Example: 彼が約束を忘れるはずがありません。
Kana: かれがやくそくをわすれるはずがありません。
Translation: There’s no way he would forget the appointment.
The speaker rejects the possibility based on the person’s usual behavior, closely matching “그가 약속을 잊을 리가 없어요.” - Example: 昨日確認したのだから、時間を間違えたはずがありません。
Kana: きのうかくにんしたのだから、じかんをまちがえたはずがありません。
Translation: We checked yesterday, so there’s no way the time was wrong.
The first clause provides clear evidence, and the second rejects the possibility of a past event on that basis. - Example: この情報だけで正確な結論が出せるはずがありません。
Kana: このじょうほうだけでせいかくなけつろんがだせるはずがありません。
Translation: There’s no way an accurate conclusion can be reached from this information alone.
Insufficient information provides the basis for the judgment, making the situation similar to formal Korean contexts using “리 만무하다.”
◆ Similar Grammar ②: Japanese “〜わけがない”
“〜わけがない” also expresses the idea that “there is no reason or logic for that to be true.” Its tone is often more direct, making it particularly close in some situations to the strong denial of Korean “리가 없다.”
- Example: あの人がそんなことをするわけがない。
Kana: あのひとがそんなことをするわけがない。
Translation: There’s no way that person would do something like that.
Based on what the speaker knows about the person, they directly reject the possibility. - Example: 一日で全部終わるわけがありません。
Kana: いちにちでぜんぶおわるわけがありません。
Translation: There’s no way everything can be finished in one day.
The amount of work clearly does not fit the condition of having only one day, producing a strong negative judgment. - Example: 彼女が何も知らないわけがない。
Kana: かのじょがなにもしらないわけがない。
Translation: There’s no way she knows nothing about it.
The sentence rejects the idea that she is completely unaware based on the background information currently available.
◆ Core Difference from Korean “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다”:
“-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다,” “〜はずがない,” and “〜わけがない” all use existing information to reach a conclusion of impossibility, but Korean and Japanese do not need to be forced into one-to-one equivalence. Korean “리 만무하다,” in particular, has a noticeably stronger formal and categorical tone, so Japanese should choose the most natural negative inference expression according to the register of the whole passage.
The real distinction learners need to make with Korean “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” is not whether the English translation should be “cannot” or “impossible,” but what exactly the speaker is rejecting. “갈 수 없다” means that practical conditions make going impossible. “갈 리가 없다” means that, based on the person, common sense, or known information, the assumption that they would go does not make sense.
“-(으)ㄹ 리 만무하다” follows the same line of reasoning but raises the degree of certainty and formality. When reading, first identify what evidence the preceding context provides, then check whether the ending uses “없다” or “만무하다.” That usually makes it clear whether the sentence is expressing an everyday “there’s no way” or a more formal conclusion that “this possibility essentially does not exist.”
FAQ
“-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” means that, based on common sense, someone’s personality, or known information, the speaker judges that something cannot possibly be true. It is often translated as “there’s no way…” or “how could…?” It rejects the plausibility of an assumption rather than expressing an inability to perform an action.
“-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” means “logically, there’s no way,” while “-(으)ㄹ 수 없다” means “cannot because of ability or practical conditions.” For example, “갈 리가 없다” means the speaker believes someone would not go, while “갈 수 없다” means the person cannot go because of time, physical condition, or another limitation.
Yes. To reject the possibility of a completed event, Korean generally uses “-았/었을 리가 없다.” For example, “그가 그런 말을 했을 리가 없어요” means “There’s no way he said something like that,” focusing on whether an already completed event could really have happened.
Both strongly deny possibility, but “-(으)ㄹ 리가 없다” is very common in both everyday speech and writing, while “-(으)ㄹ 리 만무하다” is stronger, more formal, and more written in tone. The latter is often used when concrete conditions or analytical evidence support the conclusion that something is virtually impossible.
The correct spelling is “그럴 리가 없다.” “리” is a bound noun, so it must be separated from the preceding “그럴.” The same spacing rule applies to “할 리가 없다” and “잊을 리가 없다.” The particle “가” may be omitted, so “그럴 리 없다” is also acceptable.