LEARN + KOREAN / 79 of 125 TOPIK II

They Say, It Seems -다고 하다

Your friend is getting married, and another classmate has stopped coming to class. One piece of news came from somebody’s words; the other is your inference. Korean gives each a different frame.

Pass On a Statement

Present action verbs take -ㄴ다고 after a vowel and -는다고 after a consonant: 간다고, 먹는다고. ㄹ drops before ㄴ: 살다 → 산다고. Adjectives take -다고: 바쁘다고. Nouns take -(이)라고: 학생이라고. Past statements use -았/었다고 and future plans can use -(으)ㄹ 거라고.

minsuga daeum dare gyeolhonhandago haeyo.

Minsu says he is getting married next month.

jisuneun oneul bappeudago haesseoyo.

Jisu said she was busy today.

Infer From What You See or Hear

Use -나 보다 with action verbs and 있다/없다, -(으)ㄴ가 보다 with adjectives, and -인가 보다 with nouns. Past situations use -았/었나 보다. The observation gives you a reason to infer something, without making it certain.

buri kkeojyeo isseoyo. modu toegeunhaenna bwayo.

The lights are off. It looks like everyone has gone home.

yojeum iri maneunga bwayo.

It seems they have a lot of work these days.

Hint · 힌트

Keep the source clear. 결혼한다고 해요 reports a statement; 결혼하나 봐요 offers an inference. Do not use -나 봐요 as the ordinary way to announce your own deliberate plan.

Vocabulary

Korean	English
결혼하다 gyeolhonhada	to get married
소식 sosik	news
불 bul	light
꺼지다 kkeojida	to go out or be switched off
모두 modu	everyone
퇴근하다 toegeunhada	to leave work
이야기 iyagi	story or conversation
말 mal	words or speech
전하다 jeonhada	to convey
전달하다 jeondalhada	to pass on
듣다 deutda	to hear
물어보다 mureoboda	to ask
질문하다 jilmunhada	to ask a question
대답하다 daedaphada	to answer
확인하다 hwaginhada	to confirm
연락하다 yeollakhada	to contact
전화하다 jeonhwahada	to call
메시지 mesiji	message
이메일 imeil	email
기억하다 gieokhada	to remember

YOUR PROGRESS

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