-(ㄴ/는)다고: He/she/they said

안녕하세요, 여러분! Hello, everyone!

I am thrilled to guide you through our next lesson which will focus on a very important part of the Korean language: the “-(ㄴ/는)다고” structure.

Having studied Korean for many years, I can attest to how crucial understanding and mastering this structure is. It plays a vital role in everyday conversation and written language, allowing you to relay what someone else has said or thought, much like the English phrase “said that” or “thought that.”

The “-(ㄴ/는)다고” structure helps us report direct speech, express thoughts or feelings, or share hearsay information. Whether it’s talking about a conversation you had, expressing what you think about a certain matter, or sharing a rumor you’ve heard, this structure is invaluable.

In this lesson, we’ll go through the nuts and bolts of “-(ㄴ/는)다고,” including how to use it with action verbs, descriptive verbs, and in negative sentences. We’ll also work through plenty of examples and exercises to make sure you really get the hang of it.

Remember, learning a language is a journey. It’s okay to make mistakes—they are a part of the learning process. So don’t worry about getting it right from the get-go. Keep practicing, stay patient, and most importantly, enjoy the process. Let’s get started, shall we? 화이팅! (Fighting—a word of encouragement!)

Conjugation

ACTION VERB STEM + ㄴ/는다고 + VERB

1. Take a verb i.e. 가다
2. Drop “다” i.e. 가
3. Add appropriate ending based on the below rules (in this case it is 간다고)

• If the verb stem ends in a vowel, add -ㄴ다고
• If the verb stem ends in a consonant, add -는다고

• 먹다 –> 먹 + 는다고 –> 먹는다고 (eat)
• 보다 –> 보 + ㄴ다고 –> 본다고 (see)
• 하다 –> 하 + ㄴ다고 –> 한다고 (do)
• 듣다 –> 듣 + 는다고 –> 듣는다고 (hear)
• 웃다 –> 웃 + 는다고 –> 웃는다고 (laugh)
• 걷다 –> 걷 + 는다고 –> 걷는다고 (walk)

DESCRIPTIVE VERB STEM + 다고 + VERB

• 크다 –> 크다고 (big)
• 예쁘다 –> 예쁘다고 (pretty)
• 빠르다 –> 빠르다고 (fast)
• 어렵다 –> 어렵다고 (difficult)
• 쉽다 –> 쉽다고 (easy)
• 좋다 –> 좋다고 (good)
• 춥다 –> 춥다고 (cold)

Understanding the “-(ㄴ/는)다고” Structure

The “-(ㄴ/는)다고” structure in Korean plays a crucial role in sentences that report speech, much like “said that” or “heard that” in English. This structure allows you to convey what you or someone else has said, thought, or felt.

It’s important to note that the “-(ㄴ/는)다고” structure doesn’t indicate who the speaker of the reported speech is, nor does it represent the listener’s belief in the truth of the statement. It merely conveys that such a statement was made or such a thought was thought.

Here are some examples:

• 그는 배가 고프다고 했어요. – He said he was hungry.
• 곧 온다고 했어요. – He said he will come soon.

Remember, practice and context are key to mastering the “-(ㄴ/는)다고” structure. Don’t worry if you don’t grasp it immediately— with practice, it will become second nature!

Examples

• 여동생이 내일 콘서트에 간다고 했어요. – My younger sister said she is going to the concert tomorrow
• 소영이가 숙제를 다 했다고 했어요. – So-young said that she finished all her homework.
• 선생님이 시험은 다음 주에 있다고 했어요. – The teacher said that the exam is next week.
• 친구가 비가 온다고 말했어요. – My friend said it’s going to rain.
• 저는 이 집이 아름답다고 생각해요. – I think this house is beautiful.
• 밖에 너무 풉다고 했어요. – (Someone) said is cold outside.

What is the difference between ㄴ/는다고 and (으)라고

While both of these are similar there is a difference between these two grammar points.

(으)라고 is telling someone TO DO SOMETHING or someone told me to do something

ㄴ/는다고 is quoting someone. I.e. I said that, I think that, I heard that etc.

• 엄마가 나가라고 했어요. – My mom told me to go out.
• 엄마가 나간다고 했어요. – My mom said she is going out.

• 친구가 내일 오라고 했어요. – My friend told me to come tomorrow.
• 친구가 내일 온다고 했어요. – My friend said he will come tomorrow.

• 아빠가 이거 먹으라고 했어요. – My dad told me to eat this.
• 아빠가 이거 먹는다고 했어요. – My dad said he will eat this.

Can you see the difference? (으)라고 and ㄴ/는다고 are both “quoting” what someone has said but one is asking or saying to someone to do something and one is quoting what that person will do or is doing.

Negative sentences

Creating negative sentences with the “(ㄴ/는)다고” structure in Korean isn’t overly complex. The most natural way to create negative sentences using this structure is with the help of our friend “안”.

Let’s look at some examples:

• 저는 배고프다고. – I said I’m hungry.
• 저는 안 배고프다고 했어요. – I said I’m not hungry.

• 그녀는 피아노를 친다고 했어요. – She said she plays the piano.
• 그녀는 피아노를 안 친다고 말했어요. – She said she doesn’t play the piano.

• 우리는 학교에 간다고 했어요. We said we go to school.
• 우리는 학교에 안 간다고 했어요. – We said we don’t go to school.

Activity 1

Translate the following sentences into Korean.

1. She said she is not eating meat.
2. He said he doesn’t have money.
3. I said I am not going to the party.
4. They said they don’t understand the lesson.
5. We said we are not playing football today.

Activity 2

Fill in the blanks.

1. 친구가 그 영화가 ___________________. – My friend said that movie is not interesting.
2. 지민이 그림을 잘 ___________________. – I think Ji-min draws well.
3. 그들이 집이 너무 ___________________. – They felt the house was too big.
4. 저는 내일 회사에 ___________________. – I said I am not going to the office tomorrow.
5. 저는 한국어를 ______________________. – I said I learn Korean.

Activity 1 Answers

1. She said she is not eating meat. – 그녀는 고기를 안 먹는다고 했어요.
2. He said he doesn’t have money. – 그는 돈이 없다고 했어요.
3. I said I am not going to the party. – 저는 파티를 안 간다고 했어요.
4. They said they don’t understand the lesson. – 그들은 강의를 이해 안 한다고 했어요.
5. We said we are not playing football today. – 우리는 오늘 축구를 안 한다고 했어요.

Activity 2 Answers

1. 친구가 그 영화가 재미없다고 했어요. – My friend said that movie is not interesting.
2. 지민이 그림을 잘 그린다고 생각해요. – I think Ji-min draws well.
3. 그들이 집이 너무 크다고 느꼈어요. – They felt the house was too big.
4. 저는 내일 회사에 안 간다고 했어요. – I said I am not going to the office tomorrow.
5. 저는 한국어를 배운다고 했어요. – I said I learn Korean.

That brings us to the end of our comprehensive lesson on the “-(ㄴ/는)다고” structure in Korean. I hope that this has been helpful in not only understanding the concept, but also in seeing how it’s applied in real-world conversations.

Language learning is a journey, and it’s important to remember that every step, no matter how small, is progress. So, don’t worry if you don’t master this structure immediately. With continuous practice, it will become second nature.

Now, I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below with your own sentences using the “-(ㄴ/는)다고” structure. This is a great way to practice, and it also allows you to learn from each other.

Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions or need further clarification. Remember, there are no silly questions when it comes to language learning and we will always be updating our content to make sure it’s as useful as possible.

Thank you for joining me in today’s lesson. Keep practicing and I look forward to seeing your progress! 화이팅!