지/죠: Right?

In the vast landscape of the Korean language, mastering sentence endings is crucial for effective communication and expressing nuances. Among the myriad of sentence endings, 죠 (polite ending) and its informal form, 지 , stand out as powerful tools that add assertion, confirmation, or invitation to conversations. In this blog post, we will delve into the fascinating world of 죠/지, unravelling their meanings, applications, and cultural implications. By understanding the versatility of 죠/지, you will gain the skills to enhance your Korean language proficiency and navigate social interactions with finesse.

Whether you’re a beginner eager to grasp the fundamentals of sentence endings or an intermediate learner looking to refine your linguistic flair, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and practical examples to incorporate 죠/지 into your Korean conversations with confidence. Let’s unlock the potential of 죠/지 and explore how these sentence endings can elevate your language skills and deepen your understanding of Korean culture.

죠 is a shortened form of 지요 and therefore 죠 is the 존댓말 ending and 지 is 반말. No one uses -지요 anymore, it sounds very old fashioned and so all you need to know is that 죠 derived from 지요.

Conjugation

1. Take a verb i.e. 가다
2. Drop “다” i.e. 가
3. Add -죠

• 먹다 –> 먹 + 죠 –> 먹죠
• 오다 –> 오 + 죠 –> 오죠
• 보다 –> 보 + 죠 –> 보죠
• 하다 –> 하 + 죠 –> 하죠

Meaning

The meaning of -죠 in Korean is rooted in seeking agreement, confirmation, or validation. They function as sentence endings that invite a response or affirmation from the listener. By using 죠/-지요, speakers express their expectation of agreement or seek validation for the statement they have made.

When 죠 or -지요 is added to a statement, it transforms the sentence into a tag question. It prompts the listener to confirm or agree with the statement that has been made. For example:

1. “오늘은 날씨가 좋죠?” – The weather is nice today, isn’t it?
2. “오늘 회의는 2시에 있을 거죠?” – The meeting is scheduled for 2 o’clock today, isn’t it?

In these examples, the speaker is seeking confirmation or agreement from the listener. The use of 죠 signals that the speaker expects the listener to respond positively or validate the statement.

Furthermore, 죠 can also convey a sense of emphasis or assertion. It adds conviction or certainty to the statement being made. For instance:

1. “이 책은 정말 좋죠!” – This book is really good!
2. “여기에서 오른쪽으로 가면 맞죠?” – If you go right here, isn’t it?

In these examples, the speaker is expressing a strong belief or emphasizing the positive quality of something. The use of 죠 strengthens the statement and invites the listener to acknowledge the speaker’s conviction.

Additionally, 죠 carries politeness and respectfulness in Korean conversations. It shows consideration for the listener’s opinions and invites them to actively participate in the conversation. Using 죠 demonstrates a willingness to engage in a mutual exchange of ideas.

Examples

Let’s look at some examples.

• 오늘 돌아가요? – Are you returning today?
• 오늘 돌아가죠? – You are returning today, isn’t it?

The first sentence is just a standard question. The speaker is not sure and there is no other meaning behind it apart from the question itself.

However, the second sentence implies that the speaker is quite sure the other person is returning today, and they just want the confirmation from the other person.

• 여기 지하철 가까워요? – Is the subway close from here?
• 여기 지하철 가깝죠? – The subway is close from here right?

The first sentence is just a question asking whether the subway is close from here. The speaker doesn’t have an idea of whether that is true or not. However, the second sentence implies that the speaker is more sure that the subway is close from here but seeks a confirmation from the other person.

• 이 책이 재미있어요? – Is this book interesting?
• 이 책이 재미있죠? – This book is interesting, right?

The first sentence is just a question asking whether the book is interesting. The speaker has probably not read the book and is asking for an opinion. However, the second sentence implies that the speaker has read the book and wants the other person to confirm this fact as well.

• 떡볶이 맛있어요? – Is ddeokboki delicious?
• 떡볶이 맛있죠? – Ddeokboki is delicious, isn’t it?

Again, the first sentence implies that the speaker hasn’t tried ddeokboki and is curious whether it is delicious. However, in the second sentence, the speaker has tried the dish and is looking for the other person to confirm the fact that ddeokboki is delicious.

It is also very common to reply using this form.

1. 저녁 먹었어요?
2. 먹었죠

In this example, the speaker is asking a question whether the other person ate dinner and the other person answers, “Of course I ate”. So it also works as an answer to a question. It implies something obvious, for example this question was asked around 10 o’clock at night so it’s very likely that a person would have ate dinner by now.

• 여보, 저녁 맛있었어?
• 맛있었지!

In this example, a wife is asking his husband if the dinner was delicious and he replies “It was delicious!”. It has a slight nuance of “Of course it was!!”.

Recap

You can use the 죠/지 form:

• When there is shared knowledge or common understanding between the speaker and the listener, and the speaker is restating a known fact.

• When there is mutual awareness or agreement about a particular topic, and the speaker is restating the fact again.

• When both individuals have knowledge about a certain matter and the speaker seeks reassurance or confirmation by posing a question.

Past tense

• 어제 거기 갔죠? – You went there yesterday, didn’t you.
• 그 영화 봤죠? – You saw that movie, didn’t you

Future tense

• 다음주 일 하죠? – You working next week, right?
• 이 약속 기억할 거죠? – You will remember this promise, right?

Other grammar forms

• 한국 가고 싶죠? – You want to go to Korea, right?
• 이렇게 하면 되죠? – It’s ok to do it this way, right?
• 지금 가고 있죠? – You are on your way now, right?
• 요리 할 수 있죠? – You can cook, right?

Activity 1

Fill in the blanks

1. 그 소식을 아직 못 ________? – You haven’t heard the news yet, haven’t you?
2. 너무 _________? – You were very bored, isn’t it?
3. 핸드폰 _______? – You have a phone, don’t you?
4. 지금 서울에 ________? – You live in Seoul now, don’t you?
5. 한국어를 _______? – You will learn Korean, won’t you?

Activity 2

Translate these to Korean.

1. You are going to sleep now, aren’t you?
2. You finished eating, haven’t you?
3. You will call every week, won’t you?

Activity 1 Answers

1. 그 소식을 아직 못 들었죠? – You haven’t heard the news yet, haven’t you?
2. 너무 심심했죠? – You were very bored, isn’t it?
3. 핸드폰 있죠? – You have a phone, don’t you?
4. 지금 서울에 살죠? – You live in Seoul now, don’t you?
5. 한국어를 배울 거죠? – You will learn Korean, won’t you?

Activity 2 Answers

1. 이제 잘 거죠?
2. 다 먹었죠?
3. 매주 전화할 거죠?