냐고/으냐고 묻다 (reported question) - Ask Whether/If
Use `냐고 묻다` to smoothly report someone else's questions without using direct quotation marks.
The Rule in 30 Seconds
- Use to report questions: 'He asked if/whether...'
- Verbs/Past tense use -냐고, Adjectives use -(으)냐고.
- Nouns use -(이)냐고 for 'asked if it is...'
- Commonly ends with verbs like 묻다, 하다, or 질문하다.
Quick Reference
| Category | Grammar Form | Example Word | Reported Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action Verb | -냐고 | 가다 | 가냐고 묻다 |
| Adjective (Patchim) | -으냐고 | 작다 | 작으냐고 묻다 |
| Adjective (No Patchim) | -냐고 | 바쁘다 | 바쁘냐고 묻다 |
| Noun (Patchim) | -이냐고 | 선생님 | 선생님이냐고 묻다 |
| Noun (No Patchim) | -냐고 | 친구 | 친구냐고 묻다 |
| Past Tense | -았/었냐고 | 먹었다 | 먹었냐고 묻다 |
| Future Tense | -(으)ㄹ 거냐고 | 할 거다 | 할 거냐고 묻다 |
أمثلة رئيسية
3 من 10친구가 점심을 먹냐고 물어봤어요.
My friend asked if I was eating lunch.
방이 너무 좁으냐고 질문했어요.
He questioned whether the room was too small.
저 사람이 학생이냐고 물었어요.
I asked if that person was a student.
The Shortcut Secret
In daily conversation, we almost always shorten `냐고 해요` to `냬요`. Instead of saying `어디 가냐고 해요?`, just say `어디 가냬요?`. It sounds much more natural and saves your breath!
Command Confusion
Never use `냐고` when you are quoting a command. If someone says 'Go!', don't say `가냐고 했어요` (that means they asked if you're going). Use `가라고 했어요` instead.
The Rule in 30 Seconds
- Use to report questions: 'He asked if/whether...'
- Verbs/Past tense use -냐고, Adjectives use -(으)냐고.
- Nouns use -(이)냐고 for 'asked if it is...'
- Commonly ends with verbs like 묻다, 하다, or 질문하다.
Overview
Ever felt like a messenger? You know, when a friend asks if you're coming to the party and you have to tell someone else? That is exactly where 냐고 묻다 shines. It is the secret sauce for reporting questions. Think of it as the "he asked if..." or "she asked whether..." of Korean. It turns a direct question into a smooth reported sentence. No more clunky direct quotes with finger-guns. Just clean, intermediate-level Korean. It makes you sound like a natural storyteller. Plus, it is essential for surviving social gossip or office politics.
How This Grammar Works
In English, we say "He asked, 'Are you hungry?'" or "He asked if I was hungry." Korean works similarly. We take the original question and strip away the polite ending like -어요 or -습니다. Then, we attach 냐고. Finally, we finish with a verb of asking. Usually, that is 묻다 (to ask) or 하다 (to do/say). It is like a grammar bridge. It connects the original thought to your report. You do not need to worry about the original speaker's politeness level here. Whether they were being formal or casual, 냐고 is your universal reporter. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. It tells you exactly how to merge lanes into a reported sentence.
Formation Pattern
- 1Action Verbs (Present): Just drop
다and add냐고. For example,먹다becomes먹냐고. - 2Adjectives (Present): This one is a bit pickier. If there is a bottom consonant (patchim), add
으냐고.좁다becomes좁으냐고. No bottom consonant? Just use냐고.크다becomes크냐고. - 3Nouns: Use
(이)냐고.학생becomes학생이냐고.의사becomes의사냐고. - 4Past Tense: Add
었/았/했냐고to anything.갔다becomes갔냐고.예뻤다becomes예뻤냐고. - 5Future Tense: Use
(으)ㄹ 거냐고or겠냐고.갈 거냐고(asked if I will go).
When To Use It
Use this when you are the middleman. Imagine you are at a job interview. The HR manager asks if you can start Monday. Later, you tell your mom, "They asked if I could start Monday." That is 냐고 territory. Use it when ordering food if the waiter asks about allergies. Use it when asking for directions if someone asks where you are from. It is perfect for relaying messages. "Minho asked if you like spicy food." It is also great for clarifying. "Wait, did you just ask if I am crazy?" Yes, even native speakers use it to double-check things they barely believe they heard!
When Not To Use It
Do not use this for statements. If someone says "I am hungry," use 다고. 냐고 is strictly for the curious. Only for questions! Also, do not use it for commands like "Eat this!" That requires 라고. Avoid using it in very formal written reports where 느냐고 might be preferred. But for 99% of your life? 냐고 is the king. Do not use it for direct quotes either. If you are keeping the quotation marks, just use the original ending. This is for the "if" and "whether" moments only.
Common Mistakes
Mixing up 냐고 and 다고 is the classic blunder. It is like trying to put a square peg in a round hole. If it was a question originally, stick to 냐고. Another oopsie? Forgetting the 으 for adjectives. While many Koreans skip this in fast speech, your B1 examiner will definitely notice. Also, watch your tenses! If someone asked in the past, report it in the past. Do not say someone "asks" if they already asked five minutes ago. Lastly, do not forget the 이 for nouns. 의사냐고 is fine, but 학생냐고 sounds like a glitch in the Matrix. It must be 학생이냐고!
Contrast With Similar Patterns
How is this different from -(으)ㄴ지? Great question! -(으)ㄴ지 is usually used for "I don't know if..." or "Tell me whether..." It is a clause within a sentence. 냐고 묻다 is specifically for reporting what someone said. If Minho asked a question, use 냐고. If you are just wondering about something yourself, use -(으)ㄴ지. Also, compare it to -(으)라고. That one is for orders. If your boss says "Finish this!", he told you to finish it (라고). If he asks "Are you finished?", he asked if you were done (냐고). Keeping these straight is your superpower.
Quick FAQ
Q. Can I shorten this?
A. Yes! In speech, 냐고 해요 often becomes 냬요. It is super common and makes you sound very fluent.
Q. Does it matter if the original question was formal?
A. Nope! 냐고 levels the playing field. It reports the content, not the original politeness level.
Q. Can I use other verbs besides 묻다?
A. Absolutely. You can use 하다 (to say), 질문하다 (to question), or even 확인하다 (to confirm).
Q. Is it okay for self-reporting?
A. Yes! "I asked if it was okay" is 괜찮냐고 물어봤어요. It works perfectly.
Reference Table
| Category | Grammar Form | Example Word | Reported Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action Verb | -냐고 | 가다 | 가냐고 묻다 |
| Adjective (Patchim) | -으냐고 | 작다 | 작으냐고 묻다 |
| Adjective (No Patchim) | -냐고 | 바쁘다 | 바쁘냐고 묻다 |
| Noun (Patchim) | -이냐고 | 선생님 | 선생님이냐고 묻다 |
| Noun (No Patchim) | -냐고 | 친구 | 친구냐고 묻다 |
| Past Tense | -았/었냐고 | 먹었다 | 먹었냐고 묻다 |
| Future Tense | -(으)ㄹ 거냐고 | 할 거다 | 할 거냐고 묻다 |
The Shortcut Secret
In daily conversation, we almost always shorten `냐고 해요` to `냬요`. Instead of saying `어디 가냐고 해요?`, just say `어디 가냬요?`. It sounds much more natural and saves your breath!
Command Confusion
Never use `냐고` when you are quoting a command. If someone says 'Go!', don't say `가냐고 했어요` (that means they asked if you're going). Use `가라고 했어요` instead.
Native Speed Realities
For adjectives in spoken Korean, many people just use `냐고` instead of `으냐고`. For example, `좋으냐고` often sounds like `좋냐고`. It's technically 'wrong' but everyone does it!
Polite Reporting
When reporting what an elder or boss asked, use the honorific `물으시다` or `여쭈어보다` instead of just `묻다`. It shows you respect the person whose question you are relaying.
أمثلة
10친구가 점심을 먹냐고 물어봤어요.
Focus: 먹냐고
My friend asked if I was eating lunch.
A simple report of a present action question.
방이 너무 좁으냐고 질문했어요.
Focus: 좁으냐고
He questioned whether the room was too small.
Remember to add '으' for adjectives with a bottom consonant.
저 사람이 학생이냐고 물었어요.
Focus: 학생이냐고
I asked if that person was a student.
Nouns with patchim need '이'.
어제 파티에 갔냐고 하더라고요.
Focus: 갔냐고
He asked if I went to the party yesterday.
Reporting something that happened already.
내일도 올 거냐고 물어봤어요.
Focus: 올 거냐고
They asked if I would come tomorrow too.
Reporting a question about future plans.
주말 근무가 가능하냐고 물으셨습니다.
Focus: 가능하냐고
They asked if weekend work was possible.
Commonly used in offices or interviews.
✗ 날씨가 춥다고 물었어요. → ✓ 날씨가 춥냐고 물었어요.
Focus: ✓ 춥냐고 / ✗ 춥다고
He asked if the weather was cold.
Don't use '다고' (statement) for questions.
✗ 집이 어디라고 물어봤어요. → ✓ 집이 어디냐고 물어봤어요.
Focus: ✓ 어디냐고 / ✗ 어디라고
He asked where my house was.
Use '냐고' for questions, even with nouns.
지수가 한국 음식이 좋냬요.
Focus: 좋냬요
Jisu is asking if you like Korean food.
Contraction of '좋냐고 해요'. Very common in speaking.
그녀는 제가 왜냐고 물을 줄 알았어요.
Focus: 왜냐고
She thought I would ask why.
Asking about the reason itself.
اختبر نفسك
Choose the correct reported form for the question: '언제 와요?'
마이클 씨가 저에게 ___ 물어봤어요.
For action verbs like '오다', we use '-냐고'. '오냐고' is the correct reported form of '와요?'.
Change the question to reported speech: '기분이 좋아요?'
선생님께서 ___ 물으셨어요.
Adjectives with a patchim like '좋다' require '-으냐고' in standard grammar.
Complete the sentence to report: '그 남자가 누구예요?'
동생이 그 남자가 ___ 물어봐요.
For nouns without a patchim like '누구', we just attach '-냐고'.
🎉 النتيجة: /3
وسائل تعلم بصرية
Statements vs. Questions
Reported Question Logic Flow
Is it a question?
Is it Present Tense?
Is it an Action Verb?
Add -냐고 + 묻다.
Usage Scenarios
Food & Dining
- • 맛있냐고 묻다 (Asked if it's tasty)
- • 더 먹겠냐고 묻다 (Asked if I'll eat more)
Work & Tasks
- • 준비됐냐고 묻다 (Asked if ready)
- • 언제 끝냐고 묻다 (Asked when it ends)
Directions
- • 어디냐고 묻다 (Asked where it is)
- • 멀었냐고 묻다 (Asked if it's far)
الأسئلة الشائعة
21 أسئلةIt is used for reporting questions indirectly. Instead of saying 'He said "Are you okay?"', you say 'He asked if I was okay.'
No, it is only for questions. If you are reporting a statement, you must use -다고.
The most common verb is 묻다 (to ask), but 하다 (to say) and 질문하다 (to question) are also very common.
Yes, 냐고 works for present, past, and future. You just change the verb stem before adding it, like 했냐고 for past.
Use -냐고 for action verbs and -으냐고 for adjectives. It's a bit like a grammar sorting hat!
For nouns, use -(이)냐고. For example, 학생이냐고 물어봤어요 (He asked if I was a student).
Not really. 냐고 is very standard. However, in formal writing, you might see 느냐고 used for action verbs.
When you report, you don't need -요. So 밥 먹어요? becomes 밥 먹냐고 물어봐요. It gets simplified.
Use it when relaying messages, gossiping, or clarifying something someone else asked. It's great for 'He said... she said...' moments.
Usually, yes. It's much more common than direct quotes in Korean conversation. It sounds smoother and less robotic.
It's a contraction of 냐고 해요. It's very common in speech, like saying 'don't' instead of 'do not' in English.
Absolutely. For example, 친구가 언제 오냐고 물어봤어요 (My friend asked when I was coming).
No. 다고 is for reporting statements. If you use it for a question, people might get confused about whether you're reporting a fact or a query.
Standard grammar says use 으냐고 for adjectives with a patchim. But in reality, many people just say 작냐고 instead of 작으냐고.
Yes! 제가 할 수 있냐고 물어봤어요 (I asked if I could do it). It's very common for double-checking.
English uses 'if' or 'whether'. Korean uses 냐고. The logic is the same, but the structure is flipped since the 'if' part comes at the end of the verb.
If there's a patchim like in 작다, you use 으냐고. If no patchim like 바쁘다, just use 냐고. Simple as that!
Yes, just like 가다 becomes 가냐고, 먹다 becomes 먹냐고. Action verbs are the easiest part of this rule.
No. The politeness of the sentence is determined by the final verb, like 묻습니다 or 물어봐요. 냐고 itself stays the same.
It's the same logic. 할 거냐고 is just the future version of 하냐고. Think of it as 'asked if I will do'.
Practice by reporting what characters in dramas ask each other. It's a fun way to see how common this grammar really is!
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