았/었다고 (past reported speech)

Think of this as a three-part sandwich. The first slice is the verb or adjective stem. The filling is the past tense marker 았/었/였. The second slice is the quote marker 다고. Finally, you add a verb like 하다 (to do/say). It is a simple and reliable structure. It does not change much based on the subject. Whether it is "he said," "she said," or "they said," the ending stays the same. The magic happens in the middle. By adding that past tense marker, you shift the whole quote back in time. It is like building a Lego tower. The base is the action. The middle is the time. The top is the reporting. It is logical and consistent. Even if the sentence is long, this pattern holds it together.

1. 1Start with the verb or adjective stem.
2. 2Add the appropriate past tense marker. Use 았 if the last vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ. Use 었 for all other vowels. Use 했 for 하다 verbs.
3. 3Attach 다고 directly to that past tense form.
4. 4Finish with a verb like 하다 (to say), 말하다 (to speak), or 그러다 (to say so).
5. 5For 가다 (to go): 가 + 았 + 다고 → 갔다고
6. 6For 먹다 (to eat): 먹 + 었 + 다고 → 먹었다고
7. 7For 공부하다 (to study): 공부 + 했 + 다고 → 공부했다고
8. 8For nouns with 이다: 학생 + 이었다고 or 의사 + 였다고.
9. 9It is like a recipe. Follow the steps, and you will get a perfect sentence every time. Yes, even native speakers find this pattern very satisfying to use!

Use it when reporting past events in real-world scenarios. Imagine you are at a job interview. You want to mention a compliment from a former boss. "My boss said I was a quick learner." 사장님이 제가 빨리 배웠다고 하셨어요. This shows you are relaying information accurately. Use it when ordering food. Your friend told you the pizza was great last time. "My friend said the pizza was delicious." 친구가 피자가 맛있었다고 했어요. Use it for social media updates. "The actor said he had a great time in Seoul." 배우가 서울에서 즐거운 시간을 보냈다고 했어요. Use it to clarify directions. "The man said the bank was over there." 그 남자가 은행이 저기 있었다고 했어요. It is everywhere! It helps you share experiences that you didn't personally witness but heard about. It is the ultimate tool for storytelling.

Don't use it for direct quotes. If you use quotation marks, use 라고. Don't use it for the present tense. If someone is saying something right now about a current state, use ㄴ/는다고. Don't use it for questions. There is a different ending for that, which is 았/었냐고. Don't use it for suggestions like "let's go." That would be 자고. It is a specific tool for a specific job. Don't use a hammer when you need a screwdriver! Also, avoid using it if you are 100% sure of a fact yourself without needing to quote anyone. It might make you sound like you are doubting your own knowledge. Think of it like a grammar traffic light; only go when you are reporting someone else's past words.

The biggest mistake is skipping the past tense marker. Saying 가다고 instead of 갔다고 is wrong. It sounds like "He said he go" instead of "He said he went." Timing is everything in Korean! Another mistake is using 라고 with verbs. 먹었다라고 is incorrect. 라고 loves nouns, but 다고 loves verbs and adjectives. Sometimes people forget the 다 in the middle and say 갔고. That changes the meaning to "went and..." which is totally different. Don't worry if you mess up. Even university students in Korea trip over their tongues sometimes. Just keep practicing the 았/었 part. It is the heart of the past tense. If you get that right, the rest usually falls into place.

Compare 았/었다고 with ㄴ/는다고.

• 갔다고 해요 means "He said he went."
• 간다고 해요 means "He says he is going."

One is a memory, the other is a current plan. Compare it with 았/었대요.

• 았/었대요 is just a shorter, more casual version of 았/었다고 해요.

It is like "it is" versus "it's." Use 았/었대요 with your friends at a cafe. Use 았/었다고 합니다 in a formal presentation. Also, distinguish it from 았/었냐고. Use 냐고 only when reporting a question. If your mom asked if you ate, use 먹었냐고. If she simply said she ate, use 먹었다고. It is all about the original intent of the speaker.