ㄴ/는다고 하다 (reported statement) - Say That

This grammar acts as a suffix that attaches to the stem of a word. The main verb is 하다, which means 'to say' in this context. However, you can swap 하다 for other verbs too. You could use 말하다 (to speak), 그러다 (to say so), or 전하다 (to convey). The core logic depends on the type of word you are reporting. Korean treats action verbs, descriptive verbs (adjectives), and nouns differently. For action verbs, you need to show the present tense with ㄴ or 는. For adjectives, you just use 다. For nouns, you use (이)라. It sounds like a lot, but it follows a logical flow. Once you master the base forms, you can report anything. You can even report things said in the past or future. It is like having a rewind button for your conversations. Just remember that you are reporting a statement. If you want to report a question or a command, there are other rules for those! This one is strictly for 'saying that' something is true.

1. 1Let's break down the mechanics. It depends on what you are reporting.
2. 2Action Verbs (Present Tense):
3. 3Stem ends in a vowel: Add ㄴ다고 하다.
4. 4Example: 가다 (to go) becomes 간다고 해요 (Says they are going).
5. 5Stem ends in a consonant: Add 는다고 하다.
6. 6Example: 먹다 (to eat) becomes 먹는다고 해요 (Says they are eating).
7. 7Adjectives (Present Tense):
8. 8Just add 다고 하다 to the stem. No ㄴ/는 needed!
9. 9Example: 바쁘다 (to be busy) becomes 바쁘다고 해요 (Says they are busy).
10. 10Example: 좋다 (to be good) becomes 좋다고 해요 (Says it is good).
11. 11Nouns:
12. 12Noun ends in a vowel: Add 라고 하다.
13. 13Example: 의사 (doctor) becomes 의사라고 해요 (Says they are a doctor).
14. 14Noun ends in a consonant: Add 이라고 하다.
15. 15Example: 학생 (student) becomes 학생이라고 해요 (Says they are a student).
16. 16Past Tense:
17. 17Add 었다고/았다고 하다 to any stem.
18. 18Example: 갔다고 해요 (Says they went).
19. 19Future Tense:
20. 20Use 겠다고 하다 or (을) 거라고 하다.
21. 21Example: 하겠다고 해요 (Says they will do it).

Use this whenever you want to relay information. Imagine you are at a cafe. Your friend Jimin calls and says, "I'm 10 minutes away." You turn to your other friend and say, "Jimin says he's coming in 10 minutes." That is ㄴ/는다고 하다 in action. It is also great for reporting general facts. If you read in the news that it will rain, you can say, "The news says it's going to rain." It is very common in workplace settings. "The boss says the meeting is canceled." You can also use it to explain the meaning of a word. Or, use it to relay what you heard through the grapevine. It is the "he said, she said" of the Korean world. It helps you avoid sounding like a robot that only speaks in direct quotes. Plus, it shows you really understand the relationship between different parts of a sentence.

Don't use this for direct quotes. If you want to say, "He said, 'I am hungry,'" use 라고 with quotes. This grammar is for *indirect* speech. Also, don't use it for questions. If someone asks, "Are you hungry?" you use 냐고 하다 to report that. Commands like "Go home!" use 라고 하다 (wait, that looks the same as the noun rule, but it's for verbs!). Suggestions like "Let's eat!" use 자고 하다. This rule is only for plain statements. Facts, opinions, and descriptions are its bread and butter. If you try to report a command using 는다고, it will sound very strange to a native speaker. It is like telling someone "He says that eat." It just doesn't work! Stay focused on statements and you'll be fine.

The biggest trap is mixing up verbs and adjectives. Students often say 예쁜다고 해요 (wrong!) because they treat 예쁘다 like a verb. Remember, adjectives are lazy. They don't want the ㄴ or 는. It should just be 예쁘다고 해요. Another mistake is forgetting the ㄴ/는 for verbs. Saying 먹다고 해요 sounds like you are missing a tooth. It needs to be 먹는다고 해요. Nouns can also be tricky. People forget the 이 in 이라고 when the noun ends in a consonant. 선생님라고 (wrong) vs 선생님이라고 (correct). Finally, don't forget the tense! If someone *said* something in the past, the main verb 하다 should be 했어요. But if they are *currently saying* it (like a general rumor), 해요 or 한대요 is better. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes, so don't sweat it too much! Just keep practicing.

You might hear people say 대요 instead of 다고 해요. Are they the same? Yes! 대요 is just the short, contracted version. It is much more common in speaking. Think of 다고 해요 as the formal suit and 대요 as your favorite hoodie. They do the same job, but one is more relaxed. If you want to sound like a local, start using 대요. Another similar one is 라던데요. This is used when you are recalling something you heard and expressing a bit of surprise or contradiction. ㄴ/는다고 하다 is more neutral. It just reports the facts. Use the full 다고 하다 when you are writing an essay or speaking formally. Use 대요 when you are chatting with friends over fried chicken.