Korean Grammar: Quoting and Reported Speech

Mastering how to relay conversations is a milestone in Korean fluency. It allows you to share stories, gossip, relay instructions, and engage in complex social interactions. Unlike English, Korean uses a structured system of suffixes attached to quoted speech, making reported speech both logical and essential for natural communication.

The Foundation: The Quotation Particle 고 and 하다

At the heart of Korean reported speech is the combination of the quotation particle 고 and the verb 하다 (to do). Think of -고 하다 as the frame meaning "to say that..." or "to do the saying of...". This frame remains constant, but the ending you attach to the quoted verb stem changes based on whether the original utterance was a statement, question, suggestion, or command. It’s crucial to remember that when using these forms, the original speaker and the reporting speaker are different people.

The Four Essential Quotation Patterns

These patterns form the core toolkit for indirect speech. You conjugate the original verb, remove the 다 from the dictionary form to get the stem, and then attach the appropriate ending before adding 고 하다.

1. -다고 하다 for Statements Use this to report declarative sentences and observations. Attach -다고 to verb stems, or use -라고 after nouns/adjectives ending with 이다.

• Example: 마이클이 "저는 피자를 좋아해요." (Michael said, "I like pizza.")
• 마이클이 피자를 좋아한다고 했어요. (Michael said that he likes pizza.)
• For nouns: 그분은 선생님이라고 했어요. (That person said they are a teacher.)

2. -냐고 하다 / -으냐고 하다 for Questions This pattern reports questions. Use -냐고 with verb stems ending in a vowel, and -으냐고 with stems ending in a consonant. For questions with 이다, use -(이)냐고.

• Example: 친구가 "한국어를 공부해?" (Friend asked, "Do you study Korean?")
• 친구가 한국어를 공부하냐고 했어요. (My friend asked if I study Korean.)
• For nouns: 친구가 내 직업이 무엇이냐고 물었어요. (My friend asked what my job is.)

3. -자고 하다 for Suggestions To report a suggestion or proposal like "Let's...", attach -자고 to the verb stem.

• Example: 동생이 "영화 보자!" (My younger sibling said, "Let's watch a movie!")
• 동생이 영화를 보자고 했어요. (My younger sibling suggested we watch a movie.)

4. -라고 하다 for Commands Use this to report commands or requests. Attach -라고 to verb stems ending in a vowel, and -으라고 to stems ending in a consonant.

• Example: 엄마가 "방을 치워라." (Mom said, "Clean your room.")
• 엄마가 방을 치우라고 했어요. (Mom told me to clean my room.)

Direct Quotation vs. Indirect Quotation

Korean offers two ways to quote: direct and indirect. Direct quotation is straightforward—you use quotation marks (") and the pronoun 그가/그녀가 for "he/she said." The quoted speech remains in the form the original speaker used.

• 선생님이 "내일 시험이 있습니다"라고 말했습니다. (The teacher said, "There is an exam tomorrow.")

Indirect quotation uses the patterns above (-다고, -냐고, etc.) and requires grammatical adjustments. The most critical is switching perspectives: the original speaker's pronouns (나, 저, 우리) typically change to reflect the reporter's perspective (그, 그녀, 이름).

• 선생님이 내일 시험이 있다고 말했습니다. (The teacher said there is an exam tomorrow.)

Indirect quotation is more common in everyday conversation as it flows more naturally and shows a higher level of language integration.

Natural Spoken Korean: Shortened Forms

In casual speech, Koreans heavily use shortened, contracted forms of these quotation patterns. They are not slang but standard spoken Korean, making your speech sound much more natural.

• -다고 해요 → -대요: Used for statements.
• 민수 씨가 바쁘대요. (They say Minsoo is busy.)
• -냐고 해요 → -냬요: Used for questions.
• 언제 올지 모르냬요. (They're asking when you'll arrive.)
• -자고 해요 → -재요: Used for suggestions.
• 오빠가 같이 먹재요. (My older brother suggests we eat together.)
• -라고 해요 → -래요: Used for commands.
• 엄마가 빨리 오래요. (Mom says to come quickly.)

These forms drop the 하다 verb and attach directly to the ending, creating a smoother, more efficient utterance.

Common Pitfalls

1. Mixing Up Question and Statement Endings: The most common error is using -다고 for questions. Remember: questions from someone else must be reported with -냐고.

• Incorrect: 선생님이 뭘 하고 싶다고 물어봤어요.
• Correct: 선생님이 뭘 하고 싶냐고 물어봤어요. (The teacher asked what I want to do.)

1. Ignoring Tense Harmony in the Quoted Clause: The tense is primarily shown in the final reporting verb (했다, 한다, 할 것이다). The quoted clause often remains in the present tense form, even for past events, because the act of saying is what's being placed in time.

• Natural: 그가 어제 왔다고 했어요. (He said he came yesterday.) [왔다고 = quoted verb in past tense is less common]
• More Natural: 그가 어제 온다고 했어요. (He said he came yesterday.) [온다고 = quoted verb in present tense is standard]

1. Forgetting the 로 in -라고 for Commands/Nouns: The command form and the noun-quoting form both use -라고, not just -라. It's a common typo and pronunciation slip.

• Incorrect: 하지 마라 했어요.
• Correct: 하지 마라고 했어요. (They told me not to do it.)

1. Applying Shortened Forms Inappropriately: The forms -대요, -냬요, etc., are for spoken Korean or informal writing. In formal reports, essays, or news articles, always use the full -다고 하다 forms.

Summary

• Korean reported speech is built on the -고 하다 frame, with specific endings (-다고, -냐고, -자고, -라고) to distinguish statements, questions, suggestions, and commands.
• Indirect quotation is more fluid and common than direct quotation and requires adjusting pronouns to the reporter's perspective.
• To sound natural in conversation, master the shortened spoken forms: -대요, -냬요, -재요, and -래요.
• Avoid the critical mistake of using the statement ending -다고 to report questions; questions always require -냐고.
• Tense is primarily carried by the final reporting verb, not the quoted clause, which often remains in a neutral present tense form.
• Consistent practice by mentally "re-telling" conversations you hear is the most effective way to internalize these essential patterns.