This list is not comprehensive (8 ways to quote in total), but it covers the most used basic forms (does not include contracted casual forms). Format might be a little inconsistent, too, because these are my compiled notes over several Korean courses.
I broke a sweat making this. Enjoy~
1. Indirect quotation adjectives
Adjective stem (present or past) + 다고 하다/했다
(no irregulars)
Used to quote what someone said when the verb is an adjective (descriptive).
Verb examples
좋다고 해요
맛있다고 해요
춥다고 했어요
~고 싶다고 했어요
Sentence examples
갈비탕이 짜다고 했어요. They said/I heard the galbi is salty.
머리가 아프다고 했어요. She said her head hurts.
방이 더러웠다고 했어요. They said the room was dirty.
영화가 재미있었다고 했어요. They said the movie was fun.
2. Indirect quotation present verbs
Verb stem + ㄴ(V)/는(C)다고 하다 (ㄹirregular)
Used to quote what someone said when the verb is an action in a present statement.
Verb examples
간다고 해요
먹는다고 해요
듣는다고 해요
청소한다고 해요
IRREGULARS (ㄹ)
살다 à 산다고요 (remove ㄹ)
만들다 à 만든다고 해요
Sentence examples
“좀 늦어요.”
좀 늦는다고 했어요. They said they are a little late.
“시간이 있을 때 영화를 봐요.”
시간이 있을 때 영화를 본다고 했어요. They said when they have time, they watch movies.
3. Indirect quotation past verbs
Verb past tense stem (았/었/했) + 다고 하다
Used to quote when the action in the quoted message occurred in the past.
Verb examples:
깠다 -> 갔다고 했어요
들었다 -> 들었다고 했어요
청소했다 -> 청소했다고 했어요
Sentence examples:
토요일에 소라 씨가 뭐 했다고 했어요? What did Sora say she did on Saturday?
친구하고 영화를 봤다고 했어요. She watched a movie with a friend (she told me/said)
진수 씨가 어제 한스 씨를 만났다고 했어요. Jin Soo said she met Han Su yesterday. (Nuance note: We weren’t there, we’re quoting what was told to us or what we heard.)
마크 씨가 어제 피곤해서 속제를 못 했다고 했어요. Mark said he couldn’t finish his homework yesterday because he was tired.
4. Indirect quotation future tense adjectives/verbs (ㄷ and ㄹ irregulars)
Verb/Adj stem + ㄹ(V)/을(C) 거라고 하다
Used to quote when the event in the quoted message is about the future. Verbs and Adj use the same form here.
Verb examples
치다 -> 칠 거라고 해요
가다 -> 갈 거라고 해요
있다 -> 있을 거라고 해요
오다 -> 올거라고 해요
IRREGULARS (ㄷ and ㄹ irregulars)
ㄷ --> remove ㄷ, add ㄹ (듣다 -> 들을 거라고 해요)
ㄹ --> just remove 다 from stem (만들다 -> 만들 거라고 해요; 실다 -> 살 거라고 해요)
Sentence examples:
진수 씨가 오늘 오후에 비가 올 거라고 했어요. Jin Soo said it is going to rain this afternoon.
주말에 친구하고 테니스를 칠 거라고 했어요. They/she/he said they’re going to play tennis with their friend this weekend.
10분 후에 전화할 거라고 했어요. They said they’ll call in ten minutes.
5. Indirect quotation nouns
Noun+이라고(C)/라고(V) 하다
Used for quoting sentences that use noun + 이다 (is) or noun + 가 (V)/이(C) 아니다 (is not)
Verb examples:
한 시라고 해요
가수라고 해요
의사가 아니라고 해요 (remember, 아니다 needs 이/가)
학생이라고 해요
Sentence examples:
한스 씨가 의사라고 했어요. Han Su said he is a doctor.
앤디 씨가 호주 사람이 아니라고 했어요. Andy said he isn’t Australian.
뭐라고 했어요? What did they say?
6. Indirect quotation suggestions
Verb stem + 자고 하다 (no irregulars)
When the quoted speech is a verb and a suggestion (i.e., ~을까요? 어때요? ~읍시다 etc.)
Verb examples:
가다 -> 가자고 하다
걷다 -> 걷자고 하다
열다 -> 열자고 하다
듣다 -> 듣자고 하다
Sentence examples:
렌핑: “같이 음악 좀 들읍시다” (듣다)
What did they say? -> 렌핑 씨가 같이 음악 좀 듣자고 했어요.
Verb stem + 지 말자고 하다 is the negative form of quoted suggestions (no irregulars)
*When the verb suggestion is negative, i.e., “don’t open the window because it’s cold,” rather than “let’s close the window” or “how about we keep the window closed.”
Sentence examples:
완: “날씨가 추우니까 문을 열지 맙시다.” (열다)
What did they say? -> 완 씨가 날씨가 추우니까 문을 열지 말자고 했어요.
Verb stem past or present ~느냐고 (C) / 냐고 (V) 하다 (ㄹ, ㄷ irregular)
가다 -> 가냐고 하다
먹다 -> 먹느냐고 했어요
오다 -> 오냐고 했어요
모르다 -> 모르느냐고 했어요
*놀다 -> 노냐고 하다 (ㄹ drops)
*듣다 -> 들으냐고 했어요 (ㄷ changes to ㄹ)
Sentence examples:
엄마가 밥 먹었느냐고 했어요. (엄마: 밥 먹었어?) Mom asked if I ate.
친구가 왜 울었느냐고 했어요. (친구: 왜 울었어?) My friend asked why I cried.
선생님이 집에 언제 가냐고 했어요. (선생님: 집에 언제 가요?) The teacher asked when I’m going home.
Adjective stem ~으냐고 (C) / 냐고 (V) 하다 (no irregular)
크다 -> 크냐고 했어요
작다 -> 작으냐고 했어요
춥다 -> 춥냐고 했어요
비싸다 -> 비싸냐고 했어요
Sentence examples:
친구가 오늘 바쁘냐고 했어요. (친구: 오늘 바빠?) My friend asked if I’m busy today.
아빠가 날씨가 춥냐고 했어요. (아빠: 오늘 춥니?) Dad asked if it’s cold today.
Noun + 이냐고 (C) / 냐고(V) 하다
학생 -> 학생이냐고 했어요
선생님 -> 선생님이냐고 했어요
Sentence examples:
친구가 이게 네 가방이냐고 했어요. (친구: 이거 네 가방이야?) My friend asked if this is my bag.
엄마가 오늘 시험 날이냐고 했어요. (엄마: 오늘 시험 날이야?) Mom asked if today is the test day.
*Note on ~하다 with indirect quotes
The tense of 하다 is technically independent from the tense inside -다고, but 했어요 is the default as it usually makes the most sense, as in, you’re quoting what was said/heard/etc.
Indirect quotation has two tense layers:
Tense of the quoted content
Tense of the reporting verb 하다
They don’t have to match.
As you can see from the below, all work and make sense, they just vary slightly in the translation.
1. Present content + present reporting
짜다고 해요. They say it’s salty.
2. Present content + past reporting
짜다고 했어요. They said it’s salty.
3. Past content + present reporting
짰다고 해요. They say it was salty.
4. Past content + past reporting
짰다고 했어요. They said it was salty.
Also, ~하다 is not the only reporting verb, but it can be seen as the easy default.
Common ones to also use include:
말하다 to say
이야기하다 to tell, to talk
전하다 to convey, to pass along
알리다 to inform, notify
듣다 to hear
Eventually, I will make a separate post on things that are NOT quoting, but similar, like ~다고요? and ~ㄴ/는/라/다면서요? Eventually...
Copy and paste into a document to save/annotate your own copy. Also, feel free to practice in the comments (or point out any inaccuracies)! We’re all learning here.
