πŸ“˜ Grammar 48: How to Use ~자고 ν•΄μš” – Quoting Suggestions in Korean

πŸ“˜ How to Use ~자고 ν•΄μš” – Quoting Suggestions in Korean

Want to say “He suggested we eat,” “She said let's go,” or “They suggested studying together” in Korean?

Then you need to learn how to use ~자고 ν•΄μš”, which is used to report someone’s suggestion or proposal in Korean.

It’s a common and useful grammar form when quoting someone who made a suggestion or invitation.

πŸ“Œ What Does ~자고 ν•΄μš” Mean?

~자고 ν•΄μš” is the indirect speech form of ~자 (let’s…) in Korean.

It means:

  • ✔️ “(Someone) suggested that we…”
  • ✔️ “(They) said let’s…”
  • ✔️ “He/She invited me to…”

Structure:

  • Action verb stem + 자고 ν•΄μš”

πŸ” Conjugate ν•΄μš” to ν–ˆμ–΄μš” (past), ν•©λ‹ˆλ‹€ (formal) as needed.


πŸ“˜ Example Sentences

  • 같이 κ°€μžκ³  ν–ˆμ–΄μš” – He said let’s go together
    ga-chi ga-ja-go hae-sseo-yo
  • κ³΅λΆ€ν•˜μžκ³  ν–ˆμ–΄μš” – They suggested studying
    gong-bu-ha-ja-go hae-sseo-yo
  • 내일 λ§Œλ‚˜μžκ³  ν–ˆμ–΄μš” – She said let’s meet tomorrow
    nae-il man-na-ja-go hae-sseo-yo
  • μ‰¬μžκ³  ν–ˆμ–΄μš” – He said let’s rest
    swi-ja-go hae-sseo-yo

πŸ“Š Grammar Table – ~자고 ν•΄μš” Forms

Verb Form Meaning Romanization
κ°€λ‹€ (to go) κ°€μžκ³  ν•΄μš” (They) said let’s go ga-ja-go hae-yo
λ¨Ήλ‹€ (to eat) 먹자고 ν–ˆμ–΄μš” (He) suggested eating meok-ja-go hae-sseo-yo
λ§Œλ‚˜λ‹€ (to meet) λ§Œλ‚˜μžκ³  ν–ˆμ–΄μš” (She) said let’s meet man-na-ja-go hae-sseo-yo
쉬닀 (to rest) μ‰¬μžκ³  ν–ˆμ–΄μš” (He) said let’s rest swi-ja-go hae-sseo-yo

πŸ’‘ When to Use ~자고 ν•΄μš”

  • ✔️ When reporting someone’s suggestion or invitation
  • ✔️ Used with action verbs only (not adjectives)
  • ✔️ Often used in storytelling or conversation

Compare:

  • “Let’s eat” → λ°₯ 먹자
  • “He said let’s eat” → λ°₯ 먹자고 ν–ˆμ–΄μš”

❗ Common Mistakes

  • ❌ 먹자 ν•΄μš” → ✅ 먹자고 ν•΄μš”
  • ❌ 예쁘자고 ν•΄μš” → ❌✖️ Incorrect (can’t use with adjectives)
  • Only use with action verbs suggesting action with someone else

πŸ§ͺ Mini Quiz – Test Yourself!

  1. How do you say “They said let’s go together”?
    a) 같이 κ°”λ‹€κ³  ν•΄μš”
    b) 같이 κ°€μžκ³  ν•΄μš”
    Click to Show Answer

    ✅ b) 같이 κ°€μžκ³  ν•΄μš”

  2. Translate: “She suggested resting.”
    a) μ‰¬λŠ” κ±° ν•΄μš”
    b) μ‰¬μžκ³  ν–ˆμ–΄μš”
    Click to Show Answer

    ✅ b) μ‰¬μžκ³  ν–ˆμ–΄μš”

  3. Which is correct for “He said let’s study”?
    a) κ³΅λΆ€μžκ³  ν–ˆμ–΄μš”
    b) κ³΅λΆ€ν•˜μžκ³  ν–ˆμ–΄μš”
    Click to Show Answer

    ✅ b) κ³΅λΆ€ν•˜μžκ³  ν–ˆμ–΄μš”


✅ Conclusion

Now you know how to report suggestions and invitations using ~자고 ν•΄μš” in Korean!

  • Use this form only with action verbs
  • Use it to quote someone suggesting something to do together
  • Perfect for conversational storytelling

Practice these:

  • “They said let’s go home” → 집에 κ°€μžκ³  ν–ˆμ–΄μš”
  • “She suggested eating together” → 같이 먹자고 ν–ˆμ–΄μš”


πŸ“˜ Coming Up Next

Next lesson: How to Use ~라고 ν•΄μš” – Quoting Commands in Korean
Learn how to say “He told me to wait,” “She said to call her,” and more!

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