📘 Grammar 47: How to Use ~냐고 해요 – Quoting Questions in Korean

📘 How to Use ~냐고 해요 – Quoting Questions in Korean

Want to say “He asked if I’m busy,” “She asked what time it is,” or “They asked if I had eaten” in Korean?

Then you need to learn how to use ~냐고 해요, which is the standard way to report someone else's question in Korean.

This grammar is useful when you want to share what another person asked in both casual and formal conversations.

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📌 What Does ~냐고 해요 Mean?

~냐고 해요 is used for indirect speech (reported questions) in Korean.

It is used after a verb or adjective to report a question that was originally asked.

Structure:

• Verb stem + 냐고 해요 (for regular verbs/adjectives)
• 이다 → (이)냐고 해요 (for nouns)

👉 Change 해요 to 했어요 / 하더라고요 / 합니다 based on formality and tense.

📘 Example Sentences

• 바쁘냐고 해요 – He asked if I’m busy
  ba-ppeu-nya-go hae-yo
• 언제 오냐고 했어요 – She asked when he is coming
  eon-je o-nya-go hae-sseo-yo
• 학생이냐고 했어요 – He asked if I’m a student
  hak-saeng-i-nya-go hae-sseo-yo
• 뭐 하냐고 했어요 – They asked what (you) are doing
  mwo ha-nya-go hae-sseo-yo

📊 Grammar Table – ~냐고 해요 Forms

Type	Form	Example	Meaning
Present verb	~냐고 해요	먹냐고 해요	He asks if you eat (are eating)
Past tense	~았/었냐고 해요	봤냐고 해요	They ask if you saw
Descriptive verb	~냐고 해요	예쁘냐고 해요	He asks if it’s pretty
Noun (이다)	(이)냐고 해요	학생이냐고 해요	They ask if (he) is a student

💡 Usage Notes

• Used only for **yes/no** and **open-ended** questions (who, when, where...)
• For command/request quotes, use ~라고 instead
• You can replace 해요 with 했어요 (past), 합니다 (formal), etc.

Examples:

• 그 사람이 뭐라고 했어요? – What did that person say?
• 언제 출발하냐고 물어봤어요 – They asked when we are leaving

❗ Common Mistakes

• ❌ 뭐 했어요냐고 해요 → ✅ 뭐 했냐고 해요
• ❌ 예뻐냐고 해요 → ✅ 예쁘냐고 해요
• Don’t confuse ~냐고 해요 with ~대요 (statements), or ~라고 해요 (commands)

🧪 Mini Quiz – Test Yourself!

1. How do you say “He asked if I’m okay”?
   a) 괜찮냐고 해요
   b) 괜찮대요
   
   Click to Show Answer

   ✅ a) 괜찮냐고 해요

2. Translate: “She asked if it was fun.”
   a) 재미있대요
   b) 재미있었냐고 했어요
   
   Click to Show Answer

   ✅ b) 재미있었냐고 했어요

3. Which is correct to report “Are you Korean?”?
   a) 한국사람이냐고 했어요
   b) 한국사람냐고 했어요
   
   Click to Show Answer

   ✅ a) 한국사람이냐고 했어요

✅ Conclusion

Now you can quote questions in Korean using ~냐고 해요 confidently!

• Use for quoting yes/no and wh- questions
• Apply the correct form based on verb, adjective, or noun
• It’s essential for reported conversations and storytelling

Try these:

• “He asked if I was tired” → 피곤했냐고 했어요
• “They asked what I’m doing” → 뭐 하냐고 물어봤어요

📘 Coming Up Next

Next lesson: How to Use ~자고 해요 – Quoting Suggestions in Korean
Learn how to say “He suggested we go together,” “She said let's eat,” and more!

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