Korean grammar patterns › Level 2
-냐고 하다
indirect speech: (someone) asks whether / what …
Level 2 · TOPIK I · beginner
How to use it
Reports a question. In everyday speech -냐고 attaches to verbs and adjectives alike (가냐고, 바쁘냐고); in writing, verbs take -느냐고 and adjectives -(으)냐고. Often used with 묻다/물어보다.
Forming it
| 가다 | → 가냐고 했어요 |
| 먹다 | → 먹냐고 했어요 |
| 바쁘다 | → 바쁘냐고 했어요 |
| 학생 | → 학생이냐고 했어요 |
Use 묻다/물어보다 rather than 말하다 when the focus is on asking. Past: -았/었냐고 (먹었냐고).
Examples
선생님이 숙제를 다 했냐고 물어보셨어요.
The teacher asked whether I had finished all my homework.
친구가 주말에 시간이 있냐고 했어요.
My friend asked if I had time on the weekend.
Compared with similar patterns
-ㄴ/는다고 하다 reports statements; -(으)ㄴ/는지 forms an embedded question with 알다/모르다, not reported speech.