Korean grammar patterns › Level 4
-지 그래요?
why don't you …? (advice); -지 그랬어요?: you should have …
Level 4 · TOPIK II · intermediate
How to use it
Spoken advice or suggestion to the listener in question form. In the past (-지 그랬어요?) it gently reproaches the listener for not having done something.
Forming it
| 쉬다 | → 쉬지 그래요? |
| 먹다 | → 먹지 그래요? |
| 물어보다 | → 물어보지 그랬어요? |
Only about the listener's actions. It can sound a little reproachful, so with superiors use -(으)시지요 or -는 게 어때요? instead.
Examples
그렇게 피곤하면 오늘은 좀 쉬지 그래요?
If you're that tired, why don't you rest today?
모르면 선생님께 물어보지 그랬어요?
If you didn't know, you should have asked the teacher.
Compared with similar patterns
-는 게 어때요? (G2-043) is a neutral suggestion. -(으)세요 (G1-011) is a direct request; -지 그래요? is softer but may sound critical.