I encountered this construction a few times before realizing that it’s not literally being used to report speech, but rather in a different way. I still don’t fully understand how to use this construction, but here are two entries in the Korean grammar dictionary which provide examples: –다고 and -ㄴ다고.
Here are some examples:
나 아프다고 친구가 약을 사줬어. I was sick so my friend bought me medicine.
나 다리를 다쳤다고 엄마가 택시를 불러줬어. I hurt my leg, so my mom called a taxi.
제가 잘 못 먹는다고 고기도 사 먹였어요. Because I couldn’t eat well, he bought me meat to eat.
미룬다고 해결될 일이 아니지. It’s not something that’s going to be solved by postponing.
돈이 많다고 반드시 행복한 것은 아니다. We are not necessarily happy just because we have a lot of money.
천천히 먹어. 배고프다고 막 먹지 말고. Eat slowly. Don’t eat in a hurry just because you’re hungry.
방학이라고 다들 신났어요. Everybody is excited because it’s school break.
-더라니 is yet another cause-effect grammar point. It is used when in retrospect the result of a situation now seems obvious or predictable.
Imagine: after a huge dinner at a buffet, you wake up the next morning to a terrible stomachache. You complain to your friend, but they are less than sympathetic. They point out to you that, looking back on the previous night, you had stuffed your face, so your stomachache is the obvious result of that feast. Your conversation in Korean might go something like this:
가: 오늘 아침에 배탈이 났어요. I had a stomachache this morning.
나: 어제 뷔페에서 과식하더라니. (Looking back on it) You did overeat at the buffet yesterday.
Examples:
내가 너 시험 성적이 나쁠 줄 알았어. 공부 안 하고 계속 놀더라니. I knew your test score would be bad. (Looking back on it) You didn’t study and just fooled around.
컴퓨터가 안 돼요. 고장 났나 봐요. 지난 주부터 이상하더라니. The computer isn’t working. It must be broken. (Looking back on it) It’s been acting up since last week.
네가 감기에 걸리는 게 놀랄만한 일이 아니야. 이 추운 날씨에 얇은 옷을 입고 다니더라니. You getting sick isn’t a surprise. (Looking back on it) You kept going out in light clothes.
Coupled with 어쩐지, -더라니 carries with it a sense of belated realization. It is used when you have received information that explains an already known fact. The closest English translation for this usage would be “No wonder”.
Example:
길에서 산 티셔츠가 한번 빨고 나서 줄어들더라고요. 어쩐지 값이 싸더라니. The t-shirt I bought off the street shrank after just one wash. No wonder it was cheap.
마이틀 씨가 이번에 승진해서 보너스를 많이 받았대요. 어쩐지 그동안 기분이 좋아 보이더라니. They say that Michael received a huge bonus with his promotion. No wonder he’s been in a good mood lately.
그 학생의 부모님이 부자래요. 어쩐지 명품옷만 입었더라니. They say that student’s parents are rich. No wonder he wore only brand name clothes.
~아/어서 그런지, ~아/어서 그랬는지 = Maybe because… It might be/have been because…
(
~아/어서 그랬는지 shortened to ~았/었는지 )
바빠서 그런지 죤은 무술에 관심 이 없다 = Maybe because he is busy, John is not interested in the martial arts. 잠을 못 자서 그런지 머리가 아프다 = Maybe because I didn’t sleep, I have a headache. 학생이 많이 늘었다. 그래서 그런지 갑자기 교실이 모자란다 = The number of students has increased. Maybe that’s why there aren’t enough classrooms.
감기약을 먹어서 그랬는지 수업 시간 때 졸려서 혼났어요 = Maybe because I took cold medicine, I fell asleep in class and got scolded. 친구가 양이 좀 적었는지 더 시키겠다고 했다 = Maybe because there wasn’t much food, my friend ordered more. 한국 사람이어서 그런지 매운 음식을 좋아해요 = (I like spicy food, maybe because I’m Korean.
~게 = So that (shows purpose of action)
그 극장 좀 찾아가게 약도 좀 그려줘. = Please draw me a map so that I can find the cinema. 제시간에 도착하게 일찍 나갑시다. = Please lets leave early so that we can arrive on time. 먹기 편하게 냉면을 잘라 주세요. = So that it is easier to eat, please can you cut my noodles.
얘기 좀 하게 다가앉아라 = Sit a little closer, so that we can have a talk.
사람들이 모두 보게 안내문을 벽에 붙였다 = I posted an information sign on the wall so that everyone can see it
음식을 좀 만들게 재료를 사와 = Buy some ingredients so that I can make some food
~길래 = expresses reason, especially with intentional action based on observation or judgement
비가 오길래 우산을 가져왔어요 = It was raining so I brought my umbrella. 맛있길래 더 사왔어요 = It was delicious so I bought some more. 사람이 많길래 그냥 나왔어요 = There were a lot of people so I just left. 너무 피곤하길래 그냥 집에 있었어요 = I was too tired, so I just stayed at home
비가 올 것 같길래 그냥 집에 있었어요 = It looked like it was going to rain, so I just stayed at home. 서점이 곧 문을 닫을 것 같길래 그냥 돌아왔어요 = The bookstore looked like it was going to close soon so I just came back 효진 씨가 스폰지밥을 좋아하길래, 스폰지를 사 줬어요 = I saw that Hyojin likes SpongeBob, so I bought her some sponge.
지금 어디에 있길래 이렇게 시끄러워요? = Where are you now? It’s so noisy (as a result of that)! 뭐 했길래 이렇게 지쳤어요? = What did you do to be so tired? 경화 씨가 뭐라고 말했길래 이렇게 신났어요? = What did Kyung-hwa say to make you so excited? 무슨 이야기를 들었길래 그렇게 열심히 공부해요? = What did they tell you? Why are you studying so hard? 어디에 가길래 그렇게 짐을 많이 싸요? = = Where are you going? You’re packing so much stuff! 누구를 만나길래 그렇게 화장을 열심히 해요? = Who are you meeting to be putting on so much make-up?
~(으)로서 = used to establish status or authority
학생으로서 = As a student…. 자식으로서 할 일 = Something one does as a child 학자로서 = As a scholar…. 그는 교사로서 충분한 자격을 갖추고 있다 = as a teacher he is very well qualified 한 사람의 부모로서 하는 말인데, 난 교육의 수준이 아주 우려된다 = Speaking as a parent, I’m very concerned about standards in education.
~(으)로써 = used to show the purpose, method, or tool used for doing something (~(으)로)
약으로써 낫게 할 수 없는 병 = A disease that cannot be cured with medicine 생각만으로써 되는 일이 아니다 = This is not something that can be solved by just thinking about it. 석유로써 재산을 모으다 = make one’s fortune in oil
~(으)로 인하여 = used to show cause or reason
불결로 인하여 병이 생기는 경우도 있다 = Some diseases are attributable to lack of cleanliness. 그 사건으로 인해서 우리 회사가 유명해졌다 = Our company became famous from that incident. 올해 지진으로 인한 피해가 컸다 = The damage from this years earthquake was enormous.
~느라(고) – preceding clause is the reason/cause/purpose (used with negative results)
회사 일을 하느라고 바빴다 = I was busy working on company business. 급하게 나오느라고 숙제를 놓고 왔어요 = In order to leave in a hurry, I left the assignment at home. 뭐 하느라고 잠도 못 잤니? = Why couldn’t you sleep? (Lit. “What were you doing that you could not sleep?”) 학교하고 씨름 좀 하느라고 = I was dealing with school problems.. (that’s why i am late) 김장을 하느라고 정말 힘들었어요 = I made kimchi, that is why i am so tired 옷을 많이 사느라고 돈을 다 섰어요 = Since I bought lots of clothes, I spent all my money 텔레비전을 보느라고 초인종을 못 들었어요 = Because I was watching TV, I didn’t hear the doorbell
~거든(요) – expresses reason or background information, because, since
저도 모르겠어요. 저 방금 왔거든요 = I don’t know either. I just got here.
내일은 안 바빠요. 오늘 일을 다 끝냈거든요 = I’m not busy tomorrow. (Because) I finished all the work today. 아직 말할 수 없어요. 비밀이거든요 = I can’t tell you yet. (Because) it’s a secret
Giving Context.implies that the story is continued, you will mention another related thing, so…
제가 지금 돈이 없거든요. 만원만 빌려 주세요 = I don’t have any money now. (So…) Please lend me just 10,000 won
지난 주에 제주도에 갔거든요. 그런데 계속 비가 왔어요 = I went to Jeju Island last week. But it kept raining.
제가 지금 좀 바쁘거든요 = I’m a little busy now, so…
아까 효진 씨 만났거든요. 그런데 이상한 말을 했어요 = I met Hyojin earlier. But she said something strange.
* Generally used to soften your speech or express a reason indirectly, but sometimes when you are upset, to express the reason that supports or explains your anger. *
필요 없거든요! = I don’t need it! 이미 늦었거든요! = It’s already too late!
겸 – slash (/), and
아침 겸 점심 = breakfast/lunch, brunch 가수 겸 배우 = singer and actor, singer/actor 화가 겸 작곡가 = painter/composer, painter and composer
~(으)ㄹ 겸 – slash (/), and (dual purposes/positions, often used with 도) ~(으)ㄹ 겸 해서(요) (used in answer to questions)
바람 좀 쐴 겸 밖에 나왔어요 = I came outside to get some fresh air (and another reason) 영어 공부도 할 겸, 영어로 된 소설을 읽고 있어요 = (I’m doing it because it’s fun, too, but) I’m reading a novel written in English to study English 친구 생일 선물도 살 겸, 제 옷도 볼 겸, 백화점에 갈 거예요 = I’m going to go to the department store to buy a present for my friend’s birthday and, at the same time, look at some clothes for myself. 산책도 할 겸, 사진도 찍을 겸, 남산에 갔어요 = I went to Namsan to take a walk and also to take some photos
~잖아(요) – isn’t it, you see, in fact.., you already know
correcting someone or insisting that you are correct, giving excuse or reason
come from ~지 않아요 (negation) so could mean “am/did i not?”
춥잖아요 – you see? it’s cold 하잖아요 – you see that i’m doing it now/ i’m doing it now (give me a break)
어제 말했잖어요 – i told you yesterday (didn’t i say yesterday?) 귀엽잖아요! – because it’s cute! (isn’t it cute?) 어차피 내일 시간 있잖아요 – we have time tomorrow too anyway right? (give me a break) 오늘 일요일이잖아요 – because today is sunday 알잖아 – you know / come on, you know what i’m saying
Sutdy-Korean 