Have you ever wanted to confirm something you heard in Korean? The grammar pattern “-ㄴ/는다면서요?” is commonly used to check if a statement is true, much like saying “I heard that…, is that right?” in English. In this guide, we’ll break down the meaning, usage, and structure of “-ㄴ/는다면서요?” with clear examples and practice exercises to help you master it effortlessly.
Contents
1. Definition
“-ㄴ/는다면서요?” is a Korean grammar pattern used to confirm information that the speaker heard from someone else. It is similar to saying “I heard that…, is that true?” in English.
2. Form (Structure)
- Verbs:
- If the verb stem ends in a vowel: Add ‘-ㄴ다면서요?’
Example: 가다 → 간다면서요? (I heard you’re going, is that true?) - If the verb stem ends in a consonant: Add ‘-는다면서요?’
Example: 받다 → 받는다면서요? (I heard you’re receiving, is that correct?)
- If the verb stem ends in a vowel: Add ‘-ㄴ다면서요?’
- Adjectives:
- Add ‘-다면서요?’ directly to the adjective stem.
Example: 예쁘다 → 예쁘다면서요? (I heard it’s pretty, is that true?)
- Add ‘-다면서요?’ directly to the adjective stem.
- Nouns (with ‘이다’):
- If the noun ends in a vowel: Add ‘-라면서요?’
Example: 배우 → 배우라면서요? (I heard you’re an actor, is that correct?) - If the noun ends in a consonant: Add ‘-이라면서요?’
Example: 학생 → 학생이라면서요? (I heard you’re a student, is that true?)
- If the noun ends in a vowel: Add ‘-라면서요?’
- Past Tense:
- For verbs and adjectives, add ‘-았/었다면서요?’ depending on the conjugation rules.
Example: 갔다 → 갔다면서요? (I heard you went, is that true?)
- For verbs and adjectives, add ‘-았/었다면서요?’ depending on the conjugation rules.
- Future Tense:
- Add ‘-겠다면서요?’ for verbs and adjectives.
Example: 하겠다 → 하겠다면서요? (I heard you’ll do it, is that correct?)
- Add ‘-겠다면서요?’ for verbs and adjectives.
| Type | Structure | Example |
| Verbs | Vowel stem + -ㄴ다면서요? | 가다 → 간다면서요? (I heard you’re going?) |
| Consonant stem + -는다면서요? | 받다 → 받는다면서요? (I heard you’re receiving?) | |
| Adjectives | Adjective stem + -다면서요? | 예쁘다면서요? (I heard it’s pretty?) |
| Nouns (with 이다) | Vowel + -라면서요? | 배우 → 배우라면서요? (I heard you’re an actor?) |
| Consonant + -이라면서요? | 학생 → 학생이라면서요? (I heard you’re a student?) | |
| Past tense | Verb stem + -았/었다면서요? | 갔다면서요? (I heard you went?) |
| Future tense | Verb stem + -겠다면서요? | 하겠다면서요? (I heard you will do it?) |
3. Meaning & Usage
1. Confirming something you heard
- 친구가 결혼한다면서요? (I heard your friend is getting married. Is that true?)
- 내일 비가 온다면서요? (I heard it’s going to rain tomorrow. Is it true?)
- 그 영화가 재미있다면서요? (I heard that movie is fun. Is that correct?)
- 요즘 바쁘다면서요? (I heard you’ve been busy these days. Is it true?)
- 너 프랑스어 배운다면서요? (I heard you’re learning French. Is that correct?)
2. Expressing mild doubt or curiosity
- 한국에 간다면서요? (I heard you’re going to Korea. Is it true?)
- 시험이 어렵다면서요? (I heard the exam is difficult. Is that correct?)
- 선생님이 친절하다면서요? (I heard the teacher is kind. Is it true?)
- 여기 음식이 맛있다면서요? (I heard the food here is delicious. Is it correct?)
- 요즘 운동 열심히 한다면서요? (I heard you’re working out a lot these days. Is it true?)
3. Using past tense to confirm something from the past
- 어제 파티 재미있었다면서요? (I heard the party was fun yesterday. Is that true?)
- 그 가수가 한국에 왔다면서요? (I heard that singer came to Korea. Is it correct?)
- 너 지난주에 감기 걸렸다면서요? (I heard you had a cold last week. Is that true?)
- 선배가 회사 그만뒀다면서요? (I heard our senior quit the company. Is it correct?)
- 거기 너무 시끄러웠다면서요? (I heard it was really noisy there. Is that true?)
4. Using future tense to confirm a future event
- 다음 주에 이사한다면서요? (I heard you’re moving next week. Is that correct?)
- 여행 간다면서요? (I heard you’re going on a trip. Is it true?)
- 발표가 어렵겠다면서요? (I heard the presentation will be difficult. Is that correct?)
- 시험이 다음 달이라면서요? (I heard the exam is next month. Is it true?)
- 새로운 프로젝트 시작한다면서요? (I heard you’re starting a new project. Is that correct?)
4. Key Points to Remember
- “-ㄴ다면서요?” is used with action verbs in the present tense.
- “-는다면서요?” is used with action verbs ending in a consonant.
- “-다면서요?” is used with adjectives.
- “-(이)라면서요?” is used with nouns.
- It is often used in casual or semi-formal speech.
5. Practice Exercises
- (I heard you live in Seoul. Is that true?) → 서울에 _______?
- (I heard you like spicy food. Is that right?) → 매운 음식을 ______?
- (I heard your friend is a doctor. Is that correct?) → 네 친구가 ______?
- (I heard the test was easy. Is that true?) → 시험이 ______?
- (I heard she is studying abroad. Is that right?) → 그녀가 유학 ______?
- (I heard you will start a new job. Is that true?) → 새 직장 ______?
- (I heard this place is famous. Is that correct?) → 여기가 ______?
- (I heard the professor is very strict. Is that true?) → 교수님이 ______?
- (I heard they moved to another city. Is that correct?) → 그들이 다른 도시로 ______?
- (I heard you were sick last week. Is that true?) → 지난주에 ______?
6. Answers
- 산다면서요?
- 좋아한다면서요?
- 의사라면서요?
- 쉬웠다면서요?
- 간다면서요?
- 시작한다면서요?
- 유명하다면서요?
- 엄격하다면서요?
- 이사했다면서요?
- 아팠다면서요?
7. Common Mistakes and Tips
⚠️ Mistake 1: Using ‘-ㄴ다면서요?’ with adjectives
Incorrect: 날씨가 춥ㄴ다면서요? ❌
Correct: 날씨가 춥다면서요? ✅
💡 Tip: Adjectives don’t take ‘-ㄴ다면서요?’; use ‘-다면서요?’ instead. Always ensure that this pattern is applied correctly to adjectives.
⚠️ Mistake 2: Forgetting to change “이다” in past tense
Incorrect: 그는 학생이었다라면서요? ❌
Correct: 그는 학생이었다면서요? ✅
💡 Tip: In past tense, “이다” is correctly expressed as “이었다면서요?”. While “(이)라면서요?” can also be used and is more casual, “이었다면서요?” is the grammatically accurate form and suitable for both casual and formal contexts.
⚠️ Mistake 3: Overusing ‘-ㄴ다면서요?’ in formal situations
Incorrect: 사장님, 내일 회의가 있다면서요? ❌
Correct: 사장님, 내일 회의가 있다고 들었습니다. ✅
💡 Tip: In formal settings, use indirect speech (e.g., “-다고 들었습니다”) instead of ‘-ㄴ다면서요?’, which sounds too casual. Always adjust your tone and grammar according to the level of formality required.
‘-ㄴ/는다면서요?’ is a useful grammar pattern for confirming information in Korean. It helps speakers verify things they heard from others and express curiosity or mild doubt. By practicing with real-life examples, learners can use it naturally in daily conversations.