In Korean, indirect commands are commonly expressed using the shortened form ‘(으)래요’, which comes from the verb structure ‘(으)라고 하다’. This form is used to report what someone else has said as a command or request. If you’re learning Korean grammar, understanding how to use ‘(으)래요’ correctly is crucial for sounding more natural in conversations. In this post, we’ll break down the usage of ‘(으)래요’ in indirect commands, offering practical examples and tips to help you use it confidently in your everyday Korean.
Contents
1. Definition
‘(으)래요/래요’ is a shortened version of ‘(으)라고 하다’ and is used to report indirect commands or requests. Instead of directly telling someone to do something, you report what someone else has told you to do.
- Use ‘(으)라고 하다’ when you are directly quoting someone’s command or request. This is used in reported speech when you’re explaining what someone has said to you in the form of a command.
Example:- Direct Command: “먹어!” (Eat!)
- Reported Command: “그는 나에게 먹으라고 했어요.” (He told me to eat.)
- Use ‘(으)래요/래요’ when you are indirectly reporting someone else’s command or request in a casual, informal context. This form is used when you want to report what someone else said in a more conversational tone, often in everyday speech.
Example:- Indirect Command: “그는 나에게 먹으래요” (He told me to eat.)
- Indirect Command: “그는 나에게 먹으래요” (He told me to eat.)
2. Form (Structure)
To form indirect commands using ‘(으)래요/래요’, follow this simple structure:
Verb Stem + (으)래요/래요
- If the verb stem ends in a vowel or a consonant other than ‘ㄹ’, add ‘-래요’.
- If the verb stem ends in ‘ㄹ’, add just ‘래요’.
Examples:
- 가다 (to go) → 가래요 (He/She said to go)
- 먹다 (to eat) → 먹으래요 (He/She said to eat)
- 마시다 (to drink) → 마시래요 (He/She said to drink)
- 읽다 (to read) → 읽으래요 (He/She said to read)
- 살다 (to live) → 살래요 (He/She said to live)
- 팔다 (to sell) → 팔래요 (He/She said to sell)
- 울다 (to cry) → 울래요 (He/She said to cry)
- 놀다 (to play) → 놀래요 (He/She said to play)
| Verb Stem Ending | Form | Example |
| Consonant (except ‘ㄹ’) | -으래요 | 먹다 → 먹으래요 (He/She said to eat) |
| Vowel | -래요 | 가다 → 가래요 (He/She said to go) |
| ‘ㄹ’ | -래요 | 놀다 → 놀래요 (He/She said to play) |
3. Meaning & Usage
‘(으)래요/래요’ is a shortened form of ‘(으)라고 해요’, which itself comes from ‘(으)라고 하다’. This grammatical structure is used to report what someone else has said in the form of a command or request. It is a more casual and conversational way to convey indirect speech.
The meaning and usage of ‘(으)래요/래요’ can be understood in the following contexts:
1. Reporting indirect commands or requests
Use this form to report what someone told you or others to do.
- Full form: 그는 나에게 공부하라고 했어요. (He told me to study.)
Shortened form: 그는 나에게 공부하래요. (He says to study.) - Full form: 선생님이 숙제를 내일까지 제출하라고 하셨어요. (The teacher told us to submit the homework by tomorrow.)
Shortened form: 선생님이 숙제를 내일까지 제출하래요. (The teacher says to submit the homework by tomorrow.) - Full form: 의사 선생님이 매일 운동하라고 하셨어요. (The doctor told me to exercise every day.)
Shortened form: 의사 선생님이 매일 운동하래요. (The doctor says to exercise every day.) - Full form: 상사가 보고서를 다시 작성하라고 했어요. (The boss told me to rewrite the report.)
Shortened form: 상사가 보고서를 다시 작성하래요. (The boss says to rewrite the report.)
2. Everyday conversational tone
The shortened form is commonly used in informal, spoken Korean to make speech sound more natural and less formal.
- Full form: 엄마가 집에 일찍 오라고 했어요. (Mom told me to come home early.)
Shortened form: 엄마가 집에 일찍 오래요. (Mom says to come home early.) - Full form: 룸메이트가 창문을 열라고 했어요. (My roommate told me to open the window.)
Shortened form: 룸메이트가 창문을 열래요. (My roommate says to open the window.) - Full form: 엄마가 동생과 게임을 같이 하라고 하셨어요. (Mom told me to play games together with my younger sibling.)
Shortened form: 엄마가 동생과 게임을 같이 하래요. (Mom says to play games together with my younger sibling.) - Full form: 아빠가 주말에 등산 가라고 하셨어요. (Dad told us to go hiking on the weekend.)
Shortened form: 아빠가 주말에 등산 가래요. (Dad says to go hiking on the weekend.)
3. Softening commands
Using the shortened form makes the command sound less direct and more conversational, which is useful in casual settings.
- Full form: 친구가 나에게 이 책을 읽으라고 했어요. (My friend told me to read this book.)
Shortened form: 친구가 나에게 이 책을 읽으래요. (My friend says to read this book.) - Full form: 엄마가 방을 청소하라고 하셨어요. (Mom told me to clean the room.)
Shortened form: 엄마가 방을 청소하래요. (Mom says to clean the room.) - Full form: 선배가 이 문제를 다시 확인하라고 했어요. (My senior told me to check this problem again.)
Shortened form: 선배가 이 문제를 다시 확인하래요. (My senior says to check this problem again.) - Full form: 교수님이 다음 주까지 논문을 제출하라고 하셨어요. (The professor told us to submit the paper by next week.)
Shortened form: 교수님이 다음 주까지 논문을 제출하래요. (The professor says to submit the paper by next week.)
The shortened form ‘(으)래요/래요’ is particularly useful for casual conversations, where brevity and a natural tone are preferred over the longer, more formal structure of ‘(으)라고 하다’.
4. Mistakes and Tips
- ‘(으)래요/래요’ is a shortened form of ‘(으)라고 하다’.
- Use ‘(으)래요/래요’ for reporting indirect commands in casual, everyday speech.
- ‘(으)라고 하다’ is used when directly quoting someone’s command or request.
- The form changes based on the verb stem ending (vowel, consonant, or ‘ㄹ’).
5. Practice Exercises
Translate the following sentences into Korean using ‘(으)래요/래요’.
- He told me to buy some groceries.
→ - She told me to study hard.
→ - They told me to be quiet.
→ - My mom told me to clean my room.
→ - My friend told me to bring the book.
→ - The teacher told us to finish our homework.
→ - The doctor told me to take the medicine.
→ - He told me to wait for him.
→ - My dad told me to fix the car.
→ - The manager told me to send the email.
→
6. Answers
- 그가 나에게 장을 보래요.
- 그녀가 나에게 열심히 공부하래요.
- 그들이 나에게 조용히 하래요.
- 엄마가 저에게 방을 청소하래요.
- 친구가 나에게 책을 가져오래요.
- 선생님께서 저희에게 숙제를 다 끝내래요.
- 의사 선생님께서 저에게 약을 먹으래요.
- 그가 나에게 기다리래요.
- 아빠께서 저에게 차를 고치래요.
- 매니저가 나에게 이메일을 보내래요.
7. Common Mistakes and Tips
⚠️ Mistake 1: Using ‘으래요/래요’ in formal contexts
- Incorrect Sentence: 선생님이 내일 회의에 참석하래요. ❌
- Correct Sentence: 선생님께서 내일 회의에 참석하라고 하셨어요. ✅
- 💡 Tip: ‘으래요/래요’ is used mainly in casual settings. When speaking politely, use ‘(으)라고 하다’. If you’re in a formal situation, remember to use the correct honorific form of the verb, like ‘(으)라고 하다’ instead of ‘으래요/래요’.
⚠️ Mistake 2: Using ‘으래요/래요’ for suggestions
- Incorrect Sentence: 친구가 영화를 보래요. ❌
- Correct Sentence: 친구가 영화를 보자고 했어요. ✅
- 💡 Tip: ‘으래요/래요’ can sound like a command, so for suggestions, use ‘자고 하다’. Using ‘보래요’ could make it sound like a strong order. Instead, try ‘보자고 하다’ when offering a suggestion or invitation.
⚠️ Mistake 3: Using ‘으래요/래요’ in negative commands
- Incorrect Sentence: 엄마가 청소 안 하래요. ❌
- Correct Sentence: 엄마께서 청소하지 말라고 하셨어요. ✅
- 💡 Tip: For negative commands, use ‘(으)라고 하다’ with ‘~지 말다’. ‘으래요/래요’ is used for positive requests or orders and is not appropriate for negative ones. The structure ‘~지 말다’ is the standard way to form negative commands in Korean.
2. Tips to Avoid Mistakes
- 💡 Tip 1: Formality
Make sure to choose the right level of formality for your situation. ‘으래요/래요’ is mainly for casual conversations with friends, peers, or younger people. For more respectful or formal situations, always use ‘(으)라고 하다’. - 💡 Tip 2: Suggestions vs. Commands
When making a suggestion, use ‘자고 하다’, and when giving an order, use ‘으래요/래요’. For casual proposals or invitations, ‘자고 하다’ is more appropriate than ‘으래요/래요’, which can sound more like a command. - 💡 Tip 3: Negative Commands
Use ‘(으)라고 하다’ for negative commands. ‘으래요/래요’ is suitable for positive requests or commands, but not for negative ones.
‘으래요/래요’ is a casual and contracted form of reporting someone else’s commands or requests, commonly used in everyday conversations. It’s important to remember the proper context and level of politeness when using this structure. For formal situations, use ‘(으)라고 하다’, and adjust the form based on whether it’s a command, request, or suggestion. Proper usage ensures clear and polite