When learning Korean, you might come across the question endings ‘-지요?‘ and ‘-ㄴ/는다면서요?‘. While both are used to confirm or clarify information, they have different nuances and contexts. Understanding these differences will help you sound more natural in conversations. In this post, we’ll break down their meanings, usage, and key distinctions with real-life examples.
Contents
1. Definition
‘-지요?’ and ‘-ㄴ/는다면서요?’ are both sentence-ending expressions used in spoken Korean, but they serve different purposes.
- ‘-지요?‘ (also written as ‘-죠?‘ in spoken form) is used to confirm information or make suggestions.
- ‘-ㄴ/는다면서요?‘ is used to confirm something the speaker heard from someone else.
2. Form (Structure)
| Grammar Pattern | Structure | Example |
| -지요? (-죠?) | Verb + 지요? | 날씨가 춥지요? (The weather is cold, right?) |
| -ㄴ/는다면서요? | Verb stem + ㄴ/는다면서요? Adjective + 다면서요? | 한국에 간다면서요? (I heard you’re going to Korea.) |
3. Meaning & Usage
Both ‘-지요?’ and ‘-ㄴ/ㄴ다면서요?’ are used to confirm information, but they serve different purposes and are used in distinct contexts. Understanding their differences is key to using them correctly in conversations.
1. Purpose
- ‘-지요?‘: This pattern is used when the speaker wants to confirm or seek agreement about something they believe the listener already knows or agrees with. It often has a tone of shared understanding or expectation.
- ‘-ㄴ/ㄴ다면서요?‘: This pattern is used to confirm information the speaker has heard from someone else. It implies that the speaker is verifying a fact they learned indirectly.
Examples:
- 이 영화 재미있지요? (This movie is interesting, right?)
→ The speaker assumes the listener has seen the movie and agrees it’s interesting. - 이 영화 재미있다면서요? (I heard this movie is interesting.)
→ The speaker hasn’t seen the movie but heard from someone else that it’s interesting. - 김 선생님이 한국어 선생님이지요? (Mr. Kim is a Korean teacher, right?)
→ The speaker believes both they and the listener already know this fact. - 김 선생님이 한국어 선생님이라면서요? (I heard Mr. Kim is a Korean teacher.)
→ The speaker learned this information elsewhere and wants to confirm it with the listener. - 오늘 날씨가 좋지요? (The weather is nice today, isn’t it?)
→ The speaker expects agreement from the listener about the nice weather. - 오늘 날씨가 좋다면서요? (I heard the weather is nice today.)
→ The speaker hasn’t experienced today’s weather but wants confirmation about what they heard.
2. Context of Use
- ‘-지요?‘: Used when the speaker assumes the listener is aware of the information or shares the same knowledge. It can also be used for polite suggestions.
- ‘-ㄴ/ㄴ다면서요?‘: Used when the speaker is unsure about the accuracy of what they heard and wants to confirm it with the listener.
Examples:
- 같이 가시지요. (Let’s go together.)
→ A polite suggestion made using ‘-지요?’. - 내일 같이 간다면서요? (I heard we’re going together tomorrow.)
→ A neutral confirmation of something the speaker was told. - 이 책을 읽어 보시지요. (Why don’t you read this book?)
→ A polite suggestion in a respectful context. - 이 책이 재미있다면서요? (I heard this book is interesting.)
→ The speaker hasn’t read the book but heard it’s interesting. - 이 식당이 유명하지요? (This restaurant is famous, right?)
→ The speaker assumes the listener knows the restaurant is famous. - 이 식당이 유명하다면서요? (I heard this restaurant is famous.)
→ The speaker learned about the restaurant’s fame from someone else.
3. Emotional Tone
- ‘-지요?‘: The tone is often friendly, inclusive, or polite, as it seeks agreement or confirmation in a non-confrontational way.
- ‘-ㄴ/ㄴ다면서요?‘: The tone can vary but often conveys curiosity or a desire to verify information without making assumptions.
Examples:
- 이게 제일 맛있는 음식이지요? (This is the tastiest food, right?)
→ The speaker expects agreement about the food being the tastiest. - 이게 제일 맛있는 음식이라면서요? (I heard this is the tastiest food.)
→ The speaker hasn’t tried the food but heard it’s the best. - 오늘은 일찍 끝나지요? (We finish early today, right?)
→ The speaker assumes both they and the listener know the schedule. - 오늘은 일찍 끝난다면서요? (I heard we finish early today.)
→ The speaker learned about the schedule from someone else. - 이 영화는 재미있게 보셨지요? (You enjoyed the movie, didn’t you?)
→ The speaker expects confirmation about enjoying the movie. - 이 영화는 재미있게 봤다면서요? (I heard you enjoyed the movie.)
→ The speaker hasn’t seen the movie but heard the listener enjoyed it.
4. Suggestions vs. Neutral Confirmation
Examples:
- 이걸 한번 해 보시지요. (Why don’t you try this?)
→ A polite suggestion using ‘-지요?’. - 이걸 한번 해 봤다면서요? (I heard you tried this.)
→ A neutral confirmation of something the speaker was told. - 여기 앉으시지요. (Please have a seat here.)
→ A polite suggestion in a respectful context. - 여기 앉았다면서요? (I heard you sat here.)
→ The speaker learned about the seating arrangement from someone else. - 이 책을 읽어 보시지요. (Why don’t you read this book?)
→ A polite suggestion made using ‘-지요?’. - 이 책을 읽었다면서요? (I heard you read this book.)
→ The speaker hasn’t read the book but heard the listener did.
5. Politeness in Formal Contexts
- ‘-지요?‘: Often used in formal contexts for polite suggestions.
- ‘-ㄴ/ㄴ다면서요?‘: Not typically used for suggestions.
Examples:
- 이걸 한번 해 보시지요. (Why don’t you try this?)
→ A polite suggestion in a formal context. - 이걸 한번 해 봤다면서요? (I heard you tried this.)
→ A neutral confirmation of something the speaker was told. - 여기 서류를 제출하시지요. (Please submit your documents here.)
→ A polite instruction using ‘-지요?’. - 여기 서류를 제출했다면서요? (I heard you submitted your documents here.)
→ The speaker learned about the submission from someone else. - 이 문제를 해결하시지요. (Why don’t you solve this problem?)
→ A polite suggestion in a respectful context. - 이 문제를 해결했다면서요? (I heard you solved this problem.)
→ The speaker hasn’t solved the problem but heard the listener did.
| Aspect | ‘-지요?’ | ‘-ㄴ/ㄴ다면서요?’ |
| Purpose | Confirming or seeking agreement | Verifying information heard from someone else |
| Context | Shared knowledge | Indirectly learned knowledge |
| Tone | Friendly, inclusive, or polite | Curious, neutral |
| Additional Use | Polite suggestions | Not used for suggestions |
4. Key Points to Remember
- ‘-지요?’ is used for confirmation or suggestions.
- ‘-ㄴ/는다면서요?’ is used to verify something you heard from someone else.
- ‘-지요?’ is often shortened to ‘-죠?’ in spoken language.
- ‘-ㄴ/는다면서요?’ is mostly used in informal or semi-formal speech.
5. Practice Exercises
Translate the following sentences into Korean using either ‘-지요?’ or ‘-ㄴ/ㄴ다면서요?’.
- You like spicy food, right?
→ - I heard you’re moving to Seoul next month.
→ - This coffee is hot, isn’t it?
→ - I heard she’s studying Korean literature.
→ - You’ve been to Busan before, right?
→ - I heard this café has the best desserts.
→ - Tomorrow’s meeting is at 10 AM, right?
→ - I heard you bought a new car.
→ - This is your favorite song, isn’t it?
→ - I heard they’re getting married next year.
→
6. Answers
- 매운 음식을 좋아하지요?
- 다음 달에 서울로 이사한다면서요?
- 이 커피가 뜨겁지요?
- 그녀가 한국 문학을 공부한다면서요?
- 부산에 가 봤지요?
- 이 카페가 디저트가 최고라면서요?
- 내일 회의가 10시지요?
- 새 차를 샀다면서요?
- 이게 네가 가장 좋아하는 노래지요?
- 내년에 결혼한다면서요?
7. Common Mistakes and Tips
⚠️ Mistake 1: Mixing up informal and formal contexts
Incorrect: 사장님, 날씨가 춥지! ❌ (Boss, it’s cold, you know!)
Correct: 사장님, 날씨가 춥지 않습니까? ✅ (Boss, isn’t it cold?)
Incorrect: 고객님, 여기 앉지. ❌ (Please have a seat here.)
Correct: 고객님, 여기 앉으시죠. ✅ (Please have a seat here.)
💡 Tip: Use formal endings like “-습니까?“ or “-지요?“ in professional settings. Avoid casual endings like “-지” with superiors.
⚠️ Mistake 2: Using the wrong pattern for confirming information
Incorrect:그 영화가 재미있지면서요! ❌ (I heard that movie is fun, you know!)
Correct: 그 영화가 재미있다면서요? ✅ (I heard that movie is fun.)
Incorrect: 내일 간다지? ❌ (You’re going tomorrow, right?)
Correct: 내일 간다면서? ✅ (I heard you’re going tomorrow.)
💡 Tip: Use “-다면서요?“ to confirm information you’ve heard indirectly. Use “-지요?“ only when assuming shared knowledge.
⚠️ Mistake 3: Overusing ‘-지’ in casual speech
Incorrect: 사장님, 오늘 재밌었지! ❌ (Boss, today was fun, right!)
Correct: 사장님, 오늘 재밌었죠! ✅ (Boss, today was fun, wasn’t it?)
Incorrect: 고객님, 오늘 재밌었지! ❌ (Customer, today was fun, right!)
Correct: 고객님, 오늘 재밌었죠! ✅ (Customer, today was fun, wasn’t it?)
💡 Tip: Replace “-지” with “-죠” for smoother, more natural conversations. “-죠” softens the tone and invites agreement politely.
‘-지요?’ and ‘-ㄴ/는다면서요?’ have distinct uses in Korean. ‘-지요?’ is for confirmation and polite suggestions, while ‘-ㄴ/는다면서요?’ is for verifying second-hand information. Understanding these differences will help you use them correctly in conversation.