-(으)냐고 하다

Build it

When to use it

Formally the ending splits by word class: verbs take -느냐고, adjectives -(으)냐고, 이다 -(이)냐고. In practice modern Korean has levelled this, and -냐고 after any stem is what you will hear and read: 가냐고, 좋냐고, 학생이냐고.

Tense goes inside, as with the other reported forms: 갔냐고 물었어요.

The closing verb is often 묻다 or 물어보다 rather than 하다, since the act being reported is asking: 어디 가냐고 물어봤어요.

Question words stay in place. Korean does not reorder anything for an indirect question, so 어디 가? becomes 어디 가냐고 with the 어디 untouched — simpler than the English equivalent.

The spoken contraction is -냬요.

How to attach it

In use

1. 친구가 어디 가냐고 물었어요.

   My friend asked where I was going.

2. 선생님이 숙제를 했냐고 물어보셨어요.

   The teacher asked whether I’d done my homework.

3. 그 사람이 한국 사람이냐고 물었어요.

   He asked whether I’m Korean.

4. 음식이 맛있냐고 물어봤어요.

   I asked whether the food was good.

5. 언제 만들 거냐고 했어요.

   They asked when I’d be making it.

6. 내일 시간 있냬요.

   They’re asking whether you’re free tomorrow.

Compared with

• -(느)ㄴ다고 하다

  Statements versus questions. The four reported forms differ only in this slot, so learning them as a group is efficient.

  간다고 했어요. (he said he’s going)  /  가냐고 했어요. (he asked whether I’m going)

• -는지 묻다

  An alternative for indirect questions, closer to English “whether” and common in writing: 오는지 물었어요. Both are correct; -냐고 is more conversational.

  가냐고 물었어요.  /  가는지 물었어요.

• The four contractions

  -대요, -래요, -재요, -냬요. Recognising these four in speech unlocks a great deal of everyday conversation.

  간대요 / 가래요 / 가재요 / 가냬요

Watch out

• 친구가 어디 가요고 물었어요.

  친구가 어디 가냐고 물었어요.

  The report is built on the plain question form, so the polite -아요 is stripped away first.

• 그 사람이 한국 사람이다냐고 물었어요.

  그 사람이 한국 사람이냐고 물었어요.

  이다 gives -(이)냐고 directly. There is no 다 in between.

• 선생님이 숙제를 하냐고 물으셨어요. — meaning “had you done it”

  선생님이 숙제를 했냐고 물으셨어요.

  Tense goes inside the ending. 하냐고 asks about now; 했냐고 asks about a completed action.

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