-다고 is used to quote statements in indirect speech. It means "that [someone] says/said..." and allows you to report what someone stated, thought, or claimed.
Structure
Verb/Adjective stem + -다고 (말)하다
Breakdown:
- -다고: Quotation ending for statements
- 하다/말하다: To say/speak
Literal meaning: "Saying that..." → "That [statement]"
Basic Forms
For Action Verbs
Present: Verb stem + -ㄴ다고/-는다고
- 먹다 → 먹는다고 (말)해요 (says/said that [someone] eats)
- 가다 → 간다고 (말)해요 (says/said that [someone] goes)
Past: Verb stem + -았/었다고
- 먹다 → 먹었다고 (말)해요 (says/said that [someone] ate)
- 가다 → 갔다고 (말)해요 (says/said that [someone] went)
Future: Verb stem + -(으)ㄹ 거라고
- 먹다 → 먹을 거라고 (말)해요 (says/said that [someone] will eat)
- 가다 → 갈 거라고 (말)해요 (says/said that [someone] will go)
For Adjectives
Present: Adjective stem + -다고
- 좋다 → 좋다고 (말)해요 (says/said that it's good)
- 크다 → 크다고 (말)해요 (says/said that it's big)
Past: Adjective stem + -았/었다고
- 좋다 → 좋았다고 (말)해요 (says/said that it was good)
- 크다 → 컸다고 (말)해요 (says/said that it was big)
For Noun + 이다/아니다
이다: Noun + (이)라고
- 학생이다 → 학생이라고 (말)해요 (says/said that [someone] is a student)
- 의사다 → 의사라고 (말)해요 (says/said that [someone] is a doctor)
아니다: Noun + 이/가 아니라고
- 학생이 아니다 → 학생이 아니라고 (말)해요 (says/said that [someone] is not a student)
Detailed Conjugation Rules
Present Tense Action Verbs
Consonant stem: -는다고
- 먹다 → 먹는다고
- 읽다 → 읽는다고
- 듣다 → 듣는다고
Vowel stem or ㄹ ending: -ㄴ다고
- 가다 → 간다고
- 오다 → 온다고
- 만들다 → 만든다고
Present Tense Adjectives
All adjectives: -다고
- 좋다 → 좋다고
- 예쁘다 → 예쁘다고
- 크다 → 크다고
- 작다 → 작다고
Past Tense (Verbs and Adjectives)
ㅏ/ㅗ vowel: -았다고
- 가다 → 갔다고
- 좋다 → 좋았다고
- 오다 → 왔다고
Other vowels: -었다고
- 먹다 → 먹었다고
- 크다 → 컸다고
- 읽다 → 읽었다고
하다 verbs: -했다고
- 공부하다 → 공부했다고
- 일하다 → 일했다고
Future Tense
Consonant stem: -(으)ㄹ 거라고
- 먹다 → 먹을 거라고
- 읽다 → 읽을 거라고
Vowel stem or ㄹ: -ㄹ 거라고
- 가다 → 갈 거라고
- 만들다 → 만들 거라고
Reporting Verbs
말하다 (To say)
Most common reporting verb:
- 친구가 바쁘다고 말했어요 (Friend said he's busy)
- 선생님이 시험이 어렵다고 말했어요 (Teacher said the exam is difficult)
하다 (To say - casual)
Shortened form:
- 비가 온다고 해요 (They say it's raining)
- 맛있다고 해요 (They say it's delicious)
듣다 (To hear)
Indirect information:
- 그 사람이 한국 사람이라고 들었어요 (I heard that person is Korean)
- 내일 비가 온다고 들었어요 (I heard it will rain tomorrow)
생각하다 (To think)
Reporting thoughts:
- 어렵다고 생각해요 (I think it's difficult)
- 좋은 생각이라고 생각했어요 (I thought it was a good idea)
Other Common Verbs
- 전하다 (to convey): 안부 전하라고 전했어요
- 쓰다 (to write): 미안하다고 썼어요
- 묻다 (to ask): 어디 사냐고 물었어요
Common Usage Patterns
Quoting What Someone Said
Direct → Indirect:
-
Direct: "비가 와요"
-
Indirect: 비가 온다고 해요 (He says it's raining)
-
Direct: "배고파요"
-
Indirect: 배고프다고 해요 (He says he's hungry)
Hearsay/Rumor
Something you heard:
- 그 식당이 맛있다고 해요 (They say that restaurant is delicious)
- 시험이 쉽다고 들었어요 (I heard the exam is easy)
- 내일 눈이 온다고 해요 (They say it will snow tomorrow)
Reporting Your Own Thoughts
What you think:
- 저는 괜찮다고 생각해요 (I think it's okay)
- 어렵다고 생각했어요 (I thought it was difficult)
Conveying Messages
Passing on information:
- 엄마가 빨리 오라고 하셨어요 (Mom said to come quickly)
- 선생님이 내일 시험이라고 말씀하셨어요 (Teacher said tomorrow is the exam)
Tense Combinations
Present Reporting Verb + Present Quote
- 친구가 바쁘다고 해요 (Friend says he's busy)
Present Reporting Verb + Past Quote
- 친구가 바빴다고 해요 (Friend says he was busy)
Past Reporting Verb + Present Quote
- 친구가 바쁘다고 했어요 (Friend said he's busy)
Past Reporting Verb + Past Quote
- 친구가 바빴다고 했어요 (Friend said he was busy)
Negative Forms
Verb Negation
안 -: 안 + Verb + -ㄴ다고/는다고
- 안 간다고 해요 (Says he's not going)
- 안 먹는다고 해요 (Says he's not eating)
-지 않다: Verb + -지 않는다고
- 가지 않는다고 해요 (Says he's not going)
- 먹지 않는다고 해요 (Says he's not eating)
Adjective Negation
안 -: 안 + Adjective + -다고
- 안 좋다고 해요 (Says it's not good)
- 안 예쁘다고 해요 (Says it's not pretty)
-지 않다: Adjective + -지 않다고
- 좋지 않다고 해요 (Says it's not good)
Can't/Unable
못 -: 못 + Verb + -ㄴ다고/는다고
- 못 간다고 해요 (Says he can't go)
- 못 먹는다고 해요 (Says he can't eat)
Honorific Forms
Using -(으)시- for Respect
Present: -(으)신다고
- 가시다 → 가신다고 해요 (Says [someone honorific] goes)
- 오시다 → 오신다고 해요 (Says [someone honorific] comes)
Past: -(으)셨다고
- 가셨다고 해요 (Says [someone honorific] went)
- 오셨다고 해요 (Says [someone honorific] came)
Honorific Reporting Verbs
말씀하시다: (Honorific form of 말하다)
- 선생님께서 어렵다고 말씀하셨어요 (Teacher said it's difficult)
Special Cases
For 이다 (To be)
Present: Noun + (이)라고
- Consonant: 학생이라고 해요
- Vowel: 의사라고 해요
Past: Noun + (이)었다고/였다고
- 학생이었다고 해요
- 의사였다고 해요
For 아니다 (To not be)
Present: Noun + 이/가 아니라고
- 학생이 아니라고 해요 (Says he's not a student)
Past: Noun + 이/가 아니었다고
- 학생이 아니었다고 해요 (Says he wasn't a student)
For 있다/없다
있다: 있다고
- 돈이 있다고 해요 (Says he has money)
없다: 없다고
- 돈이 없다고 해요 (Says he has no money)
Written vs. Spoken Forms
Formal Written
Uses full -라고 하다:
- 그는 바쁘다고 말했다
- 날씨가 좋다고 했다
Casual Spoken
Often drops 말:
- 바쁘다고 해요 (more common than 바쁘다고 말해요)
- 좋다고 해요
Very casual:
- 바쁘대요 (shortened from 바쁘다고 해요)
- 좋대요 (shortened from 좋다고 해요)
Common Expressions
Hearsay Expressions
- ~다고 해요 (They say...)
- ~다고 들었어요 (I heard that...)
- ~다고 하더라고요 (I heard/saw that...)
Conveying Messages
- ~라고 전하다 (To convey that...)
- ~다고 알려주다 (To inform that...)
- ~다고 말씀드리다 (To tell [honorific] that...)
Asking What Someone Said
- 뭐라고 했어요? (What did they say?)
- 뭐라고 하셨어요? (What did [honorific] say?)
Casual Contractions
-다고 해요 → -대요
Very common in speech:
- 바쁘다고 해요 → 바쁘대요
- 좋다고 해요 → 좋대요
- 먹는다고 해요 → 먹는대요
- 갔다고 해요 → 갔대요
-다고 했어요 → -댔어요
Past tense contraction:
- 바쁘다고 했어요 → 바쁘댔어요
- 좋다고 했어요 → 좋댔어요
Common Mistakes
❌ Incorrect: 가요다고 해요
Adding -요 before -다고
✅ Correct: 간다고 해요
Use statement form, not polite form
❌ Incorrect: 좋는다고 해요
Adding -는 to adjectives
✅ Correct: 좋다고 해요
Adjectives use -다고, not -는다고
❌ Incorrect: 학생다고 해요
Missing copula particle
✅ Correct: 학생이라고 해요
Use (이)라고 with nouns
Summary Table
| Type | Form | Example | Quote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action Verb - Present | -(ㄴ/는)다고 | 간다고 해요 | Says he goes |
| Action Verb - Past | -았/었다고 | 갔다고 해요 | Says he went |
| Action Verb - Future | -(으)ㄹ 거라고 | 갈 거라고 해요 | Says he will go |
| Adjective - Present | -다고 | 좋다고 해요 | Says it's good |
| Adjective - Past | -았/었다고 | 좋았다고 해요 | Says it was good |
| Noun (이다) | (이)라고 | 학생이라고 해요 | Says he's a student |
| Negative | 안/지 않는다고 | 안 간다고 해요 | Says he's not going |
| Honorific | -(으)신다고 | 가신다고 해요 | Says [hon.] goes |