-다니까(요) - I told you

-다니까(요) is a sentence ending used to insist on or emphasize a statement, often translating to "I told you," "I'm telling you," or "I said...!" It's used when repeating information that the listener didn't understand, didn't believe, or didn't pay attention to. It can express frustration, insistence, or strong emphasis.

Structure

Statement + -다니까(요)

Formation depends on sentence type:

• Verb/Adj + -다니까(요): Plain form + 다니까요
• Noun + -(이)라니까(요): Noun + 라니까요

Meaning: Emphasizing or insisting on what was already said

Formation Rules

Verbs and Adjectives: -다니까(요)

Present tense verbs:

• 가다 → 간다니까요! (I told you they're going!)
• 먹다 → 먹는다니까요! (I told you they're eating!)
• 하다 → 한다니까요! (I'm telling you, they're doing it!)

Adjectives:

• 좋다 → 좋다니까요! (I told you it's good!)
• 예쁘다 → 예쁘다니까요! (I'm telling you, it's pretty!)
• 비싸다 → 비싸다니까요! (I told you it's expensive!)

Past Tense: -았/었다니까(요)

Past actions:

• 갔다니까요! (I told you they went!)
• 먹었다니까요! (I told you they ate it!)
• 했다니까요! (I told you they did it!)

Nouns: -(이)라니까(요)

With final consonant: -이라니까(요):

• 학생이라니까요! (I told you he's/she's a student!)
• 의사라니까요! (I'm telling you, he's/she's a doctor!)
• 거짓말이라니까요! (I told you it's a lie!)

No final consonant: -라니까(요):

• 친구라니까요! (I told you he's/she's a friend!)
• 가수라니까요! (I'm telling you, he's/she's a singer!)
• 내 거라니까요! (I told you it's mine!)

Core Meaning: Insisting and Repeating

I Already Told You

Repeating what you said before:

• 내일이라니까요! (I told you it's tomorrow!)
• 안 된다니까요! (I said it's not allowed!)
• 그 사람이 했다니까요! (I'm telling you, that person did it!)
• 없다니까요! (I told you there isn't any!)

Emphasizing the Truth

Insisting something is true:

• 정말이라니까요! (I'm telling you, it's really true!)
• 맞다니까요! (I told you it's correct!)
• 진짜라니까요! (I'm telling you, it's real!)
• 확실하다니까요! (I'm telling you, it's certain!)

Expressing Frustration

When listener doesn't understand or believe:

• 아니라니까요! (I told you it's not!)
• 그렇지 않다니까요! (I'm telling you, it's not like that!)
• 틀렸다니까요! (I told you it's wrong!)
• 몰라요라니까요! (I told you I don't know!)

Politeness Levels

Polite: -다니까요

Standard polite form:

• 간다니까요! (I told you they're going!)
• 좋다니까요! (I told you it's good!)
• 학생이라니까요! (I told you he's/she's a student!)

Casual: -다니까

Informal speech:

• 간다니까! (I told you they're going!)
• 좋다니까! (I told you it's good!)
• 학생이라니까! (I told you he's/she's a student!)

Very Casual/Emphatic: -다니까 말이야/말이에요

With additional emphasis:

• 간다니까 말이야! (I'm telling you they're going!)
• 좋다니까 말이에요! (I'm telling you it's good!)

Tense Conjugations

Present: -다니까(요)

Current state insistence:

• 지금 온다니까요! (I told you they're coming now!)
• 아프다니까요! (I'm telling you I'm sick!)
• 바쁘다니까요! (I told you I'm busy!)

Past: -았/었다니까(요)

Past event insistence:

• 어제 갔다니까요! (I told you they went yesterday!)
• 벌써 끝났다니까요! (I told you it already finished!)
• 했다니까요! (I told you I did it!)

Future: -(으)ㄹ 거라니까(요)

Future plan insistence:

• 올 거라니까요! (I told you they'll come!)
• 할 거라니까요! (I'm telling you I'll do it!)
• 될 거라니까요! (I told you it'll work!)

Common Usage Patterns

Correcting Misunderstanding

When someone got it wrong:

• A: 내일 만나요? (Shall we meet tomorrow?)

• B: 아니, 모레라니까요! (No, I told you it's the day after tomorrow!)

• A: 이거 비싸죠? (This is expensive, right?)

• B: 아니, 싸다니까요! (No, I'm telling you it's cheap!)

Insisting on Truth

When not believed:

• A: 정말이에요? (Is it really true?)

• B: 정말이라니까요! (I'm telling you it's really true!)

• A: 확실해요? (Are you sure?)

• B: 확실하다니까요! (I told you I'm sure!)

Expressing Frustration

When repeatedly questioned:

• 몰라요라니까요! (I told you I don't know!)
• 안 했다니까요! (I'm telling you I didn't do it!)
• 없다니까요! (I told you there isn't any!)
• 아니라니까요! (I'm telling you it's not!)

Common Expressions

Strong Assertions

• 정말이라니까요! (I'm telling you it's really true!)
• 진짜라니까요! (I told you it's real!)
• 맞다니까요! (I told you it's correct!)
• 확실하다니까요! (I'm telling you it's certain!)

Denials

• 아니라니까요! (I told you it's not!)
• 안 했다니까요! (I told you I didn't do it!)
• 그렇지 않다니까요! (I'm telling you it's not like that!)
• 몰라요라니까요! (I told you I don't know!)

Time/Schedule

• 내일이라니까요! (I told you it's tomorrow!)
• 지금이라니까요! (I'm telling you it's now!)
• 이미 끝났다니까요! (I told you it already finished!)

Prohibitions/Permissions

• 안 된다니까요! (I told you it's not allowed!)
• 돼요라니까요! (I'm telling you it's okay!)
• 하지 마라니까요! (I told you not to do it!)

Emotional Nuances

Frustration (Most Common)

When repeatedly not understood:

• 아니라니까요! (I told you it's not! - frustrated)
• 그게 아니라니까요! (I'm telling you that's not it! - annoyed)
• 들어 보라니까요! (I told you to listen! - exasperated)

Insistence (Firm)

Strongly asserting something:

• 정말이라니까요! (I'm telling you it's really true! - firm)
• 확실하다니까요! (I told you I'm sure! - confident)
• 맞다니까요! (I told you it's right! - assertive)

Urgency

When time-sensitive:

• 빨리 가라니까요! (I told you to go quickly! - urgent)
• 지금이라니까요! (I'm telling you it's now! - pressing)

Negative Forms

Negative Statement Insistence

안/못 + Verb + -다니까요:

• 안 간다니까요! (I told you I'm not going!)
• 못 한다니까요! (I'm telling you I can't do it!)
• 안 된다니까요! (I told you it's not allowed!)

-지 않다니까요:

• 가지 않는다니까요! (I told you I'm not going!)
• 하지 않는다니까요! (I'm telling you I'm not doing it!)

Comparing Similar Endings

-다니까(요) vs -다니(요)

Different functions:

• -다니까(요): I told you / Insisting on repetition
  • 간다니까요! (I told you they're going! - repeating)
• -다니(요): What! / Surprise at hearing something
  • 간다니요! (What, they're going?! - surprise)

-다니까(요) vs -다고(요)

Different emphasis:

• -다니까(요): I told you (frustration/insistence)
  • 간다니까요! (I told you they're going! - emphasizing)
• -다고(요): Quoting/confirming (neutral)
  • 간다고요 (They say they're going / repeating for clarification)

-다니까(요) vs -잖아(요)

Both emphasize known info, different nuance:

• -다니까(요): I told you (you should have listened)
  • 비싸다니까요! (I told you it's expensive! - repeated info)
• -잖아(요): You know that (shared knowledge)
  • 비싸잖아요 (You know it's expensive - common knowledge)

With Imperatives

Commands with Insistence

-(으)라니까(요): I told you to...

• 가라니까요! (I told you to go!)
• 하라니까요! (I'm telling you to do it!)
• 먹으라니까요! (I told you to eat!)
• 들으라니까요! (I'm telling you to listen!)

하지 마라니까(요): I told you not to...

• 하지 마라니까요! (I told you not to do it!)
• 가지 마라니까요! (I told you not to go!)

Perspective and Usage

When to Use -다니까(요)

Use when:

• Repeating information that wasn't understood
• Insisting on the truth of something
• Expressing frustration with being questioned
• Emphasizing what you already said
• Correcting misunderstandings

Nuance:

• Shows mild to moderate frustration
• Implies "I already told you this"
• Can sound slightly impatient
• Less polite than neutral statements
• Use carefully in formal situations

Natural Contexts

Common scenarios:

• Correcting someone who misheard
• Responding to repeated questions
• Insisting when not believed
• Emphasizing important information

Politeness Considerations

Can be perceived as pushy:

• Use sparingly with superiors or strangers
• More acceptable with friends/family
• Tone matters - can sound angry if not careful
• Consider using softer alternatives in formal contexts:
  • 아까 말씀드린 것처럼... (As I mentioned before...)
  • 다시 한 번 말씀드리면... (To say again...)

Summary Table

Type	Form	Example	Meaning
Verb	-다니까요	간다니까요!	I told you they're going!
Adjective	-다니까요	좋다니까요!	I told you it's good!
Past	-았/었다니까요	갔다니까요!	I told you they went!
Noun	-(이)라니까요	학생이라니까요!	I told you he's/she's a student!
Negative	안 -다니까요	안 간다니까요!	I told you I'm not going!
Command	-(으)라니까요	가라니까요!	I told you to go!

Key Takeaways

• ✅ Insistence: "I told you" / "I'm telling you"
• ✅ Repetition emphasis: When repeating information
• ✅ Shows frustration: Mild annoyance when not understood
• ✅ Quote + -다니까(요): Based on statement form
• ✅ Less formal: Use carefully in polite contexts
• ✅ Different from -다니(요): Insisting vs surprise

-다니까(요) is essential for emphasizing or repeating information when you feel you're not being understood or believed. While it's very common in everyday Korean, be mindful of the context and your relationship with the listener, as it can convey frustration or impatience. Use it naturally when you need to insist on what you've already said!