-더라 is a sentence ending that recalls a past observation or discovery. It means "I saw/noticed that," "it turned out that," or "I found that." It expresses what the speaker personally witnessed or experienced in the past.
Structure
Verb/Adjective stem + -더라(고)
Breakdown:
- -더라: Retrospective observation ending
- Recalls direct past experience
- Speaker's personal witness
- Often casual/conversational
Literal meaning: "I saw/observed that [it was/did]..."
Formation Rules
With All Verbs and Adjectives
Stem + -더라:
- 가다 → 가더라 (I saw [them] go / [they] were going)
- 예쁘다 → 예쁘더라 (I saw it was pretty / it was pretty)
- 좋다 → 좋더라 (I found it was good / it was good)
- 맛있다 → 맛있더라 (I found it was delicious)
- 크다 → 크더라 (I saw it was big / it was big)
With 이다
Noun + 이더라/더라:
With final consonant: 이더라
- 학생이더라 (I saw [they] were a student)
- 사실이더라 (it turned out to be true)
No final consonant: 더라
- 의사더라 (I saw [they] were a doctor)
Core Meaning: Personal Past Observation
What I Witnessed
Reporting direct experience:
- 그 식당 음식이 맛있더라 (That restaurant's food was delicious [I tried it])
- 영화가 재미있더라 (The movie was fun [I watched it])
- 날씨가 좋더라 (The weather was nice [I experienced it])
- 사람이 많더라 (There were many people [I saw])
Discovery/Realization
Finding something out firsthand:
- 생각보다 쉽더라 (It was easier than I thought [I found out])
- 그 사람 친절하더라 (That person was kind [I discovered])
- 거기 멀더라 (That place was far [I realized])
Common Usage Patterns
Sharing Observations
Telling others what you saw:
- 그 가게 물건이 싸더라 (That store's items were cheap [I saw])
- 공원이 예쁘더라 (The park was pretty [I saw])
- 그 사람 키가 크더라 (That person was tall [I noticed])
Past Experiences
Recounting what happened:
- 어제 날씨가 춥더라 (Yesterday's weather was cold [I felt it])
- 그때 정말 힘들더라 (It was really hard then [I experienced it])
- 음식이 매웠더라 (The food was spicy [I tasted it])
Recommendations Based on Experience
Suggesting from personal knowledge:
- 그 식당 괜찮더라 (That restaurant was decent [you should try])
- 이 영화 볼 만하더라 (This movie was worth watching [I watched it])
With -고 (Reporting)
-더라고(요)
Softer, more conversational:
- 맛있더라고요 (It was delicious [I found])
- 재미있더라고 (It was fun [I experienced])
- 좋더라고요 (It was good [I saw])
Usage: More polite, often when explaining to someone
Politeness Levels
Casual (Most Common)
-더라:
- 좋더라 (It was good)
- 예쁘더라 (It was pretty)
- Very casual, to friends/close people
Polite with -고요
-더라고요:
- 좋더라고요 (It was good)
- 예쁘더라고요 (It was pretty)
- Polite but still conversational
Not Formal
-더라 is inherently casual:
- Not used in formal situations
- Use different patterns in formal contexts
Tense
Always Past
-더라 inherently refers to past:
- 좋더라 (It was good [when I experienced it])
- No present or future forms
- Past observation is built into the pattern
Negative Forms
Wasn't
안 + Verb + -더라:
- 안 좋더라 (It wasn't good [I saw])
- 안 맛있더라 (It wasn't delicious [I tasted])
Verb + -지 않더라:
- 좋지 않더라 (It wasn't good)
- 재미없더라 (It wasn't fun)
Common Expressions
Food Reviews
- 맛있더라 (It was delicious)
- 맛없더라 (It wasn't tasty)
- 매웠더라 (It was spicy)
- 싱겁더라 (It was bland)
Place Descriptions
- 멀더라 (It was far)
- 가깝더라 (It was close)
- 크더라 (It was big)
- 예쁘더라 (It was pretty)
People Impressions
- 친절하더라 (They were kind)
- 똑똑하더라 (They were smart)
- 재미있더라 (They were fun)
Weather/Conditions
- 춥더라 (It was cold)
- 덥더라 (It was hot)
- 좋더라 (It was good)
- 힘들더라 (It was hard)
Comparison with Similar Patterns
-더라 vs -았/었어
-더라: Personal observation, recalled
- 맛있더라 (It was delicious [I tried it and am recalling])
- Emphasis on discovery/witness
-았/었어: Simple past statement
- 맛있었어 (It was delicious [simple past fact])
- Neutral past tense
-더라 vs -던데
-더라: Statement/exclamation
- 좋더라! (It was good! [I saw])
- Sharing observation
-던데: Background info/contrast
- 좋던데 (It was good, but... [providing context])
- Often leads to another statement
-더라 vs -네
-더라: Past observation recalled
- 예쁘더라 (It was pretty [I saw in the past])
-네: Present realization
- 예쁘네 (It's pretty [I'm noticing now])
Usage in Conversation
Natural Flow
Often used when sharing experiences:
A: 그 식당 어땠어? (How was that restaurant?) B: 음식이 맛있더라! (The food was delicious!)
A: 영화 재미있었어? (Was the movie fun?) B: 응, 생각보다 재미있더라 (Yeah, it was more fun than I thought)
Story Telling
Recounting past events:
- 그때 정말 힘들더라 (It was really hard then)
- 처음 봤을 때 놀랐더라 (I was surprised when I first saw it)
Emotional Nuance
Personal Discovery
Emphasizes firsthand experience:
- 해 보니까 어렵더라 (Having tried it, it was difficult)
- Direct, personal involvement
Can Express Surprise
Often carries element of discovery:
- 생각보다 좋더라 (It was better than I thought!)
- Unexpected finding
Casual and Direct
Informal, conversational tone:
- 진짜 맛있더라 (It was really delicious [casual])
- Friendly, sharing tone
Indirect Speech: -더라고 하다
Reporting What You Observed
Pattern: [Verb/Adj]-더라고 하다/말하다
- 맛있더라고 했어요 (I said it was delicious)
- 좋더라고 말했어요 (I said it was good)
Usage: Reporting your own past observation to others
Summary Table
| Pattern | Example | Meaning | Nuance |
|---|---|---|---|
| -더라 | 맛있더라 | It was delicious (I found) | Casual observation |
| -더라고(요) | 맛있더라고요 | It was delicious (I found - polite) | Polite sharing |
| -던데 | 맛있던데 | It was delicious, but... | Background info |
| -았/었어 | 맛있었어 | It was delicious (simple past) | Neutral past |
Usage Context Guide
Use -더라 when:
- Sharing personal past observations
- Recounting direct experiences
- Giving recommendations based on experience
- Telling stories casually
- Expressing discoveries
- Talking to friends/close people
Common contexts:
- Food reviews (맛있더라)
- Place impressions (좋더라)
- People descriptions (친절하더라)
- Weather reports (춥더라)
- Personal discoveries (쉽더라)
Register Note
Casual/Conversational Only
Not for formal situations:
- Perfect for friends, family
- Too casual for business, strangers
- Use other patterns in formal contexts
Appropriate alternatives for formal:
- -었습니다 (simple past formal)
- -더군요 (more polite observation)
Key Takeaways
- ✅ Personal observation: What I witnessed/experienced
- ✅ Always past: Recalls past direct experience
- ✅ Casual tone: Friends and close relationships
- ✅ Discovery emphasis: Finding things out firsthand
- ✅ No subject restriction: Can be any subject, but speaker observed
- ✅ Common in storytelling: Natural narrative device
- ✅ Can add -고요: Makes it more polite
-더라 is essential for casual Korean conversation, allowing you to naturally share past observations and experiences with others. It adds authenticity and personal engagement to storytelling.