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Indirect Speech (간접화법)

Command Quotation -(으)라고

-(으)라고 is used to quote commands, orders, or instructions in indirect speech. It means "to [verb]" or "telling [someone] to [verb]" and allows you to report what someone commanded or instructed.

Structure

Verb stem + -(으)라고 (하다/말하다)

Breakdown:

  • -(으)라고: Quotation ending for commands
  • 하다/말하다: To say/tell

Literal meaning: "Telling to..." → "To [verb]"

Basic Forms

Consonant-ending Stems: -으라고

Stems ending in consonant: -으라고

  • 먹다 → 먹으라고 해요 (tells [someone] to eat)
  • 읽다 → 읽으라고 해요 (tells [someone] to read)
  • 듣다 → 들으라고 해요 (tells [someone] to listen)
  • 앉다 → 앉으라고 해요 (tells [someone] to sit)

Vowel-ending Stems: -라고

Stems ending in vowel: -라고

  • 가다 → 가라고 해요 (tells [someone] to go)
  • 오다 → 오라고 해요 (tells [someone] to come)
  • 하다 → 하라고 해요 (tells [someone] to do)

ㄹ-ending Stems: -라고

Stems ending in ㄹ: Drop ㄹ + -라고

  • 만들다 → 만들라고 해요 (tells [someone] to make)
  • 살다 → 살라고 해요 (tells [someone] to live)
  • 팔다 → 팔라고 해요 (tells [someone] to sell)

Reporting Verbs

하다 (To say/tell)

Most common with commands:

  • 빨리 오라고 해요 (Tells [someone] to come quickly)
  • 조용히 하라고 해요 (Tells [someone] to be quiet)

말하다 (To say/tell)

More formal:

  • 공부하라고 말했어요 (Said to study)
  • 집에 가라고 말했어요 (Said to go home)

시키다 (To order/make someone do)

Stronger command:

  • 청소하라고 시켰어요 (Ordered [someone] to clean)
  • 일하라고 시켰어요 (Ordered [someone] to work)

전하다 (To convey)

Passing on a message:

  • 빨리 오라고 전했어요 (Conveyed to come quickly)
  • 전화하라고 전했어요 (Conveyed to call)

Other Verbs

  • 명령하다 (to command): 앉으라고 명령했어요
  • 부탁하다 (to request): 도와주라고 부탁했어요

Common Usage Patterns

Quoting Direct Commands

Direct → Indirect:

  • Direct: "빨리 와!"

  • Indirect: 빨리 오라고 해요 (Tells me to come quickly)

  • Direct: "숙제 해!"

  • Indirect: 숙제 하라고 해요 (Tells me to do homework)

Parental Commands

Things parents tell children:

  • 공부하라고 했어요 (Said to study)
  • 방 청소하라고 했어요 (Said to clean the room)
  • 일찍 자라고 했어요 (Said to sleep early)
  • 야채 먹으라고 했어요 (Said to eat vegetables)

Work Instructions

Boss/superior commands:

  • 보고서 쓰라고 했어요 (Said to write a report)
  • 회의 준비하라고 했어요 (Said to prepare for the meeting)
  • 내일까지 끝내라고 했어요 (Said to finish by tomorrow)

Conveying Messages

Passing on instructions:

  • 엄마가 빨리 오라고 하셨어요 (Mom said to come quickly)
  • 선생님이 조용히 하라고 하셨어요 (Teacher said to be quiet)

Tense Usage

Present Reporting Verb

Currently telling:

  • 가라고 해요 (Tells me to go)
  • 먹으라고 해요 (Tells me to eat)

Past Reporting Verb

Previously told:

  • 가라고 했어요 (Told me to go)
  • 먹으라고 했어요 (Told me to eat)

Future Reporting Verb

Will tell:

  • 가라고 할 거예요 (Will tell [someone] to go)
  • 먹으라고 할 거예요 (Will tell [someone] to eat)

Negative Commands

말다 (Don't do)

Prohibitive commands: Verb stem + -지 말라고

  • 가지 말라고 해요 (Tells me not to go)
  • 먹지 말라고 해요 (Tells me not to eat)
  • 하지 말라고 해요 (Tells me not to do)
  • 오지 말라고 해요 (Tells me not to come)

Common Negative Commands

  • 걱정하지 말라고 했어요 (Said not to worry)
  • 포기하지 말라고 했어요 (Said not to give up)
  • 울지 말라고 했어요 (Said not to cry)
  • 늦지 말라고 했어요 (Said not to be late)

Honorific Commands

Using -(으)시- for Polite Commands

-(으)시라고: Honorific command quotation (rare)

  • 앉으시라고 했어요 (Said [to elder] to sit)
  • 드시라고 했어요 (Said [to elder] to eat)

Note: Direct honorific commands use -세요, but in quotation, -(으)시라고 can be used, though it's relatively uncommon in modern Korean.

Using Humble Verbs

드리다/여쭙다 etc.:

  • 전화 드리라고 했어요 (Said to call [humble])

Common Expressions with -(으)라고

Household Commands

  • 밥 먹으라고 해요 (Tells to eat)
  • 숙제 하라고 해요 (Tells to do homework)
  • 방 정리하라고 해요 (Tells to organize room)
  • 일찍 일어나라고 해요 (Tells to wake up early)

School/Work Commands

  • 공부하라고 했어요 (Said to study)
  • 열심히 하라고 했어요 (Said to work hard)
  • 준비하라고 했어요 (Said to prepare)
  • 제출하라고 했어요 (Said to submit)

Social Commands

  • 조용히 하라고 했어요 (Said to be quiet)
  • 빨리 오라고 했어요 (Said to come quickly)
  • 기다리라고 했어요 (Said to wait)
  • 도와주라고 했어요 (Said to help)

Special Verbs

Irregular Verbs

듣다 (to listen): 들으라고

  • 잘 들으라고 했어요 (Said to listen well)

싣다 (to load): 실으라고

  • 짐을 실으라고 했어요 (Said to load the luggage)

걷다 (to walk): 걸으라고

  • 천천히 걸으라고 했어요 (Said to walk slowly)

하다 Verbs

All 하다 verbs: -하라고

  • 공부하라고 (telling to study)
  • 청소하라고 (telling to clean)
  • 준비하라고 (telling to prepare)
  • 노력하라고 (telling to try hard)

Written vs. Spoken Forms

Formal Written

Full form with 말하다:

  • 그는 빨리 오라고 말했다
  • 열심히 하라고 말했다

Casual Spoken

Usually drops 말:

  • 빨리 오라고 해요 (more common)
  • 열심히 하라고 해요

Combining with Other Patterns

With Time Expressions

  • 내일까지 하라고 했어요 (Said to do it by tomorrow)
  • 지금 당장 오라고 했어요 (Said to come right now)

With Location

  • 여기 앉으라고 했어요 (Said to sit here)
  • 집에 가라고 했어요 (Said to go home)

With Manner

  • 조용히 하라고 했어요 (Said to do it quietly)
  • 빨리 하라고 했어요 (Said to do it quickly)
  • 천천히 하라고 했어요 (Said to do it slowly)

Comparison with Other Quotations

-(으)라고 vs -다고

-(으)라고: Commands

  • 가라고 해요 (Tells [someone] to go)

-다고: Statements

  • 간다고 해요 (Says [someone] is going)

-(으)라고 vs -자고

-(으)라고: Commands (to someone else)

  • 가라고 해요 (Tells someone to go)

-자고: Suggestions (let's do together)

  • 가자고 해요 (Suggests going together)

Indirect Requests vs Commands

Polite Requests: -(으)라고 부탁하다

Softer than commands:

  • 도와주라고 부탁했어요 (Requested to help)
  • 와 주라고 부탁했어요 (Requested to come)

Direct Commands: -(으)라고 시키다

Stronger/forceful:

  • 일하라고 시켰어요 (Ordered to work)
  • 청소하라고 시켰어요 (Ordered to clean)

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 가세요라고 해요

Using polite form before -(으)라고

✅ Correct: 가라고 해요

Use plain command form

❌ Incorrect: 먹어라고 해요

Wrong command ending

✅ Correct: 먹으라고 해요

Use -(으)라고, not -어라고

❌ Incorrect: 가지라고 해요

Using -지 for affirmative

✅ Correct: 가라고 해요

Use -지 only for negative (가지 말라고)

Summary Table

Stem TypeFormExampleQuote
Consonant-으라고먹으라고 해요Tells to eat
Vowel-라고가라고 해요Tells to go
ㄹ endingDrop ㄹ + -라고만들라고 해요Tells to make
하다 verb-하라고공부하라고 해요Tells to study
Negative-지 말라고가지 말라고 해요Tells not to go
With 시키다-(으)라고 시키다하라고 시켰어요Ordered to do
With 부탁하다-(으)라고 부탁하다오라고 부탁했어요Requested to come