-자고 is used to quote suggestions or proposals in indirect speech. It means "suggesting to [verb]" or "proposing to [verb]" and allows you to report what someone suggested doing together.
Structure
Verb stem + -자고 (하다/말하다)
Breakdown:
- -자고: Quotation ending for suggestions
- 하다/말하다: To say/suggest
Literal meaning: "Suggesting that..." → "Suggesting to [verb]"
Basic Forms
All Verbs: -자고
Regardless of stem ending: -자고
- 가다 → 가자고 해요 (suggests going)
- 먹다 → 먹자고 해요 (suggests eating)
- 하다 → 하자고 해요 (suggests doing)
- 만들다 → 만들자고 해요 (suggests making)
Note: Unlike other quotation patterns, -자고 has only one form for all verbs.
Conjugation
Present/Future (Most Common)
-자고 (하다/말하다):
- 가자고 해요 (suggests going)
- 먹자고 해요 (suggests eating)
- 보자고 해요 (suggests watching/seeing)
Past
-자고 했다:
- 가자고 했어요 (suggested going)
- 먹자고 했어요 (suggested eating)
- 보자고 했어요 (suggested watching)
Future
-자고 할 거다:
- 가자고 할 거예요 (will suggest going)
- 먹자고 할 거예요 (will suggest eating)
Reporting Verbs
하다 (To say/suggest)
Most common:
- 영화 보자고 해요 (Suggests watching a movie)
- 같이 가자고 해요 (Suggests going together)
말하다 (To say/propose)
More formal:
- 내일 만나자고 말했어요 (Said let's meet tomorrow)
- 같이 공부하자고 말했어요 (Said let's study together)
제안하다 (To propose/suggest)
Formal suggestion:
- 여행 가자고 제안했어요 (Proposed going on a trip)
- 프로젝트 시작하자고 제안했어요 (Proposed starting the project)
Other Verbs
- 권하다 (to recommend): 운동하자고 권했어요
- 부탁하다 (to request): 같이 가자고 부탁했어요
Common Usage Patterns
Quoting Direct Suggestions
Direct → Indirect:
-
Direct: "같이 가자!"
-
Indirect: 같이 가자고 해요 (Suggests going together)
-
Direct: "영화 보자!"
-
Indirect: 영화 보자고 해요 (Suggests watching a movie)
Social Activities
Invitations and plans:
- 저녁 먹자고 했어요 (Suggested eating dinner)
- 커피 마시자고 했어요 (Suggested drinking coffee)
- 산책하자고 했어요 (Suggested taking a walk)
- 놀러 가자고 했어요 (Suggested going out to play/hang out)
Work/Study Suggestions
Collaborative activities:
- 같이 공부하자고 했어요 (Suggested studying together)
- 회의하자고 했어요 (Suggested having a meeting)
- 프로젝트 시작하자고 했어요 (Suggested starting the project)
Making Plans
Future activities:
- 내일 만나자고 했어요 (Suggested meeting tomorrow)
- 주말에 여행 가자고 했어요 (Suggested going on a trip this weekend)
- 다음 주에 보자고 했어요 (Suggested seeing each other next week)
Tense in Context
Present Reporting
Currently suggesting:
- 친구가 영화 보자고 해요 (Friend suggests watching a movie)
- 동생이 게임하자고 해요 (Younger sibling suggests playing games)
Past Reporting
Previously suggested:
- 친구가 영화 보자고 했어요 (Friend suggested watching a movie)
- 동생이 게임하자고 했어요 (Younger sibling suggested playing games)
Responding to Suggestions
Accepting
Agreeing to suggestion:
- A: 친구가 영화 보자고 했어요
- B: 좋아요, 같이 가요
Declining
Refusing suggestion:
- A: 내일 만나자고 했는데...
- B: 미안해요, 내일은 바빠요
Negative Suggestions
Suggesting NOT to do something
-지 말자고: Verb stem + -지 말자고
- 가지 말자고 해요 (Suggests not going)
- 하지 말자고 해요 (Suggests not doing)
- 먹지 말자고 해요 (Suggests not eating)
- 보지 말자고 해요 (Suggests not watching)
Common Negative Suggestions
- 포기하지 말자고 했어요 (Suggested not giving up)
- 걱정하지 말자고 했어요 (Suggested not worrying)
- 늦지 말자고 했어요 (Suggested not being late)
Common Expressions with -자고
Eating/Drinking
- 밥 먹자고 해요 (Suggests eating)
- 커피 마시자고 해요 (Suggests drinking coffee)
- 점심 먹자고 했어요 (Suggested eating lunch)
- 술 한잔하자고 했어요 (Suggested having a drink)
Entertainment
- 영화 보자고 해요 (Suggests watching a movie)
- 노래방 가자고 해요 (Suggests going to karaoke)
- 게임하자고 해요 (Suggests playing games)
- 놀자고 해요 (Suggests playing/hanging out)
Activities
- 산책하자고 했어요 (Suggested taking a walk)
- 운동하자고 했어요 (Suggested exercising)
- 쇼핑하자고 했어요 (Suggested shopping)
- 여행 가자고 했어요 (Suggested going on a trip)
Work/Study
- 공부하자고 했어요 (Suggested studying)
- 회의하자고 했어요 (Suggested meeting)
- 같이 하자고 했어요 (Suggested doing together)
- 시작하자고 했어요 (Suggested starting)
Time Expressions
With Specific Times
- 내일 만나자고 했어요 (Suggested meeting tomorrow)
- 다음 주에 가자고 했어요 (Suggested going next week)
- 저녁에 보자고 했어요 (Suggested seeing in the evening)
- 주말에 놀자고 했어요 (Suggested hanging out on the weekend)
With Time Periods
- 나중에 하자고 했어요 (Suggested doing later)
- 지금 가자고 했어요 (Suggested going now)
- 곧 만나자고 했어요 (Suggested meeting soon)
Location Expressions
Suggesting Places
- 카페에서 만나자고 했어요 (Suggested meeting at a cafe)
- 공원에 가자고 했어요 (Suggested going to the park)
- 집에서 보자고 했어요 (Suggested seeing at home)
- 여기서 먹자고 했어요 (Suggested eating here)
Comparison with Other Patterns
-자고 vs -(으)라고
-자고: Suggestion (let's do together)
- 가자고 해요 (Suggests going together)
-(으)라고: Command (telling someone to do)
- 가라고 해요 (Tells someone to go)
-자고 vs -다고
-자고: Suggestion
- 만나자고 해요 (Suggests meeting)
-다고: Statement
- 만난다고 해요 (Says [someone] will meet)
-자고 vs -냐고
-자고: Suggestion
- 가자고 해요 (Suggests going)
-냐고: Question
- 가냐고 해요 (Asks if [someone] is going)
Levels of Formality
Casual Suggestions
With friends:
- 게임하자고 했어 (Suggested playing games)
- 놀자고 했어 (Suggested hanging out)
Polite Suggestions
General politeness:
- 같이 가자고 했어요 (Suggested going together)
- 영화 보자고 했어요 (Suggested watching a movie)
Formal Suggestions
Business/formal settings:
- 회의하자고 제안했습니다 (Proposed having a meeting)
- 프로젝트를 시작하자고 말씀하셨습니다 (Suggested starting the project)
Emphasis and Nuance
Adding 같이/함께 (Together)
Emphasizing togetherness:
- 같이 가자고 했어요 (Suggested going together)
- 함께 하자고 했어요 (Suggested doing together)
Adding 꼭 (Definitely/Must)
Strong suggestion:
- 꼭 만나자고 했어요 (Insisted on meeting)
- 꼭 오자고 했어요 (Insisted on coming)
Special Uses
Suggesting to Stop/Quit
With 그만:
- 이제 그만하자고 했어요 (Suggested stopping now)
- 그만 먹자고 했어요 (Suggested stopping eating)
Suggesting to Continue
With 계속:
- 계속하자고 했어요 (Suggested continuing)
- 계속 가자고 했어요 (Suggested continuing to go)
Common Mistakes
❌ Incorrect: 가세요자고 해요
Using polite form before -자고
✅ Correct: 가자고 해요
Use plain suggestion form
❌ Incorrect: 먹으자고 해요
Adding unnecessary vowel
✅ Correct: 먹자고 해요
-자고 attaches directly to stem
❌ Incorrect: 하자라고 해요
Adding -라고 instead of -자고
✅ Correct: 하자고 해요
Use -자고 for suggestions
Summary Table
| Type | Form | Example | Quote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Action Verb | -자고 | 가자고 해요 | Suggests going |
| 하다 Verb | -하자고 | 공부하자고 해요 | Suggests studying |
| ㄹ-ending | -자고 | 만들자고 해요 | Suggests making |
| Negative | -지 말자고 | 가지 말자고 해요 | Suggests not going |
| Past | -자고 했다 | 가자고 했어요 | Suggested going |
| With 제안하다 | -자고 제안하다 | 가자고 제안했어요 | Proposed going |
| Emphasis | 같이 -자고 | 같이 가자고 해요 | Suggests going together |