How to use Korean grammar 지요?
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Verb, Adjective + 지요
The Korean grammar pattern -지요 can have multiple functions depending on the context.
-지요 is used to verify a fact known to you and the person you are talking to. It can be translated as " isn't it? ". (e.g. Today is cold, isn't it?)
-지요. is used in both formal polite and informal polite speech styles.
-지. is used in casual speech style.
See examples,
(click on translation and grammar buttons)
서울에서 부산까지 멀지요?
Korean
서울
부산
멀다
English
Seoul
Busan
far
It is far from Seoul to Busan, isn't it?
서울에서 부산까지 멀지요?
아드님이 회사에 다니지요?
Korean
아들
회사
다니다
English
son
company
to attend
Your son works for a company, right?
아들+님+이 회사에 다니지요?
저 학생은 필리핀에서 왔지?
Korean
저
학생
필리핀
오다
English
that
student
Philippines
to come
That student is from the Philippines, isn't he?
저 학생은 필리핀에서 오+았+지?
저 분은 선생님이 아니지요?
Korean
저
분
선생님
아니다
English
that
person (polite)
teacher
not
He's not a teacher, is he?
저 분은 선생님이 아니+지요?
-지요 can also be used to soften your speech to make it sound more polite.
See examples,
(click on translation and grammar buttons)
할머니, 몇 시까지 오시지요?
Korean
할머니
몇
시
오다
English
grandma
how many, a few
hour
to come
Grandma, what time are you coming?
할머니, 몇 시까지 오+시+지요?
여기 앉으시지요.
Korean
여기
앉다
English
this
to sit
Please sit here.
여기 앉+으시+지요.
우리가 점심을 같이 먹지요.
Korean
우리
점심
같이
먹다
English
we
lunch
together
to eat
Let's have lunch together.
우리가 점심을 같이 먹지요.
Quick reference (click to open)
Vowels: a, e, i, o, u
Consonants: b, c, d, f, g, h, j
Syllable: Bra-zil (2 syllables), Ar-gen-ti-na (4), In-di-a (3), Viet-nam (2), thin-king (2), beau-ti-ful (3), good (1)
Batchim: is a final consonant in a syllable. → Bra-zil (batchim: 'l'), Ar-gen-ti-na (batchims: 'r' and 'n'), In-di-a ('n'), Viet-nam ('t', 'm')
Romanization: is a conversion of text (not pronunciation ! ) from different writing system (Korean, Arabic, Russian, etc.) to the Roman (Latin) alphabet.
IPA: is an alphabetic system of phonetic (pronunciation) notation.
Noun: road, user, sister, table, sky
Pronoun: I, my, we, you, they, her
Verb: to go, to study, to think, to feel
Adjective: cold, kind, hungry, curious, expensive
Adverb: quickly, nicely, never, exactly, urgently
Preposition: from, to, on, in, with, till
Conjuction: and, because, if, but, while
Declarative sentence: I learn Korean.
Interrogative sentence: Do you learn Korean?
Imperative sentence: You must learn Korean!
Exclamative sentence: Wow, you learn Korean!
Verb / Adj. stem in Korean: part of a verb or adj. which is left after removing the last syllable -다 ( e.g. 가다 → 가, 예쁘다 → 예쁘, 듣다 → 듣 ).