How to Say "I heard that..." in Korean: -다고 하다
Learning how to express reported speech in Korean is essential for sharing information you heard from someone else. In Korean, this is typically done using the expression -다고 하다. In this post, we’ll walk through how to use this structure with different types of verbs and adjectives, and help you sound more natural and informed in Korean conversations.
📘 Table of Contents
- 1. Sentence Structure
- 2. With Action Verbs
- 3. With Descriptive Verbs
- 4. Past & Future Tense Forms
- 5. Example Sentences
- 6. Did You Know?
- 7. Want to Learn More Korean?
🧱 1. Sentence Structure
-다고 하다 is used to quote declarative sentences. It can be translated as “(someone) said that…” or “I heard that…”.
Example: 간다고 하다 (said that he/she is going)
이다 (to be) → 이라고 하다
아니다 (to not be) → 아니라고 하다
🏃♂️ 2. With Action Verbs
When quoting an action verb, remove 다 and add -다고 하다.
- 먹는다고 하다 → (They) said they are eating
- 공부한다고 하다 → (They) said they are studying
🎨 3. With Descriptive Verbs
Descriptive verbs (adjectives) follow the same rule:
- 비싸다고 하다 → (They) said it’s expensive
- 춥다고 하다 → (They) said it’s cold
⏳ 4. Past & Future Tense Forms
Reported speech also works in past and future forms:
- 갈 거라고 하다 → (They) said they will go
- 먹었다고 하다 → (They) said they ate
- 먹을 거라고 하다 → (They) said they will eat
💬 5. Example Sentences
(Geuneun naeil on-dago haesseoyo.)
He said he would come tomorrow.
2. 친구가 이 영화 재미있다고 했어요.
(Chinguga i yeonghwa jaemiit-dago haesseoyo.)
My friend said this movie is fun.
3. 엄마가 밥 다 먹으라고 했어요.
(Eommaga bap da meogeura-go haesseoyo.)
Mom told me to finish my meal.
💡 6. Did You Know?
Korean reported speech is often used in news headlines and TV shows to summarize interviews or relay information. It’s a crucial part of storytelling in Korean media.
🎓 7. Want to Learn More Korean?
👉 Book a Korean lesson with me on italki and let's practice using -다고 하다 in real conversation!
🔗 Helpful Resources:
- How To Study Korean: Reported Speech
- TTMIK: -다고 하다 Lesson
I hope you found this guide helpful in understanding how to use -다고 하다 in Korean! Stay curious and keep exploring other posts on my blog to uncover more expressions and cultural gems. 😊
