V+(이/으)라고

Table of content

Quote declarative sentence Quote imperative sentence Usage Shortened form (는/ㄴ)다고 vs (이/으)라고 vs 자고 vs (으/느/이)냐고

Quote declarative sentence

It can be used to quote what the speaker heard from another person. Indirectly quoting a declarative sentence. Used to ask for clarification or reconfirmation of something they just heard.

Example

가족이 모두 4명이라고 하요.

They said their family has four members.
선생님이 뭐라고 했어요?

What did the teacher say?

Quote imperative sentence

It can also be used to quote an imperative statement. Can be an instruction or command.

Example

일곱 시까지 돌아오라고 일렀거늘 왜 늦었느냐?

I told you to come back by seven, why are you late?
의사가 매운 음식을 먹지 말라고 했다.

The doctor said not to eat spicy food.

This pattern is used in

V+더라고(요)

V+더라면

Usage

For direct quote:

"quoted statement" + 라고

For indirect quote:

Sentence type	Word type	Form
Declarative (Present)	Noun	(이)라고
Declarative (Future)	Verb	(으)ㄹ 거라고
Imperative	Verb	(으)라고

Shortened form

For indirect quote:

Sentence type	Word type	Full form	Shortened form
Declarative (Present)	Noun	(이)라고 해요	(이)래요
Declarative (Future)	Verb	-(으)ㄹ 거라고 해요	-(으)ㄹ 거래요
Imperative	Action verb	-(으)라고 해요	-(으)래요

V+(는/ㄴ)다고 vs V+(이/으)라고 vs V+자고 vs V+(으/느/이)냐고

(는/ㄴ)다고

Used for direct quotation too
For declarative sentences
Quoting verbs

(이/으)라고

Used for direct quotation too
For declarative and imperative sentences
Quoting nouns (through 이다) in declarative sentences

자고

For suggestive sentences
Quoting suggestions

(으/느/이)냐고

For interrogative sentences
Quoting questions

All the grammatical content on this page, excluding the computer-generated audio, is licensed under the permissive

CC BY 4.0

license. Contributions, corrections, and feedback are all highly welcomed.