Today, I'll teach you how to confirm or reaffirm what you are saying. For example, I can ask you with confirmation, "You are studying Korean hard, right? 한국어를 열심히 공부하지요?" You'll be able to talk like me at the end of the lesson! You can also download the free printable PDF worksheet! So, let's begin! (시작해요! 🤗)
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1. 지요 grammar
The "지요" ending can be used as both a statement and a question. A question form is more commonly used in daily conversations. So, let's check that out first!
Question: 지요?
"지요?" is a question to reaffirm the fact to a listener. It is like adding 'right?' or a tag question at the end in English. A speaker assumes (or knows) that a listener already knows the fact and asks for an agreement or double-checks the information.
철수: 젠 씨는 영국 사람이지요?
Cheol-su: Jen is a British, isn't she? (Jen is a British, right?)
Cheol-su knows Jen is British. But he may be not sure about that. So, he wants to confirm. He knows the listener knows that information as well, so he is using the "지요" ending.
미나: 이 모자 예쁘지요?
Mi-na: This hat is pretty, isn't it? (This hat is pretty, right?)
Mi-na thinks the hat is pretty. And she is asking for an agreement with a listener.
Statement: 지요.
"지요." with a period is the same as the question version "지요?" This time it is a statement. You can use it to state the fact that both conversers know. You can also use it to agree.
유나: 시험 공부 안 해요? Yuna: Don't you study for the test?
민수: 아, 내일 시험이지요. Minsu: Ah, right, tomorrow is the test day.
민수 is stating the fact that 유나 also knows. It adds a tone that he just realized the fact he forgot.
젠: 저는 이 식당 김밥이 좋아요. Jen: I like gimbap from this restaurant.
리사: 맞아요. 이 집 김밥 정말 맛있지요. Lisa: Right. The gimbap from here is really good.
리사 used the "지요" ending to agree with 젠. Like this, "지요" can be used in many situations.
2. Conjugation Information
You can attach this "지요" to verbs, adjectives, 이다 (be), or 아니다 (be not). It only has one form, so you don't have to worry about a final consonant or vowel to conjugate! Good news, right? But still, I will show you some examples.
Verbs 동사
먹다 to eat | |
가다 to go | |
듣다 to listen |
Adjectives 형용사
멀다 to be far | |
귀엽다 to be cute | |
예쁘다 to be pretty |
be 이다 / be not 아니다
이다 to be | |
아니다 Not to be |
Here are examples for 이다 and 아니다. 책 is a book in Korean.
책이다 It is a book. → 책이지요? It is a book, right?
책이 아니다 It isn't a book. → 책이 아니지요? It is not a book, right?
However, when you conjugate 이다 that is attached to a noun that doesn't have a final consonant, it can be conjugated like "N+지요" instead of "N+이지요." For example, if you want to confirm about a chair, you can ask like below. The shorter version is more common in daily conversations. The shorter version is not encouraged to be used in formal or written situations.
의자이지요?
=의자지요? ⇨ This 지요 version is more commonly used in daily life.
3. Sentence Information
Here are more extra reading materials for 지요 grammar. The first one is especially important.
① In daily conversation, 지요 can be shortened to 죠.
Minji studies Korean, right?
민지 씨는 한국어를 공부하지요?
= 민지 씨는 한국어를 공부하죠?
② When it is conjugated with a verb, you can use it to ask a listener to do something with you. In this case, 같이 or 함께 usually is used. They mean "together".
저희하고 같이 가시지요. Please go with us.
4. Examples
1
이 책 재미있지요? This book is interesting, isn't it?
재미있다 is an adjective that means funny, interesting, amusing, or entertaining. With confirming ending 지요, you can ask for an agreement with a listener.
2
저기 시청이 있지요? There is a city hall, isn't there?
When you use the word "저기," it serves as a pronoun indicating a distant location. 시청 is a city hall. For providing directions, you can designate a prominent building or landmark as a reference point, as illustrated in this example!
3
Suji is a teacher, isn't she?
수지 씨는 선생님이지요?
= 수지 씨는 선생님이죠?
이다 is a "to be" verb in Korean. With confirming ending 지요 It will be 이지요. Since 지요 can be shortened to 죠, you can say 이지요? to 이죠?
4
Yuna is a singer, isn't she?
유나 씨는 가수이지요?
=유나 씨는 가수지요?
=유나 씨는 가수죠?
When a noun that doesn't end with a final consonant is connected by이다, all these three sentences are possible. Memorize these forms; N이지요? = N지요? = N죠?
5
This is Minsu's book, right?
이게 민수 씨 책이지요?
=이게 민수 씨 책이죠?
이게 is originally 이것이. 이것 means "this." The third syllable 이 is the subject marker. 이것이 is usually shortened to 이게 in daily conversations. If you are not familiar with it, please check out my other post, "Korean subject marker 이/가".
5. Wrap-up & Worksheet
How was the lesson today? It was not that difficult, right? (안 어려웠지요?) Let's review today's lesson.
지요 can be attached to verbs, adjectives, 이다, and 아니다.
지요? is used to double-check the fact that a listener also knows or to ask for the agreement of a listener.
지요. is a statement version.
지요 can be shortened to 죠.
Please download the worksheet below and practice the 지요 grammar! It includes the answer sheet as well, so you can check your work on your own!
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