22.3.1 What’s inside -지 clauses
Here are some examples of -지 clauses involving various types of verbs. •
With an action verb 오다: 언제 오는지 아니?
Do you know when he’s coming? 언제 왔는지 몰라요.
I don’t know when he came. 언제 왔었는지 기 안 나요.
I don’t remember when he came and left. 비가 어찌나 오던지 앞이 안 보일 It was raining so hard that I couldn’t see
정도 어요.
anything. 비가 얼마나 왔던지 차들이 다
It rained so much that all the cars were 물에 잠겼어요.
under water.
언제 올지올는지 몰라요.
I don’t know when he’ll come.
언제 오겠는지올래는지 물어 봐. Ask when he’ll be coming. 이미 왔을지도왔을는지도 몰라.
He may have come already. •
With descriptive verbs 좋다 and -이다: 날씨가 좋은지 모르겠다.
I wonder whether the weather is good. 날씨가 좋았는지 모르겠네.
I wonder whether the weather was good.
날씨가 얼마나 좋았었는지 몰라. I can’t believe how good the weather was. 날씨가 어찌나 좋았던지
The weather was so good that everyone 사람들이 다 바닷가에 나왔더라. came out to the beach.
언제가 좋을지좋을는지 모르겠어. I don’t know when will be a good time. 다음주가 좋겠는지 한 번 여쭤 봐. Ask whether next week will be okay.
지난주가 더 좋았을지도
Last week might have been better.
좋았을는지도 몰라요. 어떤 사람인지 궁금해요.
I’m curious what kind of person she is.
어떤 사람이었었는지 알고 싶다. I want to know what kind of person she was. 어찌나 한 사람이었던지
She was such a nice person that I still
지금도 생 나요.
remember her.
나쁜 사람일지도일는지도 몰라.
She may be a bad person.
누가 합한 사람이겠는지 알아 봐. Find out who’ll be suitable for it. 좋은 사람이었을지도
She might have been a good person. 이었을는지도 모르죠.
NOTE: The above examples include two special patterns: 어찌나얼마나…-지 ‘so…that…’ and -지도 모른다 ‘might; be possible.’
22.3.2 What’s outside -지 clauses
Various types of verbs other than 알다, 모르다, and 물어보다 can follow -지 clauses.
연세가 어떻게 되시는지 맞춰 봐. Guess how old he is.
커피맛이 어땠는지 기 나?
Do you remember how the coffee tasted? 왜 그런지 조사해 보자.
Let’s investigate why that is the case. 어떤 선물이 좋을지 생
해 봐. Think about what would be good for a gift.
몇 명이나 올지 파 이 안 된다.
I can’t figure out how many are coming. 어디를 갈지 망설이고 있어요.
I’m hesitating on where I should go. 어떻게 될지 뻔하다.
It’s obvious how it’s going to end up. 붙을지 떨어질지 미지수예요.
It’s still to be seen whether I’ll pass or fail. In some cases, there is no following verb, creating a gentle question.
어제 보낸 메일은 받으셨는지요? I wonder whether you received the mail I sent yesterday – did you?
요즘 어떻게 지내시는지요? How are you doing these days?
-지 clauses are also often followed by particle phrases such as -에 대해서 관해서 ‘as to; with regard to.’
어떤 장을 구할지에 대해서 고민 중입니다.
I am thinking hard as to what type of job I should find. -지 sometimes alternates with -줄 when the verb that follows an indirect question
is 알다 or 모르다. 몇 살인지몇 살인줄 알아요?
Do you know how old I am? 여 간지여 간줄 알았어요.
I knew or thought you went on a trip. 이렇게 좋은지좋은줄 몰랐어요.
I didn’t know it’s this good. When 알다 follows a -지 clause, it can be ambiguous between ‘know’ and
‘think.’ 여 간지 알고 있었어. 그래서 전화 안 했어.
I knew you were gone on a trip. So I didn’t call. 여 간지 알았는데 집에 있었네.
I thought you were gone on a trip but hey, you were home.
22.4 Nominalization
Nominalization allows a verb or a clause to function as a noun. There are two ways to do this.
22.4.1 By attaching -음 or
Except for simple nouns such as 웃음 ‘laughter,’ 싸움 ‘a fight,’ and so on, this type of nominalization is usually employed for an abstract proposition or a
completed action. It has a formal and written flavor. See 10.4.1 for simple nouns.
친구의 소중 을 알게 되었다. I realized the importance of friends.
그 사람이 무죄임이 판명됐다. His being not guilty has been proved by the verdict.
날씨가 추워 에 따라 난방비 정이 늘고 있습니다. As the weather gets colder, concern about heating bills is increasing.
우편 분실사고에 대하여 영사관에서는 책임이 없음을 알려드립니다. We’d like to let you know that the consulate is not responsible for lost mail.
남자친구임에 틀림없다. There’s no doubt about him being her boyfriend.
NOTE: Some of the -음 patterns can be replaced by an adnominal pattern involving -거것, which tends to be more colloquial.
친구가 소중한 걸 알게 되었다. I realized that friends are important.
그 사람이 무죄인 것이 판명됐다. It’s been proved that he’s not guilty. 남자친구인 게 틀림없다.
There’s no doubt that he is her boyfriend. -음 is often used to mark an abbreviated sentence in brochures, public announce-
ments, notes, and letters. It is also used when closing a letter to a superiorolder person.
연령제한 없음 No age restriction.
가정교사 구 Private tutor wanted.
개근상장을 수여 a certificate granted for perfect attendance
회사로 갈게요. 오늘 수 이 없음 I’ll go to your workplace. No class today. 서하늘 올림드림
Respectfully, Hanul Seo in closing a letter
22.4.2 By attaching -기
Except for simple nouns such as 크기 ‘size,’ 보기 ‘sample,’ and so on, a nominalization of this type is used to express an act or a fact. It retains its
actional or stative meaning, even though it functions as a noun. This style of nominalization is more common in colloquial Korean.
Here are some examples of -기 nominalizations organized according to what they are followed by. Many of these patterns are worth learning by heart.
• Followed by a particle
이 옷은 동하기가 불편하다.
This outfit is uncomfortable to move in. 사람 만나기를 꺼려요.
He’s reluctant about meeting people. 나를 알기를 우습게 알아.
She thinks little of me. 질이 좋기는 한데 너무 비싸다.
It’s good quality, but too expensive. 스트레스 풀기에 좋은 방법이다.
It’s a good way to release the stress. 그 집은 요리 잘하기로 소문났어. The restaurant is famous for its food.
잠자코 기만 해. Don’t say anything, just listen.
시원하기도 하고 섭섭하기도 I feel relieved and sad at the same time,
하고 그렇죠 뭐. I guess. It’s bittersweet.
• Followed by a noun
지 하기 일쑤예요.
He’s frequently tardy. 생
하기 나름이죠. It depends on how you think, of course.
• Followed by -이다
정말 그러기야? 혼자 먹기야? Are you really going to do that? Are you
going to eat without me? 거짓말하기 없기예요.
You’re
NOT
going to lie, okay? 방청권 기는 하늘에 별따기다. It’s impossible to get a ticket for the show.
옆구리 찔러 절받기다. It’s like fishing for compliments. [Forcing
= 엎드려 절받기 someone to bow to you. Receiving a bow
while lying down] 땅짚고 헤엄치기야.
It’s a piece of cake. [Swimming while touching the ground with one’s hands.]
Some -기 patterns can be replaced by the adnominal pattern involving -거것. 놀기가 일하기보다 어렵다.
To play is harder than to work. 노는 게 일하는 것보다 어렵다.
Playing is harder than working. However, some -기 patterns cannot be replaced in this way. Notice the difference
in meaning and acceptability illustrated in the following pairs. 고기가 먹기가 좋다.
This meat is easy to eat. 고기 먹는 게 좋다. 게 것이
Meat eating is good; I like to eat meat.
여기서 수영하기가 좋다. Here is good for swimming.
여기서 수영하는 게 좋다. I like to swim here.
비오기가 쉬워. It’s likely to rain
. no appropriate -는
것 counterpart no appropriate -기 counterpart
걸어가는 게 겠다. I think it’ll be better to walk.
