-고 indicates that you are quoting what someone else said.

-다고

V/adj + 다고 (declarative ending -다 + quotative particle -고) Noun + (이)라고/아니라고

It's used to quote what someone said, thought, or heard. ([subject] said/thinks/heard that~) In the case of ‘Noun + 이다/아니다’, the expression changes to ‘(이)라고 / 아니라고’, not ‘-다고’.

내가 싫다고 말했어요.

I said that I don’t like it.

이번 겨울은 따뜻하다고 들었어요.

I heard that this winter is warm.

이제 한국 비자 받는 것이 더 어렵다고 해요.

I heard that it's now more difficult to get a Korean visa.

엄마는 그 사람이 범인이라고 생각해요.

Mom thinks that person is the culprit(criminal).

치히로 씨가 예술가라고 들었어요.

I heard that Chihiro is an artist.

• This form is also used when repeating something you previously said, or when echoing back someone else's statement with a questioning tone.

나 집안일 했어. 했다고!

I did housework. I said I did!

A: 나 시험 합격했어! I passed the exam!

B: 진짜? 시험 합격했다고?!

Really? You just said that you passed the exam?!

A: 밥 먹었어? Did you eat?

B: 뭐라고? 못 들었어.

What did you say? I couldn’t hear you.

• Verb

• Adjective, -았-/-겠-, 있다/없다

• Noun

-냐고

V/Adj/이다,아니다 + 냐고 (questioning ending -냐 + quotative particle -고) It's used to quote what someone asked. ([subject] asked that~)

치히로 씨가 음식 맛이 어땠냐고 물었어요.

Chihiro asked how the food was.

제가 사진 찍어도 되냐고 물었어요.

I asked if I could take a picture.

닝닝 씨가 저한테 뭐하냐고 했어요.

Ningning asked me what I was doing.

• This form is also used when repeating something you previously asked, or when echoing back someone else's question.

좋아? 좋냐고?

Is it good? I asked if it's good!

A: 여기가 어디예요? Where is this place?

B: 네? 여기가 어디냐고요?

Pardon? You're asking where this place is?

• Technically, for verbs, we use -느냐고, and for adjectives, we use -(으)냐고. However, most of the time, -느냐고 and -(으)냐고 are simply replaced with -냐고. (That's why I organized the table as shown above.)

verb 가다 → 가느냐고, 가냐고

verb 먹다 → 먹느냐고, 먹냐고

adj 예쁘다 → 예쁘냐고

adj 좋다 → 좋으냐고, 좋냐고

-자고

V+ 자고 (suggesting ending -자 + quotative particle -고) It's used to quote what someone suggested. ([subject] said that let’s ~)

남자친구가 빨리 결혼하자고 말했어요.

My boyfriend said, let's get married soon.

친구랑 농구 경기 보러 가자고 약속했어요.

I planned with my friend, let’s go watch a basketball game.

닝닝 씨가 좀 보자고 해요.

Ningning says, let’s meet up.

• This form is also used when repeating something you previously suggested, or when echoing back someone else's suggestion with a questioning tone.

그만하자. 좀 그만하자고.

Let’s stop. I said, let’s stop

A: 너랑 같이 파스타 먹고 싶어. I want to eat pasta together with you.

B: 파스타 먹자고?

You said you want to eat pasta together?

-라고

V+ (으)라고 (imperative ending -라 + quotative particle -고) It’s used to quote what someone ordered. ([subject] said, Do~) Note that while the regular imperative ending is ‘-어라/아라’, in indirect quotation it changes to ‘-(으)라고’.

사장님이 지금 회의에 오라고 말씀하셨어요.

The owner said to come to the meeting.

엄마가 밥 먹기 전에 손을 씻으라고 했어요.

Mom told me to wash my hands before eating.

선생님이 저한테 매일 운동 하라고 시켰어요.

The teacher ordered me to exercise every day.

• This form is also used when repeating something you previously ordered, or when echoing back someone else's imperative sentence with a questioning tone.

빨리 말해. 빨리 말하라고.

Speak quickly. I said, Speak quickly!

A: 너 다 먹어도 돼. You can eat it all.

B: 이 많은 걸 나 혼자 먹으라고?

Are you telling me to eat all of this by myself?