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Lv 4Sentence-final endingIntermediate · TOPIK II

-나

-na

question ending (plain/moderate)

A sentence-final ending used to ask a direct question, used in the moderately low register toward equals or those slightly lower, and, more informally, to ask or wonder about something.

Form

Attaches to
Verb, Adjective, Auxiliary
Other shapes
-나요

Meanings

  1. 1

    (formal, moderately addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending referring to a question.

    (예사 낮춤으로) 물음을 나타내는 종결 어미.

  2. 2

    (informal addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used when asking or assuming something.

    (두루낮춤으로) 물음이나 추측을 나타내는 종결 어미.

    ※ 주로 ‘-나 하다', '-나 싶다', '-나 보다’로 쓴다. 혼잣말로도 쓴다.

Examples

  • 요즘 일이 그렇게 많나?

    Is work really that busy these days?

  • 장 군은 올해 졸업하나?

    Is Mr. Jang graduating this year?

  • 자네는 바둑을 둘 줄 아나?

    Do you know how to play baduk?

  • 자네들은 언제 한국으로 돌아가나?

    When are you all going back to Korea?

  • 여보게, 거기 있는 책 좀 들어 주겠나?

    Excuse me, could you hand me that book over there?

  • 가족과 멀리 떨어져 생활하느라 얼마나 외롭겠나?

    How lonely must it be, living so far away from family?

Examples: 한국어기초사전, CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.

Don’t confuse with

Forms with a close meaning — a favourite source of wrong answers on TOPIK.

Quick check

  1. 1. What does ‘-나’ mean?

  2. 2. Which form means “question ending (plain/moderate)”?