-지Korean sentence ending · TOPIK 2
-ji
One sentence ending with 4 distinct uses in the dictionary. Each is below with its own usage rule and examples.
형태Forms
Which one you use is decided by what comes in front of it — see the usage rule under each meaning below.
(informal addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used when the speaker confirms and says something that the listener thought he/she already knew.
(두루낮춤으로) 말하는 사람이 듣는 사람이 이미 알고 있다고 생각하는 것을 확인하며 말할 때 쓰는 종결 어미.
쓰임Usage
Attaches after the copula 이다, verbs and adjectives, the honorific -으시-, the past -었- or the future -겠-.
‘이다’, 동사와 형용사 또는 ‘-으시-’, ‘-었-’, ‘-겠-’ 뒤에 붙여 쓴다.
예문Examples
어제 비가 너무 많이 왔지.
It rained so much yesterday, right?
우리 아들은 벌써 학교에 갔지.
Our son already went to school, right?
우리가 같이 듣는 아침 수업이 휴강되었지.
The morning class we take together was cancelled, right?
대화In conversation
작년에 여행 갔던 곳 기억나?
Do you remember the place we traveled to last year?
응. 바다가 무척 예뻤지.
Yeah. The sea was really beautiful, right?
(informal addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used to ask something that the speaker already knows to cross-check the information.
(두루낮춤으로) 이미 알고 있는 것을 다시 확인하듯이 물을 때 쓰는 종결 어미.
쓰임Usage
Attaches after the copula 이다, verbs and adjectives, the honorific -으시-, the past -었- or the future -겠-.
‘이다’, 동사와 형용사 또는 ‘-으시-’, ‘-었-’, ‘-겠-’ 뒤에 붙여 쓴다.
예문Examples
너 승규 맞지?
You're Seunggyu, right?
거봐, 내가 말했던 대로 되었지?
See, it turned out just as I said, didn't it?
아, 너는 일주일 뒤에 외국으로 떠나지?
Oh, you're leaving for abroad in a week, right?
대화In conversation
지수가 오늘 조퇴를 했어.
Jisu left work early today.
나도 들었어. 왜 조퇴를 했지?
I heard too. Why did she leave early, I wonder?
(informal addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used when the speaker talks about himself/herself or his/her thoughts in a friendly manner.
(두루낮춤으로) 말하는 사람이 자신에 대한 이야기나 자신의 생각을 친근하게 말할 때 쓰는 종결 어미.
쓰임Usage
Attaches after the copula 이다, verbs and adjectives, the honorific -으시-, the past -었- or the future -겠-.
‘이다’, 동사와 형용사 또는 ‘-으시-’, ‘-었-’, ‘-겠-’ 뒤에 붙여 쓴다.
예문Examples
내가 너 대신 일하도록 하지.
I'll do the work for you, then.
언젠가 우리에게도 좋은 날이 오겠지.
Someday good days will come for us too, I suppose.
내가 어릴 적 어머니께서는 날 매우 아끼셨지.
When I was little, my mother cherished me a lot, you know.
대화In conversation
동생은 결혼했어?
Did your younger sibling get married?
응. 저번 달에 결혼을 했지.
Yeah. They got married last month, you know.
(informal addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used when the speaker asks the listener in a friendly manner.
(두루낮춤으로) 말하는 사람이 듣는 사람에게 친근함을 나타내며 물을 때 쓰는 종결 어미.
쓰임Usage
Attaches after the copula 이다, verbs and adjectives, the honorific -으시-, the past -었- or the future -겠-.
‘이다’, 동사와 형용사 또는 ‘-으시-’, ‘-었-’, ‘-겠-’ 뒤에 붙여 쓴다.
예문Examples
요즘 일이 많이 힘들지?
Work's been really tough lately, hasn't it?
저쪽에 반짝이는 별이 보이지?
You can see that twinkling star over there, can't you?
저 건물에 가서 이걸 나누어 줄 수 있지?
You can go to that building and hand these out, right?
대화In conversation
네가 생각해도 이건 잘못된 것 같지?
Don't you think this is wrong too?
네. 다음부터는 안 그럴게요.
Yes. I won't do it again from now on.
관련 문법Related grammar
Other sentence endings you will meet alongside this one.
자주 묻는 질문Common questions
What does -지 mean in Korean?
-지 is a sentence ending introduced at 2급 (TOPIK 2). (informal addressee-lowering) A sentence-final ending used when the speaker confirms and says something that the listener thought he/she already knew. It has 4 distinct senses, all listed on this page.
When do you use -지?
Attaches after the copula 이다, verbs and adjectives, the honorific -으시-, the past -었- or the future -겠-. The other shape is -지요 — same point, different environment.
What is the difference between -지 and -지요?
None in meaning — they are two shapes of the same sentence ending, and which one appears is decided by the sound in front of it, not by what you want to say.
What TOPIK level is -지?
2급 — TOPIK 2, elementary. It is one of 45 grammar points at that level.
Definition, usage note, examples and dialogue from the 국립국어원 한국어기초사전, used under CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.