I am so interested in the topic of this post because I normally get letters from Korean friends with this verb ending. Few months ago i have posted on the suspective verb ending -지 (used to negate verb or to express two different ideas for contrast) well I guess this is another use of it.
The one shape verb ending -지 means supposedly and is attached (like the previous post on suspective verb) to any base. Here are some examples:
- 하지요 (hajiyo) – suppose to do
- 가지요 (kajiyo) – suppose to go
- 공부하지요 (kongbuhajiyo) – suppose to study
Let me practice how this is used in basic sentence to mean ‘I suppose’ in this case the future presumptive base verb -겠- (-kett-) is compatible with 지:
- 언니가 책을 읽겠지요 (Eoniga chaekeul ikettjiyo) I suppose my sister will read the book
- 어빠가 잘겠지요 (Oppaga jalkettjiyo) I suppose brother is sleeping.
When it is used to answer what seems to be a dumb question (question on something of the obvious), -지요 would mean ‘of course’ or ‘you bet!’.
Question: 그 사람이 중국사람이에요? (Ku sarami chungguksaramieyo?) Is that person Chinese?
Answer: 물론이지요! (Mullonijiyo) Of course she is!
What makes this topic interesting is it finally enlightened me on the 죠 (jyo) that is normally used by my Korean friends in exchanging mails with me in Korean. When prouncing verb ending 지요, one must be careful not to pronounce it slowly so it sounds like 죠, now this is actually a contracted version of 지요. All the while i thought 죠 is associated with ‘please’ 😛
It Started with Hangul 