-(이/으)라고
(i/eu)rago
Grammar · 2 senses
Quote declarative sentence
Examples
가족이 모두 4명이라고 하요.
They said their family has four members.
선생님이 뭐라고 했어요?
What did the teacher say?
When you'd hear it
This is common in both conversation and writing, with the politeness level set by the following verb such as 하다 or 했어요. Learners often hear it in questions like 선생님이 뭐라고 했어요? and in reported statements in dramas or everyday conversation.
What learners get wrong
Use 이라고 after a noun ending in a consonant and 라고 after a noun ending in a vowel; verbs and adjectives normally use -다고 for reported declarative statements. Do not confuse this with verb-stem + -라고, which commonly quotes a command.
Quote imperative sentence
Examples
일곱 시까지 돌아오라고 일렀거늘 왜 늦었느냐?
I told you to come back by seven, why are you late?
의사가 매운 음식을 먹지 말라고 했다.
The doctor said not to eat spicy food.
When you'd hear it
This pattern is common in spoken and written reported speech, especially with 하다, 말하다, and 명령하다. It appears in everyday instructions and workplace reports, while forms such as 일렀거늘 can sound literary or old-fashioned.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse it with -다고, which reports a statement rather than a command. For a negative command, use -지 말라고, as in 먹지 말라고 했다.
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