Lesson 44 · Checking Shared Information: -지요/죠
Hyeju’s Beginner Korean · Lesson 44 · Grammar
Checking Shared Information: -지요/죠
Learn Checking Shared Information: -지요/죠 with form rules, natural examples, common mistakes, romanization, and six practice questions with answers.
Introduction / Review
-지요, often shortened to -죠, checks information you expect the listener to know or agree with. It can also remind or reassure, depending on tone.
N = noun; V = action verb; A = descriptive verb. Romanization is a reading aid.
Today’s Grammar / Explanation
- Add 지요/죠 to V/A stems: 가다 → 가죠; 좋다 → 좋죠; 먹다 → 먹죠. Keep final ㄹ: 살다 → 살죠.
- Consonant-final nouns take 이죠: 학생이죠. After a vowel, 이 can be omitted: 의사죠.
- Past: 갔죠. Future: 갈 거죠. These check a past event or a future plan.
Examples
한국 음식이 맛있죠?
hanguk eumsigi masitjyo
Korean food is delicious, right?
내일 수업이 있죠?
naeil sueobi itjyo
We have class tomorrow, right?
여기가 도서관이죠?
yeogiga doseogwanijyo
This is the library, right?
어제 영화 봤죠?
eoje yeonghwa bwatjyo
You watched the movie yesterday, right?
유키 씨도 같이 갈 거죠?
yuki ssido gachi gal geojyo
Yuki is going with us too, right?
오늘은 안 바쁘죠?
oneureun an bappeujyo
You’re not busy today, right?
Compare with similar grammar
LESSON 43
-네요
와, 날씨가 정말 좋네요.-네요 reacts to something you’ve just noticed. -지요 checks something you think the listener already knows.
Review Lesson 43 →LESSON 24
-(으)ㄹ까요?
같이 점심 먹을까요?-(으)ㄹ까요? asks for an opinion. -지요? expects the listener to agree.
Review Lesson 24 →LESSON 4
-ㅂ니까/습니까?
내일 회의에 오십니까?A plain formal question with no expected answer. -지요? already expects a “yes”.
Review Lesson 4 →RELATED PATTERN
-잖아요
제가 어제 말했잖아요.Also “you know”, but stronger, and it can sound like a complaint.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -지요? | …, right? (expecting yes) | 맛있지요? |
| -지요 | of course / you know (soft statement) | 그럼요, 맛있지요 |
| -죠 | short spoken form of -지요 | 맛있죠? |
| -네요 | oh, … (something new) | 맛있네요 |
Common mistakes
내일 오죠? suggests an expectation that the listener will come. If you have no such expectation, a neutral 내일 와요? may fit better. -죠 does not translate as “right?” in every situation.
-지요 attaches directly to the stem, with no 으.
죠 is already short for 지요. Don’t add another 요.
For something you’re discovering now, use -네요. -지요 assumes the listener already agrees.
Add -(으)시- for someone you respect: 오시지요 (오시죠).
Mini practice · six questions
All sentences below are new. Try each one before opening the answer.
- Fill in the blank이 노래 정말 ______? (좋다)
Check answer
이 노래 정말 좋지요?
Expecting the listener to agree → 좋지요? (좋죠?)
- Fill in the blankA: 한국어 어려워요? B: 네, 조금 ______. (어렵다)
Check answer
네, 조금 어렵지요.
A soft “well, yes, of course” → 어렵지요.
- Choose the better form(처음 먹어 보고) 와, 이거 진짜 (맛있네요 / 맛있지요).
Check answer
맛있네요
A new discovery → -네요.
- Choose the better formA: 내일 회의 있죠? B: 네, (있죠 / 있네요).
Check answer
있죠
B confirms something both already know → 있죠.
- Find and fix the mistake우리 내일 만나기로 했죠요?
Check answer
우리 내일 만나기로 했죠?
죠 already includes 요.
- Say it in KoreanMinsu, you’re a student, right?
Check answer
민수 씨는 학생이지요?
Noun + 이지요? (학생이죠? in speech).
Today’s Key Point
지요 contracts to 죠; check shared information; noun + (이)죠; tone changes the effect.
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