Lesson 47 · 반말: -자, -니?, -아/어라

HYEJU LANGUAGE LAB · BEGINNER · 47

Use 반말: -자, -니?, -아/어라 in the context of suggestions and questions among friends. Work through the form, the meaning and the examples before trying the six practice questions.

Goal: choose the correct form for the situation, then make a natural sentence of your own.

How the pattern works

Three functions

-자 suggests a joint action, -니? asks a familiar question, and -아/어라 gives a direct command. All require an appropriate relationship and tone.

V-자

Attach 자 to an action stem: 가자, 먹자, 하자, 만들자. There is no 받침-based change. In the basic use, the speaker joins the action.

-니?

Simple familiar questions include 가니?, 먹니?, 했니?, 좋니?, 학생이니? Final ㄹ drops before ㄴ: 살다 → 사니? It can sound adult-to-child or intimate; it is not a universal neutral question ending.

V-아/어라

Use the 아/어 stem plus 라: 가라, 먹어라, 해라, 와라, 봐라. This is stronger than a casual request with -아/어. For an everyday request between friends, 잠깐 기다려 is often more appropriate than 기다려라.

Examples in context

우리 같이 가자.

uri gachi gaja

Let’s go together.

지금 시작하자.

jigeum sijakhaja

Let’s start now.

지금 뭐 먹니?

jigeum mwo meongni

What are you eating now?

숙제했니?

sukjehaenni

Did you do your homework?

이 문장을 읽어라.

i munjangeul ilgeora

Read this sentence. (Firm instruction.)

여기로 와라.

yeogiro wara

Come here. (Direct command.)

조금 더 기다리자.

jogeum deo gidarija

Let’s wait a little longer.

여기를 봐라.

yeogireul bwara

Look here. (Direct command.)

These endings are useful for understanding dialogue, but they are not interchangeable. Do not use a command ending merely to make speech sound friendly. With someone you do not know well, choose polite speech.

Compare with similar grammar

LESSON 46

-아/어

같이 가. / 뭐 해?

The basic casual ending. With intonation it can also be a question or a soft suggestion.

Review Lesson 46 →

LESSON 24

-(으)ㄹ까요?

같이 갈까요?

The polite way to suggest something. -자 is casual.

Review Lesson 24 →

LESSON 34

-(으)세요

빨리 오세요.

A polite request. -아/어라 is a casual (and fairly strong) command.

Review Lesson 34 →

LESSON 35

-지 마

걱정하지 마.

The casual “don’t”. The polite version is -지 마세요.

Review Lesson 35 →

Pattern	Casual	Polite version	Example
-자	let’s	-(으)ㄹ까요?, -(으)ㅂ시다	밥 먹자
-니?	question (often to younger people)	-아/어요?	밥 먹었니?
-아/어라	command	-(으)세요	빨리 와라
-지 마	don’t	-지 마세요	울지 마

Common mistakes

같이 먹자요.같이 먹어요.

-자 has no 요 form. Politely, say 같이 먹어요 or 같이 먹을까요?

(할머니께) 할머니, 밥 먹었니?(할머니께) 할머니, 진지 드셨어요?

-니? is for younger people or close friends — never for elders.

빨리 와어라.빨리 와라.

오 + 아라 contracts to 와라.

이거 먹어라요.이거 드세요.

-아/어라 has no polite form with 요. Use -(으)세요 (드세요 for eating).

Mini practice · six questions

All sentences below are new. Try each one before opening the answer.

Fill in the blank(친구에게) 배고파. 우리 밥 ______. (먹다)

Check answer

배고파. 우리 밥 먹자.

Casual “let’s” → 먹자.
Fill in the blank(동생에게) 숙제는 다 ______? (하다)

Check answer

숙제는 다 했니?

To a younger sibling, past question → 했니?
Choose the better form(동생에게) 늦었어. 빨리 (자라 / 주무세요).

Check answer

자라

To a younger sibling → casual command 자라.
Choose the better form(선생님께) 선생님, 같이 (가자 / 가실까요)?

Check answer

가실까요

To a teacher, use the polite, respectful 가실까요?
Find and fix the mistake(회사 선배에게) 우리 영화 보자요.

Check answer

우리 영화 볼까요?

-자 can’t take 요. Politely suggest with -(으)ㄹ까요?
Say it in Korean (casual)(to a friend) Let’s take a picture together!

Check answer

같이 사진 찍자!

찍 + 자 → 찍자.

Your turn

Make two suggestions for a weekend with a close friend. Then turn one into a polite suggestion with -(으)ㄹ까요? to compare the tone.

Key point