HYEJU LANGUAGE LAB · INTERMEDIATE 10 · LESSON 95
-(으)라고 하다 / -자고 하다Tell someone to… / Suggest doing…
Reported commands and requests use -(으)라고 하다; reported suggestions use -자고 하다. 선생님이 “읽으세요.” → 선생님이 읽으라고 하셨어요. 친구가 “같이 가요.” → 친구가 같이 가자고 했어요. A request for yourself turns 주세요 into 달라고.
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A situation you already know
Your roommate called while you were out. Later you tell a friend:
My roommate told me to pick up some milk on the way back.
The original request was 우유 좀 사 와. It becomes 사 오라고 + 했어요.
Build the form
- 가다 → 가 + 라고 → 가라고 해요Complete expression
- 읽다 → 읽 + 으라고 → 읽으라고 해요Complete expression
- 만들다 → 만들 + 라고 → 만들라고 해요Complete expression
- 먹다 → 먹 + 지 말라고 → 먹지 말라고 해요Complete expression
- 쉬다 → 쉬 + 자고 → 쉬자고 해요Complete expression
- 주세요 (나에게) → 주다 → 달라고 → 달라고 해요Complete expression
- Commands and requests: vowel and ㄹ stems -라고 (가라고, 만들라고); consonant stems -으라고 (읽으라고, 앉으라고).
- Negative commands: -지 말라고 → 먹지 말라고, 늦지 말라고.
- Suggestions: -자고 → 가자고, 먹자고. Negative suggestions: -지 말자고.
- Asking for something for yourself: 주세요 → 달라고 (도와 달라고). For someone else: 주라고 (동생에게 주라고).
- The original politeness (하세요, 해, 해 주세요) disappears. Show respect in the reporting verb instead: 하셨어요.
Think in Korean · an English-speaker’s guide
- English “told me to…” and “asked me to…” both become -(으)라고 하다. Change the reporting verb for nuance: 부탁했어요 (asked a favor), 말했어요 (said).
- “Let’s” is reported with -자고: 친구가 영화 보자고 했어요 (My friend suggested we watch a movie). Don’t use -라고 for this.
- 달라고 vs 주라고 is the trickiest part: if the thing goes back to the original speaker, use 달라고 (“give it to me”); if it goes to someone else, use 주라고.
Six examples in context
The doctor told me to get plenty of rest.
The teacher told us not to look at our phones in class.
My friend suggested going hiking together this weekend.
My younger sibling asked me to help with their homework.
Mom told me to give these apples to Grandma.
The team leader suggested having the meeting tomorrow.
Compare with related patterns
-다고 하다
친구가 바쁘다고 했어요.Reports a statement (Lesson 93).
-냐고 하다
친구가 바쁘냐고 물었어요.Reports a question (Lesson 94).
-(으)래요 / -재요
선생님이 내일 일찍 오래요.The spoken short forms of -(으)라고 해요 and -자고 해요 (Lesson 96).
| Pattern | Choose it when… |
|---|---|
| -(으)라고 하다 | a command or request |
| -자고 하다 | a suggestion (let’s…) |
| 달라고 하다 | a request to give something to the speaker |
| 주라고 하다 | a request to give something to someone else |
Common mistakes
“Let’s” is reported with -자고.
Consonant stem + -으라고.
The sibling wanted it for themselves → 달라고.
Negative command: -지 말라고.
Mini practice · six questions
Try each one before opening the answer. Translation answers are models; other natural wording is possible.
- Fill in the blank선생님이 큰 소리로 ______ 하셨어요. (읽다)
Check answer
선생님이 큰 소리로 읽으라고 하셨어요.
Consonant stem → 읽으라고.
- Fill in the blank친구: “오늘 저녁에 같이 먹자!” → 친구가 오늘 저녁에 같이 ______ 했어요.
Check answer
친구가 오늘 저녁에 같이 먹자고 했어요.
A suggestion → -자고.
- Choose the natural form친구가 저한테 우산을 빌려 (달라고 / 주라고) 했어요.
Check answer
달라고
The friend wanted it for themselves.
- Choose the natural form의사 선생님이 술을 (마시지 말라고 / 마시지 마라고) 하셨어요.
Check answer
마시지 말라고
Negative command → -지 말라고.
- Fix the mistake엄마가 방을 청소하세요라고 했어요.
Check answer
엄마가 방을 청소하라고 했어요.
Indirect speech drops 세요 → 청소하라고.
- Say it in KoreanMy boss told me to send the file by today.
Check answer
상사가 오늘까지 파일을 보내라고 했어요.
A command → 보내라고.
Today’s key point
Command or request → -(으)라고 하다 (negative: -지 말라고). Suggestion → -자고 하다. Give it to me → 달라고; give it to someone else → 주라고. Show respect in the reporting verb.
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