HYEJU LANGUAGE LAB · INTERMEDIATE 12 · LESSON 97
-다면서요?I heard… Is that true?
-다면서요? lets you check news you heard with the person who knows: “I heard you’re moving — is that true?” It comes from -다고 하면서요, so its forms follow -다고 하다: verbs -ㄴ/는다면서요, adjectives -다면서요, nouns -(이)라면서요.
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A situation you already know
A coworker told you that Jisu is moving. You run into Jisu in the hallway:
Jisu, I heard you’re moving next week. Is that right?
You already heard the news. -다면서요? shows that and asks Jisu to confirm it.
Build the form
- 이사하다 → 이사하 + ㄴ다면서요 → 이사한다면서요?Complete expression
- 먹다 → 먹 + 는다면서요 → 먹는다면서요?Complete expression
- 바쁘다 → 바쁘 + 다면서요 → 바쁘다면서요?Complete expression
- 학생 → 학생 + 이라면서요 → 학생이라면서요?Complete expression
- 갔다 → 갔 + 다면서요 → 갔다면서요?Complete expression
- Verbs: vowel and ㄹ stems -ㄴ다면서요 (간다면서요, 산다면서요); consonant stems -는다면서요 (먹는다면서요).
- Adjectives and 있다/없다: -다면서요 → 바쁘다면서요, 맛있다면서요.
- Nouns: (이)라면서요 → 학생이라면서요, 생일이라면서요.
- Past: -았/었다면서요 → 갔다면서요. Future: -(으)ㄹ 거라면서요.
- Casual: -다면서? / -다며? (간다며?).
- It also works for reported commands and suggestions: 오라면서요?, 같이 가자면서요?
Think in Korean · an English-speaker’s guide
- English often uses a tag: “You’re moving, right? I heard.” Korean packs “I heard + is it true?” into one ending.
- Use it with someone who knows: the person concerned or someone who was there. It sounds odd with a stranger.
- It can also bring up something a person said earlier, as a mild complaint: 같이 가자면서요! (You said let’s go together!). Tone makes the difference.
Six examples in context
I heard you’re getting married next month. Congratulations!
I heard work has been really busy lately?
I heard your exam went well yesterday?
I heard today is your birthday, Minsu?
I heard that movie is really fun?
I heard you lived in Japan for a long time?
Compare with related patterns
-대요
지수 씨가 이사한대요.Passes the news on to someone else (Lesson 96).
-지요?
지수 씨가 이사하지요?Checks something you both know, without saying you heard it (Lesson 44).
-다고 들었어요
이사한다고 들었어요.“I heard you’re moving.” A plain statement, a little more formal; -다면서요? is a friendly question.
| Pattern | Choose it when… |
|---|---|
| -다면서요? | check what you heard with the person who knows |
| -대요 | pass news on to someone else |
| -지요? | confirm shared knowledge |
| -다고 들었어요 | say that you heard it (more formal) |
Common mistakes
Present verbs need -ㄴ/는다면서요.
Nouns take (이)라면서요.
Adjectives take -다면서요.
If you didn’t hear it from anyone, just ask directly.
Mini practice · six questions
Try each one before opening the answer. Translation answers are models; other natural wording is possible.
- Fill in the blank다음 주에 한국에 ______? (오다)
Check answer
다음 주에 한국에 온다면서요?
Vowel-stem verb → -ㄴ다면서요.
- Fill in the blank그 카페 커피가 정말 ______? (맛있다)
Check answer
그 카페 커피가 정말 맛있다면서요?
있다 type → -다면서요.
- Choose the natural form어제 많이 (아팠다면서요 / 아프다면서요)? 지금은 괜찮아요?
Check answer
아팠다면서요
Yesterday → past.
- Choose the natural form동생이 (대학생이라면서요 / 대학생다면서요)?
Check answer
대학생이라면서요
Noun → (이)라면서요.
- Fix the mistake요즘 운동을 시작하다면서요?
Check answer
요즘 운동을 시작한다면서요?
Present verb → 시작한다면서요.
- Say it in KoreanI heard you passed the exam. Congratulations!
Check answer
시험에 합격했다면서요? 축하해요!
Past → 합격했다면서요.
Today’s key point
Heard something? Check it with -다면서요?: verbs -ㄴ/는다면서요, adjectives -다면서요, nouns (이)라면서요, past -았/었다면서요.
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