B1 Reported Speech 12 min read Medium

Said that [verb]ed - Past Indirect Speech

Add 다고 to the past tense form of any word to quote what happened in the past.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

To report a past action, use the -다고 했다 (formal) or -다고 했어 (informal) ending after the past tense verb stem.

  • For past tense, add -았/었/였다고 하다: '먹었다고 했다' (He said he ate).
  • If the verb ends in a vowel, use -였다고 하다 for past tense: '갔다고 했다' (He said he went).
  • For negative past, use -지 않았다고 하다: '안 먹었다고 했다' (He said he didn't eat).
Verb Stem + 았/었/였 + 다고 + 하다

Overview

Indirect speech, or reported speech, is a fundamental linguistic mechanism used to convey what someone else (or even you yourself) said, thought, or heard, without directly quoting their exact words. In Korean, this concept is systematically handled through a set of distinct grammatical patterns, each tailored to the type of statement being reported (declarative, interrogative, imperative, propositive) and its original tense.

This article focuses specifically on 았/었다고 하다 (Past Indirect Speech), a B1-level structure crucial for communicating about past events. This pattern allows you to report a declarative statement that was originally made in the past tense. For instance, if someone said, “I went to the store,” you would use 았/었다고 하다 to report, “He said he went to the store.” Its existence highlights the Korean language's precision in distinguishing the tense of the reported content from the tense of the reporting act.

Mastering this structure enables you to accurately relay information, recount stories, and clarify previous statements, becoming an indispensable tool in intermediate Korean communication.

How This Grammar Works

When you use 았/었다고 하다, you are essentially embedding a complete past tense statement within a larger sentence, attributing it to a speaker. The core mechanism involves taking a verb, adjective, or noun in its past tense form and attaching the quotation particle 다고, which signals that a declarative statement is being reported. This entire reported clause is then followed by a reporting verb, most commonly 하다 (to say/do), but also 말하다 (to speak), 이야기하다 (to talk/tell), 듣다 (to hear), or 생각하다 (to think).
Consider the sentence, "I finished the homework." This original statement is already in the past tense. To report it indirectly, you must preserve that past tense within the reported clause. The 았/었/였 component directly corresponds to the past tense marker of the original verb or adjective.
The 다고 particle acts as a fixed connector for declarative reported speech, indicating that the preceding clause is a statement. Finally, the reporting verb 하다 (해요 or 했어요) frames the entire reported statement, much like "said" or "told" in English. The tense of this reporting verb (e.g., 해요 - says now, 했어요 - said then) is independent of the reported statement's tense and depends on when the act of reporting occurred.
  • Original Statement: 저는 숙제를 끝냈어요. (I finished the homework.)
  • Reported: 친구가 숙제를 끝냈다고 했어요. (My friend said he finished the homework.)
Here, 끝냈어요 (finished) becomes 끝냈다고 했어요 (said he finished). The past tense marker 냈 is maintained, followed by 다고, and then the reporting verb 했어요. This structure ensures that the temporal accuracy of the original statement is preserved, regardless of when you are relaying it.

Formation Pattern

1
The formation of 았/었다고 하다 is systematic, primarily depending on the stem of the verb or adjective and whether it ends in a vowel or consonant, as well as the standard past tense conjugation rules. For nouns, a slightly different pattern applies.
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1. For Verbs and Adjectives
3
The 았/었/였 part is identical to how you would form the simple past tense of the verb or adjective. You take the verb/adjective stem, add 았, 었, or 였 based on the stem's final vowel, and then attach 다고 하다.
4
| Stem Ends In | Past Tense Marker | Example Stem | Full Form (Formal) | Full Form (Casual) | Romanization |
5
| :----------- | :---------------- | :----------- | :----------------- | :----------------- | :----------- |
6
| ㅏ or ㅗ | 았다고 하다 | 가 (to go) | 갔다고 합니다 | 갔다고 해요 | gattago haeyo |
7
| Other Vowels | 었다고 하다 | 먹 (to eat) | 먹었다고 합니다 | 먹었다고 해요 | meogeottago haeyo |
8
| 하 | 했다고 하다 | 공부하 (to study) | 공부했다고 합니다 | 공부했다고 해요 | gongbuhaettago haeyo |
9
| Irregular ㄷ | 들었다고 하다 | 듣 (to listen) | 들었다고 합니다 | 들었다고 해요 | deureottago haeyo |
10
| Irregular ㅂ | 도왔다고 하다 | 돕 (to help) | 도왔다고 합니다 | 도왔다고 해요 | dowattago haeyo |
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Example 1 (Verb): 친구는 어제 서울에 갔어요. (My friend went to Seoul yesterday.)
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Reported: 수미 씨가 친구가 어제 서울에 갔다고 했어요. (Sumi said her friend went to Seoul yesterday.)
13
Example 2 (Adjective): 날씨가 좋았어요. (The weather was good.)
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Reported: 선생님께서 날씨가 좋았다고 말씀하셨어요. (The teacher said the weather was good.)
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2. For Nouns (was a...)
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When reporting a past statement that identifies someone or something as a noun (e.g., "He was a student"), you use 이었다고 하다 or 였다고 하다, depending on whether the noun ends in a consonant or a vowel.
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| Noun Ends In | Connector | Example Noun | Full Form (Formal) | Full Form (Casual) | Romanization |
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| :----------- | :-------- | :----------- | :----------------- | :----------------- | :----------- |
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| Consonant | 이었다고 하다 | 학생 (student) | 학생이었다고 합니다 | 학생이었다고 해요 | haksaeng-ieottago haeyo |
20
| Vowel | 였다고 하다 | 의사 (doctor) | 의사였다고 합니다 | 의사였다고 해요 | uisayeottago haeyo |
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Example 3 (Noun): 그는 정말 좋은 사람이었어요. (He was a really good person.)
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Reported: 동생이 그분이 정말 좋은 사람이었다고 말했어요. (My younger sibling said that person was a really good person.)
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The final reporting verb (하다, 말하다, 이야기하다, 듣다, 생각하다) can be conjugated into various tenses (present, past, future) and politeness levels (formal 합니다체, casual 해요체), depending on when and to whom you are reporting. For instance, 끝났다고 해요 (He says it finished) versus 끝났다고 했어요 (He said it finished) convey different reporting times.

When To Use It

This grammatical pattern is essential for accurately relaying information about past events or states. Its usage extends across various communicative contexts, from casual conversations to more formal reports.
  1. 1Reporting Someone Else's Past Statement or Belief: This is the most common application. You heard someone say something in the past, and you are now sharing that information.
  • 어제 지영 씨가 피곤했다고 했어요. (Jiyoung said she was tired yesterday.)
  • 그 뉴스가 사실이었다고 들었어요. (I heard that news was true.)
  1. 1Reporting Your Own Past Statement or Thought: You can also use 았/었다고 하다 to reflect on what you said or thought previously, especially when explaining your actions or perspectives.
  • 제가 어제는 시간이 없었다고 말했어요. (I said yesterday that I didn't have time.)
  • 저는 그 영화가 정말 재미있었다고 생각했어요. (I thought that movie was really interesting.)
  1. 1Conveying Rumors or Commonly Held Past Information: When the source of the information is generalized or unknown, but the content refers to a past event.
  • 회사가 작년에 큰 손실을 봤다고 해요. (They say the company incurred a huge loss last year.)
  • 그 식당이 지난주에 문을 닫았다고 하던데요? (I heard that restaurant closed last week?) – Here, -던데요 adds a nuance of recalling or confirming something you heard.
  1. 1Confirming or Questioning a Past Statement: When you are trying to verify if a past statement was indeed made or if you heard it correctly, often used in interrogative forms.
  • 네가 어제 시험이 어려웠다고 했어? (Did you say the exam was difficult yesterday?)
  • 사장님이 그렇게 말씀하셨다고요? (Did the boss say that? – 다고요 adds emphasis/surprise.)
This pattern is versatile. For example, in a formal setting, you might hear a superior use 말씀하셨다고 합니다 (honorific 'said') to relay a higher authority's past declaration, signifying respect while maintaining the past tense of the original statement.

Common Mistakes

Learners often encounter specific pitfalls when employing 았/었다고 하다. Recognizing these common errors and understanding their underlying reasons can significantly improve accuracy.
  1. 1Tense Confusion: 았/었다고 vs. ㄴ/는다고
  • The most frequent error is misusing ㄴ/는다고 하다 (present/habitual indirect speech) instead of 았/었다고 하다 for past events. Remember, 았/었다고 하다 strictly reports content that was itself in the past tense. ㄴ/는다고 하다 is for reporting present actions, states, or general truths.
  • Incorrect: 그는 어제 밥을 먹는다고 했어요. (He said he eats/is eating rice yesterday.) – Grammatically incorrect for a past action.
  • Correct: 그는 어제 밥을 먹었다고 했어요. (He said he ate rice yesterday.)
  • Why it's wrong: Using 먹는다고 implies a present action, contradicting the past adverb 어제 and the intent to report a completed past action.
  1. 1Omitting 다 from 다고
  • While in very rapid, casual speech, parts of the reporting structure might be elided, learners should always internalize the full form 다고. Dropping 다 prematurely can lead to ungrammatical constructions or confusion.
  • Incorrect: 친구가 안 갔고 했어요.
  • Correct: 친구가 안 갔다고 했어요.
  • Why it's wrong: 고 alone often functions as a conjunctive ending meaning "and" or "then," not a quotation particle in this context.
  1. 1Overcomplicating Adjectives
Incorrect
✗Beginners sometimes treat adjectives differently from verbs when forming the past tense reported speech. However, the rule is identical: form the past tense of the adjective (e.g., 예쁘다
✓예뻤어요) and then attach 다고 하다.
  • Incorrect: 민준 씨가 영화가 재미있다다고 했어요. (Attempting to add 다 to the adjective stem for past tense.)
  • Correct: 민준 씨가 영화가 재미있었다고 했어요. (Minjun said the movie was interesting.)
  • Why it's wrong: The past tense marker 았/었/였 must precede 다고. 재미있다 becomes 재미있었다 in the past tense.
  1. 1Misusing Noun Reporting (e.g., 이다고 vs. 이었다고)
  • For nouns, the past tense form involves 이었다고 or 였다고. Learners sometimes mistakenly use 이라고/라고 (present tense noun reporting) when the statement was about a past state of being.
  • Incorrect: 엄마가 내가 학생이라고 했어요. (Mom said I am a student, when the intent was I was a student.)
  • Correct: 엄마가 내가 학생이었다고 했어요. (Mom said I was a student.)
  • Why it's wrong: 이라고/라고 (다고 after 이다) reports a present identification. For a past identification, the past tense marker 었 is necessary before 다고.
  1. 1Redundant Double Past Tense on the Reporting Verb
  • Consider the difference between ...았다고 해요 and ...았다고 했어요. While both are grammatically correct, they carry a subtle distinction. ...았다고 해요 reports a past event now. ...았다고 했어요 reports a past event at some point in the past. Sometimes learners might redundantly use 했어요 when 해요 would be more natural or precise for a current report.
  • 그는 시험에 합격했다고 해요. (He says he passed the exam.) – Reporting a past event (passing) now.
  • 그는 시험에 합격했다고 했어요. (He said he passed the exam.) – Reporting a past event (passing) at some point in the past.
  • Nuance: The choice depends on the temporal relationship between the reporting act and the current moment.

Real Conversations

았/었다고 하다 is ubiquitous in everyday Korean, appearing in various registers from casual dialogue to more formal communication. Its flexibility allows speakers to succinctly relay information while maintaining conversational flow.

1. Casual Dialogue (해체 haech'e):

In informal settings, the reporting verb 하다 is frequently contracted or omitted, especially in rapid speech, often becoming 대 or 다고 해.

- Scenario: Friends discussing a party from the previous night.

- A: 어제 파티 재미있었어? (Eoje pati jaemiisseosseo? - Was the party fun yesterday?)

- B: 응, 민수 말로는 진짜 재미있었대. (Eung, Min-su malloneun jinjja jaemiittae. - Yeah, Min-su said it was really fun.)

- Observation: 재미있었다고 해 is contracted to 재미있었대, a very common spoken form.

- Scenario: Colleagues discussing a late co-worker.

- A: 김 대리 아직 안 왔네? (Kim daeri ajik an wanne? - Assistant Manager Kim hasn't arrived yet, has he?)

- B: 아, 몸이 안 좋아서 늦었다고 하던데요. (A, momi an joaseo neujeottago hadeondeyo. - Oh, I heard he said he was late because he wasn't feeling well.)

- Observation: 하더군요/하더라고요 (casual) or 하더군요 (polite) are often used to report something you observed or heard directly, adding a nuance of personal recollection or discovery.

2. Formal or Professional Contexts (합니다체 hapnida-ch'e):

In business meetings, news reports, or official announcements, more formal and complete structures are preferred, often using 말씀하시다 (honorific for 하다) when referring to a superior's statement.

- Scenario: Reporting to a superior about a client meeting.

- 고객사에서 제품 성능에 만족했다고 말씀하셨습니다. (Gogaeksa-eseo jepum seongneunge manjokhaettago malsseumhasyeossseumnida. - The client company said they were satisfied with the product's performance.)

- Observation: 말씀하셨습니다 is used to politely report a client's past statement.

- Scenario: News broadcast.

- 기상청은 내일 서울 지역에 폭우가 예상된다고 발표했습니다. (Gisangcheong-eun naeil Seoul jiyeoge poguga yesangdoendago balpyohaettseumnida. - The Meteorological Agency announced that heavy rain is expected in the Seoul area tomorrow.)

- Observation: Although this example uses the present tense reported form 예상된다고, it demonstrates formal reporting structure. For 았/었다고, it would be 폭우가 내렸다고 발표했습니다. (Heavy rain fell).

3. Written Communication (Texting, Emails):

In written casual communication, abbreviations and slightly more direct forms are common. In formal emails, the full grammatical structure is maintained.

- Text Message (Casual): 수진이가 어제 영화 봤대. (Sujin-iga eoje yeonghwa bwatdae. - Sujin said she watched a movie yesterday.)

- Formal Email: 팀장님께서는 해당 프로젝트가 성공적으로 완료되었다고 언급하셨습니다. (Timjangnimkkeseoneun haedang peurojekteuga seonggongjeogeuro wallyodoettago eongeuphasyeossseumnida. - The team leader mentioned that the project was successfully completed.)

The flexibility of 았/었다고 하다 means you'll encounter it constantly, reflecting Korean speakers' nuanced approach to information sharing and attribution.

Quick FAQ

Q: Can I use 았/었다고 하다 to report my own thoughts or beliefs from the past?

Yes, absolutely. You often use 생각하다 (to think) as the reporting verb in this context. For example, 저는 그 일이 쉬웠다고 생각했어요. (Jeoneun geu iri swiweottago saenggakhaesseoyo. - I thought that job was easy.) This structure is vital for expressing your past opinions or internal monologue.

Q: How do I negate a past reported statement using this pattern?

You negate the inner verb or adjective before applying the 았/었다고 하다 structure. Korean offers two primary negation forms: short negation (안 + verb/adjective) and long negation (verb/adjective + -지 않다).

  • Short Negation: 친구가 어제 학교에 안 갔다고 했어요. (Chinguga eoje hakgyoe an gattago haesseoyo. - My friend said he didn't go to school yesterday.)
  • Long Negation: 친구가 어제 학교에 가지 않았다고 했어요. (Chinguga eoje hakgyoe gaji anattago haesseoyo. - My friend said he didn't go to school yesterday.)
Both forms are grammatically correct and widely used. The choice often depends on style or emphasis.
Q: Is 다고 always required? What about shortened forms like 대?

In standard and formal indirect speech, 다고 is a necessary component to mark a declarative reported statement. However, in casual spoken Korean, especially with 하다, the phrase 하다고 frequently shortens to 대 (hae hae + da becomes dae).

  • 민수가 끝났다고 했어. (Min-su-ga kkeunnatdago haesseo. - Min-su said it finished.)
  • 민수가 끝났대. (Min-su-ga kkeunnadae. - Min-su said it finished.)
This 대 form is very common in informal conversations and media like K-dramas. While useful to recognize, it's best to master the full 았/었다고 하다 structure first to ensure clarity and grammatical correctness across all registers. Another casual shortening can be dropping 고, leaving just 다.
For instance, 끝났다 해 (Kkeunnattda hae. - He says it finished) is sometimes heard, though 끝났대 is more prevalent.
Q: Can 았/었다고 하다 be used to report questions, commands, or suggestions?

No. 았/었다고 하다 is exclusively for reporting declarative statements that were originally in the past tense. Korean has distinct indirect speech patterns for other sentence types:

  • Reporting Questions: 냐고/으냐고 하다 (e.g., 어디 갔냐고 물었어요. - I asked where he went.)
  • Reporting Commands/Requests: 으라고/라고 하다 (e.g., 빨리 오라고 했어요. - He told me to come quickly.)
  • Reporting Suggestions (Let's...): 자고 하다 (e.g., 같이 가자고 했어요. - He suggested we go together.)
Confusing these patterns is a common mistake, so always ensure you are using the correct indirect speech form for the original intent of the reported statement.
Q: Does the past tense marker 았/었/였 always attach to the main verb/adjective, even if there are other particles or endings?

Yes, the 았/었/였 marker for past tense will always attach directly to the stem of the verb or adjective that describes the action or state of the reported clause. Any additional particles or grammatical endings that modify the meaning or nuance of the reported statement would typically come after the 았/었/였 and before 다고.

  • For instance, if you want to report "He must have gone," which is 갔을 거예요, the past tense 갔 is still central. You would report 갔을 거라고 했어요 (He said he must have gone), using the future/conjecture reporting form ㄹ/을 거라고 하다, which is a different pattern for reporting statements of conjecture or future intent.
  • For a simple past declarative, 았/었/였 attaches to the stem, forming the complete past tense verb/adjective that is then quoted with 다고 하다.
This pattern, 았/었다고 하다, forms a crucial part of intermediate Korean communication, allowing you to narrate, recount, and clarify past events with precision and naturalness.

Past Tense Indirect Speech Formation

Verb Past Stem Indirect Form
먹다
먹었
먹었다고 하다
가다
갔
갔다고 하다
하다
했
했다고 하다
보다
봤
봤다고 하다
읽다
읽었
읽었다고 하다
자다
잤
잤다고 하다

Common Contractions

Full Form Contraction
-다고 했다
-댔다
-다고 해요
-대요

Meanings

This grammar is used to convey information that was stated by someone else in the past. It effectively shifts the perspective from direct speech to a summary of what occurred.

1

Reporting past actions

Relaying an event that happened previously.

“민수가 숙제를 끝냈다고 했어요.”

“엄마가 저녁을 만들었다고 했어요.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Said that [verb]ed - Past Indirect Speech
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Past Stem + 다고 하다
먹었다고 하다
Negative
안 + Past Stem + 다고 하다
안 먹었다고 하다
Formal
Past Stem + 다고 했습니다
먹었다고 했습니다
Informal
Past Stem + 다고 했어
먹었다고 했어
Question
Past Stem + 다고 했니?
먹었다고 했니?
Honorific
Past Stem + 으셨다고 하다
가셨다고 하다

Formality Spectrum

Formal
그가 먹었다고 했습니다.

그가 먹었다고 했습니다. (Reporting a fact.)

Neutral
그가 먹었다고 했어요.

그가 먹었다고 했어요. (Reporting a fact.)

Informal
그가 먹었다고 했어.

그가 먹었다고 했어. (Reporting a fact.)

Slang
먹었대.

먹었대. (Reporting a fact.)

Indirect Speech Flow

Reported Speech

Action

  • 먹었다고 said he ate

State

  • 좋았다고 said it was good
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Examples by Level

1

민수가 잤다고 했어요.

Minsu said he slept.

1

그녀가 안 먹었다고 했어요.

She said she didn't eat.

1

선생님이 숙제를 냈다고 하셨어요.

The teacher said he gave homework.

1

그가 어제 회의에 참석했다고 전했어요.

He conveyed that he attended the meeting yesterday.

1

그는 자신이 결백하다고 주장했습니다.

He claimed that he was innocent.

1

그녀는 이미 모든 것을 알고 있었다고 언급했습니다.

She mentioned that she had already known everything.

Easily Confused

Said that [verb]ed - Past Indirect Speech vs -다고 하다 vs -라고 하다

One is for statements, the other for commands.

Said that [verb]ed - Past Indirect Speech vs -다고 하다 vs -냐고 하다

One is for statements, the other for questions.

Said that [verb]ed - Past Indirect Speech vs -다고 하다 vs -자고 하다

One is for statements, the other for suggestions.

Common Mistakes

✗

먹는다고 했어요

✓

먹었다고 했어요

Used present instead of past.
✗

먹었다고 해요

✓

먹었다고 했어요

Forgot to put the reporting verb in the past.
✗

먹었다고

✓

먹었다고 했어요

Incomplete sentence.
✗

먹었기라고 했어요

✓

먹었다고 했어요

Wrong particle.
✗

안 먹었다고 했어요

✓

안 먹었다고 했어요

Actually correct, but watch for word order.
✗

먹지 않았다고 했어요

✓

먹지 않았다고 했어요

Correct, but formal.
✗

먹었다고 말했어요

✓

먹었다고 했어요

Technically correct but less natural.
✗

먹었을 거라고 했어요

✓

먹었다고 했어요

Confused with future/conjecture.
✗

먹었다고 생각했어요

✓

먹었다고 했어요

Confused speech with thought.
✗

먹었다고 했다

✓

먹었다고 했다

Correct, but watch register.
✗

먹으셨다고 했어요

✓

먹었다고 했어요

Overusing honorifics.
✗

먹었다고 전해졌어요

✓

먹었다고 했어요

Passive voice confusion.
✗

먹었다고 주장했어요

✓

먹었다고 했어요

Too strong.

Sentence Patterns

친구가 ___다고 했어요.

그가 어제 ___지 않았다고 했어요.

선생님께서 ___다고 하셨어요.

그녀는 이미 ___다고 했어요.

Real World Usage

Texting very common

걔가 안 온대.

Work Meeting common

팀장님이 승인했다고 하셨습니다.

Social Media common

다들 맛있다고 하네요.

Travel occasional

가이드가 늦는다고 했어요.

Food Delivery common

배달원이 도착했다고 했어요.

Job Interview formal

이전 회사에서 성과를 냈다고 했습니다.

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💡

Keep the Tense

Don't change the tense inside the quote. If they said 'I ate', it stays 'ate' in Korean.
⚠️

Don't Forget -다

Always include -다 before the -고 particle.
🎯

Use Contractions

In casual speech, use -대요 to sound more natural.
💬

Honorifics

When reporting about elders, use -으셨다고 하다.

Smart Tips

Always check the past tense stem first.

그가 먹는다고 했어요. → 그가 먹었다고 했어요.

Use the -대요 contraction.

그가 갔다고 해요. → 그가 갔대요.

Use honorifics.

선생님이 갔다. → 선생님이 가셨다고 했다.

Use '안' + past tense.

그가 안 먹었다고 했다. → 그가 안 먹었다고 했다.

Pronunciation

da-go-hae-yo

Linking

The 'g' sound in -다고 links to the 'h' in 하다, often softening the 'h'.

Statement

먹었다고 했어요 ↘

Falling intonation for a declarative statement.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember 'Da-Go' (다고) as 'That-Go'—you are telling someone *that* something happened, and you *go* tell them.

Visual Association

Imagine a telephone wire connecting two people, with a thought bubble of a past event traveling across it.

Rhyme

Past tense verb, add -다고, now the story is ready to go!

Story

Minsu ate a cake. He told me he ate it. I tell you: 'Minsu said he ate the cake.'

Word Web

말하다전하다듣다알리다생각하다기억하다

Challenge

Tell a friend three things you did yesterday using this grammar.

Cultural Notes

Indirect speech is vital for maintaining social harmony by distancing the speaker from the original claim.

Derived from the verb '하다' (to do/say) combined with the quotative particle '고'.

Conversation Starters

“

어제 친구가 뭐라고 했어요?

“

선생님이 숙제에 대해 뭐라고 하셨어요?

“

뉴스에서 뭐라고 했어요?

“

그 사람이 어제 어디 갔다고 했어요?

Journal Prompts

Write about what your friend told you yesterday.
Summarize a conversation you had at work.
Report what your family said about your plans.
Discuss a rumor you heard.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

민수가 어제 영화를 ___다고 했어요.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 봤
Past tense is required.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 먹었다고 했어요
Correct past tense reporting.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

그가 갔다고 해요 (He said he went).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 그가 갔다고 했어요
Reporting verb must be past.
Change to indirect speech. Sentence Transformation

민수: '나는 잤어.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 민수가 잤다고 했어요
Correct reporting.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: 그 사람이 뭐라고 했어요? B: ___

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 안 왔다고 했어요
Matches the question.
Order the words. Sentence Building

그가 / 했다 / 먹었다고

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 그가 먹었다고 했다
Correct word order.
Conjugate the verb. Conjugation Drill

읽다 -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 읽었다고 했다
Correct past conjugation.
Match the meaning. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He said he ate
Correct meaning.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the blank.

민수가 어제 영화를 ___다고 했어요.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 봤
Past tense is required.
Choose the correct form. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 먹었다고 했어요
Correct past tense reporting.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

그가 갔다고 해요 (He said he went).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 그가 갔다고 했어요
Reporting verb must be past.
Change to indirect speech. Sentence Transformation

민수: '나는 잤어.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 민수가 잤다고 했어요
Correct reporting.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: 그 사람이 뭐라고 했어요? B: ___

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 안 왔다고 했어요
Matches the question.
Order the words. Sentence Building

그가 / 했다 / 먹었다고

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 그가 먹었다고 했다
Correct word order.
Conjugate the verb. Conjugation Drill

읽다 -> ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 읽었다고 했다
Correct past conjugation.
Match the meaning. Match Pairs

먹었다고 했다

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He said he ate
Correct meaning.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

12 exercises
Complete the sentence. Fill in the Blank

선생님이 시험이 ___ 하셨어요. (어렵다 - to be difficult)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 어려웠다고
Match the direct speech to the reported speech form. Match Pairs

Match the pairs

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["\"\uac14\uc5b4\" : \uac14\ub2e4\uace0","\"\uba39\uc5c8\uc5b4\" : \uba39\uc5c8\ub2e4\uace0","\"\ud559\uc0dd\uc774\uc5c8\uc5b4\" : \ud559\uc0dd\uc774\uc5c8\ub2e4\uace0","\"\uc88b\uc558\uc5b4\" : \uc88b\uc558\ub2e4\uace0"]
Which is correct for 'She said she didn't know'? Multiple Choice

Select the correct form:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 몰랐다고 했어요.
Fix the mistake. Error Correction

어제 바쁜다고 했어요.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 바빴다고 했어요.
Arrange the words to say: 'I heard that it rained.' Sentence Reorder

비가 / 들었어요 / 왔다고

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 비가 왔다고 들었어요
Conjugate 'to buy' (사다) in past quote form. Fill in the Blank

친구가 새 차를 ___ 자랑했어요.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 샀다고
Context: Explaining why you were late. Multiple Choice

Choose the best phrase: 'I said the bus didn't come!'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 버스가 안 왔다고!
Translate 'He said he exercised.' Translation

운동했다고 했어요.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He said he exercised.
Find the noun conjugation error. Error Correction

그 남자가 가수였다고 했어요.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Correct as is
Report the weather. Fill in the Blank

일기예보에서 내일 춥___ 했어요. (Oops, tricky! This is future/conjecture, but let's stick to past for the drill: 'Said it WAS cold')

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 추웠다고
Select the form for 'said he received'. Multiple Choice

받다 (to receive)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 받았다고
Match the meaning. Match Pairs

Match Korean to English

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["\uc77d\uc5c8\ub2e4\uace0 : said he read","\uc785\uc5c8\ub2e4\uace0 : said he wore","\uc783\uc5c8\ub2e4\uace0 : said he lost","\uc78a\uc5c8\ub2e4\uace0 : said he forgot"]

Score: /12

FAQ (8)

No, use -ㄴ/는다고 하다 for present tense.

Korean indirect speech preserves the original tense of the utterance.

Yes, -대요 is the common spoken contraction.

Use -냐고 하다 instead of -다고 하다.

Yes, but it sounds like you are reporting your own past statement.

Apply the past tense conjugation first, then add -다고 하다.

It depends on the ending of '하다'. -했습니다 is formal, -했어요 is polite.

No, use -겠다고 하다 or -ㄹ 거라고 하다 for future.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

dijo que...

Korean uses a suffix instead of a conjunction.

French high

a dit que...

Korean is head-final.

German moderate

sagte, dass...

Korean verb conjugation is internal.

Japanese high

to itta

Korean has more complex honorifics.

Arabic moderate

qala anna...

Arabic is head-initial.

Chinese moderate

shuo...

Chinese lacks tense conjugation.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Next
Future Reporting: I heard they will... (ㄹ/을 거라고)

Learn These First

A1 Requires

Past Tense: Did you do it? (았/었/였)

Overview To master Korean, you must accurately describe events that have already transpired. The past tense, realized th...
B1 Requires

Saying 'He Said That...': Indirect Speech (ㄴ/는다고 하다)

Overview Indirect speech is a cornerstone of effective communication in any language, and Korean is no exception. At the...

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