TTMIK Level 5 Lesson 10 - -(이)라고 + nouns

In this TalkToMeInKorean lesson, we take a look at how to use -(이)라고 [-(i)-ra-go].

-(이) 라고 is usually not used alone but used with words that are related to speaking, such as 말하다 [ma-ra-da] (to speak), 이야기하다 [i-ya-gi-ha-da] (to talk), 대답하다 [dae-da-pa-ha] (to answer) and also with 하다 [ha-da], which in this case means “to say”.

-(이)라고 말하다 [-ra-go mal-ha-da] = to say that it is + NOUN
-(이)라고 대답하다 [-ra-go dae-da-pa-da] = to answer that it is + NOUN

As you can see above, -(이)라고 is used with nouns and is a way to quote the words before -(이)라고 and take the meaning of “(say) that S + be”

Construction
Nouns ending with a last consonant + -이라고
Nouns ending with a vowel + -라고

Ex)
하늘 [ha-neul] (sky) + 이라고 = 하늘이라고
나무 [na-mu] (tree) + 라고 = 나무라고

Meaning
하늘 = sky
하늘이라고 = that it is sky, “sky”

이거 = this
이거라고 = that it is this, “this”

Used with other words
-(이) 라고 is usually used with words like 말하다, 이야기하다, 대답하다, etc and when used with -(이)라고, the verb 하다, which originally means “to do” takes the meaning of “to say”.

Examples
이거라고 말하다
[i-geo-ra-go ma-ra-da]
= to say that it is this, to say that this is it

학생이라고 말하다
[hak-saeng-i-ra-go ma-ra-da]
= to say that he/she is a student

“감사합니다"라고 말하다
[gam-sa-ham-ni-da-ra-go ma-ra-da]
= to say “감사합니다"

All these expressions above can be respectively substituted with:
- 이거라고 하다
- 학생이라고 하다
- “감사합니다"라고 하다

Stating the SUBJECT
Here’s an interesting part where the subject markers in the Korean language come in to play. Even though in the sentence 학생이라고 말하다, 학생 and 말하다 are closely related and look like 학생 is the OBJECT of the verb 말하다, 학생 can still take a subject and be explained as to WHO that 학생 is.

학생이라고 말하다 = to say that he/she is a 학생 (student)
이 사람이 학생이라고 말하다 = to say that 이 사람 (this person) is a 학생 (student)
이 사람은 학생이라고 말하다 = to say that 이 사람 (this person) is a 학생 (student)

공짜라고 하다 = to say that something is free of charge
이 책이 공짜라고 하다 = to say that this book is free of charge
이 책은 공짜라고 하다 = to say that this book is free of charge

You can think of this in two ways:
1. “이 책은 공짜" acts like a noun, so you add -라고 하다 after that.
2. “이 책은” adds meaning and specification to the existing phrase “공짜라고 하다"

Sample sentences
1. 이거라고 했어요.
[i-geo-ra-go hae-sseo-yo.]
= He/She/They said that it was this.

2. 한국 사람이라고 했어요.
[han-guk sa-ra-mi-ra-go hae-sseo-yo.]
= He/She/They said that he/she/they was a Korean person.

3. 뭐라고 말했어요?
[mwo-ra-go ma-rae-sseo-yo?]
= What did you say?
= What did you tell them?
= 뭐라고 했어요?

4. 제가 일등이라고 들었어요.
[je-ga il-deung-i-ra-go deu-reo-sseo-yo.]
= I heard that I was the first place winner.

5. 여기가 TTMIK 사무실이라고 해요.
[yeo-gi-ga TTMIK sa-mu-si-ri-ra-go hae-sseo-yo.]
= They say that this is the TalkToMeInKorean office.

6. 저는 “(person’s name)”(이)라고 해요.
= [jeo-neun (person’s name)-i-ra-go hae-yo.]
= My name is (person’s name).

** This is a part of a series of lessons about -라고, -라는, -다고, and -다는. The other expressions will be introduce in the future lessons. Stay tuned!