TTMIK Level 5 Lesson 12 - -(이)라는 with nouns

In Level 5 Lesson 10, we introduced the expression -(이)라고 [-(i)ra-go] and how it is used after nouns along with verbs related to speaking and having conversations.

Ex)
학생이라고 말하다 [hak-saeng-i-ra-go mal-ha-da]
= to say that (someone) is a student

Ex)
최고라고 하다 [choe-go-ra-go ha-da]
= to say that (something) is the best

This is when the word AFTER the -(이)라고 part FINISHES the sentence. But if you want to say another NOUN after -(이)라고, you need to change the verb into the adjective form.

학생이라고 말하다 → 학생이라고 말하는
최고라고 하다 → 최고라고 하는

** Check out Level 3 Lesson 14 to review how to use this structure to turn action verbs into the adjective form.

Shortened form
So when you want to say things like “the person who they say is the best” and “the boy that says he is my friend”, you use this -(이)라고 하다 plus -는, which is -(이)라고 하는 when combined together.

But since -(이)라고 하는 is a bit lengthy, a shortened form is commonly used, which is -(이)라는 [-(i)ra-neun].

Ex)
학생이라고 하는 사람 = the person who (they) say is a student
→ 학생이라는 사람

책이라고 하는 것 = the thing that (they) call a book
→ 책이라는 것

Usages
You can use this NOUN + -(이)라는 + NOUN form when:

1) you want to talk about an abstract concept and its innate characteristics
  Ex) LOVE is … / This thing called LOVE is... = 사랑은 = 사랑이라는 것은 ...

2) you want to introduce what something is called or how it is described
  Ex) The person who they say is a doctor … = 의사라는 사람은 …
  Ex) This person called Hyunwoo is … = 현우라는 사람은 …

Sample sentences
1. 여기에, “스쿨푸드"라는 식당이 있어요.
[yeo-gi-e seu-kul-pu-deu-ra-neun sik-dang-i i-sseo-yo.]
= Here, there is a restaurant called “School Food”.

2. 진석진이라는 선생님이 있어요.
[jin-seok-jin-i-ra-neun seon-saeng-nim-i i-sseo-yo.]
= There is a teacher called 진석진.

3. TalkToMeInKorean이라는 웹사이트 알아요?
[TalkToMeInKorean-i-ra-neun wep-sa-i-teu a-ra-yo?]
= Do you know the website called “TalkToMeInKorean”?

4. 공부라는 것은, 재미없으면 오래 할 수 없어요.
[gong-bu-ra-neun geo-seun, jae-mi-eop-seu-myeon hal su eop-seo-yo.]
= Studying is … (something that) you can’t do for a long time if it’s not interesting.

5. 내일, 알렉스라는 친구가 올 거예요.
[nae-il, al-lek-seu-ra-neun chin-gu-ga ol geo-ye-yo.]
= Tommorow, a friend called Alex will come here.