Expressing Curiosity
To express curiosity use 나요 or 가요 at the end of the sentence.
How to use 나요 to express curiosity with action verbs
Section titled “How to use 나요 to express curiosity with action verbs”Use 나요 with action verbs:
Action verb stem + 나요
- Get the action verb stem.
- Add
나요.- However, if it ends in a
ㄹ: Removeㄹ, then attach나요.
- However, if it ends in a
In casual speech the 요 is not added.
How to use 가요 to express surprise with descriptive verbs
Section titled “How to use 가요 to express surprise with descriptive verbs”Use 가요 with descriptive verbs when in present tense:
Descriptive verb stem + (은 or ㄴ) + 가요
- Get the descriptive verb stem.
- Depending on the ending:
- If it ends in a consonant: Add
은가요. - If it ends in a vowel: Add
ㄴ가요. - However, if it ends in a
ㄹ: Removeㄹ, then attachㄴ가요. - However, if it ends in a
ㅂ(onlyㅂ-irregular verbs): Removeㅂ, attach우, then attachㄴ가요. - For
있다,없다, and verbs ending in them, attach 나요 instead. E.g. 있다 → 있나요?, 없다 → 없나요?, 상관없다 → 상관없나요?.
- If it ends in a consonant: Add
In past tense, descriptive verbs also use 나요, just like action verbs. Attach it after 았/었, e.g. 매웠나요? (“Was it spicy?”“).
In present tense, 나요 is also sometimes used with descriptive verbs. Both 매운가요? and 맵나요? are possible (“Is it spicy?”“).
Example sentences
Section titled “Example sentences”지금은 너무 이른가요?
Is now too early (and I'm really curious to know)?
상관없나요?
Does it not matter (and I'm really curious to know)?
오늘은 시간이 많은가요?
Do you have a lot of time today (and I'm really curious to know)?
이건 매운가요?
Is it spicy (and I'm really curious to know)?