-하고/-라고

Direct Quotations

Let's study the Korean grammar forms "-하고" and "-라고" again, focusing on their accurate usage, especially in direct and indirect quotations. Both are crucial for expressing what someone says or thinks, but their applications and nuances differ, particularly when transforming direct commands into indirect speech using "-라고."

1. -하고

Definition:

"-하고" serves as a quotation marker. It’s often used in informal speech to mark direct quotations.

Usage : Direct Quotation (with 말하다 or 이야기하다)

• When quoting someone directly, "-하고" is attached to the quoted speech and followed by verbs like 말하다 (to say) or 이야기하다 (to talk).

Example:

• "친구가 '안녕'하고 말했어요." (My friend said, "Hi.")

• "선생님이 '숙제를 다 했니?' 하고 물었어요." (The teacher asked, "Did you finish your homework?")

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2. -라고

Definition:

"-라고" is used for both direct and indirect quotations and for commands in indirect speech. It’s often used with verbs of speaking or thinking and plays a crucial role when turning direct speech into indirect speech.

Usage 1: Direct Quotation

• "-라고" is used to indicate direct speech, much like "-하고," but is slightly more formal and commonly used in written language as well.

Example:

• "친구가 '안녕하세요?'라고 말했어요." (My friend said, "Hello?”)

• "그가 '오늘 바빠'라고 말했어요." (He said, "I’m busy today.")

Usage 2: Indirect Quotation (Commands)

• When transforming direct commands into indirect speech, "-라고" is used to report what someone has told another person to do. This is typically used with verbs like 말하다 (to say) or 하다 (to do).

Example:

• Direct: "엄마가 '밥을 먹어'라고 하셨어요." (Mom said, "Eat your meal.")

• Indirect: "엄마가 밥을 먹으라고 하셨어요." (Mom told me to eat my meal.)

• Direct: "선생님이 '문을 닫아'라고 하셨어요." (The teacher said, "Close the door.")

• Indirect: "선생님이 문을 닫으라고 하셨어요." (The teacher told us to close the door.)

This form is commonly used to transform direct commands into indirect speech, indicating that someone is passing on an order or a request.

Usage 3: Naming or Referring to Something

• "-라고" is used to call something by a name or title, indicating what something or someone is referred to as.

Example:

• "이걸 선물이라고 생각했어요." (I thought this was a gift.)

• "그 사람을 '형'이라고 불러요." (They call him "hyung" [older brother].)

Key Difference Between -하고 and -라고 in Quotation:

• "-하고" conveys not only the quoted words but also includes the intonation, emotion, and feeling behind the speech. Because of this, "-하고" is frequently used in contexts like fairy tales, children's stories, and when imitating sounds (onomatopoeia), where the vivid expression of speech is crucial. It allows the speaker to communicate the tone and nuance of the original words in a more lively or emotional way.

  • 준호 씨가 문을 열고 "안녕하세요!" 하고 인사했어요. (Junho opened the door and greeted, "Hello!")

  • 그 아이는 "무서워요!" 하고 울었어요. (The child cried out, "I'm scared!")

  • 왕은 "병사들아, 전쟁을 준비하라!" 하고 명령했어요. (The king commanded, "Soldiers, prepare for war!")

• In these examples, "-하고" is used to convey the emotions, tone, and even sound (in the case of "안녕하세요?") of the original speech or action vividly. It gives the sentence a more dynamic quality, capturing how something was said, rather than just the content of the words.

• "-라고", on the other hand, focuses more on the content of the words being quoted, without necessarily emphasizing the emotion or tone. It is used more frequently in everyday conversation when simply reporting speech, especially in indirect speech.