Questions with '나'

01

Polite Questions with '나요'

In polite speech, you add 요 (yo) to form 나요 (na·yo). Using 나요 (na·yo) instead of the standard 아/어요 (a/ŏ·yoa/eo·yoa/ŏ·yoa/e·yo) makes the question sound softer, gentler, and slightly less direct. It is very common in service interactions or when asking someone about their preferences or feelings without sounding demanding.

This form is generally used with action verbs and the existence verbs 있다 (it·dait·dait·dait·ta) - to have/exist and 없다 (ŏp·daeop·daŏp·daep·ta) - to not have/exist.

• 혹시 현금 있나요?

  hok·si hyŏn·gŭm in·na·yo?hok·si hyeon·geum in·na·yo?hok·si hyŏn·gŭm in·na·yo?hok·si hyen·kum in·na·yo?

  Do you happen to have cash?

• 매운 음식을 잘 먹나요?

  mæ·un ŭm·sig·ŭl jal mŏng·na·yo?mae·un eum·sig·eul jal meong·na·yo?mae·un ŭm·sig·ŭl jal mŏng·na·yo?may·un um·sig·ul cal meng·na·yo?

  Do you eat spicy food well?

• 지금 집에 가나요?

  chi·gŭm jib·e ga·na·yo?ji·geum jib·e ga·na·yo?chi·gŭm jib·e ga·na·yo?ci·kum cib·ey ka·na·yo?

  Are you going home now?

02

Casual Questions with '나'

In casual speech you drop the 요 (yo) and use 나 (na). Asked of another person, plain 나 (na) has a somewhat blunt, old-fashioned ring: it is heard mostly from older speakers talking to younger ones, and in some regional speech. Most speakers ask friends with -니 (-ni) or the plain casual form instead, and use 나 (na) above all when wondering aloud ("I wonder...").

• 오늘 시간 있나?

  o·nŭl si·gan in·na?o·neul si·gan in·na?o·nŭl si·gan in·na?o·nul si·kan in·na?

  Do you have time today?

• 이 소설을 아나?

  i so·sŏr·ŭl a·na?i so·seor·eul a·na?i so·sŏr·ŭl a·na?i so·ser·ul a·na?

  Do you know this novel?

03

The "Self-Questioning" Nuance

One of the unique features of the soft question ending 나 (na) is that it is often used when talking to oneself. When the intonation is flat or slightly falling, rather than rising sharply like a direct question, it translates to "I wonder..." or "Is it...?"

• 비가 오나?

  pi·ga o·na?bi·ga o·na?pi·ga o·na?pi·ka o·na?

  Is it raining? (I wonder...)

• 여기가 맞나?

  yŏ·gi·ga man·na?yeo·gi·ga man·na?yŏ·gi·ga man·na?ye·ki·ka man·na?

  Is this the right place?

04

Past Tense Usage

While present tense adjectives (descriptive verbs) typically use a different ending (-(으)ㄴ가 (-(ŭ)n·ga-(eu)n·ga-(ŭ)n·ga-(u)n·ka)), in the past tense, both action verbs and adjectives use 나(요) (na(yo)). You attach 았/었 (at/ŏtat/eotat/ŏtat/et) to the verb stem, followed by 나(요) (na(yo)).

• 영화가 재미있었나요?

  yŏng·hwa·ga jæ·mi·iss·ŏn·na·yo?yeong·hwa·ga jae·mi·iss·eon·na·yo?yŏng·hwa·ga jae·mi·iss·ŏn·na·yo?yeng·hwa·ka cay·mi·iss·en·na·yo?

  Was the movie interesting?

• 어제 많이 바빴나?

  ŏ·je man·i ba·ppan·na?eo·je man·i ba·bban·na?ŏ·je man·i ba·ppan·na?e·cey man·i pa·ppan·na?

  Were you very busy yesterday?

• 누가 왔나요?

  nu·ga wan·na·yo?nu·ga wan·na·yo?nu·ga wan·na·yo?nu·ka wan·na·yo?

  Did someone come?

05

Summary of Usage Rules

• Action Verbs (Present): Stem + 나(요) (na(yo))
• Existence Verbs (있다/없다): Stem + 나(요) (na(yo))
• Past Tense (All Verbs/Adjectives): Stem + 았/었 (at/ŏtat/eotat/ŏtat/et) + 나(요) (na(yo))
• Future Tense: Stem + 겠 (ketgetketkeyt) + 나(요) (na(yo)) (This is less common and sounds slightly formal or poetic).