TOPIK I: Reporting Questions (-냐고 하다)

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TL;DR
  • -냐고 하다 reports a question someone asked: 친구가 어디에 가냐고 했어요.
  • Use it with question words, yes/no questions, past tense, future plans, and noun questions.
  • In TOPIK I, focus on recognizing who asked what and changing direct questions into indirect reports.
🎧
🎧 Helper Note
Read every Korean example aloud twice: first as a direct question, then as an indirect report. Listen for the change from ? intonation to the reported-question ending -냐고 했어요.

🔑 The Big Picture

-냐고 하다 is used when you report a question. Instead of repeating the exact question with quotation marks, you summarize it inside another sentence.
  • Direct question: 친구가 물었어요. “어디에 가요?”
  • Indirect report: 친구가 어디에 가냐고 했어요.
  • Meaning: “My friend asked where I was going.”
This pattern is common in TOPIK I reading and listening because questions are often reported in conversations, notices, or short passages. You need to understand both the original question and the reported meaning.

🧩 Core Concepts / Patterns

1. Basic pattern

Use:
Question content + -냐고 하다 / 물어보다
Common final forms:
  • -냐고 해요 = asks
  • -냐고 했어요 = asked
  • -냐고 물었어요 = asked
  • -냐고 물어봤어요 = asked / asked about
Examples:
  • 엄마가 밥을 먹었냐고 했어요. = Mom asked if I had eaten.
  • 선생님이 숙제를 했냐고 물었어요. = The teacher asked if I did the homework.
  • 친구가 언제 만나냐고 했어요. = My friend asked when we were meeting.

2. Verb and adjective stems

For TOPIK I, you will most often see verb/adjective stem + 냐고 하다.
Direct question
Indirect report
Meaning
어디에 가요?
어디에 가냐고 했어요.
asked where someone goes/is going
음식이 맛있어요?
음식이 맛있냐고 했어요.
asked if the food is delicious
지금 바빠요?
지금 바쁘냐고 했어요.
asked if someone is busy now

3. Noun questions: -(이)냐고 하다

When the question ends with a noun, use -(이)냐고 하다.
  • 학생이에요? → 학생이냐고 했어요.
  • 친구예요? → 친구냐고 했어요.
  • 한국 사람이에요? → 한국 사람이냐고 물었어요.
Rule:
  • Noun ending in a consonant: noun + 이냐고
  • Noun ending in a vowel: noun + 냐고

4. Past and future questions

Tense stays inside the reported question.
Past:
  • 어제 갔어요? → 어제 갔냐고 했어요.
  • 밥을 먹었어요? → 밥을 먹었냐고 물었어요.
Future / plan:
  • 내일 갈 거예요? → 내일 갈 거냐고 했어요.
  • 주말에 공부할 거예요? → 주말에 공부할 거냐고 물었어요.

5. Question words stay important

Question words do not disappear. They tell you what information was requested.
  • 누구 = who
  • 언제 = when
  • 어디 = where
  • 무엇/뭐 = what
  • 왜 = why
  • 어떻게 = how
  • 얼마 = how much
  • 몇 = how many / what number
Example:
  • 동생이 왜 늦었냐고 했어요. = My younger sibling asked why I was late.
  • 친구가 영화가 몇 시에 시작하냐고 물었어요. = My friend asked what time the movie starts.

✅ Exam Strategy

  1. Find the asker. Look for 엄마가, 친구가, 선생님이, 직원이.
  1. Find the question content. Everything before -냐고 했어요/물었어요 is the reported question.
  1. Recover the direct question. Change -냐고 했어요 back to a normal question ending:
      • 가냐고 했어요 → 가요?
      • 먹었냐고 했어요 → 먹었어요?
      • 학생이냐고 했어요 → 학생이에요?
  1. Watch tense. 먹냐고 and 먹었냐고 are different.
  1. Do not translate it as a statement. It is a reported question, not a reported fact.

⚠️ Pitfalls

  • Pitfall 1: Confusing -냐고 하다 with -다고 하다.
    • 간다고 했어요 = said they are going.
    • 가냐고 했어요 = asked if someone is going.
  • Pitfall 2: Forgetting noun form -(이)냐고.
    • Incorrect: 학생냐고 했어요.
    • Correct: 학생이냐고 했어요.
  • Pitfall 3: Losing the question word.
    • 어디에 가냐고 했어요 means “asked where someone was going,” not just “asked if someone was going.”
  • Pitfall 4: Ignoring who asked.
    • TOPIK answer choices often change the asker or listener.
  • Pitfall 5: Treating every form as formal speech.
    • -냐고 했어요 is common in textbooks and TOPIK-style reporting. In real speech, you may also hear shortened or casual variants, but TOPIK I usually tests the standard meaning.
📝
Practice Hub — 50 Questions
Complete all 5 sets. Each set has 10 questions. Check answers only after finishing the set.

Set 1 — Choose the best meaning

  1. 친구가 오늘 학교에 가냐고 했어요.
    1. My friend said they went to school today.
    2. My friend asked if someone is going to school today.
    3. My friend asked where the school is.
  1. 엄마가 밥을 먹었냐고 물었어요.
    1. Mom asked if I had eaten.
    2. Mom said she ate.
    3. Mom asked what I wanted to eat.
  1. 선생님이 숙제가 어렵냐고 했어요.
    1. The teacher said the homework was hard.
    2. The teacher asked if the homework was hard.
    3. The teacher asked who did the homework.
  1. 직원이 어디에서 왔냐고 물었어요.
    1. The employee asked where I came from.
    2. The employee said they came from there.
    3. The employee asked where I was going.
  1. 동생이 내일 영화 볼 거냐고 했어요.
    1. My younger sibling asked if I will watch a movie tomorrow.
    2. My younger sibling said they watched a movie yesterday.
    3. My younger sibling asked what movie I watched.
  1. 친구가 이 사람이 선생님이냐고 했어요.
    1. My friend asked if this person is a teacher.
    2. My friend said this teacher is a person.
    3. My friend asked where the teacher is.
  1. 아버지가 왜 늦었냐고 물어봤어요.
    1. Father asked why I was late.
    2. Father asked when I would be late.
    3. Father said he was late.
  1. 언니가 커피가 맛있냐고 했어요.
    1. My older sister asked if the coffee was delicious.
    2. My older sister said the coffee was delicious.
    3. My older sister asked where the coffee was.
  1. 친구가 몇 시에 만나냐고 했어요.
    1. My friend asked what time we were meeting.
    2. My friend said we met.
    3. My friend asked how many friends came.
  1. 선배가 시험이 쉬웠냐고 물었어요.
    1. My senior asked if the test was easy.
    2. My senior said the test would be easy.
    3. My senior asked where the test was.
Answers — Set 1
  1. 2 — 가냐고 reports the question “Are you going?”
  1. 1 — 먹었냐고 reports the past question “Did you eat?”
  1. 2 — 어렵냐고 reports an adjective question.
  1. 1 — 어디에서 왔냐고 asks origin/source.
  1. 1 — 볼 거냐고 reports a future-plan question.
  1. 1 — 선생님이냐고 is a noun question.
  1. 1 — 왜 means “why.”
  1. 1 — 맛있냐고 asks whether it is delicious.
  1. 1 — 몇 시에 asks “what time.”
  1. 1 — 쉬웠냐고 asks about a past state.

Set 2 — Change direct questions into indirect reports

Change each sentence using 친구가 … -냐고 했어요.
  1. 어디에 가요?
  1. 지금 바빠요?
  1. 점심을 먹었어요?
  1. 내일 학교에 갈 거예요?
  1. 이 책이 좋아요?
  1. 민수 씨가 학생이에요?
  1. 주말에 뭐 해요?
  1. 한국어가 재미있어요?
  1. 어제 왜 안 왔어요?
  1. 버스가 몇 시에 와요?
Answers — Set 2
  1. 친구가 어디에 가냐고 했어요.
  1. 친구가 지금 바쁘냐고 했어요.
  1. 친구가 점심을 먹었냐고 했어요.
  1. 친구가 내일 학교에 갈 거냐고 했어요.
  1. 친구가 이 책이 좋냐고 했어요.
  1. 친구가 민수 씨가 학생이냐고 했어요.
  1. 친구가 주말에 뭐 하냐고 했어요.
  1. 친구가 한국어가 재미있냐고 했어요.
  1. 친구가 어제 왜 안 왔냐고 했어요.
  1. 친구가 버스가 몇 시에 오냐고 했어요.

Set 3 — Fill in the blank

Choose the correct form for each blank.
  1. 엄마가 지금 뭐 하___ 했어요.
    1. 냐고
    2. 다고
    3. 라고
  1. 선생님이 숙제를 했___ 물었어요.
    1. 냐고
    2. 자고
    3. 라고
  1. 친구가 이 음식이 맛있___ 했어요.
    1. 냐고
    2. 다고
    3. 고
  1. 직원이 여기가 서울역___ 물었어요.
    1. 이냐고
    2. 냐고
    3. 다고
  1. 동생이 내일 비가 올 거___ 했어요.
    1. 냐고
    2. 라고
    3. 고
  1. 언니가 새 가방이 예쁘___ 물었어요.
    1. 냐고
    2. 다고
    3. 자고
  1. 친구가 어제 누구를 만났___ 했어요.
    1. 냐고
    2. 다고
    3. 라고
  1. 아버지가 시험이 언제 끝나___ 했어요.
    1. 냐고
    2. 다고
    3. 고
  1. 친구가 그 사람이 의사___ 물었어요.
    1. 냐고
    2. 이냐고
    3. 다고
  1. 선배가 주말에 시간이 있___ 했어요.
    1. 냐고
    2. 다고
    3. 라고
Answers — Set 3
  1. 1 — 뭐 하냐고 reports “What are you doing?”
  1. 1 — 했냐고 reports “Did you do it?”
  1. 1 — adjective stem + 냐고.
  1. 1 — 서울역 ends in a consonant, so use 이냐고.
  1. 1 — future plan/prediction: 올 거냐고.
  1. 1 — adjective stem + 냐고.
  1. 1 — past question: 만났냐고.
  1. 1 — question word + verb stem + 냐고.
  1. 2 — 의사 ends in a vowel, so 냐고 is possible in speech, but the full noun-copula form commonly tested here is 의사이냐고 or contracted 의사냐고. Among the choices, 이냐고 is the intended TOPIK-style answer.
  1. 1 — 있냐고 asks whether there is time.

Set 4 — Read the short context and answer

  1. 가: 어제 왜 안 왔어요?
    나: 친구가 저에게 어제 왜 안 왔냐고 했어요.
    What did the friend ask?
    1. why the person did not come yesterday
    2. where the person went yesterday
    3. whether the person will come tomorrow
  1. 가: 지금 바빠요?
    나: 동생이 지금 바쁘냐고 물었어요.
    What is the direct question?
    1. 지금 바빠요?
    2. 지금 뭐 해요?
    3. 언제 바빴어요?
  1. 가: 한국어가 재미있어요?
    나: 선생님이 한국어가 재미있냐고 했어요.
    What did the teacher ask about?
    1. whether Korean is interesting
    2. whether the teacher is Korean
    3. why Korean is difficult
  1. 가: 몇 시에 만나요?
    나: 친구가 몇 시에 만나냐고 했어요.
    Which word shows the requested information?
    1. 몇 시에
    2. 친구
    3. 했어요
  1. 가: 이 사람이 의사예요?
    나: 직원이 이 사람이 의사냐고 물었어요.
    What kind of question is reported?
    1. noun identity question
    2. command
    3. suggestion
  1. 가: 점심을 먹었어요?
    나: 엄마가 점심을 먹었냐고 했어요.
    Which tense is reported?
    1. past
    2. present only
    3. future
  1. 가: 내일 갈 거예요?
    나: 친구가 내일 갈 거냐고 물었어요.
    Which meaning is correct?
    1. asked if someone will go tomorrow
    2. said someone went yesterday
    3. asked where someone went
  1. 가: 어디에서 살아요?
    나: 친구가 어디에서 사냐고 했어요.
    What information is being asked?
    1. place of residence
    2. price
    3. time
  1. 가: 시험이 어려웠어요?
    나: 선배가 시험이 어려웠냐고 했어요.
    What did the senior ask?
    1. if the test was difficult
    2. if the test will be difficult
    3. who took the test
  1. 가: 주말에 뭐 할 거예요?
    나: 친구가 주말에 뭐 할 거냐고 했어요.
    What is the direct question?
    1. 주말에 뭐 할 거예요?
    2. 주말에 뭐 했어요?
    3. 주말이 뭐예요?
Answers — Set 4
  1. 1 — 왜 안 왔냐고 asks the reason for not coming.
  1. 1 — 바쁘냐고 comes from 바빠요?
  1. 1 — 재미있냐고 asks whether it is interesting.
  1. 1 — 몇 시에 asks time.
  1. 1 — 의사냐고 asks whether the person is a doctor.
  1. 1 — 먹었냐고 contains past tense.
  1. 1 — 갈 거냐고 reports a future question.
  1. 1 — 어디에서 사냐고 asks where someone lives.
  1. 1 — 어려웠냐고 asks about a past difficulty.
  1. 1 — 할 거냐고 reports 할 거예요?

Set 5 — Error correction

Choose the correct sentence.
  1. “Are you a student?” → 친구가 학생___ 했어요.
    1. 이냐고
    2. 다고
    3. 라고
  1. “Did you go yesterday?” → 엄마가 어제 ___ 했어요.
    1. 갔냐고
    2. 가냐고
    3. 갈 거냐고
  1. “Is the coffee hot?” → 친구가 커피가 ___ 했어요.
    1. 뜨겁냐고
    2. 뜨겁다고
    3. 뜨거운다고
  1. “What time does class start?” → 동생이 수업이 몇 시에 ___ 물었어요.
    1. 시작하냐고
    2. 시작한다고
    3. 시작하라고
  1. Which sentence means “The teacher asked if I did the homework”?
    1. 선생님이 숙제를 했냐고 했어요.
    2. 선생님이 숙제를 한다고 했어요.
    3. 선생님이 숙제를 하라고 했어요.
  1. Which sentence means “My friend asked where I live”?
    1. 친구가 어디에 사냐고 했어요.
    2. 친구가 어디에 산다고 했어요.
    3. 친구가 어디에 살라고 했어요.
  1. Choose the correct reported question.
    1. 아버지가 왜 늦었냐고 물었어요.
    2. 아버지가 왜 늦었다고 물었어요.
    3. 아버지가 왜 늦으라고 물었어요.
  1. “Will it rain tomorrow?” → 친구가 내일 비가 ___ 했어요.
    1. 올 거냐고
    2. 왔냐고
    3. 온다고
  1. “Is this your bag?” → 직원이 이 가방이 ___ 물었어요.
    1. 제 거냐고
    2. 제 거다고
    3. 제 거라고
  1. Which sentence is a reported question, not a reported statement?
    1. 친구가 오늘 시간이 있냐고 했어요.
    2. 친구가 오늘 시간이 있다고 했어요.
    3. 친구가 오늘 시간이 없다고 했어요.
Answers — Set 5
  1. 1 — noun ending in a consonant: 학생이냐고.
  1. 1 — past question: 갔냐고.
  1. 1 — adjective question: 뜨겁냐고.
  1. 1 — question report: 시작하냐고.
  1. 1 — 했냐고 reports “Did you do it?”
  1. 1 — 사냐고 reports “Where do you live?”
  1. 1 — 왜 늦었냐고 is the correct reported question.
  1. 1 — future question: 올 거냐고.
  1. 1 — noun/pronoun question: 제 거냐고.
  1. 1 — 있냐고 marks a reported question; 있다고/없다고 report statements.

🧠 Quick Review

  • Use -냐고 하다 to report questions.
  • Use -(이)냐고 하다 after nouns.
  • Keep tense and question words inside the reported question.
  • For TOPIK I, always identify: who asked + what they asked + tense/question word.