Korean

Suffix

-ㄴ지 • ‎(-nji)

1. because perhaps

   어디가 아픈지 계속 누워만 있다.‎

   Eodiga apeunji gyesok nuwoman itda.

   He is lying all the time. I wonder if he's sick somewhere.

2. whether, if; who, what, where, how ...

   미안한데, 혹시 그 여자 아이 몇 반인지 알아?‎

   Mianhande, hoksi geu yeoja ai myeot baninji ara?

   I'm sorry, but do you know what class she's in?

   그렇게까지 예쁜지는 모르겠는데.‎

   Geureokekkaji yeppeunjineun moreugenneunde.

   I'm not sure if she is pretty that much.

3. vague question

   부친께서는 안녕하신지요.‎

   Buchinkkeseoneun annyeonghasinjiyo.

   How's your father doing?

Usage notes

The suffix -ㄴ지 (-nji) takes the sequential form of an adjective or 이다 (ida, “to be”), and if the adjective ends in ㄹ (l), the ㄹ (l) drops out.

For verbs and existential adjectives 있다 (itda, “to exist”), 없다 (eopda, “not to exist”), and 계시다 (gyesida, “to exist (honorific)”), or to make use of non-present tense, -는지 (-neunji) is used.

Not to be confused with -ㄴ 지 (-n ji), meaning the time since the event which -ㄴ (-n) indicates happened. See 지 (ji).

See also

• -는지 (-neunji)
• -던지 (-deonji, past retrospect)
• -ㄹ지 (-ljji, future)
• -ㄹ는지 (-lleunji, future)