-나?
Do You...? Is It...?
A question ending for action verbs, like 'I wonder if...' or a soft 'Is it...?'.
How It Works
-나? is a sentence ending used to form questions, primarily with action verbs. It adds a nuance of gentleness, curiosity, or self-reflection, similar to saying "I wonder if..." in English. It's often used when talking to oneself (monologue) or when asking a question to someone of a similar or lower status in a soft, non-confrontational manner.
Conjugation:
It attaches directly to the verb stem, regardless of whether it ends in a vowel or a consonant.
- Present Tense: Verb Stem +
-나? - Past Tense: Verb Stem + -았/었-나?
Important Distinction:
While -나? is used for action verbs, a different pattern, -ㄴ/은가?, is used for adjectives and the copula 이다.
- 예쁘다 (adjective: to be pretty) → 예쁜가? (Not 예쁘나?)
- 학생이다 (noun: to be a student) → 학생인가? (Not 학생이나?)
This distinction is crucial for correct usage.
Examples (4)
- 밖에 비가 오나?
I wonder if it's raining outside.
Word by Word: Outside rain comes?
This is a typical example of using
-나?as a monologue, expressing personal curiosity. - 그 사람이 벌써 집에 갔나?
Did that person already go home? (I wonder...)
Word by Word: That person already to home went?
The past tense
-았나?is used to wonder about a completed action. - 아직도 자나? 벌써 10시인데.
Are you still sleeping? It's already 10 o'clock.
Word by Word: Still sleep? Already 10 o'clock but.
This can be used to gently ask someone a question or to express surprise to oneself.
- 저 사람이 누구를 찾나?
I wonder who that person is looking for.
Word by Word: That person whom looks for?
This shows
-나?used to express curiosity about someone else's current action.
Common Mistakes
Using -나? with adjectives instead of -ㄴ/은가?.
Different Meaning오늘 날씨가 춥나?Better오늘 날씨가 추운가?-나?is used for action verbs (like 오다, 먹다). For descriptive verbs (adjectives) like 춥다 (to be cold), you must use the -ㄴ/은가? form.Using -나? in formal situations where -ㅂ/습니까? is required.
Different Meaning사장님, 식사하셨나?Better사장님, 식사하셨습니까?-나?has an informal and gentle tone. It is not appropriate for formal speech or when addressing superiors. Use the formal polite ending -ㅂ/습니까? instead.
Learn This First
To use this informal question ending, you need conjugation and question knowledge.
Related Patterns
- -ㄴ가/나I Wonder, Is It?
This is the counterpart to
-나?used for adjectives and nouns (with 이다). While-나?attaches to action verbs (가나?),-ㄴ/은가?attaches to adjectives (예쁜가?) and nouns (학생인가?). - -지?Right?
Both are question endings, but
-지?seeks confirmation for something the speaker already assumes to be true (e.g., "It's cold, right?"). In contrast,-나?expresses genuine curiosity or wondering about something unknown (e.g., "I wonder if it's cold."). - -(으)ㄹ까Shall We, I Wonder
Both can express wondering. However,
-ㄹ까?often relates to future possibilities, suggestions ("Shall we...?"), or speculation.-나?is typically used to wonder about a present or past fact. - -냐Casual Question Ending
-냐?is a very informal, blunt question ending used with close friends or people younger than you.-나?is also informal but has a much softer, gentler, and more indirect feeling.