haru Korean › Grammar › Level 4B › A/V-더라 · -더라?
A/V-더라 · -더라? — it was … (casual) · what was it again? — recalling out loud
It was … (casual) · what was it again? — recalling out loud. Korean grammar for upper intermediate learners — Level 4B, lesson 3: 알고 보니 그런 뜻이었어요 (So that's what it meant — culture gaps and misunderstandings).
What it means
-더라 is -더라고 without 고: the short, plain way to tell a friend what you saw or felt — 리사 씨 영상 정말 재미있더라 'Lisa's video was really fun'. It is 반말, so use it only with people you already speak casually to; because it is so short, it can also sound as if you were thinking aloud. With -았/었- it describes what you found already done (가 보니까 벌써 끝났더라). The same ending with a question mark is very common: -더라? asks yourself about something you once knew but can't recall right now — 그 사람 이름이 뭐더라? 'what's that person's name again?', 그 식당이 어디였더라? 'where was that restaurant, again?', 지갑을 어디에 뒀더라? 'where did I put my wallet?'. After a noun or a question word you often just add 더라? (뭐더라? · 누구더라?), and for the past 였더라? (어디였더라? · 언제였더라?). Because -더라? is a question to yourself rather than to the listener, it is not rude even while you speak politely: 그분 성함이 뭐더라…. 아, 생각났어요. If you want the other person to help, ask them directly: 그 식당 이름이 뭐였지요? or 뭐예요?
Forms
| Pattern | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A/V-더라 · N(이)더라 | 반말 — 친구에게 내가 본 것 · 느낀 것을 짧게 (요 ✗) | 재미있다 + 더라 → 재미있더라 |
| -더라? · N(이)더라? | 전에는 알았는데 생각이 안 날 때 — 나에게 묻는 말 (뭐 · 누구 · 어디 · 언제 · 몇) | 뭐 + 더라? → 뭐더라? |
Key points
- -더라 = -더라고 without 고: the short, casual way to share what you saw or felt — only with people you speak 반말 to (맛있더라 · 사람이 많더라 · 벌써 끝났더라). It often sounds a little as if you were thinking aloud.
- -더라? = what was it again? — a question to yourself about something you once knew: 뭐더라? · 누구더라? · 어디였더라? · 언제였더라? · 어디에 뒀더라? Because you're asking yourself, it's fine even while you speak politely: 그분 성함이 뭐더라…. 아, 생각났어요.
Examples
- 친구에게 내가 보거나 느낀 것을 편하게 말할 때 써요: 리사 씨 영상 정말 재미있더라.
- -더라고에서 고를 뺀 말이에요. 반말을 쓰는 사이에서만 써요.
- 전에는 알았는데 지금 생각이 안 날 때 나에게 묻는 말은 -더라?: 그 사람 이름이 뭐더라?
- 명사는 N(이)더라?, 지난 일은 -았/었더라?: 누구더라? · 어디였더라? · 언제 갔더라?
- -더라?는 나에게 하는 질문이라서 존댓말로 이야기할 때도 괜찮아요: 그분 성함이 뭐더라…. 아, 생각났어요.
Also in this lesson
- A/V-더라고(요) — I noticed … · it turned out … — telling someone what you saw or found out yourself
- N치고 · N치고는 — every … almost without exception · for a … — what's typical, and what's surprising
- A-다는 것은 N에서/N(으)로 알 수 있다 — you can tell … from … — giving evidence in written Korean