-는지

-는지

Korean

Alternative forms

• 은지 (-eunji) – see Usage notes

Etymology

From Middle Korean ᄂᆞᆫ디 (Yale: -nonti), equivalent to Middle Korean ᄂᆞ (Yale: -no-, present-tense marker) + ㄴ (Yale: -n, realis adnominal suffix) + ᄃᆞ (Yale: to, semantically light dependent noun) + 이 (Yale: -i).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [nɯɲd͡ʑi]
• Phonetic hangul: [는지]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	neunji
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	neunji
McCune–Reischauer?	nŭnji
Yale Romanization?	nun.ci

Suffix

는지 • (-neunji)

1. indirect question marker: whether, if, who, what, where, how ...

   Coordinate terms: 던지 (-deonji, retrospective), 을지 (-eulji, irrealis/future), 을는지 (-eulleunji, irrealis/future)

   리모컨이 어딨는지 안 보인다.

   rimokeon-i eodit-neunji an boinda.

   I can't see where the remote is.

2. Conveys a careful, indirect question. Nowadays typically used with 요 (-yo) for further politeness.

   Coordinate terms: 던지 (-deonji, retrospective), 을지 (-eulji, irrealis/future), 을는지 (-eulleunji, irrealis/future)

   음식은 입에 맞으시는지요?

   eumsig-eun ib-e majeusineunji-yo?

   Is this food to your liking?

3. perhaps because...

   Coordinate terms: 던지 (-deonji, retrospective), 을지 (-eulji, irrealis/future), 을는지 (-eulleunji, irrealis/future)

   잠이 오는지 연신 고개만 꾸벅인다.

   jami oneunji yeonsin gogaeman kkubeoginda.

   He keeps nodding; maybe he's sleepy.

Usage notes

• 는지 (-neunji) is used for all verbs, for the existential adjectives 있다 (itda), 없다 (eopda), and 계시다 (gyesida), and for adjectives with tense marking with 었 (-eot-) and 겠 (-get-).
• 은지 (-eunji) is used for adjectives without tense marking.
• Not to be confused with 은 지 (-eun ji, “[chronologically] since...”)