-냐? ending = A direct and informal question ending ~Express curiosity, surprise or demand an answer

What is -냐 ending?

The -냐? ending is a direct and informal way to ask questions, commonly used among friends or when addressing younger individuals. While it can sound blunt, it is widely understood and frequently used in casual speech, especially by men.

Key Characteristics:

1. Among close friends or juniors – Typically used by older speakers towards younger individuals or within casual speech.

2. To express curiosity, surprise, or demand an answer – It often sounds direct and sometimes blunt/rude.

3. By male speakers more frequently – While not exclusive, it is more commonly used by men in casual conversations.

Conjugation Rules

The usage of -냐? depends on the verb type:

1. Verbs + -냐?

Example: 가다 (to go) → 가냐? ("Are you going?")

2. Adjectives + -냐?

Example: 좋다 (to be good) → 좋냐? ("Is it good?")

3. Past tense + -았/었냐?

Example: 먹다 (to eat) → 먹었냐? ("Did you eat?")

4. 있다/없다 verbs + -냐?

Example: 시간이 있냐? ("Do you have time?")

5. Nouns + (이)냐?

Example: 학생이냐? ("Are you a student?")
Example: 친구냐? ("Are you a friend?")

When and How to Use -냐?

1. Casual questioning between close people:

지금 뭐 하냐? ("What are you doing now?")
어디 가냐? ("Where are you going?")

2. Expressing curiosity or demanding an answer:

왜 안 오냐? ("Why aren’t you coming?")
숙제 다 했냐? ("Did you finish your homework?")

3. Seeking past information:

어제 밥 먹었냐 ("Did you eat yesterday?")
시험 잘 봤냐? ("Did you do well on the exam?")

4. Showing slight disbelief or challenging someone:

진짜냐? ("Is that really true?")
너 그걸 믿냐? ("Do you believe that?")

Differences from Other Question Endings

Ending	Usage	Politeness Level
-냐?	Direct, casual, sometimes blunt	Informal
-니?	Friendly, casual, softer	Informal
-어?/아?	Neutral, everyday conversation	Informal
-습니까?	Formal, professional settings	Very polite
-나요?	Polite, softer than -냐?	Polite

Examples of -냐? in Use

1. 오늘 학교 가냐?
"Are you going to school today?"

2. 이 음식 맛있냐?

"Is this food delicious?"

3. 시험 공부했냐?

"Did you study for the exam?"

4. 내일 시간 있냐?

"Do you have time tomorrow?"

5. 영화 재미있냐?

"Is the movie interesting?"

6. 지금 집에 있냐?

"Are you at home now?"

7. 여행 잘 갔다 왔냐?

"Did you have a good trip?"

8. 이 노래 좋아하냐?

"Do you like this song?"

9. 누구랑 같이 갔냐?

"Who did you go with?"

10. 날씨가 춥냐?

"Is the weather cold?"

Practice Sentences

Try translating these sentences into Korean using -냐?:

1. "Are you busy now?"

2. "Did you see my message?"

3. "Is this your book?"

(Answers: 지금 바쁘냐? / 내 메시지 봤냐? / 이거 네 책이냐?)

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