이라고
이라고: Quoting or Naming a Noun
Particle: marks the preceding noun as a direct quote label or a name being assigned.
How to form it
| When | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun with batchim | 이라고 | 학생이라고 / 서울이라고 |
| Noun without batchim | 라고 | 친구라고 / 민수라고 |
| With saying / calling verbs | N이라고 하다 / 부르다 | 민수라고 불러요 / 서울이라고 했어요 |
이라고 (and 라고 after vowel-final nouns) marks a noun as something quoted or named — the label someone said, or the name you are assigning.
Curriculum gloss: quoting a noun, or naming something. 우리말샘 이라고 「001」: after a batchim word, shows that the preceding material is presented as a direct quote. Classroom Korean extends the same kit to everyday naming: I call him…, they said it was….
Attachment
| Noun ending | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Batchim | 이라고 | 학생이라고, 서울이라고 |
| No batchim | 라고 | 친구라고, 민수라고, 취소라고 |
서울 ends with ㄹ batchim → 서울이라고. 취소 ends with a vowel → 취소라고.
친구라고 불러도 돼요?
여기가 시청이라고 했어요.
그 방 이름이 ‘바다’라고 나와 있어요.
취소라고 문자가 왔어요.Noun quote vs verb quote
| What you quote | Form |
|---|---|
| Verb / adjective statement | -다고 family — -는다고①, -는다고② |
| Noun / name / label | (이)라고 |
온다고 했어요. quoted clause: ‘(someone) is coming’
취소라고 했어요. quoted noun label: ‘cancellation’
민수라고 해요. naming: ‘he’s called Minsu’Learners glue 이라고 onto verbs (*온다이라고). That seat already belongs to -다고.
Versus 이란
Same lodging unit pairs this with 이란:
좋은 숙소란 무엇인가? defining frame
그 숙소를 ‘한옥스테이’라고 해요. naming / labelling이란 asks what the thing is. 이라고 reports what it is called or what word was used.
Other dictionary layers (keep short)
Dictionaries also list dismissive / ‘so-called’ flavours and other particle jobs. Intermediate Sejong focus for this id is quote and name. If a line feels sarcastic (그따위가 전문가이라고), that is a different pragmatic layer — learn it later, do not overwrite the basic quoting map.
Quick checks
- Batchim → 이라고; vowel → 라고.
- Nouns/labels here; predicates → -다고.
- Definitional topic → 이란, not automatic swap.
Ask: am I reporting or assigning a noun label? If yes, (이)라고. If defining what the noun amounts to, switch to 이란.
Do not confuse it with
Taught alongside this
On the jabi learning path, this appears in 여행을 가려고 인터넷에서 숙소를 찾는 중이에요 (I'm going on a trip and I'm looking for accommodation on the Internet.) — Intermediate Korean 1, Unit 15, on the theme of lodging. These come with it:
Words used above
Quick check
No sign-up, no score saved — just see if it stuck.
1. Which quotes a noun correctly?
2. 온다고 했어요 vs 취소라고 했어요 — difference?
3. What is the main classroom job of 이라고 here?
Common questions
Is every 이라고 quotation?
The core learner sense is quote/name (「001」). Dictionaries list other particle senses (dismissive ‘so-called’, etc.). This page stays on quoting and naming.
이라고 vs 이란?
iran frames a definitional topic. 이라고 reports or assigns a label: X라고 하다.
Do I need 하다?
Often yes in speech: …이라고 했어요 / …라고 불러요. The particle alone can appear in tighter written patterns, but classroom drills usually keep a saying verb.
What about 이라고요?
Echo question / confirmation shape built on the same particle. Still noun-side quoting, not verb -다고.
Seen in the wild
Lessons where this pattern showed up in real Korean — news, slang, drama lines.
