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Grammar Beginner TOPIK I · Level 1–2 Sejong Korean 2 · Unit 14

-지

-지 / -지요: Seeking Agreement

Ending that affirms or checks a point with the listener — often 'right?' / 'isn't it?'

Before this, make sure you know: -아요 / -어요 , -지 않다

How to form it

When Form Example
Verb / adjective / 이다 stem -지 좋다 → 좋지 / 학생이다 → 학생이지
Polite -지요 / -죠 좋지요 / 좋죠
After -었- / -겠- -었지 / -겠지 갔지 / 가겠지

-지요 (often -죠) is the polite “checking in” ending — right?

오늘 날씨 좋지요? — you are not teaching new weather science; you are inviting agreement.

Forms

ShapeUse
-지intimate confirmation / soft statement
-지요 / -죠everyday polite
한국에서 찜질방은 처음이지요?   It’s your first jjimjilbang in Korea, right?
맛있죠?                         It’s good, isn’t it?
내일 만나죠.                    Let’s meet tomorrow, okay? (soft settle)

Same spelling, different -지

JobPattern
Negation connective-지 않다 -지 않다
Sentence ending-지 / -지요 (this page)

*가지 않아요 is “don’t go.” 가지요? is “we’re going, right?” — do not collapse them.

Not -잖아요

-잖아(요) assumes the listener already shares the point. -지요 is lighter confirmation — useful in shops, small talk, and checking arrangements.

Tone

English right? can sound pushy. Korean -지요 is often soft. Rising intonation makes the question reading clear; falling can sound like a gentle assertion.

Do not confuse it with

-지 않다

long-form negation — the fuller, slightly softer 안

-잖아(요)

you know — and why it can sound accusing

-는데①

setting up background before the main point

Taught alongside this

In the Sejong course this appears in 한국에서 찜질방은 처음인데요 — Sejong Korean 2, Unit 14, on the theme of 생활 편의시설. These come with it:

-기 때문에 because — the written, more formal reason -음 the nominaliser of notes and signs, not conversation

Words used above

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-지요-jiyopolite confirming ending (often → -죠)
-죠-jyocontracted -지요
찜질방jjimjilbangKorean sauna / bathhouse
처음cheoeumfirst time

Quick check

No sign-up, no score saved — just see if it stuck.

1. What is -지요 mainly doing in 오늘 춥지요?

2. How does it differ from -지 않다?

3. Which is the everyday polite shape?

Common questions

Is -지 only 'right?'

Confirmation is the beginner target. Dictionary sentence-final -지 also covers soft statements, questions, suggestions, and commands in intimate speech — learn the tag-question feel first.

-지요 vs -잖아요?

[[g:janayo]] pushes shared knowledge ('you know…'). -지요 asks the listener to confirm or agree without that 'as we both already know' pressure.

Banmal -지?

Yes among close speakers: 좋지? Polite speech keeps -지요 / -죠.

Same as -는데요?

No. [[g:neunde1]] leaves room or softens a turn. -지요 closes with a confirmation check.