-지
-지 / -지요: Seeking Agreement
Ending that affirms or checks a point with the listener — often 'right?' / 'isn't it?'
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 weather science; you are inviting agreement. Confirmation is the beginner target. Dictionary sentence-final -지 also covers soft statements and intimate suggestions; learn the tag-question feel first.
What it does — invite the listener along
한국에서 찜질방은 처음이지요?
맛있죠?
내일 만나죠.
오늘 춥지요?English right? can sound pushy. Korean -지요 is often soft. Rising intonation makes the question reading clear; falling can sound like a gentle assertion.
Forms
| Shape | Use |
|---|---|
| -지 | intimate confirmation / soft statement |
| -지요 / -죠 | everyday polite |
-죠 is the everyday contraction of -지요. Banmal keeps bare -지 among close speakers (좋지?).
Same spelling, different -지
| Job | Pattern |
|---|---|
| Negation connective | -지 않다 |
| Sentence ending | -지 / -지요 (this page) |
가지 않아요. don’t go
가지요? we’re going / you’ll go, right?Do not collapse them because the Hangul matches.
Not -잖아요 / -는데요
-잖아요 assumes shared knowledge (you know…) and can feel like pressure. -지요 asks for confirmation without that “already on the record” claim — safer in shops and small talk.
-는데요 leaves room or softens a turn. -지요 closes with a confirmation check.
Practice rule: if you want a soft “right?” without accusing the listener of already knowing, -지요/-죠 fits.
Do not confuse it with
Taught alongside this
On the jabi learning path, this appears in 한국에서 찜질방은 처음인데요 (This is my first jjimjilbang in Korea.) — Beginner Korean 2, Unit 14, on the theme of Living amenities. These come with it:
Words used above
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?
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. neunde1 leaves room or softens a turn. -지요 closes with a confirmation check.