-(느)ㄴ다고 (이유·의도)

Gives the reason or intention behind an action as the subject stated or thought it: 'saying that…, because (as he put it)…, intending to…'. It often carries a light note of excuse or irony.

이유·원인Reason & cause

Han: In the present, action verbs take -ㄴ/는다고 (공부한다고); only adjectives take -다고 (바쁘다고).

Examples

그는 돈을 아낀다고 점심을 거의 먹지 않는다.He hardly eats lunch, saying he's saving money.

동생은 시험공부를 한다고 요즘 친구도 안 만나요.My younger sibling says they're studying for exams, so these days they don't even meet friends.

어머니께서 아이들 먹으라고 간식을 잔뜩 사 오셨어요.Mother brought back lots of snacks for the kids to eat.

Don’t mix up

-(느)ㄴ다고 (이유·의도)vs-아서/어서-아서/어서 states a cause neutrally; -다고 reports someone's stated reason: 바빠서 못 왔어요 'couldn't come because busy' vs 바쁘다고 안 왔어요 'didn't come, saying he was busy'.-(느)ㄴ다고 (이유·의도)vs-(으)려고-(으)려고 is a plain purpose; -ㄴ다고 frames the goal as the subject's own idea, often critically: 살을 빼려고 운동해요 vs 살을 뺀다고 저녁을 굶어요.

How to build it

V+ㄴ/는다고

A+다고

N+(이)라고

V+-(으)라고 (so that someone else can…)

V+-자고 (with the idea of doing together) / -겠다고

공부하다 → 공부한다고; 먹다 → 먹는다고; 바쁘다 → 바쁘다고; 아이 → 아이라고; 먹다 → 먹으라고; 쉬다 → 쉬자고; 합격하다 → 합격하겠다고

The reason is presented as the subject's own claim or plan, so it often sounds like 'because he said/thought so': 돈을 아낀다고 점심을 굶었어요 'skipped lunch to save money (as he put it)'.
-(으)라고 gives the purpose for someone else: 아이들 먹으라고 과자를 사 왔어요 'so the kids could eat'. -자고 means 'with the idea of doing it together'.
The second clause can be a statement or advice about that action: 살을 뺀다고 굶지 마세요 'Don't starve yourself trying to lose weight.'

Classic mistake

Wrong: ~~동생은 요즘 공부하다고 바빠요.~~

Right: 동생은 요즘 공부한다고 바빠요.

In the present, action verbs take -ㄴ/는다고 (공부한다고); only adjectives take -다고 (바쁘다고).

Practise -(느)ㄴ다고 (이유·의도) on real TOPIK questions

Hannim plans each day up to your exam date: questions on this pattern, reviews, full mock papers and graded writing. 7 days free, no card.

Start 7-day free trial

More level 3 grammar

All TOPIK grammar