TOPIK II · LEVEL 5

-(느)ㄴ다니

Used to react with surprise or disbelief to something you have just heard or found out, like "I can't believe that…!"

인용·전달Quoting & reporting

Han: After a noun, the form is (이)라니, not 이다니.

Examples

이 작은 식당에 하루에 손님이 천 명이나 온다니 대단하네요.A thousand customers a day at this small restaurant? That's amazing.
민수 씨가 다음 달에 결혼한다니 정말 놀랐어요.I was really surprised to hear that Minsu is getting married next month.
그렇게 착한 사람이 거짓말을 했다니 믿을 수가 없어요.I can't believe such a kind person lied.
벌써 12월이라니! 시간이 정말 빠르네요.It's already December?! Time really flies.

Don’t mix up

-(느)ㄴ다니vs-(느)ㄴ다면서요?-다면서요 asks the listener to confirm news you heard; -다니 reacts to it with surprise: 결혼한다면서요? (You're getting married, right?) vs 결혼한다니! (You're getting married?!)
-(느)ㄴ다니vs-(느)ㄴ다니까-다니까 repeats and insists on what was already said; -다니 is surprise at what you just heard: 간다니까! (I told you I'm going!) vs 간다니! (You're going?!)

How to build it

V+(느)ㄴ다니
A+다니
N+(이)라니
past: V/A+았/었다니

먹다 → 먹는다니, 가다 → 간다니, 바쁘다 → 바쁘다니, 학생 → 학생이라니, 오다 → 왔다니

  1. Nouns take (이)라니, not 이다니: 방학이라니, 의사라니.
  2. Tense is marked before 다니: present verbs use 는다/ㄴ다 (먹는다니, 간다니), past uses 았/었다니 (왔다니), future usually 을 거라니.
  3. It can end the sentence on its own (usually with "!") or be followed by the speaker's reaction (믿을 수 없다, 놀랐다, 대단하다); a request or suggestion does not normally follow it.
  4. In polite speech add 요 (-다니요), often to echo the other person's words in disbelief: 그만둔다니요?

Classic mistake

Wrong: 벌써 내일이 시험이다니 믿을 수 없어요.

Right: 벌써 내일이 시험이라니 믿을 수 없어요.

After a noun, the form is (이)라니, not 이다니.

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