-(으)ㄴ/는지

Meaning / Usage

-(으)ㄴ/는지 has two main uses.

1. An uncertain or indirect question

Use it when the answer is unknown or when someone is wondering, checking, or asking whether, who, what, where, when, why, or how. It is often followed by words such as 모르다 (not know), 궁금하다 (wonder), 알다 (know), or 확인하다 (check).

2. An uncertain reason or background

Use it before another clause when the speaker is guessing the reason for what they observe. In English, it often becomes “perhaps because…” or “maybe because…” The speaker does not present the reason as certain.

Conjugation

Type	Present form	Example
Action verb	-는지	가다 → 가는지
Descriptive verb: stem ends in a vowel	-ㄴ지	크다 → 큰지
Descriptive verb: stem ends in a consonant	-은지	좋다 → 좋은지
Noun + 이다	-인지	학생 → 학생인지

있다 and 없다 normally take -는지: 있는지, 없는지.

For the past, use -았/었는지: 갔는지, 먹었는지, 바빴는지. For a future possibility or guess, use -(으)ㄹ지: 갈지, 좋을지. With nouns, use 이었/였는지 for the past and 일지 for a future possibility.

Example Sentences

1. 지금 은행이 문을 열었는지 모르겠어요.
   I’m not sure whether the bank is open now.

2. 수진 씨가 왜 회사를 그만뒀는지 궁금해요.
   I wonder why Sujin left the company.

3. 이 버스가 시청에 가는지 기사님께 물어보세요.
   Ask the driver whether this bus goes to City Hall.

4. 요즘 일이 많은지 민호 씨가 매일 늦게 퇴근해요.
   Perhaps because he has a lot of work these days, Minho leaves work late every day.

5. 어젯밤에 잠을 못 잤는지 유나 씨가 피곤해 보여요.
   Maybe because Yuna did not sleep last night, she looks tired.

6. 날씨가 추운지 공원에 사람이 별로 없네요.
   Perhaps because it is cold, there are not many people in the park.