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Unit 3: You Know That... (-잖아요)

In Easy Korean, when you are stating a fact that the listener already knows, or you are gently reminding/rebuking them ("Come on, you know that..."), you use -잖아요.

Structure

Verb / Adjective Stem + -잖아요 (For past tense, use the past stem: -았/었/였잖아요)

  • 춥다 -> 춥잖아요 (You know it's cold / Come on, it's cold)
  • 하다 -> 했잖아요 (You know I did it / I told you I did it)

Usage

It is very common in everyday conversation. It asks for the listener's agreement on an obvious fact. - 왜 안 먹어요? (Why aren't you eating?) - 배가 부르잖아요. (Come on, you know I'm full.)

Examples

  • 내일은 일요일이잖아요. 그러니까 늦게 일어나도 돼요. (You know tomorrow is Sunday. So it's okay to wake up late.)
  • 제가 어제 말했잖아요! (Come on, I told you yesterday!)
  • 비가 오잖아요. 우산을 가져가세요. (Look, it's raining. Take an umbrella.)