LESSON 44

Casual Remarks Using -jiyo

You have learned that the -ji form appears in negative sentences (-jianayo = does not, is not) and at the end of clauses with the particle man (-jiman = does but, is but).

This form also appears at the end of a sentence before the polite particle yo. The meaning of a sentence ending in -jiyo (almost always abbreviated to simply jyo 죠.) is about the same as one ending in -eoyo––this is just a more CASUAL way of putting the sentence. These casual sentences are frequently mixed with ordinary sentences and sometimes the casual flavor gives them rather special meanings. For one thing, these are about the only sentences that occur with that peculiar dipping intonation you may have noticed with the expression Aniyo = No.

The meaning of this dipping intonation is to LIVEN UP the sentence or to INSIST ON it; often the sentence is a sort of question, and the meaning is …it is, isn’t it? or does, doesn’t it?:

Gimssi isi jyo?

김씨이시죠?

You are Mr. Kim, aren’t you?

Yeogi-seo jom swieodo dwejyo?

여기서 좀 쉬어도 되죠?

It’ll be all right to rest here a bit, won’t it?

Often the -jiyo form is a COMMAND or PROPOSITION, offered somewhat casually.

Cha han jan masilkkayo?

차 한 잔 마실까요?

Shall we have a cup of tea?

Cha han jan masijyo.

차 한 잔 마시죠.

Let’s have a cup of tea.

Yeonghwareul boreo galkkayo?

영화를 보러 갈까요?

Shall we go to a movie?

Yeonghwa boreo gajyo.

영화보러 가죠.

Let’s see a movie.

Sometimes the -jiyo form is a question, again rather casual:

Myeotsie doraosijiyo?

몇 시에 돌아오시지요?

What time will you be back?

Miguk-e eonje doragasi jiyo?

미국에 언제 돌아 가시지요?

When will you be going back to America?

If the -ji form is a statement about someone else, the English translation can suggest the flavor of the casualness by adding a rather meaningless you know or don’t you know or I guess.

Often this is a way of GIVING INFORMATION in Korean—the casualness has a polite tinge:

Dangsin-do asijiman Miguk-edo chuun nal-i ijiyo.

당신도 아시지만 미국에도 추운 날이 있지요.

We have cold days (or weather) in America too, you know.

Beuraun sowiga Sikago eseo sal jiyo.

브라운 소위가 시카코에서 살지요.

Mr. Brown lives in Chicago.

Na-neun euisa-ga anigo ganhosa ijiyo.

나는 의사가 아니고 간호사이지요.

I’m not a doctor, you know. I’m a nurse you see.

Geu seonsaengnim-eun Hanguk saram ieyo?

그 선생님은 한국 사람이에요?

Is that teacher a Korean?

Mullon ijiyo!

물론이지요.

Of course!

You do not usually answer questions about yourself with the -jiyo form. Use the ordinary eoyo form instead.