Expression dictionary — full article
Conversational Expressions · "Do you...?", "Are you...?", "Will you...?", "Is it...?" (informal question ending)
The V+냐 ending is an informal question ending used with verbs in Korean. It allows the speaker to ask a direct question in a very casual and often blunt manner, primarily used in highly familiar or intimate relationships.
This ending is employed when speaking to close friends, family members, or individuals of similar or lower social standing where a high degree of informality is appropriate. It conveys a direct inquiry and lacks the politeness found in endings like -아요/어요 or -ㅂ니까/습니까. While efficient for quick, casual questions, using V+냐 with someone you don't know well or someone of higher status can be perceived as rude or disrespectful. It's often used when seeking a simple factual answer or a yes/no response.
The V+냐 ending attaches directly to the verb stem. There are no separate forms for consonant or vowel stems.
While V+냐 is a common informal question ending, it can sometimes sound quite blunt or even aggressive depending on the context and intonation. In modern spoken Korean, especially among younger generations, other informal question forms like -어? (e.g., 먹어?), -니? (e.g., 먹니?), or -지? (e.g., 먹지?) are often preferred for a slightly softer or more nuanced informal inquiry. V+냐 is also frequently used in rhetorical questions or when talking to oneself. Note that similar forms exist for adjectives (A+냐) and nouns (N+이냐/냐), but this entry specifically focuses on its application to verbs.