Core Grammar Rule: [~는 줄 알다/모르다]
This pattern expresses what someone thought or didn't know about a situation, which often contrasts with reality. ~는 줄 알다 means "I thought...", implying the assumption was wrong. ~는 줄 모르다 means "I didn't know...", expressing surprise at a new fact.
Meaning & Usage
Meaning: 알다 means "to know" and 모르다 means "to not know". Combined with ~는 줄, it forms a clause about a supposed fact or situation. It's not about general knowledge, but about a specific assumption or lack of awareness regarding a particular event.
When to use: Use it when you want to talk about a past misunderstanding or a surprising discovery. It's very common in conversations where plans go wrong or when you learn something unexpected about a person or situation.
Conjugation Rules
Rule: The conjugation depends on the tense and type of word (verb, adjective, or noun) that comes before it.
Present Tense: Verbs get ~는 줄, adjectives get ~(으)ㄴ 줄, and nouns get ~(이)ㄴ 줄.
Past Tense: Verb/Adjective stems get ~(으)ㄴ 줄.
Future/Guessing: Verb/Adjective stems get ~(으)ㄹ 줄.
Present Verb: 가는 줄 알았다 / Present Adj: 예쁜 줄 알았다 / Past: 간 줄 알았다 / Future: 갈 줄 알았다
Expressing Surprise or Disbelief: [~다니/라니]
When you hear something unbelievable or shocking, ~다니/라니 is the perfect way to express your surprise. It's like saying "To think that...!" or "I can't believe that...!" in English.
Reacting to a surprising fact
Context: Use this when someone tells you a piece of information that is completely unexpected. It's often used as a standalone exclamation. In the dialogue, Sora exclaims 전석 매진이라니 ("To think it's completely sold out!") when she sees the result.
Example: A: 저 두 사람 결혼한대요. (Those two are getting married.) B: 그들이 결혼한다니 믿을 수가 없어요. (I can't believe they're getting married!)
Quoting and reacting
Context: This grammar directly quotes the surprising statement. The conjugation is simple: attach ~다니 to verb and adjective stems, and ~(이)라니 to nouns. It's a very emotive and common pattern in spoken Korean.