I went yesterday and it was so pretty. (I noticed that)

This ending is used to state a fact that the speaker learned for the first time through direct experience or observation in the past. It often carries a nuance of mild surprise or a new realization.

Meaning & Usage

Meaning: It translates to "I saw that...", "I found that...", or "I experienced that...". It's a retrospective ending, meaning you are looking back on a past event you personally witnessed.

When to use: Use it to share your personal observations with someone who was not there with you. It's not used for general facts everyone knows, but for something you specifically noticed. For example, you went to a new cafe and are telling your friend about it: "거기 커피가 맛있더라" (I found that the coffee there was good).

Conjugation Rules

Rule: Simply attach ~더라 or ~더군(요) to the stem of a verb or adjective, regardless of whether it ends in a vowel or a consonant. For nouns, you use ~(이)더라.

Adjective/Verb: 가다 (to go) → 가더라 / 예쁘다 (to be pretty) → 예쁘더라 / 먹다 (to eat) → 먹더라 / 좋다 (to be good) → 좋더라

Noun: 학생 (student) → 학생이더라 / 의사 (doctor) → 의사더라

Verb/Adjective Stem + 더라/더군(요) / Noun + (이)더라

~더라 is about your own, direct, past experiences, which leads to some common mistakes for learners.

First-Person Subject Only

Context: The experience must be your own. You cannot use ~더라 to report something someone else told you or to state a general, objective fact you didn't witness. It's about your recollection.

Do: 어제 영화를 봤는데 정말 슬프더라. (I watched the movie yesterday, and I found it was really sad.)

Don't: 내 친구가 그 영화를 봤는데 정말 슬프더라. (X) → 내 친구가 그 영화를 봤는데 정말 슬펐대. (O) (My friend watched that movie and said it was really sad.)

Not for Present Feelings or Intentions

Context: Because ~더라 is retrospective (looking back), you cannot use it to describe your own current state of mind, feelings, or intentions. It's for observing external facts or your past internal states.

Do: 어제는 피곤하더라. (I recall that I was tired yesterday.)