Core Pattern Rule: -지
The sentence ending -지 is used to confirm information or seek agreement on something the speaker assumes the listener already knows or feels. It's the equivalent of adding "..., right?", "..., isn't it?", or "..., don't you think?" to a statement in English.
Meaning & Usage
Meaning: To seek confirmation or agreement on a shared understanding.
When to use: Use it when you are fairly confident about a statement and want to gently check if the other person agrees. It makes the question feel softer and more conversational than a direct, information-seeking question.
Formation
It attaches directly to the stem of verbs and adjectives, regardless of whether it ends in a vowel or a consonant.
Verbs: 가다 → 가지?, 먹다 → 먹지?
Adjectives: 예쁘다 → 예쁘지?, 춥다 → 춥지?
Nouns (이다/아니다): 학생이다 → 학생이지?, 의사가 아니다 → 의사가 아니지?
Past Tense (-았/었-): 봤다 → 봤지? (You saw it, right?)
Future Tense (-ㄹ/을 거다): 올 거다 → 올 거지? (You're coming, right?)
오늘 좀 춥지? / 내 말이 맞지? / 이거 맛있지? / 올 거지?
Native Nuance & Mistakes
While -지(요)? asks a question, its nuance is very different from a standard question ending like -아/어요?. Using it correctly makes your Korean sound much more natural.
Seeking Agreement vs. Seeking Information
-지(요)?: Use this when you are about 90% sure of the answer and are just confirming or making conversation. It implies a shared context or experience.
오늘 춥죠? (It's cold today, isn't it? — I feel it, and I assume you do too.)
-아/어요?: Use this when you genuinely don't know the answer and are asking for new information.
오늘 추워요? (Is it cold today? — I'm inside and I don't know the weather.)
Intonation Matters
Falling Intonation: Often used when you are stating something as a fact and just expecting a simple nod of agreement. It's more of a rhetorical check. 오늘 덥지. (It's hot today, huh.)
Rising Intonation: Used when you are more genuinely asking for confirmation, though still with the assumption that the listener will agree. 오늘 덥지? (It's hot today, right?)