Today we'll be looking at the usage of " V/A~ ㄴ/은 는지 알다/모르다 " Korean grammar point with some example sentences.

Usage :

This pattern has various uses but today we'll be looking at the most basic and common use of this pattern.

ㄴ/은/는 지 is a connective ending used when connecting a clause requiring additional information to the following verb.

It is commonly used in conjunction with interrogative/questioning words like 왜 (why), 어디 (where), 언제 (when), 뭐 (what), 누구 (who), 어떻게(how). It generally precedes one of the following verbs: 알다 (to know), 모르다 (not to know, be unaware ), 궁금하다 (to be curious or anxious about), 질문하다 (to ask a question, to inquire), 조사하다 (to investigate), 알아보다 (to look into, to recognize), 생각나다 (to recall, to remember), 말하다 (to speak, to say), and 가르치다 (to teach).

Example:

저 여자가 누구인지 아세요?

Do you know who that girl is?

민수가 어디에 갔는지 모르겠어요.

I don't know where Minsu went.

Conjugation rule :
The basic conjugation rules are :

Present tense : Adjectives

  • When the adj. stem ends with a vowel, add ~ㄴ지 
  • When the adj. stem ends with a consonant, add ~은지

Present tense : Verbs

Add ~는지 irrespective of whether the verb stem ends with a consonant or vowel. 

Past tense : Adjectives/Verbs

  • If the verb stem ends with 오 or 아, add ~았는지 after the stem.
  • If the verb stem ends with anything other than 오 or 아, add ~었는지 after the stem.

Future tense : Verbs

  • If the verb stem ends with a vowel, add ~ㄹ 지 at the end. 
  • If the verb stem ends with a consonant, add ~을 지 at the end.

Let's see some example sentences :
  • 학교에 어떻게 가는지 알아요?
    Do you know how to go to School?
  • 저 여자가 누구인지 아세요?
    Do you know who that girl is?
  • 미나가 어디에 있는지 아세요?
    do you know where Mina is?
  • 선생님은 언제 도착하시는지 아세요?
    Do you know when the teacher is going to arrive?
  • 은행이 어디에 있는지 아세요?
    Do you know where the bank is?
  • 고양이가 잤는지 알아요?
    Do you know whether the kitten slept or not?

In the sentences like above, it's also common to use ㄴ/은/는 지 안 ㄴ/은/는 지 .... So the above sentence can also be written as:

  • 고양이가 잤는지 알아요?
    Do you know whether the kitten slept or not?
  • 김치찌개를 어떻게 만드는지 모르겠어요.
    I don’t know how to make kimchi stew.
  • 비가 언제 그치는지 모르겠어요.
    I don’t know when the rain will stop.
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