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~ㄴ/는단다: A Motherly Contraction of ~ㄴ/는다고 한다
Vocabulary
Nouns:
비결 = secret of success
인정 = compassion, empathy
투지 = determination
지성 = intelligence
외양 = outward appearance
도덕 = ethics, morals
불운 = bad luck, misfortune
말귀 = meaning, sense
졸지 = abrupt
허구 = fiction, fabrication
미꾸라지 = mudfish
Verbs:
앞두다 = to have something ahead
베풀다 = to show kindness or hospitality
Adjectives:
초조하다 = to be anxious
무심하다 = to be indifferent
지나치다 = to be excessive
요란하다 = to be loud
산만하다 = to be distracted
상심하다 = to be distressed
Adverbs and Other Words:
요리조리 = this way and that way
Introduction
In this lesson, you will learn about a common contraction that creates a motherly tone in Korean. Specifically, you will learn about the contraction of ~ㄴ/는다고 하다. Let’s get started!
~ㄴ/는단다: A Motherly Contraction of ~ㄴ/는다고 한다
In Lesson 52, you first saw how people can create quoted sentences in the present tense by attaching ~ㄴ/는다고 to a verb, ~다고 to an adjective and ~(이)라고 to a noun. For example:
그 선수는 마지막까지 포기하지 않는다고 해요
= They say that athletes don’t give up until the end
중요한 발표를 앞두고 많이 초조하다고 해요
= They say she’s very anxious before an important presentation
그의 성공 비결은 투지라고 해요
= They say his secret to success is determination
It is also possible to quote in the past tense, for example:
그는 시련 속에서도 투지를 잃지 않았다고 해요
= They say he didn’t lose his determination even in the midst of hardship
Given the correct situation, the formality of the sentence could change. For example:
그 선수는 마지막까지 포기하지 않는다고 한다
= They say that athletes don’t give up until the end
중요한 발표를 앞두고 많이 초조하다고 한다
= They say she’s very anxious before an important presentation
그의 성공 비결은 투지라고 한다
= They say his secret to success is determination
그는 시련 속에서도 투지를 잃지 않았다고 해요
= They say he didn’t lose his determination even in the midst of hardship
It is possible to shorten each of these in the following way:
Verbs: ~ㄴ/는다고 한다 becomes ~ㄴ/는단다
Adjectives: ~다고 한다 becomes ~단다
Nouns: ~(이)라고 한다 becomes ~(이)란다
Past tense: ~았/었다고 한다 becomes ~했단다
For example:
그 선수는 마지막까지 포기하지 않는단다
= They say that athletes don’t give up until the end
중요한 발표를 앞두고 많이 초조하단다
= They say she’s very anxious before an important presentation
그의 성공 비결은 투지란다
= They say his secret to success is determination
그는 시련 속에서도 투지를 잃지 않았단다
= They say he didn’t lose his determination even in the midst of hardship.
Although these are all technically possible, this contraction is most commonly used by an older generation talking to a younger generation. Even more specifically, this contraction is often used by parents (or grandparents) talking to their children (or grandchildren). In this sense, there is a “motherly” tone to this type of sentence. As a result, you will often see ~단다 on sentences that parents would often say. For example:
저것은 위험하단다
= This is dangerous
As a result of this contraction being from a quoted form, there is a connotation that the speaker is repeating themselves in a sense. For example, the sentence above could be better translated as:
저것은 위험하단다
= I told you, that is dangerous
= That is dangerous, you know
However, I don’t really feel that those translations do these types of sentences justice. ~단다 is really about a nurturing, motherly feel. While technically a quoted sentence, I prefer a translation that shows this feeling instead:
저것은 위험하단다
= That is dangerous, my dear
The use of ~단다 is gentle as it is often used with younger generations. There is a sense of affection when it is spoken. Here is another example:
밥을 먹을 시간이란다
= It’s time to eat now, my dear
You will often see this type of speech in children’s books or stories, specifically when a parent is talking with their child. For example, I was reading the children’s story Hansel and Gretel to my five-year-old daughter. At the point where the father finds his kids after they were in the candy house with the witch, he says to them:
너희들을 숲에 버리고 온 뒤 한순간도 행복하지 않았단다
= After abandoning you in the forest, I haven’t been happy for even a moment, my dear
I have created many examples to show the use of this grammatical principle with vocabulary appropriate for Lesson 181. It was not an easy task. I did my best to create sentences that would likely be said by an older generation to a younger generation with a motherly tone using the complex vocabulary you should be getting at this level. Below are many examples:
엄마도 어릴 땐 상심해서 혼자 울던 날이 많았단다
= Mommy also had many days when she was heartbroken and cried alone as a child
그건 단순한 외양만 보고 판단하면 안 되는 일이란다
= That’s something you shouldn’t judge just based on outward appearances
말귀를 잘 알아듣는 아이가 결국에는 지혜롭게 자란단다
= A child who understands what others mean grows up to be wise, you know
엄마는 어릴 때부터 도덕이 얼마나 중요한지 배워 왔단다
= Mommy learned from a young age how important morals are
때로는 불운도 인생의 일부분이란다. 너무 속상해하지 마.
= Sometimes misfortune is just part of life, dear. Don’t be too upset.
사람이 너무 지나치게 인정만 베풀면 오히려 손해를 본단다
= If you’re too sympathetic all the time, it can actually hurt you, sweetheart
세상에는 미꾸라지처럼 요리조리 빠져나가는 사람도 있단다
= There are people in this world who slip away like a mudfish, you know
지성만으로는 세상을 이해하기 어렵단다. 마음도 함께 써야 해.
= Intelligence alone won’t help you understand the world, honey. You need a heart too.
지나치게 요란한 곳에서는 마음이 쉽게 산만해지기 마련이란다
= In overly noisy places, your mind naturally gets distracted, sweetie
살다 보면 누구에게나 한 번쯤은 졸지에 당황하는 순간이 온단다
= In life, everyone faces an unexpected, confusing moment at least once
엄마도 가끔은 초조해질 때가 있단다. 괜찮아, 그런 날도 있는 거야.
= Even Mommy gets anxious sometimes. It’s okay, everyone has days like that.
세상엔 허구와 진실이 섞여 있는 경우가 많단다. 그래서 스스로 판단할 줄 알아야 해.
= The world is often full of both fiction and truth. That’s why you need to think for yourself.
That’s it for this lesson!