거든 meaning, part 2 — Polite, asking — Korean endings (39 entries)

This is part 2 of 2, covering polite, asking, casual, asking — 39 entries.

The format and the FAQ are on part 1; this page is the entries themselves.

Polite, asking — 거든요?

A question mark turns the supply of information into a check on it.

Rather than let me tell you, the speaker is asking whether the listener already has the piece — or inviting them to react to it.

This is softer than the plain statement form and useful with people senior to you, because it does not presume that the listener is missing anything.

It is also common as a conversational hinge: giving a fact, then immediately checking that it landed before continuing.

• 리우 씨가 1등 맞았거든요? (majatgeodeunyo) — RIWOO was my number-one pick. Literally: 맞았거든요 is said 마잗꺼드뇨.
• 첫 번째는 연습게임이거든요? (yeonseupgeimigeodeunyo) — the first round is a practice game. Literally: 연습게임이거든요 is said 연습께이미거드뇨.
• 전 불안감이 별로 없거든요? (eopgeodeunyo) — but I'm rarely ever worried. Literally: 없거든요 is said 업꺼드뇨.
• 아 해동이 덜 됐거든요? (dwaetgeodeunyo) — Oh, I mean, still a little frozen. Literally: 됐거든요 is said 됃꺼드뇨.
• 진짜 소중한 거 거든요? (geodeunyo) — It's really precious, you know? Literally: 거든요 is said 거드뇨.
• 머리띠를 드릴 거거든요? (geogeodeunyo) — We're going to give you headbands. Literally: 거거든요 is said 거거드뇨.
• '왜 서운하지?' 마인드이거든요 (maindeuigeodeunyo) — "why feel sad?". Literally: 마인드이거든요 is said 마인드이거드뇨.
• 아직 게장이 해장이 덜 됐거든요? (dwaetgeodeunyo) — The gejang is still a little hungover. Literally: 됐거든요 is said 됃꺼드뇨.
• 꼭 필요한 거 거든요? (geodeunyo) — It's something you really need, okay? Literally: 거든요 is said 거드뇨.
• 이런 노래거든요 이게? (noraegeodeunyo) — That's how the song goes. Literally: 노래거든요 is said 노래거드뇨.
• 그때 2015년인가? 그랬었거든요 (geuraesseotgeodeunyo) — I think it was 2015. Literally: 그랬었거든요 is said 그래썯꺼드뇨.
• 원래 한 번 해보고 싶긴 했거든요? (haetgeodeunyo) — I always wanted to try this. Literally: 했거든요 is said 핻꺼드뇨.
• 한 입 먹었거든요? (meogeotgeodeunyo) — I took a bite. Literally: 먹었거든요 is said 머걷꺼드뇨.
• 바로 옆에 '구경시장'이라고 있거든요? (itgeodeunyo) — Right next door, there's "Gugyeong Traditional Market". Literally: 있거든요 is said 읻꺼드뇨.
• 일단은 지금 저는 라이즈한테 졌거든요? (jeotgeodeunyo) — Well, I lost to Ryze. Literally: 졌거든요 is said 젇꺼드뇨.
• 나도 고민이 돼서 엄마한테 물어봤거든요? (mureobwatgeodeunyo) — I was torn too, so I asked my mom about it. Literally: 물어봤거든요 is said 무러봗꺼드뇨.
• 제가 이런 안경을 진짜 사고 싶었거든요? (sipeotgeodeunyo) — I really wanted glasses like this. Literally: 싶었거든요 is said 시펃꺼드뇨.
• 지하철을 많이 탔거든요? 학교 다녔을 때 (tatgeodeunyo) — in the subway, which I went on a lot in college. Literally: 탔거든요 is said 탇꺼드뇨.
• 새벽까지 연습하고 저희끼리 간 적 있거든요? (itgeodeunyo) — we practiced until late at night and went to a BBQ place. Literally: 있거든요 is said 읻꺼드뇨.
• '달려라 방탄' 저 가이드 한 거 있거든요? (itgeodeunyo) — I recorded a guide version for "Run BTS". Literally: 있거든요 is said 읻꺼드뇨.

Casual, asking — 거든?

The most informal of the four, and the one that most often carries attitude.

Between close friends this can be a genuine check. It can also be a challenge — supplying a fact and daring the other person to argue with it.

Which one it is depends entirely on the relationship and the moment, not on anything in the grammar. That ambiguity is exactly why this form is worth recognising and not worth producing early.

In group content you will hear it during games and arguments, where the point is often to score a point rather than to inform.

• 내가 은근히 이거 잘하거든? (jalhageodeun) — You know what? I'm actually good at this kind of stuff.
• 야, 나 살인마 아니거든? (anigeodeun) — Hey, I'm really not the murderer.
• 내가 봤을 때 지하에 있거든? (itgeodeun) — I bet it's in the basement. Literally: 있거든 is said 읻꺼든.
• 야 잠깐만 바람 불거든? (bulgeodeun) — Wait, it's windy.
• '부밀리가 떴다'거든? (tteotdageodeun) — It's "BOOmily Outing". Literally: 떴다거든 is said 떧따거든.
• 나 그 방 안 간 지 오래됐거든? (oraedwaetgeodeun) — It's been a while going to that room? Literally: 오래됐거든 is said 오래됃꺼든.
• 야, 우리 지금 너무 격양됐거든? (gyeogyangdwaetgeodeun) — Hey, we're too into the game right now. Literally: 격양됐거든 is said 겨걍됃꺼든.
• 진짜 기가 막히거든? (makigeodeun) — would be so awesome. Literally: 막히거든 is said 마키거든.
• 태형이 형 같았거든? (gatatgeodeun) — I thought it was V. Literally: 같았거든 is said 가탇꺼든.
• 솥뚜껑 갖고 왔거든? (watgeodeun) — I brought a caldron lid. Literally: 왔거든 is said 왇꺼든.
• 아 두 개 있거든? (itgeodeun) — Ah, there are two? Literally: 있거든 is said 읻꺼든.
• 나 솔직하게 말하면 살짝 기대했거든? (gidaehaetgeodeun) — I actually had my hopes up a bit. Literally: 기대했거든 is said 기대핻꺼든.
• 정한이 형이 한 번 시켜줘서 먹었거든? (meogeotgeodeun) — But Jeonghan ordered it once and I tried it. Literally: 먹었거든 is said 머걷꺼든.
• 내가 웬만하면은 누군지 알겠거든? 근데 (algetgeodeun) — Usually, I can figure out who it is. Literally: 알겠거든 is said 알겓꺼든.
• 네 거 이거거든? (igeogeodeun) — This one is yours, right?
• '도겸아 나 이거 찾았거든? 나도 시민이야.' (chajatgeodeun) — 'DK, I found this too. I'm a citizen too.'. Literally: 찾았거든 is said 차잗꺼든.
• 야 근데 난 솔직하게 말하면 살짝 기대했거든? (gidaehaetgeodeun) — You know, I actually had my hopes up a bit. Literally: 기대했거든 is said 기대핻꺼든.
• 준 형이 진짜 마피아일 때 말을 한 마디도 안 하거든? (hageodeun) — JUN doesn't say a single word when he's the mafia.
• 대한민국 과장들의 평균 연봉을 좀 알아보고 있었거든여? (isseotgeodeunyeo) — the average annual salary of managers in Korea, you know? Literally: 있었거든여 is said 이썯꺼드녀.

The rest of this set

• 거든 — the Korean ending for "the thing is…" (40 real examples)
• Polite, asking — Korean endings (39 entries) (this page)