-냐

Korean

Alternative forms

Etymology

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean -으〮녀〮/ᄋᆞ〮녀〮 (Yale: -únyé/ónyé), equivalent (despite vowel mismatches) to a contraction of -으〮니아〮/ᄋᆞ〮니아〮 (Yale: -únìGá/ónìGá), ultimately from Old Korean (*-un, realis gerund suffix) + (*-i, to be, copula stem) + (*-ke, polar question interrogative suffix): etymologically "is it that...".

Recently, the epenthetical 으/느 (eu/neu) have been deleted, producing the modern form.

Pronunciation

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?-nya
Revised Romanization (translit.)?nya
McCune–Reischauer?nya
Yale Romanization?nya

Suffix

(-nya)

  1. (colloquial) a plain-style interrogative suffix
    뒈지고 싶어서 환장했? (vulgar)Dwejigo sipeoseo hwanjang-haennya?Do you want to fucking die?
    찾았는데 어디 갔었?Neo chajanneunde eodi gasseonnya?I was looking for you; where did you go?

Usage notes

  • Historically, only 느냐 (-neunya) and 으냐 (-eunya) were accepted in the standard language. Both are rare nowadays and have been almost wholly supplanted by (-nya).
  • (-ni) has the same meaning but has a friendlier nuance and is more often used by women.

Suffix

(-nya)

  1. Post-vowel or post-liquid allomorphic form of 으냐 (-eunya, (dated) plain-style interrogative suffix).
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