-더라고요 (Recounting Past Experience and Discovery)
'-deoragoyo' is used to recount a fact you personally experienced or newly came to know in the past.
Recalling Direct Experience
Because it relays what the speaker saw and felt firsthand, it carries a vivid, you-were-there quality.
그 카페에 가 봤는데 분위기가 정말 좋더라고요.
geu kapee ga bwanneunde bunwigiga jeongmal joteoragoyo.
I checked out that cafe, and the vibe was genuinely great.
처음엔 어려웠는데 하다 보니 재미있더라고요.
cheoeumen eoryeowonneunde hada boni jaemiitteoragoyo.
It was tough at first, but as I kept at it, it turned out to be fun.
Conveying a New Discovery
한국 지하철이 생각보다 훨씬 깨끗하더라고요.
hanguk jihacheori saenggakboda hwolssin kkaekkeuthadeoragoyo.
The subway in Korea was way cleaner than I'd imagined.
Subject Restriction
The subject of '-deoragoyo' is usually someone other than the speaker. That said, your own emotion or state can appear when framed as a 'discovery you hadn't realized'.
막상 떠나려니 제가 그 도시를 많이 좋아했더라고요.
maksang tteonaryeoni jega geu dosireul mani joahaetteoragoyo.
When it finally came time to leave, I realized how much I'd loved that city.
Result Differs from Expectation
'-deoragoyo' fits especially well when reality turned out different from what you expected, with a touch of surprise or realization.
유명한 맛집이라기에 갔는데 별로 없더라고요.
yumyeonghan matjibiragie ganneunde byeollo eopdeoragoyo.
I went because it's such a famous spot, but it wasn't all that, honestly.
그분이 알고 보니 제 선배더라고요.
geubuni algo boni je seonbaedeoragoyo.
As it turned out, that person was actually my senior.
Witnessing a Present State
Paired with a present-tense verb, it gives the vividness of having witnessed the scene with your own eyes.
아까 보니까 밖에 눈이 오더라고요.
akka bonikka bakke nuni odeoragoyo.
When I looked out earlier, it was snowing.
아이가 혼자서도 잘 놀더라고요.
aiga honjaseodo jal noldeoragoyo.
The kid was playing away just fine all on their own.
| Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Adjective + -더라고요 | 좋더라고요 | (experience) it was nice |
| Verb + -더라고요 | 오더라고요 | (witnessed) it was coming down |
| Past + -었더라고요 | 갔더라고요 | (discovery) it had already gone |
| Noun + -(이)더라고요 | 학생이더라고요 | (confirmed) turned out to be a student |
-더라고요 vs -던데요 (Recollection Endings Compared)
| Form | Focus | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| -더라고요 | Relaying my experience or discovery | Centered on recollecting and recounting |
| -던데요 | Prompting a reaction from experience | Subtle admiration with a trailing note |
| -대요 | Passing on what you heard from others | Indirect quotation (not experience) |
💡 Tip: '-deoragoyo' hinges on firsthand experience. For things you only heard from others, use '-daeyo' or '-rago haeyo'.