LEARN KOREAN (한국어) [GRAMMAR] #1

KOREAN QUESTIONS ~ㄴ/은가(요)

Just like '~니' you can also end your questions with ~ㄴ/은가(요). Adding "요" to the end makes it more formal. This form is less formal than the high-respect ~ㅂ/습니까 form.

~ㄴ/은가(요) gets added to the stem of adjectives. Using this form makes a question a little bit softer than using the forms described previously. The exact difference cannot be translated perfectly, but sort of like how "would it be okay if I go into the park?" sounds slightly softer than "can I go into the park."

You add ~ㄴ/은 to adjective stems just like you would when conjugating it to describe a noun:
예쁘다 + ㄴ/은 = 예쁜
작다 + ㄴ/은 = 작은

And then attach "가(요)" after that construction:
예쁜가(요)?
작은가(요)?

It is only conjugated into the present tense and therefore usually only used to ask about some sort of present situation. For example:

그 여자는 예쁜가? - Is that girl pretty?
이것은 너무 작은가요? - Is this too small?
그 학교가 좋은가? - Is that school good?

~ㄴ/은가(요) is commonly added to 이다 as well. For example:

그 사람이 선생님인가? - Is that person a teacher?
그 사람이 우리 엄마인가? - Is that person our mom? (Is that our mom?)

아닌가(요)? Is very commonly used at the end of a full sentence to say "no?" when you are asking yourself a question as if you are doubting yourself. For example:

그 여자는 한국에서 가장 예쁜 여자야. 아닌가? - That girl is the most beautiful girl in Korea... no?/isn't she?

너무 복잡해! 아닌가? - This is too complicated. Isn't it?