geu mal nongdamiji?

That’s a joke, right?

Breakdown of geu mal nongdamiji?

• 이다: to be
• 그: that
• 말: remark
• 농담: joke

Questions & Answers about geu mal nongdamiji?

What exactly does 그 말 refer to here?

It points to the remark/statement the other person just made—literally “that words/speech.” It’s how you refer back to what someone said a moment ago.

Why is there no particle after 그 말? Shouldn’t it be 그 말은 or 그 말이?

In casual speech, topic/subject particles (은/는, 이/가) are often dropped when the meaning is clear. You could say:

• 그 말은 농담이지? (topic; “as for that remark…”)
• 그 말이 농담이지? (subject; emphasizes it’s that particular remark that’s a joke) But 그 말 농담이지? is perfectly natural in everyday talk.

What does the ending -이지? do?

• It’s the copula 이다
  • the confirmation-seeking ending -지?.
• Function: a soft tag question, similar to “right?” or “isn’t it?” You’re seeking agreement/confirmation.
• It attaches to nouns: N + (이)지?
  • After a consonant-ending noun: keep 이 → 농담 (ends in ㅁ) → 농담이지?
  • After a vowel-ending noun: 지? is more common (though 이지? is also heard) → 의사지? rather than 의사이지?
• Nuance: you expect the answer to be “yes” more than “no.”

Is there a difference between 그 말은 농담이지? and 그 말이 농담이지?

• 은/는 (topic): frames “that remark” as the topic; neutral, common.
• 이/가 (subject): puts focus on the subject; sounds like you’re contrasting or pinpointing that specific remark as the one that’s a joke (not something else).

What’s the polite version?

• 그 말 농담이죠? or 그 말이 농담이죠? (polite)
• If you need honorifics toward the listener’s words: 그 말씀 농담이죠?
• Very formal: 그 말이 농담입니까? (sounds official/interrogative)

Could I just say 농담이지? without 그 말?

Yes. Context will fill in “that (thing you said).” 농담이지? often means “You’re joking, right?”

Is 그 말 농담이야? okay? How is that different from …농담이지?

• 그 말 농담이야? is a straightforward yes/no question: “Is that a joke?”
• 그 말 농담이지? is a confirmation question: you’re assuming/expecting it’s a joke and asking for agreement.

What’s the difference between 농담 and 장난?

• 농담: a joke in words (verbal humor).
• 장난: prank/mischief; can be physical or situational. You can say 장난이지? to mean “You’re kidding/messing with me, right?” but with 그 말 (that remark), 농담 fits more precisely.

Does 말 mean “horse”? Why isn’t it a horse here?

Yes, 말 can mean “horse” or “speech/words.” Context decides. With 그 말 and 농담 (joke), it clearly means “speech/words,” not “horse.”

Is the spacing correct? 그 말 or 그말?

Standard spacing is 그 말 (two words). Writing 그말 is nonstandard.

How should I pronounce and intone 그 말 농담이지?

• Pronunciation (roughly): [geu mal nong-dam-i-ji]
• Natural slight pause after 그 말.
• Use rising intonation on 지? to signal a question.
• With falling intonation (…이지.) it becomes an asserting-with-expectation statement (“It’s a joke, you know.”).

Is this sentence casual? Could it sound rude?

It’s casual (banmal). It’s fine with friends/peers. With strangers/older people, switch to a polite form (e.g., 그 말 농담이죠?). Tone matters—if said sharply, it can sound accusatory; said lightly, it’s just checking.

Any alternative ways to say this?

• 그거 농담이지? (That’s a joke, right?)
• 방금 한 말 농담이지? (The thing you just said is a joke, right?)
• 농담한 거지? (You were joking, right?)
• 그 말 농담 맞지? (That remark is a joke, right?)

How could someone answer this?

• Agree: 응, 농담이야. / 네, 농담이에요. (Yes, it’s a joke.)
• Disagree: 아니, 진심이야. / 아니요, 진심이에요. (No, I mean it.)
• Hedge: 반은 농담이야. (Half-joking.)