Word
그녀가 잘 지낸다는 소식을 방금 들었어.geunyeoga jal jinaendaneun sosigeul banggeum deureosseo.
Meaning
I just heard the news that she’s been doing well.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
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Questions & Answers about geunyeoga jal jinaendaneun sosigeul banggeum deureosseo.
What does the ending -다는 in 잘 지낸다는 소식 do?
It turns a quoted statement into an adjective-like clause that modifies a noun. Here, 잘 지낸다 (she does/is doing well) + 는 → 잘 지낸다는, which modifies 소식 (news): “the news that [she] is doing well.” It’s the attributive (modifier) form of reported speech.
Could I say -다고 instead of -다는 here?
Yes, two common options:
- 그녀가 잘 지낸다고 방금 들었어. (reported clause + 듣다)
- 그녀가 잘 지낸다는 소식을 방금 들었어. (reported clause modifying the noun 소식) Both are natural; the first quotes the content directly, the second packages it as a “piece of news.”
Is 그녀 natural in everyday Korean?
Not usually in casual speech. More natural choices:
- Use her name/title: 민지 씨가…
- Polite/neutral: 그분이… (if she’s older/respected)
- Casual about someone familiar: 걔가… (she/he, informal)
- Omit the subject if clear from context. 그녀 appears more in writing or when translating “she.”
Why is it 그녀가, not 그녀는?
- -가/이 marks the subject of the embedded clause (그녀가 잘 지낸다).
- -는 would topicalize “her,” shifting focus: 그녀는 잘 지낸다는 소식을… = “As for her, I heard the news that she’s doing well.” It’s possible but adds topic contrast/emphasis.