-냐/-니 in Korean: “casual question endings”
-냐/-니
-nya/-ni
casual question endings
Intermediate · Sentence endings
-냐 (-nya) and -니 (-ni) are casual question endings, the plain way to ask "do you...?" or "is it...?" to a friend, a younger person, or a child. -니 sounds soft and gentle, while -냐 sounds more blunt and rough. Both are banmal (casual speech), so they are never used with people you should be polite to.
How to form it
| When | Add | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb stem | + 냐 / 니 | 먹다 → 먹냐? / 먹니? |
| Adjective stem | + 냐 / 니 | 좋다 → 좋냐? / 좋니? |
| ㄹ stem (ㄹ drops) | drop ㄹ + 냐 / 니 | 살다 → 사냐? / 사니? |
| Noun | + (이)냐 / (이)니 | 학생 → 학생이냐? / 학생이니? |
| Past tense | 았/었 + 냐 / 니 | 먹다 → 먹었냐? / 먹었니? |
How to use it
Both endings turn a sentence into a casual question. You use them only with people you would speak banmal to: close friends, younger siblings, kids.
-니 has a gentle, caring tone. Parents and teachers often use it with children (밥 먹었니?), and friends use it when they want to sound soft.
-냐 is more direct and can sound rough or challenging, especially with a sharp tone. It is very common between close male friends and in online comments. With the wrong person or tone, it can sound rude.
The most neutral casual question is simply the 아/어 form with rising intonation (먹어?). -니 and -냐 add their own flavor on top of that.
Examples
Tap a word to see what it means and save it to your flashcards.
A parent asking a child
Calling a close friend
Doubting a friend's food tip
Asking a younger cousin about plans
Don’t mix it up with
-아/어?: The plain casual question (먹어?) is the most neutral and common. -니 sounds softer and -냐 sounds blunter than it.
-나요/-(으)ㄴ가요: These are soft polite questions for strangers or people above you. -냐 and -니 are casual only.
Common mistakes
Using -냐 or -니 with an older person, a coworker, or a stranger. They are banmal and will sound rude.
Keeping the ㄹ on ㄹ stems: 살다 becomes 사니?, not 살니?.
Want the basics first? Read Korean speech levels (반말 vs 존댓말).
Questions learners ask
What is the difference between -니 and -냐?
Both are casual questions. -니 sounds soft and gentle, like a parent or kind older friend, while -냐 sounds blunt and is common among close friends, especially men.
Is -냐 rude?
It is not rude between close friends, but it is banmal and can sound rough. Never use it with someone older or someone you just met.
What does 뭐 하니 mean?
뭐 하니? means "What are you doing?" in a soft, casual way, often said by an older person to a younger one.