Korean -네요 vs -지요/-죠: "Oh, I See!" vs "Right?"
Learn when to say 맛있네요 and when to say 맛있죠. -네요 reacts to something you just noticed. -지요/-죠 asks for agreement, means "right?" or suggests "let's".
IntermediateTalking to people8 min readTap any Korean word to see it explained
The short answer
Use 네요 when you just noticed something and react to it: 맛있네요! (Oh, this is tasty!). Use 지요, usually shortened to 죠, when you expect the other person to agree: 맛있죠? (It’s tasty, right?). 죠 can also suggest: 같이 가죠 (Let’s go together).
Both endings replace the usual 아요/어요 and are just as polite. What changes is the feeling. 네요 says “this is new to me”. 죠 says “we both know this”. Koreans use them all the time, and they make you sound much more natural.
1. How to make them
Both attach straight to the stem. No vowel rules. For nouns, add 이 after a consonant. One small trap: stems ending in ㄹ drop the ㄹ before 네요 (멀다 → 머네요).
| Dictionary form | + 네요 | + 죠 | Past |
|---|---|---|---|
| 좋다 (good) | 좋네요 | 좋죠 | 좋았네요 / 좋았죠 |
| 오다 (come) | 오네요 | 오죠 | 왔네요 / 왔죠 |
| 먹다 (eat) | 먹네요 | 먹죠 | 먹었네요 / 먹었죠 |
| 멀다 (far) | 머네요 | 멀죠 | 멀었네요 / 멀었죠 |
| 학생이다 (be a student) | 학생이네요 | 학생이죠 | 학생이었네요 / 학생이었죠 |
| 의사이다 (be a doctor) | 의사네요 | 의사죠 | 의사였네요 / 의사였죠 |
2. -네요: “Oh, I see!”
Use 네요 for something you see, hear, taste or feel right now, or just found out. It sounds warm and a little surprised. It is perfect for small talk and compliments.
A compliment you will hear a lot as a learner. A modest reply: 아직 멀었어요 (I still have a long way to go).
3. -지요/-죠: “..., right?”
Use 죠 with a rising voice to ask for agreement or to check something you think is true. It is like “right?” or “isn’t it?” at the end of an English sentence.
With a question word, 죠 sounds soft, like you are thinking out loud: 이름이 뭐였죠? (What was your name again?).
4. -죠 as a soft statement or “let’s”
Said with a falling voice, 죠 is not a question. It states something as obvious or shared, or makes a friendly suggestion.
As a suggestion, 가죠 is a little firmer than 갈까요? (shall we go?). A host might say 여기 앉으시죠 (Please, have a seat here).
- 맛있네요! I just tasted it. Wow!
- 맛있죠? (voice up) I knew you would like it. Right?
- 맛있죠. (voice down) Of course it’s good. Everyone knows that.
Hear it in songs
Ballads love 죠. It gives lines a gentle, talking-to-you feeling, like 알고 있죠? (You know, right?). Open a song in Hanbok Lyrics and tap a line to see every ending explained. For more on politeness, read Korean speech levels or the honorific -(으)시-.
Check yourself
Quick check · 1 of 4You try a friend's cooking for the first time. It's great! You say:
Questions learners ask
What does 네요 mean in Korean?
네요 shows you just noticed or felt something and are reacting to it, like "Oh, ..." or "Wow, ..." in English. 맛있네요! means "Oh, this is tasty!" when you have just taken a bite.
What does 죠 mean at the end of a sentence?
죠 is short for 지요. It turns a sentence into "..., right?" when you expect the listener to agree: 오늘 춥죠? (It is cold today, right?). It can also make a soft statement or a suggestion: 같이 가죠 (Let's go together).
What is the difference between 네요 and 죠?
네요 is for news to you: you just found it out. 죠 is for things you already know or think the listener knows too. Tasting new food: 맛있네요! Recommending food you love: 맛있죠?
Is 지요 or 죠 more common?
In speech, 죠 is far more common. 지요 is the full form and sounds a little slower and more careful. Both are polite.