korean: Euphemistic way of asking | 나요?/가요?

-나요?-ㄴ가요?

A euphemistic way of asking. Commonly used when asking for confirmation.
요-type + ? can be used to express a question, but sometimes it is a bit abrupt to ask directly, so if you want to ask something politely and courteously, you can use "-나요?" or "-ㄴ가요?" to express it.

1) With Noun

이다 present tense： N ＋ 인가요？

basic：
N + 이다  
Questioning sentence：
N + 이에요? 
가요 Questioning sentence：
N + 인가요?　(no matter if the noun has a final consonant or not?）

Sentences

개최일은 일요일이에요?

（Directly）Is the event on a Sunday?

개최일은 일요일인가요?

（Milder）Is the event on a Sunday?

시다 present tense： N ＋ (이)신가요?

basic：
N + (이)시다  
Questioning sentence：
N + (이)세요?
가요 Questioning sentence：
N + 이신가요?（N has a final consonant）
N + 신가요? （N does not have a final consonant）

Sentences

의사세요?

(Directly)Are you a doctor?

의사신가요?

（Milder）Are you a doctor?

학생이신가요?

（Milder）Are you a student?

이다 past tense： N ＋ 이었나요?/였나요?

이다's past tense：이었다

N + 이었나요? (N has a final consonant)
N + 였나요? （N does not have a final consonant）

Sentences

예전에는 의사였나요?

Were you a doctor？

이시다 past tense： N ＋ 이셨나요?/셨나요?

이시다's past tense：이셨다

N + 이셨나요? (N has a final consonant)
N + 셨나요? （N does not have a final consonant）

Sentences

옛날에는 그의 학생이셨어요?

Were you his student in the past?

2) With Verb

Present tense

Verb + 나요?
When use 시 (=세요?)，then Verb + 시나요?

Sentences

더 작은 것도 있어요?

（Directly）Do you have any smaller ones?

더 작은 것도 있나요?

（Milder）Do you have any smaller ones?

자주 오세요?

（Directly）Do you come often?

자주 오시나요?

（Milder）Do you come often?

Past tense

Verb's past tense + 나요?
When use 시(=세요?)，Verb's past tense + 셨 + 나요?

Sentences

어제 가셨어요?

（Directly）Did you go yesterday?

어제 가셨나요?

(Milder)Did you go yesterday?

Future tense

Sometimes it is also expressed in the present tense, but in the future tense it has the meaning of emphasizing the confirmation of the other party's wishes.

Verb's future tense + 건가요?
When use 시(=세요?)，Verb's future + 실+건가요?

Sentences

내일 가세요?

（Directly）Are you going tomorrow?

내일 가시나요?

（Milder）Are you going tomorrow?

내일 가실 건가요?

（Milder&Check）are you going tomorrow?

3) With Adjective

Present tense

Adjective + ㄴ/은 + 가요?

Sentences

이것은 비싼가요?

（Directly）Is this expensive?

그렇게 비싼가요?

（Milder）Is this expensive?

효과 좋은가요?

(Milder)Is it effective?

Past tense

Adj.'s past tense + 나요? 

Sentences

그렇게 길었어요?

（Directly）Was it that long?

그렇게 길었나요?

（Milder）Was it that long?

Summary

• -나요?-ㄴ가요?：A euphemistic way of asking. Commonly used when asking for confirmation.
• Present tense：N＋인가요？，Verb＋나요?，Adj.＋ㄴ/은＋가요?
• Past：N＋이었나요?/였나요?，Verb's past tense + 나요?，Adj.'s past tense + 나요?