-더라고요
Used to share a first-hand past discovery. Only for things you directly observed or perceived.
Summary
Equivalent
I (personally) found that... / I saw that...
Also: -았/었어요 (Simple past - no recollective/discovery nuance)
Example
When I went there in person, I found it was much bigger than I expected.
직접 가 봤더니 생각보다 훨씬 넓더라고요.
Grammar rules
- CRITICAL: Cannot be used with first-person internal states: '제가 기쁘더라고요 (X)'.
- Only for externally observed facts: '수미 씨가 기쁘더라고요 (O)'.
Patterns
Verbs (First-hand Observation)
Past (Direct Experience) · Verb Stem + 더라고요
Adjectives (First-hand Observation)
Past · Adjective Stem + 더라고요
Example sentences
When I went there in person, I found it was much bigger than I expected.
직접 가 봤더니 생각보다 훨씬 넓더라고요.
I heard that singer perform live, and they were really great.
그 가수가 라이브로 노래하는 걸 들었는데 정말 잘 하더라고요.
At first it looked difficult, but when I tried it, I found it was more manageable than I thought.
처음엔 어려워 보였는데 해 보니까 생각보다 할 만하더라고요.
Conversation
A: How was that café?
그 카페 어땠어요?
B: I found the atmosphere was really cozy. You should go sometime.
분위기가 정말 아늑하더라고요. 한번 가 봐요.
Practice
Fill in the blank
Select the correct first-hand recollection form '-더라고요'.
Someone's skill.
New place.