Key Facts
- Hangul: 그렇다 (geureota)
- Pronunciation: [그러타]
- Meaning: to be so; to be like that
- Level: A1
- Stem: 그렇
- Conjugation class: ㅎ-irregular
- Grammar: descriptive
What Does 그렇다 Mean?
그렇다 refers to the situation already in the conversation. 그래요? is the reaction 'Is that so?', and 네, 맞아요. 그래요. confirms it. It is also the base for the connectors 그래서 (so) and 그러면 (if so) connect ideas. 그런 means “that kind of” and modifies a following noun.
The second sense is 'to be that way about the matter', as in 왜 그래요? (What is wrong?). Because it is a descriptive verb, the subject takes 이/가, as in 그 일이 그래요. It has no want-to form.
Together with 이렇다 and 저렇다, this word completes a pointing set: 이렇다 for what is close to the speaker, 그렇다 for what was just said or sits with the listener, and 저렇다 for what is far from both. A reply of 그래요 therefore echoes the other person's statement back to them, which is why it works so well as a listening response in a conversation.
How Do You Pronounce 그렇다?
그렇다 is read [그러타]: ㅎ and ㄷ merge into ㅌ. The same merging shows up elsewhere. 그렇습니다 is [그러씀니다], with ㅎ before ㅅ producing a tense 씀. 그렇지 않아요 is [그러치 아나요], and 그렇겠어요 is [그러케써요].
How Do You Use 그렇다 in a Sentence?
네, 맞아요. 그래요.
Yes, that is right. It is so.
그래요 answers 네, 맞아요: yes, that is right, it is so.
그러면 내일 다시 오세요.
If that is so, please come again tomorrow.
그러면 opens a conditional: if that is so, come again tomorrow. 그러면 is the standard connector.
비가 와요. 그래서 안 가요.
It is raining. So I am not going.
그래서 joins two facts: it is raining, so I am not going. 그래서 is 'so' or 'therefore'.
How Does Geureota Conjugation Work?
ㅎ-irregular adjectives drop ㅎ and change the vowel before 아/어: 그렇 + 어요 becomes 그래요, and the past is 그랬어요. Before 으 endings only ㅎ drops: 그러세요, 그러면. The modifier is 그런, and the future is 그럴 거예요. Consonant endings keep ㅎ: 그렇습니다, 그렇지 않아요.
그렇다
| Form | Korean | Romanization | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polite present | 그래요 | ||
| Polite past | 그랬어요 | ||
| Polite future (plan) | 그럴 거예요 | ||
| Polite future (intention or guess) | 그렇겠어요 | ||
| Formal present | 그렇습니다 | ||
| Formal past | 그랬습니다 | ||
| Formal future | 그럴 것입니다 | ||
| Casual present | 그래 | ||
| Casual past | 그랬어 | ||
| Casual future | 그럴 거야 | ||
| Honorific polite | 그러세요 | ||
| Because / and then | 그래서 | ||
| If (conditional) | 그러면 | ||
| Present modifier (before a noun) | 그런 | ||
| Past modifier (before a noun) | 그랬던 | ||
| Future modifier (before a noun) | 그럴 | ||
| Negative with 안 (short) | 안 그래요 | ||
| Negative (long form) | 그렇지 않아요 |
Sound Changes
| Form | Korean | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Polite past | 그랬어요 | [그래써요] |
| Future plan | 그럴 거예요 | [그럴꺼예요] |
| Future guess | 그렇겠어요 | [그러케써요] |
| Formal now | 그렇습니다 | [그러씀니다] |
| Formal past | 그랬습니다 | [그랟씀니다] |
| Formal future | 그럴 것입니다 | [그럴꺼심니다] |
| Casual past | 그랬어 | [그래써] |
| Casual future | 그럴 거야 | [그럴꺼야] |
| Modifier past | 그랬던 | [그랟떤] |
| Long negative | 그렇지 않아요 | [그러치 아나요] |
Common Mistake
Wrong: ✗ 그렇어요
Correct: ✓ 그래요
Why: 그렇다 is a ㅎ irregular adjective: ㅎ drops before 어요 and the vowel becomes ㅐ, giving 그래요, not 그렇어요. Before a noun, use 그런. Look at the endings: 그렇습니다 and 그렇지 않아요 keep ㅎ, while 어 endings turn it into ㅐ.
How It Differs from Similar Words
| Word | How to tell it from 그렇다 |
|---|---|
| 이렇다 | 이렇다 means like this, pointing to something near the speaker; 그렇다 points to what was just mentioned or near the listener. |
| 저렇다 | 저렇다 means like that over there, far from both. |
Reacting to a Changed Plan
Two classmates discuss a cancelled class. The first response checks new information; the last response accepts it.
Yuna
오늘 수업이 없어요.
Oneul sueobi eopseoyo.
There is no class today.
Alex
그래요? 어제도 그랬어요?
Geuraeyo? Eojedo geuraesseoyo?
Really? Was that the case yesterday too?
Yuna
네, 어제도 그랬어요.
Ne, eojedo geuraesseoyo.
Yes, that was the case yesterday too.
Alex
그렇군요. 내일 다시 올게요.
Geureokunyo. Naeil dasi olgeyo.
I see. I will come back tomorrow.
그래요? refers to the whole statement about the class. 그랬어요? moves that situation into the past without repeating it. 그렇군요 signals that Alex has now understood the news. All three responses depend on something already said; alone, they leave the listener asking what situation you mean.
What Can a Short 그래요 Communicate?
그래요 can acknowledge information, agree, or accept a proposal. A rising question tone often makes it “Really?” or “Is that so?” After a suggestion, a calm 그래요 can mean “Okay.” The English translation depends on the previous turn as much as on the word itself.
그렇습니다 is a formal confirmation, useful in interviews, presentations and official exchanges. It sounds more deliberate than 그래요. 그래 is the casual form used with close friends or younger people when casual speech is appropriate. Its shortness does not automatically make it unfriendly, but a clipped tone can.
왜 그래요? literally asks why something is that way. In a conversation it may mean “What's wrong?” when someone seems upset, or “Why are you acting like that?” when the speaker objects to their behaviour. Tone and the situation decide whether it sounds concerned or annoyed.
Set Phrases That Mean More than “Like That”
| Expression | Natural meaning | How the literal idea helps |
|---|---|---|
| 그렇군요 | I see | The speaker has just recognised that things are so. |
| 그렇지요 | That's right, isn't it? | It seeks or shares agreement about that situation. |
| 그저 그렇다 | be so-so | Things are merely like that, with little to praise. |
| 그런 사람 | that kind of person | 그런 points back to a quality already mentioned. |
그저 그렇다 is useful when an experience was ordinary or disappointing rather than especially good. A review that uses it is lukewarm. 그런 사람 can be positive or negative: the adjective points to the description in context, so the phrase itself does not praise or criticise anyone.
그래서 introduces a consequence from what came before. In the existing rain example, staying home is the result. 그러면 introduces a condition or a next step based on what was said. Learn the connection each creates rather than translating both as a general English “then.”
What Makes 그렇다 Tricky?
The stem 그렇 changes shape before vowel endings, but keeps ㅎ in 그렇습니다 and 그렇지 않아요. Compare 그래요 with 그런: both lose ㅎ, yet only the first has the ㅐ vowel. The noun modifier 그런 is not a shortened polite statement; it needs a following noun.
Before a noun, 그렇다 uses the adjective pattern. 그런 사람 means “that kind of person.” The consonant-ending form 그렇지 keeps the written ㅎ even though the pronunciation section shows how the sounds combine. Spelling follows the stem and ending, rather than copying every sound you hear.
The negative 그렇지 않아요 often translates as “That isn't so.” It rejects the previous description. It does not necessarily accuse the other speaker of lying; it may simply correct a misunderstanding. 안 그래요 can also deny the description, but the longer form is useful when making a careful correction.
Related Pointing Words
| Word | Meaning | One useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 이렇다 | be like this | Points to the speaker's side or current demonstration. |
| 저렇다 | be like that over there | Points away from both people. |
| 어떻다 | be how; be what way | Asks about a quality or situation. |
| 맞다 | be correct | Confirms correctness rather than simply referring back. |
The ㅎ-irregular lesson teaches the shared changes behind the pointing adjectives.
Mini Drill: Choose the Form
- Reply politely, “Is that so?”
- Put 그래요 into the polite past.
- Complete ___ 사람 for “that kind of person.”
- Give the formal present of 그렇다.
Show drill answers
- 그래요? A question tone checks the information.
- 그랬어요. The contracted base is 그래.
- 그런 사람. Use the adjective modifier.
- 그렇습니다. Keep the ㅎ before this consonant ending.
Quick Self-Test
- Which response signals new understanding: 그렇군요 or 그런 사람?
- Does 그저 그렇다 usually give strong praise?
- Which connector introduces a result: 그래서 or 그러면?
Show self-test answers
- 그렇군요 means “I see.”
- No. It means so-so or unremarkable.
- 그래서 introduces the consequence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does 그래요? Mean?
It means 'Is that so?' when you say it with a rising tone, and 'It is so' when you say it flatly.
What Is the Polite past of 그렇다?
It is 그랬어요.
Which Connectors Come from 그렇다?
그래서 (so) and 그러면 (if so) connect ideas. 그런 means “that kind of” and modifies a following noun.
How Is 그렇다 Different from 이렇다?
이렇다 points to something near the speaker, while 그렇다 points to what was just mentioned or sits near the listener.
Which Words Are Related to 그렇다?
What Should You Learn Next?
Compare 이렇다, 저렇다 and 어떻다 for the rest of the demonstrative set, and 맞다 for 'to be correct'.
The ㅎ-irregular lesson explains the pattern behind 그래요, and the conjugator checks any other form. The dictionary lists the rest.