Hello, students preparing for the TOPIK II exam! Today, we're going to dive into one of the most essential grammar points for the Korean Language Proficiency Test: indirect speech. Indirect Speech for Statements: '-다고 하다' / '-라고 하다' We use this form to report simple statements or facts made by others. Verbs: No final consonant: Add -ㄴ다고 하다 (e.g., 가다 → 간다고 하다 - "They said they'd go") With final consonant: Add -는다고 하다 (e.g., 먹다 → 먹는다고 하다 - "They said they're eating") Nouns: No final consonant: Add -라고 하다 (e.g., 의사 → 의사라고 하다 - "They said they're a doctor") With final consonant: Add -이라고 하다 (e.g., 학생 → 학생이라고 하다 - "They said they're a student") Examples: Original: 친구가 "내일 학교에 갈 거야." (My friend said, "I'll go to school tomorrow.") → Reported: 친구가 내일 학교에 간다고 했어요. (My friend said they would go to school tomorrow.) Original: 선생님이 "이 문제는 어렵다." (The teacher said, "This problem is difficult.") → Reported: 선생님이 그 문제는 어렵다고 하셨어요. (The teacher said that problem was difficult.)