Duration Particle: 동안 (For/During)
동안 to turn any noun or action into a continuous block of time.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 동안 (dongan) after a time duration to express how long an action lasts or continues.
- Attach directly to time nouns: 1시간 + 동안 (for one hour).
- Use with action verbs: 3일 동안 공부했어요 (I studied for 3 days).
- Do not use with specific clock times (e.g., 5:00); use only for spans of time.
Overview
When you need to express the duration of an action, state, or event in Korean, the dependent noun 동안 (dong-an) is your indispensable tool. It functions similarly to "for" or "during" in English, signifying a continuous period from start to finish. Unlike a specific point in time, 동안 encapsulates a stretched interval.
Imagine the difference between saying "at 3 PM" (a single moment) and "for three hours" (a sustained period); 동안 is used for the latter. Its high frequency in everyday communication, from brief comments about daily activities to more formal discussions of project timelines, makes mastering it crucial for A2 learners and beyond.
This grammar point allows you to articulate exactly how long something takes, how long you engage in an activity, or what occurs concurrently with another event. It provides a temporal framework, or a 'time container,' within which actions unfold. Understanding 동안 helps you move beyond simply stating when something happened to describing how long it lasted, adding significant detail and precision to your Korean expressions.
How This Grammar Works
동안 is a dependent noun (의존 명사), meaning it cannot stand alone and must be preceded by a modifying element. Its core function is to specify a length of time, either as a numerical duration (e.g., "for 10 minutes") or as the span of an event or action (e.g., "during vacation," "while sleeping"). The concept of 동안 is rooted in the linguistic need to distinguish between discrete moments and continuous intervals.동안 follows a noun that inherently denotes a period (like 시간 (si-gan, hour), 분 (bun, minute), 일 (il, day), 달 (dal, month), 년 (nyeon, year), or event nouns such as 방학 (bang-hak, vacation) or 회의 (hoe-ui, meeting)), it explicitly marks that noun as the duration. For example, 세 시간 동안 (se si-gan dong-an) directly translates to "for three hours." Here, 동안 acts to quantify the preceding time unit.동안 can follow a verb that has been transformed into an adnominal (modifier) form using the particle ~는 (neun). This construction, ~는 동안, translates to "while (doing something)" or "during the time that (something is happening)." In this case, the verb describes the action or state that defines the duration, and 동안 contextualizes another action within that specific time frame. This versatility makes 동안 adaptable for both simple duration statements and complex sentences describing concurrent events.점심시간 (jeom-sim-si-gan, lunch time) is a period. When you add 동안, as in 점심시간 동안 (jeom-sim-si-gan dong-an), you are precisely marking the entire span of lunch time as the interval during which something occurs.Formation Pattern
동안 is straightforward, making it highly accessible for A2 learners. It does not involve complex conjugations based on politeness levels; rather, its form is constant, and the politeness of your sentence is determined by the final verb ending. There are two primary patterns:
동안 follows a noun that indicates a specific unit of time or an event that has a clear duration.
동안 | Romanization | English Translation | Example Sentence (Formal) | Example Sentence (Casual) |
10분 동안 | sip-bun dong-an | for 10 minutes | 10분 동안 기다렸습니다. (I waited for 10 minutes.) | 10분 동안 기다렸어요. (I waited for 10 minutes.) |
3일 동안 | sam-il dong-an | for 3 days | 3일 동안 비가 왔습니다. (It rained for 3 days.) | 3일 동안 비가 왔어요. (It rained for 3 days.) |
일주일 동안 | il-ju-il dong-an | for one week | 일주일 동안 출장 갑니다. (I'm going on a business trip for a week.) | 일주일 동안 출장 가요. (I'm going on a business trip for a week.) |
방학 동안 | bang-hak dong-an | during vacation | 방학 동안 여행했습니다. (I traveled during vacation.) | 방학 동안 여행했어요. (I traveled during vacation.) |
회의 동안 | hoe-ui dong-an | during the meeting | 회의 동안 조용했습니다. (It was quiet during the meeting.) | 회의 동안 조용했어요. (It was quiet during the meeting.) |
식사 동안 | sik-sa dong-an | during the meal | 식사 동안 이야기했습니다. (We talked during the meal.) | 식사 동안 이야기했어요. (We talked during the meal.) |
~는 동안
~는, which acts as an adnominal particle, effectively turning the verb into a modifier for 동안. This construction creates a time clause indicating a continuous action.
~는 동안 | Romanization | English Translation | Example Sentence (Formal) | Example Sentence (Casual) |
자는 동안 | ja-neun dong-an | while sleeping | 자는 동안 전화가 왔습니다. (The phone rang while I was sleeping.) | 자는 동안 전화가 왔어요. (The phone rang while I was sleeping.) |
기다리는 동안 | gi-da-ri-neun dong-an | while waiting | 기다리는 동안 책을 읽었습니다. (I read a book while waiting.) | 기다리는 동안 책을 읽었어요. (I read a book while waiting.) |
공부하는 동안 | gong-bu-ha-neun dong-an | while studying | 공부하는 동안 음악을 듣습니다. (I listen to music while studying.) | 공부하는 동안 음악을 들어요. (I listen to music while studying.) |
ㄹ) | 만드는 동안 | man-deu-neun dong-an | while making | 만드는 동안 조심하십시오. (Please be careful while making it.) | 만드는 동안 조심하세요. (Please be careful while making it.) |
~는 form of a verb) and 동안. Since 동안 is a dependent noun, it requires this separation. For instance, 3일동안 is incorrect; it should be 3일 동안.
When To Use It
동안 serves a broad range of functions related to temporal duration, making it a highly versatile grammatical tool in Korean. You will find yourself using it in contexts where you need to specify how long an action or state persists, or what happens concurrently with another event.- 1Quantifying Explicit Durations: This is the most direct application. When you need to state precisely how long something has occurred or will occur, attach
동안to a numerical time expression.
어제 세 시간 동안 한국어를 공부했어요.(eo-je se si-gan dong-an han-gu-geo-reul gong-bu-haess-eo-yo.)
이 책을 며칠 동안 읽을 거예요.(i chaek-eul myeot-chil dong-an il-geul geo-ye-yo.)
- 1Indicating Actions within a Defined Event/Period: Use
동안with event-related nouns to describe something happening within the boundaries of that event. This implies the action occurred throughout or at some point during the specified period.
방학 동안 아르바이트를 했습니다.(bang-hak dong-an a-reu-ba-i-teu-reul haess-seup-ni-da.)
출장 동안 중요한 회의가 많을 겁니다.(chul-jang dong-an jung-yo-han hoe-ui-ga man-eul geom-ni-da.)
- 1Describing Concurrent Actions (
~는 동안): This is where~는 동안shines. It sets a time frame defined by one continuous action, within which another action takes place. The two actions can have the same subject or different subjects.
엄마가 요리하는 동안 저는 숙제를 했어요.(eom-ma-ga yo-ri-ha-neun dong-an jeo-neun suk-je-reul haess-eo-yo.)
운동하는 동안 음악을 들으면 지루하지 않아요.(un-dong-ha-neun dong-an eum-ak-eul deul-eu-myeon ji-ru-ha-ji an-a-yo.)
- 1Expressing a State or Condition Over Time:
동안can also describe a state that persists for a certain period.
그는 10년 동안 가난하게 살았습니다.(geu-neun sip-nyeon dong-an ga-nan-ha-ge sal-ass-seup-ni-da.)
아이가 아픈 동안 저는 잠을 거의 못 잤어요.(a-i-ga a-peun dong-an jeo-neun jam-eul geo-ui mot jass-eo-yo.)
동안 is flexible across all tenses. The particle itself does not change, but the main verb of your sentence will be conjugated to reflect past, present, or future tense, allowing you to narrate durations in any temporal context.Common Mistakes
동안. These typically arise from subtle semantic distinctions between 동안 and other time-related expressions.- 1Confusing
동안(for/during) with에(at/on): This is perhaps the most fundamental mistake.에marks a specific point in time (e.g.,3시에- at 3 o'clock,월요일에- on Monday), whereas동안marks a duration or a continuous period. Thinking of에as a dot on a timeline and동안as a line segment can help.
- Incorrect:
세 시간에 공부했어요.(se si-gan-e gong-bu-haess-eo-yo.) - This implies you studied at the three-hour mark, not for three hours. - Correct:
세 시간 동안 공부했어요.(se si-gan dong-an gong-bu-haess-eo-yo.) - "I studied for three hours." - Correct:
세 시에 만나요.(se si-e man-na-yo.) - "Let's meet at three o'clock."
- 1Confusing
동안(for/during) with~만에(after a lapse of time): This is a critical distinction that can drastically alter the meaning of your sentence.
동안indicates an action or state continuing throughout a period.
1년 동안 만났어요. (il-nyeon dong-an man-nass-eo-yo.)~만에indicates that an action occurs after a specified period has passed, implying a preceding gap or absence.
1년 만에 만났어요. (il-nyeon man-e man-nass-eo-yo.)- 1Confusing
동안(duration) with~때(when/time): While both relate to time,~때(tte) signifies a general point or period of time, often the time when something happened, without necessarily emphasizing the duration.동안emphasizes the entire span of that period.
방학 때 제주도에 갔어요.(bang-hak tte je-ju-do-e gass-eo-yo.)
방학 동안 제주도에 있었어요.(bang-hak dong-an je-ju-do-e iss-eoss-eo-yo.)
~때 is a broader term for "when," while 동안 narrows the focus to the actual extent of time.- 1Confusing
~는 동안(while doing X, time frame) with~면서(while doing X, simultaneous action): Both constructions express simultaneous actions, but with crucial differences regarding the subject and nuance.
~는 동안sets a time frame for another action. The subjects of the two clauses can be different.
엄마가 밥을 하는 동안 아빠는 뉴스를 봤어요. (eom-ma-ga bap-eul ha-neun dong-an a-ppa-neun nyu-seu-reul bwass-eo-yo.)~면서emphasizes two actions being performed simultaneously by the same subject. It often implies multitasking.
밥을 먹으면서 뉴스를 봤어요. (bap-eul meog-eu-myeon-seo nyu-seu-reul bwass-eo-yo.)- 1Using
동안with single, non-durational events:동안is meant for continuous periods. You would not typically use it with singular, instantaneous events or very specific dates. For instance,생일 동안(saeng-il dong-an, during birthday) is usually unnatural unless you mean a prolonged birthday celebration over several days. For a single birthday,생일에(saeng-il-e) is appropriate.
- Acceptable:
주말 동안(ju-mal dong-an, during the weekend) because a weekend is inherently a span of time. - Unnatural:
10월 5일 동안(si-wol o-il dong-an) for "during October 5th." Use10월 5일에.
- 1Omitting
동안where clarity is needed: While동안can sometimes be omitted in casual speech (e.g.,세 시간 잤어.- I slept three hours), including it adds emphasis and formalizes the duration, making the meaning unequivocally clear. Omitting it can sometimes lead to ambiguity, especially with context-dependent sentences. When in doubt, include동안.
Real Conversations
동안 is a staple in natural Korean discourse, appearing in a multitude of contexts ranging from planning and narrating to complaining and setting expectations. Its presence often adds a layer of precision or emphasis to the temporal aspect of a conversation.
Scenario 1
Person A
왜 이렇게 늦었어요? (wae i-reo-ge neut-eoss-eo-yo?)"Why are you so late?"
Person B
정말 죄송합니다. 길이 너무 막혀서요. 30분 동안 차 안에 있었어요. (jeong-mal joe-song-ham-ni-da. gil-i neo-mu mak-hyeo-seo-yo. sam-sip-bun dong-an cha an-e iss-eoss-eo-yo.)"I'm really sorry. The road was so jammed. I was in the car for 30 minutes."
Observation
30분 동안 to quantify the frustrating duration of being stuck in traffic, providing a concrete reason for their lateness.*Scenario 2
Person A
언제까지 이 보고서를 완성해야 하나요? (eon-je-kka-ji i bo-go-seo-reul wan-seong-hae-ya ha-na-yo?)"By when do I need to finish this report?"
Person B
다음 주 휴가 동안은 힘들겠죠? 그 전까지 해주세요. (da-eum ju hyu-ga dong-an-eun him-deul-gess-jyo? geu jeon-kka-ji hae-ju-se-yo.)"It'll be difficult during your vacation next week, right? Please do it before then."
Observation
휴가 동안 clearly defines a period when the report should not be worked on, implying a break from work responsibilities. This is common in workplace communication for setting boundaries.*Scenario 3
~는 동안)Friend A
어제 저녁에 뭐 했어? (eo-je jeo-nyeok-e mwo haess-eo?)"What did you do last night?"
Friend B
응, 룸메이트가 드라마 보는 동안 나는 온라인 게임 좀 했어. (eung, rum-me-i-teu-ga deu-ra-ma bo-neun dong-an na-neun on-la-in ge-im jom haess-eo.)"Yeah, while my roommate was watching a drama, I played some online games."
Observation
~는 동안 where two different subjects are performing simultaneous actions. It's a natural way to describe separate activities happening within the same household or shared space.*Scenario 4
Manager
김수진 씨, 얼마나 동안 저희 회사에서 근무하셨습니까? (gim su-jin ssi, eol-ma-na dong-an jeo-hui hoe-sa-e-seo geun-mu-ha-syeoss-seup-ni-kka?)"Ms. Kim Sujin, for how long have you worked at our company?"
Kim Sujin
네, 5년 6개월 동안 근무했습니다. (ne, o-nyeon yuk-gae-wol dong-an geun-mu-haess-seup-ni-da.)"Yes, I have worked here for 5 years and 6 months."
Observation
동안 is used to precisely state the duration of employment, demonstrating its use in formal professional contexts.*These examples illustrate how 동안 provides essential temporal context, making communication more exact and vivid in various real-life scenarios.
Quick FAQ
동안 from a sentence without changing the meaning?동안 can sometimes be omitted in very casual speech or when the context makes the duration clear, its omission often subtly changes the nuance or emphasis. For instance, 세 시간 잤어. (se si-gan jass-eo, I slept three hours) is understood. However, 세 시간 동안 잤어. (se si-gan dong-an jass-eo) explicitly emphasizes that the entire span of three hours was spent sleeping, making the duration more prominent.동안 is always recommended for clarity and completeness.동안?동안 is a dependent noun, meaning it requires a preceding word to give it meaning. In Korean orthography, dependent nouns are always separated by a space from the word they modify.10분동안 (X) is incorrect; it must be written as 10분 동안 (O). Always remember to leave a space to ensure correct grammar and readability.동안 be used with future tense verbs?동안 works seamlessly with all tenses: past, present, and future. The 동안 particle itself remains unchanged; it is the main verb at the end of your sentence that will be conjugated to reflect the desired tense. For example, to say "I will stay for three days," you would use 3일 동안 있을 거예요. (sam-il dong-an iss-eul geo-ye-yo.).있을 거예요 (will be/stay), while 3일 동안 clearly establishes the duration.한동안? Is that related to 동안?한동안 (han-dong-an) is a common adverbial phrase directly derived from 동안. It means "for a while," "for some time," or "for quite a while." The 한 (han) here acts as an indefinite determiner, roughly meaning "a certain/some" or "one" (in the sense of an unspecified period). 한동안 is used when you want to express a duration that is not numerically specified but is understood to be a non-trivial length of time.한동안 비가 많이 왔어요. (han-dong-an bi-ga man-i wass-eo-yo., "It rained a lot for a while.") It's a handy phrase to know when you don't have a precise time figure.동안 be used with negative sentences?동안 is regularly used in negative constructions to express that an action or state did not occur for a specified period. The negation applies to the main verb of the sentence, not to 동안 itself.저는 며칠 동안 밥을 못 먹었어요. (jeo-neun myeot-chil dong-an bap-eul mot meog-eoss-eo-yo., "I couldn't eat for a few days."). Or 그녀는 일주일 동안 연락이 없었어요. (geu-nyeo-neun il-ju-il dong-an yeon-rak-i eop-seoss-eo-yo., "She didn't contact me for a week.") The structure remains consistent regardless of affirmation or negation.Duration Formation
| Time Unit | Particle | Resulting Phrase |
|---|---|---|
|
1분
|
동안
|
1분 동안
|
|
1시간
|
동안
|
1시간 동안
|
|
하루
|
동안
|
하루 동안
|
|
일주일
|
동안
|
일주일 동안
|
|
한 달
|
동안
|
한 달 동안
|
|
1년
|
동안
|
1년 동안
|
Meanings
Indicates the duration of an action or state. It translates to 'for' or 'during' in English.
Temporal Duration
The length of time an event persists.
“1시간 동안 기다렸어요.”
“방학 동안 여행을 갔어요.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Time + 동안
|
1시간 동안 자요.
|
|
Negative
|
Time + 동안 + 안
|
1시간 동안 안 자요.
|
|
Question
|
얼마 동안 + Verb?
|
얼마 동안 기다렸어요?
|
|
Past
|
Time + 동안 + Verb-past
|
2일 동안 여행했어요.
|
|
Future
|
Time + 동안 + Verb-future
|
3일 동안 머물 거예요.
|
Formality Spectrum
10분 동안 기다렸습니다. (Waiting for a friend)
10분 동안 기다렸어요. (Waiting for a friend)
10분 동안 기다렸어. (Waiting for a friend)
10분 기다림. (Waiting for a friend)
Duration Concept Map
Time Units
- 분 minute
- 시간 hour
- 일 day
Examples by Level
1시간 동안 공부해요.
I study for 1 hour.
방학 동안 한국에 갈 거예요.
I will go to Korea during vacation.
그는 3년 동안 회사에서 일했어요.
He worked at the company for 3 years.
회의하는 동안 휴대폰을 끄세요.
Please turn off your phone during the meeting.
그는 긴 시간 동안 침묵을 지켰다.
He maintained silence for a long time.
수십 년 동안 이어져 온 전통입니다.
It is a tradition that has continued for decades.
Easily Confused
Both relate to time.
Both mean 'during'.
Both relate to time spans.
Common Mistakes
5시 동안
5시부터
1시간에 공부해요
1시간 동안 공부해요
3일동안
3일 동안
동안 1시간
1시간 동안
얼마에 기다렸어요?
얼마 동안 기다렸어요?
방학에 여행했어요
방학 동안 여행했어요
1년 동안에
1년 동안
잠시 동안에
잠시 동안
그 시간 동안에
그 시간 동안
3개월 동안을
3개월 동안
오랜 동안
오랫동안
내내 동안
내내
그 기간 동안에
그 기간 동안
10년 동안을
10년 동안
Sentence Patterns
저는 ___ 동안 ___ 했어요.
___ 동안 기다려 주세요.
___ 동안 한국에 머물 거예요.
___ 동안 계속 노력했어요.
Real World Usage
10분 동안 기다려!
3년 동안 근무했습니다.
3일 동안 머물 거예요.
30분 동안 배달 예정.
1년 동안의 기록.
1시간 동안 공부하세요.
Space matters
No clock times
Use with '얼마'
Politeness
Smart Tips
Always check if you are describing a duration or a point.
Use '동안' to clearly define your project timeline.
Use '얼마 동안' to get specific duration info.
Add '동안' to make it sound complete.
Pronunciation
Liaison
The 'ng' sound in 동안 links to the next word if it starts with a vowel.
Question
얼마 동안? ↑
Rising intonation for questions.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Dongan' as 'Done-gone'—the time is done and gone while you were doing the action.
Visual Association
Imagine a stopwatch running while you are studying. The time on the watch is the 'Dongan'.
Rhyme
For a duration, long or short, use 동안 for your report.
Story
Min-su waited for 10 minutes. He looked at his watch. '10분 동안 기다렸어!' he sighed. He was tired of waiting.
Word Web
Challenge
Write down 3 things you did today and how long you did them using '동안'.
Cultural Notes
Koreans are very precise about time. Using '동안' correctly shows you value their time.
In business, '동안' is used to report progress.
Used in research to denote study periods.
Derived from the noun '동안' meaning 'interval' or 'space of time'.
Conversation Starters
한국어를 얼마 동안 배웠어요?
방학 동안 무엇을 할 거예요?
지난 주말 동안 바빴어요?
가장 오랫동안 해본 취미가 뭐예요?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
저는 2시간 ___ 공부했어요.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
3일동안 여행했어요.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
I worked for 5 years.
Answer starts with: 5년 ...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: 얼마 동안 한국에 있어요? B: ___.
Use: 10년 / 살다
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises저는 2시간 ___ 공부했어요.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
3일동안 여행했어요.
동안 / 1시간 / 기다렸어요 / 저는
I worked for 5 years.
10분
A: 얼마 동안 한국에 있어요? B: ___.
Use: 10년 / 살다
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercises얼마나 오랫___ 기다렸어요? (For how long did you wait?)
A: 너 언제 왔어? (When did you come?) B: ___ (I've been here for 30 minutes.)
Which one has incorrect spacing?
I slept for 12 hours.
Match the Korean to English
Construct: [동안] [일주일] [여행했어요] (I traveled for a week)
청소___ 동안 음악을 들어요. (I listen to music while cleaning.) [청소하다]
Which is best for 'Don't talk *during* the test'?
3시 동안 만나요. (Let's meet for 3 o'clock.)
What is 'While I am here'?
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
No, '내일' is a point in time. Use '내일 동안' is incorrect.
No, it is a particle/noun.
In casual speech, yes, but keep it for clarity.
Because it is a noun.
It is neutral and used everywhere.
Yes, '잠시 동안' is very common.
Use '얼마 동안'.
Yes, it is standard in all writing.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
durante
None.
pendant
None.
während
Grammatical structure.
aida
Particle attachment.
khilal
Formal register.
qijian
Word order.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Related Grammar Rules
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